Reef and coral communities of Oman,with a description of a new coral species (Order Scleractinia,genus Acanthastrea)

The coastline of Oman extends 2000 km from 16.5°N to 26.5°N in the north-west Indian Ocean. Most of it is long, exposed sandy beach or mixed sand and shallow rocky areas subject to severe scour, and there is a seasonal, cold-water upwelling whose influence increases towards the equator. Three areas of the mainland support corals, separated by long stretches of shallow sandy or muddy sublittoral. Three categories of coral or reef development are recognized: (A) coral reefs develop with characteristic profiles of reef flat and reef slope; (B) corals provide framework but there is no reef growth and no characteristic reef profile; and (C) no true reef development occurs, but mixed coral/phaeophyte communities are attached directly on to old, often non-limestone substrate. A and B are common in the north and central regions but are rare in the south. Type C is found in the centre and especially the south where the poor reef development is more typical of marginal, high-latitude coral areas. Ninety-one coral species from 47 genera were recorded (77 species from 37 genera being zooxanthellate), although diversity declines towards the equator. Regional comparisons show the Oman fauna to be fairly similar (up to 63% similariy) to that of the Arabian Gulf, but relatively dissimilar to faunas of the Gulf of Kutch (20%) and Lakshadweep (35%), the only other areas known to have significant amounts of corals in the Arabian Sea. A new species of Acanthanstrea with calices 5–8 cm wide is described.     

New records for hermatypic corals (Anthozoa: Scleractinia) in the Gulf of California,Mexico, with an historical and biogeographical discussion

This paper reports range extensions for seven hermatypic coral species in the Gulf of California. An analysis of the distribution and fossil record of the 12 hermatypic species of the Gulf shows that the coral communities of the Gulf are the oldest ones in the eastern Pacific. Two species have been recorded in the Gulf (or nearby) since the Pliocene and several other species since the Pleistocene. The uninterrupted fossil record falsifies the hypothesis of a total extinction of reef corals in the eastern Pacific during the Pleistocene. The fossil evidence and temperature calculations support the conjecture that the Gulf of California was a refuge zone for corals and other warm-water biotas during the same epoch. Also it is suggested that some species of the genera Porites may have an Atlantic origin, contrary to the accepted idea of an exclusive Indo-Pacific origin of the eastern Pacific coral fauna.     

Copepods of the genus Colobomatus (Poecilostomatoida: Philichthyidae) from fishes of the family Sillaginidae (Teleostei: Perciformes)

Six species of Colobomatus, five of which are new to science, were found in a survey of 26 species of sillaginid fishes in the Indo-west Pacific. Three of the species are closely related and occur in the head cavities of various species of their hosts. Colobomatus sillaginis West, 1983 is recorded in Sillaginodes punctata and 12 species of Sillago, from around the coast of Australia and in the Gulf of Thailand, representing many new host and locality records. Female C. asiaticus sp. nov. are described from southeast Asia and the Persian Gulf, in three species of Sillago. Female C. arabicus sp. nov. are described from two species of Sillago occurring only in the Persian Gulf. A second intrageneric grouping of three species of Colobomatus inhabits a different microhabitat: tubes of the lateral line scales. Each of these species infects several sillaginid fishes, and in contrast to members of the first species-group they are entirely allopatric with each other. In Australia, female C. fulloonae sp. nov. are described from three species of Sillago in northern waters, and female C. charleah sp. nov. are described from two species of Sillago and Sillaginodes punctata in southern waters. Female C. westi sp. nov. are described from three species of Sillago in the waters of eastern Asia (Japan, Korea and China). Only one male specimen of each of C. arabicus sp. nov., C. charleah sp. nov. and C. westi sp. nov. was found.     

