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The article presents a study which developed practical techniques for the rehabilitation of coral reef through the production of juveniles that are taken from sexual reproduction for a remote island with limited recruitment. The study was conducted by researchers where the adult corals of Acropora tenuis were taken from Okinotorishima, Japan to a hatchery on Okinawa and were maintained in land tanks. The substrates were transplanted in three experimental treatments to be able to examine the effectiveness of protection by cages and/or hiding the juvenile corals. It was found out that the cages protected the corals from predation and eating by other fishes.

Ehrlichia-specific DNA fragments of Ehrlichia omp-1 and groEL genes were found in two I. granulatus ticks which had been collected from wild small mammals in a subtropical zone in Japan. The DNA sequences of groEL and 16SrDNA of the suspected Ehrlichia were clustered into a group of E. chaffeensis, E. muris, and Ehrlichia sp. HF565 found in I. ovatus, but were distinctly different. Therefore the Ehrlichia strain was designated as a novel Ehrlichia sp. 360. The Ehrlichia sp. 360 was detected in I. granulatus but not in any other ticks. This suggests that I. granulatus is a probable vector of Ehrlichia sp. 360 in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phylogenetic relationships of Xanthomonas albilineans strains isolated in Okinawa, Japan, between January and March 2002 were investigated by comparing their gyrB and rpoD gene sequences. Partial gyrB and rpoD sequences from 31 X. albilineans strains were determined, including 21 Okinawa strains and 10 geographically distinct strains. The Okinawa isolates formed a homogenous group and correspond to strains from the Caribbean islands (St Lucia and Barbados), Guyana and Sri Lanka. The level of sequence diversity in the gyrB and rpoD genes depended on the geographic origin of the strains, suggesting that sequence analysis of these genes can be useful for differentiating genetic variants within the X. albilineans species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thraustochytrid-like microorganism (strain 12B) was isolated from the mangrove area of Okinawa, Japan. On the basis of its ectoplasmic net structure and biflagellate zoospores we determined strain 12B to be a novel member of the phylum Labyrinthulomycota in the kingdom Protoctista. When grown on glucose/seawater at 28 °C, it had a lipid content of 58% with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 n−3) at 43% of the total fatty acids. It had a growth rate of 0.38 h−1. The DHA production rate of 2.8 ± 0.7 g l−1 day−1 is the highest value reported for any microorganism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on sex pheromone and related compounds in the Ishigaki and Okinawa strains of the tussock moth Orgyia postica (Walker). Discovery of two distinct electroantennographycally active components, A and B, and a weakly active component C in a solvent extract from virgin females of the Ishigaki strain of the tussock moth; Finding of components A, B, and C in the extract of the females at 4.0, 0.5, and 4.0 ng/female respectively; Confirmation that the attractant pheromone of O. postica of the Ishigaki strain is also (11S,12S)-1; Discussion of the attractiveness of the components to the males on both Japanese islands in the context of the activity and possible evolution of pheromonal polymorphism in the species.