This bulletin is meant to be a guide to the fishes of the west-central coast of North America that commonly occur in kelp beds and adjacent areas. The fishes described are common species, and this report is not meant to include all species that occur in the kelp environment and adjacent zones. In all, 97 species are described; key identification features are given. Colors listed for each species refer to how that specimen would appear in the live and/or recently captured state; underwater behavioral characteristics are given wherever possible to aid the underwater diving enthusiast. Description of the kelp environment is given, which includes a brief explanation pertaining to the three major ecological zones within the kelp ecosystem. A brief explanation and description of the kelp bed flora is included, along with geographical considerations. The kelp environment as a habitat type for fishes is discussed; three habitat regions in the kelp bed are given special attention, these are: 1) the canopy, 2) intermediate regions, and 3) kelp bottom holdfast region. Accounts of each species of fish then follow which include identification, distribution, size, habitat habits, and life history inclusive of food and reproductive biology whenever available. Four appendix tables include listings of the organisms frequently observed by diving in the various kelp bed habitat regions.

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype frequencies were examined to determine whether variation in 6 estrogen-related genes was associated with differences in cognitive functioning in women at midlife. DNA from a multiracial/multiethnic sample of 875 African American, Caucasian, Chinese, and Japanese women aged 45 to 56 years participating in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) was genotyped. Gene markers from the sex steroid hormone pathway were linked to measures of cognitive functioning including the Digit Span Backward Test (DSB), a measure of working memory; the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), a measure of perceptual speed; and the East Boston Memory Test (EBMT), a measure of episodic memory. Statistical models were fit using logistic regression and general linear models to estimate the strength of association of estrogen-related polymorphisms with DSB, SDMT, and EBMT scores. On the EBMT, African American women and Caucasian women with ESR1 rs9340799 GG genotypes had about 1.5 to 2.0 times greater odds of remembering story elements on the EBMT-immediate recall test. Caucasian women with ESR1 rs2234693 CC genotypes had 1.3 to 1.5 times greater odds of remembering story elements on the EBMTdelayed recall test. Chinese women with 17HSD rs615942 GG genotypes, 17HSD rs592389 TT genotypes, and 17HSD rs2830 GG genotypes had about 1.7 times greater odds of remembering story elements on the EBMT-immediate recall test. African American women with CYP 19 rs936306 CC genotypes had about 0.25 to 0.40 lower odds of remembering story elements on the EBMT-immediate recall test, whereas Chinese women with CYP 19 rs936306 CC genotypes had about 2.3 times greater odds of remembering story elements on both the EBMT-immediate and -delayed recall tests. On the DSB, African American women with CYP 19 rs749292 GG genotype had a higher mean score. On the SDMT, Japanese women with ESR1 rs728524 GG genotypes had a higher mean score. On the 3 tests of cognitive functioning, there was 1 significant finding for CYP1A1 and none for the YP1B1 or ESR2 SNPs. We conclude that selected genes involved in estrogen synthesis and metabolism may be associated with performance differences on cognitive function tests. Also, the relevant estrogen-related polymorphisms may vary by race/ethnicity.