Research Projects 2005

The following research projects were carried out during 2005. Project leaders who are postgraduate students are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Adaptations to large cell size in the bacterium Epulopiscium (March)
Associate Professor Esther Angert, *Joe Flint, *Rebekah Ward and David Raubenheimer (Cornell University, USA), Professor Howard Choat and *Will Robbins (James Cook University) and Dr Kendall Clements (University of Auckland)

Distributional patterns of Myxosporea in teleost tissues, taxa and localities (May/ June)
*Mieke Burger (University of Queensland)

Primary productivity studies of genetically distinct zooxanthellae (July/ August)
*Karin Ulstrup (University of Technology Sydney)

Large-scale patterns of coral demography on the Great Barrier Reef (January)
Dr Andrew Baird (James Cook University)

Neutral community dynamics on coral reefs (January/ February)
*Maria Dornelas (James Cook University)

Prevalence and impact of coral disease (December 2004/ January, May, August/ September, November)
*Cathie Page (James Cook University)

Ecological significance of coral disease on the Great Barrier Reef (December 2004/ January)
Associate Professor Bette Willis (James Cook University)

Helminths of Great Barrier Reef fishes (May/ June)
Dr Thomas Cribb (University of Queensland), Dr Rob Adlard (Queensland Museum), Dr Rod Bray and and Dr Tim Littlewood (Natural History Museum London, UK)

Podocotyloides stenometra from chaetodontid fishes (May/ June)
*Abigail Downey (University of Queensland)

Phylogeny of cirratuliform polychaetes (October/ November)
*Magdalena Halt (University of Adelaide)

Serpulidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from Lizard Island (October/ November)
Dr Elena Kupriyanova (University of Adelaide)

Cryptogonimid nematodes from lutjanid species in the tropical Indo-Pacific (May/ June)
*Terrence Miller (University of Queensland)

Bucephalids of fishes and bivalves (May/ June)
*Matthew Nolan (University of Queensland)

The polychaete family Nerillidae (October/ November)
Dr Katrine Worsaae (South Australian Museum)

Dissecting pain pathways using conopeptides (October/ November)
Professor Paul Alewood (University of Queensland)

Evolutionary dynamics of hermaphrodite mating systems (January/ February)
*Nils Anthes (University of Tuebingen, Germany)

Evolution and ecology of solar-powered Opisthobranchia (June/ July)
*Ingo Burghardt (University of Bochum, Germany)

Phylogenetic relationships of Naticidae and Conidae (Mollusca) (January/ February)
*Thomas Huelsken (Ruhruniversitaet Bochum, Germany)

Locomotion and prey capture of Octopus (Abdopus) aculeatus (August)
*Christine Huffard (University of California Berkeley, USA)

Long-term monitoring of giant clam populations (December 2004/ January)
Dr David Phillips (Independent researcher)

Sexual conflict in the simultaneous hermaphrodite Chelidonura hirudina (November to January 2006)
*Anja Smykowski (University of Tuebingen, Germany)

Female benefits of multiple matings in simultaneous hermaphoditic sea slugs (November to February 2006)
*Dennis Sprenger (University of Tuebingen, Germany)

Solar powered sea slugs (February/ March)
*Kristina Stemmer (Ruhruniversitaet Bochum, Germany)

The biogeography of the giant clams and their algal symbionts (August)
*Michelle Weber (University of California Berkeley, USA)

Speciation in marine broadcast spawning invertebrates
Dr Suzanne Williams (Natural History Museum London, UK)

Predator/prey interactions of blue-ringed octopuses and mantis shrimp (August)
*Becky Williams (University of California Berkeley, USA)

Polarized signalling of stomatopods (September)
*Tsyr-Huei Chiou (University of Maryland Baltimore County, USA)

Sensory studies on stomatopods (September)
*Mary Kaminski (University of Maryland Baltimore County, USA)

Survey of Lepidoptera (March/ April)
Rob Lachlan (Australian Museum)

Amphipod workshop (February/ March)
Led by Dr Jim Lowry (Australian Museum): Dr Penny Berents, Roger Springthorpe and *Michelle Yerman (Australian Museum), Dr Oliver Coleman (Zoological Museum Berlin, Germany), *Lauren Hughes (National Marine Science Centre, Australia), Dr Jean Just (Museum of Tropical Queensland), Dr Rachel King (Marine Resources Research Institute, Charleston, USA), Kristine Klebba (Nova Southeast University, USA), Dr Traudl Krapp-Schickel (Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und Museum Alexander Koenig, Germany), Dr Sara Le Croy (University of Southern Mississippi, USA), Dr Alan Myers (National University of Ireland), Dr Cris Serejo (Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) and Ichiro Takeuchi (Ehime University, Japan)

