Effect of tropical monsoon on fishery abundance of Indian squid (Uroteuthis (Photololigo) duvaucelii)

Indian squid, Uroteuthis (Photololigo) duvaucelii (Loliginidae) constitute an important component of the inshore cephalopod fisheries along the eastern Arabian Sea. Local environmental variation plays an important role in species–environment interactions in neritic squids, which inhabit nearshore/coastal waters. Such ‘active’ and ‘passive’ responses of squids to environmental changes is crucial in understanding their relationships and influence on the biological processes, distribution and abundance of the fast-growing short-lived coastal loliginids. The empirical relationship between squid abundance and the variability in rainfall and sea surface temperature (SST) were explored in a tropical monsoon fishery. Monthly catch rates (catch per fishing hour) of squids in commercial trawl during 1987–2009 were used as the abundance index. Linear regression models with ARIMA errors were fitted with catch per unit hour time series as dependent variable and rainfall and SST as exogenous variables. While rainfall was observed to have a negative effect on squid abundance, the SST recorded a positive impact. ARIMA models provided satisfactory fit to observed data and forecast of 22 months. Given that the squid life-cycle is a function of their environment, this result is relevant in forecasting squid biomass for the management of tropical monsoon fisheries.     

Two new species of Phylactella (Bryozoa Cheilostomatida) from the Mediterranean area belonging to the P. labrosa (Busk) complex of species

Examination of fossil and Recent specimens from the Sicilian area belonging to the Phylactella labrosa ‘complex’ revealed two new species: P. mediterranea sp. nov., a Pleistocene-to-Recent taxon and P. megarensis sp. nov., from Pleistocene sediments from eastern Sicily. Ecological, geographical and stratigraphical distribution of both new species are discussed also in comparison with P. labrosa.     

The social wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Polistinae) of a fragment of Atlantic Forest in southern Bahia,Brazil

The Atlantic Forest is one of the most threatened ecosystems in Brazil, with only 22% of its original coverage remaining. Despite around 900 species of Polistinae being described worldwide and their being widely distributed in the Neotropical region, they are still poorly known in northeastern Brazil, especially in Atlantic Forest. The aim of this work was a survey of social wasps in three fragments of Atlantic Forest with differences in the level of regeneration and in the physiognomy, performed at Michelin Ecological Reserve (located in Igrapiúna, southern Bahia State, Brazil) and employing three methodologies – attractive solution, Malaise trap and light trap ‘Luiz de Queiroz’ – for 12 months in transects. A total of 1066 specimens, belonging to 29 species from nine genera, were collected in the reserve. Epiponini was the richest tribe (23 species) followed by Mischocyttarini (five species) and Polistini (one species). The Malaise trap was not efficient during the night, having a deficit of 5110 hours; the only nocturnal genus, Apoica, was collected with a light trap – an attractive solution that was more efficient. Once it was left for 12 discontinuous days (72 hours), showing that more than one methodology is desirable for wasp surveys. Latitudinal analysis comparing the study area with other areas grouped the Michelin Ecological Reserve with areas in southeastern Brazil, which may be related to a lack of standardization in collecting methods. This study presented the highest richness in this region.     

A phylogenetic reappraisal of the birdwing genus Ornithoptera (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae: Troidini) and a new theory of its evolution in relation to Gondwanan vicariance biogeography

The troidine papilionid genus Ornithoptera is shown to be distinct from Troides In order to reappraise the interrelationships of the member species of Ornithoptera, and to test the resultant theory of their evolution against biogeographical data, the genus is revised using Hennigian cladistic methodology through computer analysis. The input data for this was drawn equally from immature stages and adult characters. A single cladogram hypothesising the likely phylogeny of the Ornithoptera species was generated. With minor weighting of a single important adult character, a further two cladograms were generated, one of which is similar to hypotheses proposed by previous workers. Based on these findings, and on ecological data, notably larval foodplant relations with Aristolochiaceae, as well as present-day biogeographical data, a new theory of the origin and evolution of Ornithoptera is presented which fits well Gondwanan vicariance events ascertained by geological studies: essentially that Ornithoptera evolved on northward drifting Australia, allopatrically from Troides on the Indian plate, and therefore that Ornithoptera did not reach the Australian Subregion via Troides-like ancestors in Southeast Asia as has been previously postulated. As ‘living fossils’ representative of an ancient, Gondwanaland-derived, austral faunal element, the Ornithoptera should be regarded even more highly in terms of their ‘conservation value’.     