Planktonic copepod community of a reef zone in the southern Gulf of Mexico

ABSTRACT

In this study, the variation of seasonal and inter-annual density and diversity of the copepod community in the Parque Nacional Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano (PNSAV) was analysed. Samples were collected under nortes, rainy and dry weather conditions in 2011, as well as under nortes and dry weather conditions in 2012 and 2013 in four transects. Surface trawls with 330-μm conical nets were made. The temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen were measured in situ. The values obtained were 23.07 ± 0.53 to 29.29 ± 0.27°C for temperature, 33.43 ± 0.49 to 35.91 ± 0.09 for salinity, and 2.52 ± 0.08 to 6.56 ± 0.08 mg l^?1 for dissolved oxygen. The copepods collected belonged to 19 families, 28 genera and 62 species. Copepods represented between 69.74% and 76.79% of the abundance of crustaceans present in zooplankton. The highest number of copepods occurred under nortes weather conditions in 2011 with 401,885 ± 28,092 copepods/100 m³ of the species Temora stylifera. In 2012, 256,325 ± 76,872 copepods/100 m³ of the species Paracalanus aculeatus were obtained and in 2013, 311,526 ± 76,872 copepods/100 m³ of the species T. turbinata. The highest specific richness was found in the southern zone with 28 species. In 2013 the highest density was found in the northern zone with 100,323 ± 28,888 copepods/100 m³. The highest diversity was found under dry weather conditions in 2011 with 3.71 bits/individual. In the 3 years of study, 24 species were dominant; 12 of these, appeared in the 3 years of sampling: T. stylifera, T. turbinata, Labidocera scotti, P. aculeatus, O. latus, Pontellopsis villosa, Centropages velificatus, Parvocalanus crassirostris, Corycaeus speciosus, Undinula vulgaris, Oithona plumifera, and Farranula gracilis. Canonical correlation analysis showed the formation of five groups explained by the neritic or oceanic affinity of the species and their tolerance to changes in salinity or temperature.     

Two new species of Siphonostomatoida (Copepoda) found on cnidarians in Tokara Islands,Southern Japan

ABSTRACT

Two new species of siphonostomatoid copepods are described based on specimens collected off Tokara Islands located in the northern part of the Ryukyu Islands, Southern Japan. Cholomyzon multisetum sp. nov. (Coralliomyzontidae) found from the orange cup coral Tubastraea coccinea Lesson, 1829 (Hexacorallia: Scleractinia: Dendrophylliidae) has the following characters: armature formula of the antennule of the female; the outer lobe of the maxillule; and numbers of elements on the legs 1 to 3. Another species, Entomopsyllus takara sp. nov. (Entomolepididae), was found from both the Indo-Pacific blue coral Heliopora coerulea (Pallas, 1766) (Octocorallia: Helioporacea: Helioporidae) and the race coral Distichopora violacea (Pallas, 1766) (Hydrozoa: Anthoathecata: Stylasteridae). This new species of the male specimen is characterized by the antennule with shortest sixth segment, the endopod of leg 2 bearing two inner setae on the second segment and five setae on the third segment, the third exopodal and endopodal segments of leg 3 bearing three spines and three setae, respectively, and the third exopodal segment of leg 4 bearing four setae. These two species represented the first records of the families Coralliomyzontidae and Entomolepididae from Japanese waters.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7C8DED0A-9CEB-405D-9BBF-FAF2043B0858     

Description of four new species of the Cirolana ‘parva group’ (Crustacea: Isopoda: Cirolanidae) from Thailand,with supporting molecular (COI) data

Four new species of the Cirolana ‘parva group’ from shallow coastal habitats in Thailand are described: Cirolana andamanensis sp. nov. and C. phangnga sp. nov., from the Andaman Sea, and C. siamensis sp. nov. and C. thailandica sp. nov. from the Gulf of Thailand. Molecular (The cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene) analysis incorporating taxa from the Cirolana ‘tuberculate group’ shows a monophyletic clade (Bayesian inference = 1 and maximum likelihood = 100%) within the Cirolana ‘parva group’ with two clades reflecting morphological characters. Cirolana andamanensis sp. nov. with antennula peduncle articles 1 and 2 entirely fused; male pereopod 1 without a setal fringe; uropod peduncle ventrolateral margin with 1 sensory seta. Cirolana phangnga sp. nov., C. siamensis sp. nov. and C. thailandica sp. nov. share the morphological characters of antennula peduncle articles 1 and 2 distinctly articulated; pereopod 1 in male with a setal fringe on the carpus and propodus; uropod peduncle ventrolateral margin with 3 sensory setae. Uncorrected p-distances strongly support the separation of these species, originally based on morphology, and show that the highest value of 32.1% is between C. thailandica sp. nov. and C. andamanensis sp. nov., while the lowest value of 22.5% is between C. phangnga sp. nov. and C. siamensis sp. nov.     

Demosponges of the red coral bottoms from the Alboran Sea

This paper deals with a study of demosponge fauna inhabiting the red coral facies on the circalitoral bottoms surrounding the Alboran Island (Western Mediterranean, Alboran Sea). A total of 58 species were recognized, after examining a total of 107 sponges. Two of these species are new to science (Plakinastrella mixta sp. nov. and Leptolabis megachela sp. nov.) and another one (Rhaphidectyon spinosum Topsent) is recorded for the first time in the Mediterranean. Some other specimens collected belonging to poorly known species, such as Erylus papulifer Pulitzer-Finali, Isops anceps (Vosmaer), Spongosorites flavens Pulitzer-Finali and Timea cumana Pulitzer-Finali, are described briefly. Two controversial specimens, assigned to Microciona spinarcus and Plocamilla cf. novizelanica, are also described and discussed. A high degree of epibiosis and abundance of rare species were the major features characterizing the material studied.     