A cost and benefit analysis for the mutualism of a coral, a crab and a goby (March/ April, June, November/ December)
*Bryan Murphy (James Cook University)

Foraging strategies of gnathiid parasites (October/ November)
*Laura Nagel (University of Queensland)

Taxonomy of gnathiid isopods (November/ December)
Dr Nico Smit and *Maryke Coetzee (University of Johannesburg, South Africa)

Evolution of Asterinidae (October)
Associate Professor Maria Byrne (University of Sydney), Dr Tim O'Hara and Dr Paula Cisternas (Museum of Victoria) and Dr Jerome Mallefet (Universite Catholique de Louvain, Belgium)

Ophiuroid colour change and bioluminescence (October)
Associate Professor Maria Byrne (University of Sydney), Dr Tim O'Hara and Dr Paula Cisternas (Museum of Victoria) and Dr Jerome Mallefet (Universite Catholique de Louvain, Belgium)

Evolution of development in ophiuroids (October)
Dr Paula Cisternas (Museum of Victoria)

Antifouling defences of starfish (March/ April, October)
*Jana Guenther (James Cook University)

Ecology and systematics of tropical shallow-water Crinoidea (October)
Dr Charles Messing (Nova Southeastern University, USA)

Phylogeny and taxonomy of commercial sea cucumbers (October)
Dr Tim O'Hara (Museum of Victoria), Associate Professor Maria Byrne (University or Sydney) and Dr Jerome Mallefet (Universite Catholique de Louvain, Belgium)

Effect of cortisol level levels on embryonic development of Pomacentrus amboinensis (November)
*Monica Gagliano(James Cook University)

Mother-offspring link: protection from solar radiation and survival of Pomacentrus amboinensis (November)
*Monica Gagliano (James Cook University)

Effect of parasites on juvenile reef fish (October to December)
Dr Alexandra Grutter (University of Queensland)

Selectivity of predation on juvenile tropical reef fish (October to January 2006)
*Tom Holmes (James Cook University)

Larval fish behaviour (November/ December)
Dr Jeff Leis (Australian Museum)

Pilot studies (January)
Dr Mark McCormick (James Cook University) and Dr Mark Meekan (Australian Institute of Marine Science)

Influence of early life history traits on survival of coral reef fish (October to December)
Dr Mark McCormick (James Cook University) and Dr Mark Meekan (Australian Institute of Marine Science)

Social facilitation influences selective mortality of a coral reef fish (October to December)
Dr Mark McCormick (James Cook University) and Dr Mark Meekan (Australian Institute of Marine Science)

Influence of cortisol on development trajectories of a damselfish (January)
Dr Mark McCormick (James Cook University) and Dr Mark Meekan (Australian Institute of Marine Science)

Genetic selection on coral reef fish (October to December)
Dr Mark McCormick (James Cook University) and Dr Mark Meekan (Australian Institute of Marine Science)

Ontogeny of sensory abilities marine fish larvae (November/ December)
*Kelly Wright (University of New South Wales)

Effects of line fishing - visual surveys of coral trout (November)
Dr Tony Ayling (Consultant to CRC Reef)

Interactions between cleaner shrimp and fishes: is this mutualism? (October to January 2006)
*Justine Becker (University of Queensland)

The link between cooperation and cognitive abilities in reef fishes (July to September)
Dr Ralph Bergmueller (University of Neuchatel, Switzerland)

Predator- prey relationships (October/ November)
*Mary Bonin (James Cook University)

Blood parasites of reef fish (January)
Dr Alexandra Grutter and Dr Robert Lester (University of Queensland)

Growth patterns & life history of damselfish at tropical & warm temperate environmental gradients (December/ January 2006)
*Thea Brolund (University of Technology Sydney)

The function and maintenance of aggressive mimics (December/ January 2006)
Dr Karen Cheney (University Queensland)

The role of colour in communication between cleaner fish and clients (June/ July)
Dr Karen Cheney (University Queensland)

Home ranges & territories for coral reef fish (January/ February, June)
*Melissa Cowlishaw (James Cook University)

Testing chromatic and achromatic vision of fishes using behaviour (September)
*Fallon Evans (University of Queensland)

The effect of gnathiid isopods on larval reef fish condition (January, March/ April, October to December)
*Angela Crean (University of Queensland)

Identification of haemogregarine blood parasites in coral reef fishes and their effect on host fish physiology (March/ April, June/ July, October to December)
*Lynda Curtis (University of Queensland)

Sunscreen in coral reef fish (June/ July)
*Maxie Eckes (University of Queensland)

The role of selective mortality in the early life history traits of coral reef fishes (October 2004 to January)
*Monica Gagliano (James Cook University)

