• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.463-476
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• 2005

Mesozooplankton samples were collected to investigate the spatial distribution in the Chuuk lagoon of the Federated States of Micronesia through three surveys from 2002 to 2004. Average temperature was $28.70^{\circ}C$ in August 2002, $30.17^{\circ}C$ in October 2003 and $29.18^{\circ}C$ in July 2004 at a water depth of 2rn. Average salinity was 33.95 psu in August 2002, 33.56 psu in October 2003 and 33.77 psu in July 2004. Total rnosozooplankton consisted of 70 taxa during the study period, among which copepods were the most diverse group. Foraminiferans, radiolarians, copepods and appendicularians, which comprised about 70% of total zooplankton abundance, were important components in the zooplankton community. Within the copepod group, Acartia spp., Centropages spp. and Undinula spp. were dominant in August 2002, Acartia spp., Centropages spp., and Oithona spp. in October 2003, and Acartia spp., Undinula spp., and Oithona spp. in July 2004. Total zooplankton abundance was high around Weno Island, while low in stations located in the northern part of Weno Island. High abundances of appendicularians were found in the southern part of weno Island as well as around Weno Island. Appendicularians foraminiferans, radiolarians, Sagitta spp. and immature copepods accounted for most of the distribution pattern of the mesozzoplankton community throughout the study area. These results suggest that appendicularians may be potential food items for fish larvae around Weno Island in the Chuuk lagoon states.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.248-259
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• 2014

This paper describes eight new species of the genus Coscinoderma from Chuuk Island, the Federated States of Micronesia. This genus is characterized by very fine, meandering uncored secondary fibres. All the new Coscinoderma species are compared with eight other valid species from tropical regions. Coscinoderma folium n. sp. is characterized by its large thickly foliate shape, and cored primary fibres are easily found between secondary fibres in choanosome. Coscinoderma lacium n. sp. differs in having round conules and no cored primary fibres. Coscinoderma cavernosa n. sp. is distinguished from other species by its cavernous shape and long sharp conules. Coscinoderma wenoa n. sp. is characterized by long conules and primary fibres. Coscinoderma mappula n. sp. differs in having a thick sand crust in the choanosome. Coscinoderma bakusi n. sp. is characterized by having several oscules at the top of the sponge and color changed grey to dark brown in alcohol. Coscinoderma pollax n. sp. is characterized by having a small thumb shape. Coscinoderma truki n. sp. similar to C. pollax in shape but differs in cored primary fibres with many spicules.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.65-73
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• 2004

Gametogenesis, changes of gonad bulk index (GBI), monthly variation in oocyte diameter, reproductive cycle and spawning with lunar cycle of the top shell, Trochus niloticus were investigated by histological examination. The specimens were sampled in the coastal waters of Chuuk Island, Micronesia, form November 1999 to September 2000. T. niloticus is a gonochorism, and the female and male were present in an approximately 1:1 ratio (p > 0.05). The ovary contained with the oocyte of yolk stage, the testis composed of the spermatid and spermatozoa at around the year. Monthly GBI were higher at February, March, April and June than the other months. Major spawning occurred between April and May, and June and July but the individuals of partially spawning were presented throughout the year. GBI with lunar cycle were higher at the full moon than the other lunar phase. These results suggest that the spawning occurred between the full moon and last quarter moon.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.23-34
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• 2001

Geochemical and Sr-Nd isotopic compositions and K-Ar ages are analyzed in volcanic rocks from Weno Island, Caroline Islands. Seven Weno lava samples of alkali basalt and basaltic trachyandesite are aphyric or sparsely phyric comprising olivine, plagioclase, and clinopyroxene phenocrysts. Whole-rock geochemical variation of Weno lavas reflects main fractional crystallization of olivine and Cr-spinel phenocrysts. Newly determined K-Ar ages of Weno lavas range from 6.7 to 11.3 Ma (late Miocene), indicating their formation during primary volcanic stage of Chuuk Islands. Trace element compositions of Weno lavas are very similar to those of typical ocean island basalts (OIBs), suggesting their formation during intra-plate mantle plume activity. The plume composition is isotopically very similar to that of Hawaiian hot spot. However, the age span of Chuuk volcanism is longer than that of the other individual volcanoes in the Pacific.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.108-118
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• 2014

Micronesia is an island nation located north of Papua New Guinea in the Pacific Ocean. A survey was conducted on Chuuk, which is one of the four main islands of Micronesia, from 11-25 Nov 2012. Echinoderms collected at one intertidal area as well as at 16 SCUBA diving points of 10-40 m depths in the subtidal zone were identified based on morphological characteristics. In total, 35 species from 165 individuals were identified: two crinoids, eight asteroids, four ophiuroids, seven echinoids, and 14 holothuroids. Among them, one asteroid, one ophiuroid, one echinoid, and two holothuroids were newly recorded from Micronesia.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.343-376
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• 2013