New species of Corcyrogobius,Thorogobius and Wheelerigobius from West Africa (Teleostei: Gobiidae)

Three new West African species of gobiid fishes are described from the Gulf of Guinea in the tropical eastern Atlantic. These are Corcyrogobius lubbocki sp. nov., Thorogobius rofeni sp. nov. and Wheelerigobius wirtzi sp. nov. Generic features are discussed. T. rofeni, known from only the holotype, was trawled on the upper continental slope, an unusually deep occurrence for a gobiid species.     

Biodiversity and biogeography of the coral boring barnacles of the genus Berndtia (Cirripedia: Acrothoracica) in the West Pacific,with description of three new species

Acrothoracican barnacles of the genus Berndtia are exclusive coral borers and the type species is Berndtia purpurea Utinomi, 1950a, reported in the corals Lepastrea purpurea and Psammocora profundacella in Wakayama, Japan. We confirmed the type is only from the coral Lepastrea purpurea and is distributed from Japan, Taiwan to Hong Kong. In contrast, B. purpurea from Psammocora belongs to a new species Berndtia haradai sp. nov., which is distributed from Japan to Okinawa. The other new species identified in the present study, Berndtia denticulata sp. nov. is common in Okinawa but also collected on the Pacific side of the Philippines. Berndtia utinomii sp. nov. is found on NE coast of Taiwan, Kochi and Wakayama in Japan and Vietnam but is absent from Okinawa. All described species are diagnostic in the coloration and morphology of the opercular bars in live specimens, morphology of posterior lobes of operculum and the number of notches in maxillules.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8B6FE5B4-C5DD-48DE-B91A-39BBBAF87636     

A new genus with three new species of copepods from the family Diaixidae (Crustacea: Calanoida), and a redefinition of the family

Plankton samples taken in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia, yielded material of a new genus containing 3 new species: Anawekia spinosa gen. nov. et sp. nov., A. robusta sp. nov. and A. bilobata sp. nov., which are described herein. The family Diaixidae now contains 12 described species in 2 genera, 9 being in the genus Diaixis. It is noted that 3 of the Diaixis species (including the type species) share some features which are not shared with the remaining 6 species, and that these latter species should probably be placed into a third genus. An amplified redefinition of the family is given.     

Seasonal cycle of zooplankton abundance and biomass in Hamsilos Bay,Sinop, Southern Black Sea,Turkey

In this investigation, zooplankton was studied between July 2015 and June 2016 in Hamsilos Bay to examine spatial and temporal variations in abundance, biomass and taxonomic composition. The recorded mean zooplankton abundance and biomass were 3770.35 ind. m^?3 and 25.06 mg m^?3 in the inner station, 3928.11 ind. m^?3 and 28.19 mg m^?3 in the middle station and 3948.22 ind. m^?3 and 28.74 mg m^?3 in the outer station, respectively. The high abundance and biomass values observed in September 2015 were attributed to Oithona davisae (4575 ind. m^?3 at the inner station) and Penilia avirostris (33.4 mg m^?3 at the outer station), respectively. Copepoda was the most abundant during the entire period of the survey. In terms of abundance and biomass, Copepoda was followed by meroplankton and Cladocera. Most species within the zooplankton community exhibited evident seasonality throughout the year in Hamsilos Bay. This was particularly apparent for O. davisae, Centropages ponticus, Cladocera and meroplankton, which were abundant in summer–autumn, and for Pseudocalanus elongatus, which was more abundant during winter and spring. It has been determined that O. davisae, which is a non-indigenous cyclopoid copepod species of the Black Sea, has successfully inhabited southern Black Sea and has established a permanent population in this area.     

First observation and seasonal dynamics of the new invasive planktonic copepod Oithona davisae Ferrari and Orsi, 1984 along the southern Black Sea (Anatolian Coast)

The zooplankton species Oithona davisae is indigenous to coastal areas of Japan and the China Seas. It has, however, successfully invaded many other coastal marine regions such as San Francisco Bay, the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea and the Black Sea. It is transported most probably in ballast water tanks. This is the first report of O. davisae in the coastal regions of the southern Black Sea (Anatolian coast). Based on monthly plankton sampling at two stations (Sürmene Bay), the seasonal dynamics of O. davisae were investigated. The highest abundance occurred at the coastal station (49,761 ind. m^?3) in December and in October at the offshore station (8896 ind. m^?3). The egg-carrying copepod O. davisae is more abundant in September (4571 ind. m^?3) at the coastal station and in August (952 ind. m^?3) at the offshore station. Expansion of this invasive copepod along the Black Sea coasts is reported by another country also. According to our results this invasive species may replace its native congener, Oithona nana. It can be hypothesized that O. davisae is one of the key species for energy transfer to the upper level of the food web from the microbial loop, which has recently become important in the Black Sea.     

