TABLE OF CONTENTS

Vol. 15, No. 1, June, 1997

New Names, New Faces, and Recognition for 20 Years of Dedicated Service to the Scientific Community of the Gulf of Mexico. By William W. Schroeder..........................................................................................1

Biodiversity Patterns of Littoral Tidal River Fishes in the Gulf Coastal Plain Region of Mississippi.   By  Chet F. Rakocinski, Mark S. Peterson, Steven J. VanderKooy, and Gregory J. Crego........................................2

Factors Associated with Artificial-Reef Fish Assemblages, By Stephen A. Bortone, Robert K. Turpin, Richard C. Cody, Charles M. Bundrick, and Ronald L. Hill......................................................................17

Short Papers and Notes

Population Genetics of Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus from the North-western Gulf of Mexico.  By Nicole J. Berthelemy-Okazaki and Robert K. Okazaki.........................................................................................35

Range Extension of Mobula tarapacana into the Northwestern Gulf of Mexico.    By Jeff Childs.................39

Differentiation of Postlarvae of Penaeus aztecus and Penaeus duoorarum from the Gulf of Mexico using Isoelectric Focusing.  By Micke L. Powell, Kenneth C. Stuck, and Stephen A. Watt.................................40

Salinity Tolerance of four Ecologically Distinct Species of Fundulus (Pisces: Fundulidae) from the Northern Gulf of Mexico.  By Gregory J. Crego and Mark S. Peterson...................................................................45

Commentary

The Nursery Role of Seagrass  Beds.  By K. L. Heck Jr., D. A. Nadeau, and R. Thomas..........................50