Protozoan ciliate epibionts on the freshwater apple snail Pomacea figulina (Spix, 1827) (Gastropoda,Ampullariidae) in an urban stream of south‐east Brazil

The objective of this study was to record and analyze the prevalence of ciliated protozoa associated with prosobranchian snails of the species Pomacea figulina collected from an urban stream in south‐eastern Brazil. Four collections were carried out between December, 2005, and March, 2006, from which 23 snails and 10 ‘empty’ shells were obtained. The shells and opercula were scraped over Petri dishes and the ciliates were observed using bright field and phase contrast microscopy. Seven species of ciliates were recorded on the snails of P. figulina. Of the 23 snails analyzed, 82.60% (n = 19) were infested with at least one species of ciliate. No ciliates were found on the ‘empty’ shells and opercula. The results are discussed in terms of ecological aspects involved in this association.     

Five new species of Monocelis Ehrenberg, 1831 (Platyhelminthes: Proseriata) from eastern Australia

Six species of the genus Monocelis Ehrenberg, 1831 have been found in eastern Australia. All are new to science. Five of them are formally described here. Three species (M. rupisrubrae sp. nov., M. nexilis sp. nov., and M. corallicola sp. nov.) have two clearly set pigmented eyespots lateral to the statocyst. They differ in details of the copulatory organ and karyotype. No clear synapomorphies among them or with other species of the genus could be detected. Monocelis beata sp. nov. and M. macrobulbus sp. nov. present extremely elongate, longitudinally oriented copulatory organs. They are sister species, and phylogenetic relationships with M. galapagoensis Ax and Ax, 1977 and M. hopkinsi Karling, 1966 are proposed. Australian Monocelis have distributions limited to recognized biogeographical provinces in eastern Australia: M. corallicola, M. beata and M. macrobulbus in the northern Australian Zone, M. rupisrubrae and M. nexilis in the ‘Overlap Zone’ of the central east coast and Monocelis sp. A in the southern Australian Region.     

New deep-sea Nannastacidae (Crustacea,Cumacea) from the Eastern Pacific collected by R.V. 'Vema'

Five new species of Procampylaspis Bonnier, 1896 (P. cornuta, P. jonesi, P. ledoyeri, P. muradianae and P. spinosa) and a new genus and species, Vemacumella heardi, are described from material collected by R.V. ‘Vema’ from the eastern Pacific coast of South America from 1958 to 1962. The new species of Procampylaspis are compared to congeners from the Atlantic. Vemacumella n. gen. is closely related to Styloptocuma Bacescu and Muradian, 1974, but also possesses a few characters in common with Cumella Sars, 1865; Bate, 1856.     

A review of the pseudoscorpion genus Ideoblothrus (Pseudoscorpiones,Syarinidae) from western and northern Australia

Five new pseudoscorpion species belonging to the genus Ideoblothrus are named and described from Western Australia and the Northern Territory: I. pisolitus from a single pisolitic mesa near Pannawonica, I. nesotymbus from limestone karst on Barrow Island, I. westi from limestone karst near the Fortescue River, I. descartes from a vine thicket on Descartes Island in the Kimberley, and I. milikapiti from rainforest on Melville Island. New specimens of I. papillon Harvey from Papillon Cave and I. woodi Harvey from Cave C‐167, Western Australia are recorded. A further species is recognised but not named as adult specimens are not available: Ideoblothrus sp. ‘Mesa A’ occurs within a different pisolitic mesa than I. pisolitus.     

Along‐ and across‐shore components of the spatial distribution of the clam Tivela mactroides (Born, 1778) (Bivalvia,Veneridae)