Crustaceans associated with the deep-water gorgonian corals Paragorgia arborea (L., 1758) and Primnoa resedaeformis (Gunn., 1763)

To explore the crustacean fauna associated with deep-water gorgonian corals, suction samples were taken from colonies of Paragorgia arborea and Primnoa resedaeformis using a Remotely Operated Vehicle. Seven colonies of P. arborea and eight of P. resedaeformis were sampled from 330–500?m depth in the Northeast Channel off Nova Scotia. A total of 17 species were identified as being associated with the corals. The P. arborea fauna was richer than the P. resedaeformis fauna in both abundance and number of species, with 1303 versus 102 individuals and 16 versus seven species, respectively. However, 13 of the species associated with P. arborea were from hydroids attached to the coral. Amphipods dominated the fauna both in abundance and numbers of species and the most common species were Metopa bruzelii, Stenopleustes malmgreni, Proboloides calcarata and Aeginella spinosa. The isopod Munna boecki and the cirripede Ornatoscalpellum stroemii were also quite common. The most strongly associated crustaceans were two parasitic poecilostomatid copepods; these are common also on tropical gorgonians and are most likely obligate associates. The frequently occurring shrimp Pandalus propinquus probably avoids predation by seeking protection among the coral branches. Shrimp counts from video records showed that visual inspection without physically disturbing colonies will generally not reveal the crustaceans hidden in coral colonies. The galatheid Eumunida picta was observed on P. resedaeformis colonies. The fauna of the deep-water gorgonians corresponded to the fauna of tropical shallow-water gorgonians in the numerical dominance of amphipods and parasitic copepods; however, species richness is higher and decapods, which constitute a rich fauna on tropical gorgonians, were only represented by two species.     

A new deep-sea Psammogammarus species (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Eriopisidae) from the continental slope of the SE Gulf of Mexico

A new deep-sea species of amphipod collected at a depth of 1317 m from the soft bottom of the Bay of Campeche, SW Gulf of Mexico, is herein described. The sediment included a high proportion of silt and organic carbon. The specimen examined in this study was collected during the Oceanographic Expedition Xcambó-4, along the Bay of Campeche, aboard the RV Justo Sierra. The new species represents the sixteenth known species of the genus Psammogammarus worldwide. This new species is the second Psammogammarus recorded from the deep sea, and the first record of the genus for the Gulf of Mexico. Identification keys to males and females of Psammogammarus species are provided. Psammogammarus barrerai sp. nov. is characterised by head with anteroventral notch present; gnathopods 1 and 2 palmar margins oblique, and basis of pereopod 7 forming a wide serrated posterior lobe.

www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C843777B-FF15-4AEC-B046-6513A96A9BFF     

Wolves in sheep’s clothing: three new cases of aggressive mimicry in Red Sea coral reef fishes

ABSTRACT

Here we document three cases of mimicry in coral reef fishes not previously reported in the literature involving two groupers (Epinephelus leucogrammicus and Plectropomus marisrubri) and a soapfish (Diploprion drachi) as mimics, and two wrasses (Larabicus quadrilineatus and Cheilinus quinquecinctus) and a blenny (Meiacanthus nigrolineatus) as models. All three cases are of aggressive mimicry, with a predatory species mimicking a harmless one, and in one of the cases, the mimicry is also Müllerian, where both the predator and harmless species are unpalatable.     

Deep-water crisiids (Bryozoa: Cyclostomata) from the northeast Atlantic Ocean

Eight Crisia and two Bicrisia species are recorded from the Celtic Sea (330–1175 m, Thalassa, 1973) and from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar (110–903 m, Cryos, Balgim). Two new species are described: Crisia pyrula n. sp., and Bicrisia gibraltarensis n. sp. Systematics and morphology of five other species are detailed. A southern morphotype of C. aculeata is distinguished. Except for the boreal species B. abyssicola, all species occur both in Atlantic and Mediterranean localities. The upper bathyal crisiid fauna (>200 m) is richer in the Celtic Sea than in the Gibraltar area (6 spp. vs. 3 spp). Only three crisiids seem to be true deep-water species. The crisiid stock from stations located in the Gulf of Cadiz in Atlantic water is twice as rich as (1) that from stations of the same area washed by the Mediterranean water outflow; (2) that from the Alboran Sea.