Latitudinal variation in the diet and physiology of juvenile butterflyfishes (Pisces: Chaetodontidae) (December)
*Marcus Gregson (University of Technology Sydney)

Ecological role of parasites in fish larvae (January)
Dr Alexandra Grutter (University of Queensland) and Dr Mark McCormick (James Cook University)

Vision in sharks and other fishes (September)
Dr Nathan Hart (University of Queensland)

Social dilemma in fish: how do reef fish deal with a sabretooth blenny? (July to September)
*Andrea Hohner (University of Neuchatel, Switzerland)

The role of predatory and parasitic isopods on coral reef fish recruitment (October to December)
*Conor Jones (University of Queensland)

Coral reef fish phylogeography and molecular adaptation (December 2004/ January)
*Karin Kassahn (James Cook University)

Behavioural, anatomical and physiological investigation of double cone-type photoreceptors (September)
Professor Justin Marshall (University of Queensland)

Colour vision in fish (January)
Professor Justin Marshall (University of Queensland)

Proximate mechanisms of sex change in coral dwelling fishes (November/ December)
Dr Phil Munday (James Cook University) and Dr Sara Ostlund-Nilsson (University of Oslo, Norway)

Body colour attraction in reef fishes (November/ December)
Dr Phil Munday (James Cook University) and Dr Sara Ostlund-Nilsson (University of Oslo, Norway)

Habitat choice and hypoxia tolerance in coral reef fish (December 2004/ January, December/ January 2006)
Professor Goran Nilsson (University of Oslo, Norway)

Virtual ambon damselfish (November)
*Rainer Obergrussberger (University of Queensland)

Effect of parental care on the parasites of juvenile Acanthochromis polyacanthus (October to December)
*Rose Penfold (University of Queensland)

Substrate preferences of juvenile labrid and pomacentrid fishes (April)
Dr Tom Reimchen (University of Victoria, Canada)

Growth demography and stock structure of north Queensland reef sharks (March/ April)
*Will Robbins (James Cook University)

Sex specific growth trajectories in several species of labrids with respect to sex change and social structure (November)
*Chris Ryen (James Cook University)

Individual recognition and colour perception in Pomacentrus amboinensis (March, November)
Dr Uli Siebeck (University of Queensland)

Object recognition in Dischistodus perspicillatus and Pomacentrus amboinensis (March)
Dr Uli Siebeck (University of Queensland)

Effect of coral bleaching on fish settlement (September, November)
Dr Uli Siebeck (University of Queensland)

Light environment in damselfish habitats (March)
Dr Uli Siebeck (University of Queensland)

Antagonism in the expression of male and female traits in two-way sex changing fish
(Pseudochromis cyanotaenia) (November to February 2006)
*Caya Sievers (University of Tuebingen, Germany)

Respiration in resting and swimming fish exposed to hypoxia (January/ February)
Professor John Fleng Steffensen (University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

Monitoring fishes (October/ November)
Dr Craig Syms (James Cook University)

Distribution and abundance of triggerfishes (November)
*Maggie Voth (World Learning, USA)

The sociobiology of life history transitions and lifetime fecundity in haremic reef fish (September to November)
*Stefan Walker (James Cook University)

The role of ontogenetic colour change in social interaction in damselfish (February/ March)
*Samantha Waller (University of Queensland)

Social behaviour in coral gobies (February/ March, May, November/ December)
*Marian Wong (James Cook University)

Uv protecting sunscreens in coral reef fish mucus: their chemistry, source and biological role (January, April)
Dr Alexandra Grutter and Dr Uli Siebeck (University of Queensland)

Effects of ultraviolet radiation on cleaner fish (November/ December)
Dr Jill Zamzow (University of Queensland)

Wholemount immunostaining for multiple placode detection in wild-caught fishes; a pilot study in the evolution of development (September)
Dr Kathryn Kavanagh (University of Helsinki, Finland)

Sleeping parrotfish: fact or fiction? (August)
Dr Tony Farrell (University of British Columbia, Canada)

Marine organism sources of airbourne particles (July)
Dr Keith Bigg (Independent researcher)

Hydrodynamics of fringing reef systems (May)
Dr Rob Brander (University of New South Wales) and Dr Paul Kench (University of Auckland, New Zealand)

Properties of natural polarized light fields in air and water (September)
Dr Tom Cronin (University of Maryland Baltimore County, USA)

Morphodynamics of fringing reefs (May)
*Michael Daly (University of New South Wales)

Sedimentary processes on coral reefs (August/ September)
*Murray Ford (University of Auckland, New Zealand)

Marine resilience workshop (August)
Professor Terry Hughes (James Cook University), Professor Carl Folke and Dr Per Olsson (Stockholm University, Sweden), Dr Lance Gunderson (Emory University, USA), Dr Tim Lynam (CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems)