National Center for Mariculture Benny Ron ronbenny@ocean.org.il Tel: 08 – 6361439 Scientist Ph.D. 1996, University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA At IOLR since 1996

Research interests:
Genetics; Endocrinology; Environmental physiology; Chronobiology and the melatonin-generating system; Stress in cultured fish.

Selected publications:
Zilberman-Peled, B. Appelbaum, L., Vallone, D., Foulkes, N.S., Anava, S., Anzulovich, A., Coon, S.L., Klein, D.C., Falcon, J., Ron, B., and Gothilf, Y., (2007). Transcriptional regulation of arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase-2 gene in the pineal gland of the gilthead seabream. J. Neuroendocrinol. 19:46-53.

Ron, B., (2006). Effects of genetic and environmental factors on sex differentiation in the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Isr. J. Aquacult. Bamidgeh 58:366-372.

Zilberman-Peled, B., Ron, B., Gross, A., Finberg, J.P.M., and Gothilf, Y., (2006). A possible new role for fish retinal serotonin-N-acetyltransferase-1 (AANAT1): Dopamine metabolism. Brain Res. 1073/1074:220-228.

Eshchar, M., Lahav, O., Mozes, N., Peduel, A, and Ron, B. (2006). Intensive fish culture at high ammonium and low pH. Aquaculture 255:301-313.

Mylonas, C. C., Anezaki, L., Divanach, P., Zanuy, S., Piferrer, F., Ron, B., Peduel, A., Ben Atia, I., Gorshkov, S. and Tandler, A., (2005). Influence of rearing temperature during the larval and nursery periods on growth and sex differentiation in two Mediterranean strains of Dicentrarchus labrax. J. Fish Biol. 67: 652-668.

Ron, B. (2004). In vitro melatonin rhythm reveals a clocked pineal in the European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. Isr. J. Aquacult. Bamidgeh 56:281-285.

Zilberman-Peled, B., Benhar, I., Coon, S.L., Ron, B. and Gothilf, Y. (2004). Duality of serotonin-N-acetyltransferase in the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata): Molecular cloning and characterization of recombinant enzymes. Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 138:139-147.

Bressler, K. and Ron, B. (2004). Effect of anesthetics on stress and the innate immune system of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). Isr. J. Aquacult. Bamidgeh 56:5-13.

Gorshkov, S., Meiri, I., Rosenfeld, H., Ben-Atia, S., Lutzki, S., Peduel, A., Ron, B., Skvortzov, A., Gorshkova, G. and Tandler, A. (2003). Parental effects on sex ratios in progeny of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Isr. J. Aquacult. Bamidgeh 55:265-273.

Koven, W., Van Anholt, R., Lutzky, S., Ben Atia, I., Nixon, O., Ron, B. and Tandler, A. (2003). The effect of dietary arachidonic acid on growth, survival, and cortisol levels in different-age gilthead seabream larvae (Sparus auratus) exposed to handling or daily salinity change. Aquaculture 228:307-320.

Peduel, A. and Ron, B. (2003). Influence of brackish water on survival and growth of the juvenile white grouper, Epinephelus aeneus. Isr. J. Aquacult. Bamidgeh 55:258-264.

Sparks, R.T., Shepherd, B.S., Ron, B., Richman, H.N., Riley, L.G., Iwama, G.K., Hirano, T. and Grau, G.E. (2003). Effects of environmental salinity and 17a-methyltestosterone on growth and oxygen consumption in the tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. (B). 136:657-665.