The Federated States of Micronesia consists of four states of Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae, which are located in the West Pacific Ocean. In order to investigate molluscan fauna of Kosrae Island, field survey was made twice from 21st to 30th of January, 2011 and from 6th to 17th of January, 2012 for four localities including 10 intertidal and 14 subtidal zones of Kosrae Island. The mollusk samples collected were identified based on their morphological characteristics, comprising a total of 120 species from 30 families through this survey. In this study, we provided species list and illustrations for 120 species identified, and combined these with the previous record, resulting in a total of 208 species from 47 families in Kosrae Island.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.24 no.1 s.61
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• pp.81-88
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• 2006

The cell abundance and marker pigment distribution patterns of picophytoplankton in the Chuuk Lagoon, tropical South Pacific, were analyzed flow cytometry and HPLC. Also, respective contribution of Synechococcus, Prochlorococcus and picoeukaryotes on estimated carbon biomass was evaluated. Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus showed contrasting distributional patterns in the waters of Chuuk Lagoon. Relatively high concentration of Synechococcus was observed near Weno Island but the concentration decreased toward the Northeast Passage. However, Prochlorococcus showed an opposite distributional pattern. Picoeukaryotes did not show any significant variable difference. The range of divinyl chlorophyll a (Chl. $\alpha$) concentration, marker pigment of Prochlorococcus, was $1.2\sim180.3\;ng\;L^{-1}$ and higher concentrations were observed at the stations near the Northeast Passage than stations near Weno Island. This pigment pattern was similar to cell abundance pattern indicating that chi. a2 may be a useful biomass indicator. On the other hand, the range of zeaxanthin concentrations was $61.4\sim135.8\;ng\;L^{-1}$ showing comparatively less significant variation indicating zeaxanthin influence derived from Prochlorococcus. Estimated carbon biomass of Synechococcus contributed 68% of total picophytoplankton biomass. Prochlorococcus and picoeukaryotes respectively contributed 17.1% and 14.9% of total picophytoplankton biomass.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.687-698
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• 2021

We present quantitative estimations of changes in the areal extent of coral reef habitats at Weno Island, Micronesia, using high-spatial-resolution remote sensing images and field observations. Coral reef habitat maps were generated from Kompsat-2 satellite images for September 2008 and September 2010, yielding classifications with 78.6% and 72.4% accuracy, respectively, which is a relatively high level of agreement. The difference between the number of pixels occupied by each seabed type was calculated, revealing that the areal extent of living corals decreased by 8.2 percentage points between 2008 and 2010. This result is consistent with a comparison of the seabed types determined by field observations. This study can be used as a basis for remediation planning to diminish the impact of changes in coral reefs.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.180-187
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• 2021

This study was conducted to investigate the reproductive characteristics of the Neon damselfish Pomacentrus coelestis in Chuuk lagoon (7°27' N, 151°53' E), Micronesia, Equatorial Pacific Ocean. The specimens used in this study were collected from August 2009 to September 2010 from around the coral reef area at a depth of 3-10 m in the northwest coast of Weno Island. Overall, 228 individuals were collected over 14 months from this area, of which 115 were females and 108 were males. Among 108 males, 30 were found to be hermaphrodites and the sex of 5 individuals could not be determined. The overall sex ratio was approximately 1.06:1 (female:male), and the ratio of sexually active individuals was 0.79:1. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) fluctuated and showed the highest value of 8.43±1.21 in December 2009 and the lowest value of 3.36±0.71 in September 2009 in sexually active females. Males showed the highest GSI value of 2.64±0.93 in June 2010 and the lowest value of 0.35±0.06 in July 2010. Based on the fluctuation of GSI, the trends in the appearance of monthly sexually active individuals, and biopsy of the gonads, P. coelestis was found to be a hermaphrodite species of protogynous type and is considered to be reproductively active throughout the year.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2010

The distribution of coral reefs can be an indicator of environmental or anthropogenic impacts. Here, we present a habitat map of coral reefs developed using high-spatial satellite images. The study area was located on the north-eastern part of Weno island, in the Chuuk lagoon of Federated States of Micronesia. Two fieldwork expeditions were carried out between 2007 and 2008 to acquire optical and environmental data from 121 stations. We used an IKONOS image obtained in December 2000, and a Kompsat-2 image obtained in September 2008 for the purpose of coral reef mapping. We employed an adapted version of the object-based classification method for efficient classification of the high-spatial satellite images. The habitat map generated using Kompsat-2 was 72.22% accurate in terms of comparative analysis with in-situ measurements. The result of change detection analysis between 2000 and 2008 showed that coral reef distribution had decreased by 6.27% while seagrass meadows had increased by 8.0%.