Beach clam fisheries often provide an alternate income for traditional fishermen, but this activity is highly vulnerable to urbanization of coastal areas. Tivela mactroides is a beach clam commonly harvested in the Caribbean (Venezuela) and on the south‐eastern Brazilian coast. Only localized records on its spatial structure in size and abundance are available to support management of this clam. The present study showed that the spatial distribution in abundance and size of T. mactroides in Caraguatatuba Bay, state of São Paulo, Brazil, has both along‐ and across‐shore (intertidal and subtidal) components. The nature of this distribution should be taken into account in the design of further population or monitoring studies concerning this species. Clam density varied along‐shore, with a tendency towards higher numbers of individuals in the stations near the northern side of river mouths of this bay. Lower densities were related to the occurrence of sea‐stars and sand‐dollars. The intertidal and subtidal across‐shore distribution of clam abundance and size varied between and within areas (southern and northern). The individuals from the southern area were concentrated at intermediate tidal levels (0.2–0.6 m in relation to mean low water), whereas in the northern area the clams were more homogeneously distributed. The uppermost limit of their distribution was 0.8 m (southern) and 0.4 m (northern), and an upwards tendency towards increased size was more evident in the northern area. In the subtidal, abundance and individual size tended to increase from the deepest (4.5 m) to the shallowest (0.5 m) levels only in the southern area. Individual clams in the northern area tended to be smaller and more abundant than in the southern area. The species had an ontogenic distribution: small‐sized individuals were recorded only in the subtidal. Possible causes for these patterns and for the differences between areas (human exploitation, organic pollution, beach morphodynamics, differential recruitment, and adult–larvae interactions) are discussed, and specific studies are suggested to evaluate formally the proposed hypotheses.     

Phylogenetic relationships within Amphiglena Claparède, 1864 (Polychaeta: Sabellidae), description of five new species from Australia,a new species from Japan,and comments on previously described species

In reviewing material in Australian museum collections from the Australian and Japanese coasts it became clear that many specimens of Amphiglena did not match the diagnosis of any current species. To allow for variability observed among the specimens, and hence within nominal species, three specimens from each locality were included in a cladistic analysis, along with all currently accepted Amphiglena species, new characters, and a variety of apomorphic sabellins. This allowed a reassessment of the monophyly of Amphiglena, its sister group, and relationships with close taxa. Phylogenetic relationships among the species of Amphiglena are presented and six new species are described.     

Parasites of the Lessepsian invasive fish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin 1789) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Lagocephalus sceleratus, is a Lessepsian invasive fish species introduced into the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. This study investigated it as host of parasites. Out of 41 individuals caught from northern and southern locations of the eastern Aegean Sea, nine were found to host parasites. Gnathia sp. praniza larva, an ectoparasite, was associated with severe damage of the primary and secondary structures of the gills and it was found in one specimen (prevalence 2.4%). Regarding endoparasites, Anisakis type I third-stage larvae were found in two specimens (prevalence 4.9%). In addition, adult nematodes of Hysterothylacium aduncum were found in another six specimens (prevalence 14.6%). Lagocephalus sceleratus is a new host for some indigenous parasites, with low host specificity, in the Mediterranean Sea, providing an additional niche for the success and increase of local populations of these parasites and, to our knowledge, this is the first record of L. sceleratus parasites in this area. Whether these parasites can control the invasion success of L. sceleratus needs to be further investigated. However, the low mean intensity of infection found in this study does not support such control.     

Morphological variation of Eucyclops elegans (Herrick, 1884) (Copepoda: Cyclopoida) in the Americas and comments on records of Eucyclops conrowae Reid, 1992

Based on an examination of material from different areas of the American continent, we evaluate the morphological variations of Eucyclops elegans (Herrick, 1884) with an emphasis on characters used in the current taxonomy of the genus. Eucyclops elegans is clearly a member of the serrulatus group. Differences in both female and male specimens from North America and South America and the lack of records in southern Mexico and Central America suggest that it is possible that this nominal species contains at least two taxa. Characters such as the ornamentation of the antennal basis and coxa of P4 are described for the tropical species E. conrowae Reid, 1992. This species is clearly not a member of the serrulatus group and differences with respect to the type specimens indicate that records of E. conrowae in Mexico do not correspond to this taxon and should be reassigned to other species.     

Naupactus xanthographus (Germar) species group (Curculionidae: Entiminae: Naupactini): a comprehensive taxonomic treatment

We undertake a taxonomic revision of Naupactus xanthographus (Germar 1824) (grape-fruit weevil) and the putative related species N. navicularis Boheman 1840, N. dissimilis Hustache 1947, N. mimicus Hustache 1938, N. dissimulator Boheman 1840 and N. marvaldiae new species. This species group mainly differs from other Naupactus by the presence of a pair of tubercles at the apex of the elytra. It ranges in Argentina, southern Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay, in areas that belong to the biogeographic provinces of Atlantic, Araucaria and Paraná forests, Yungas, Chaco and Pampa. Naupactus xanthographus is broadly distributed in Argentina, mainly in the Pampean province, and it was introduced in central Chile, where it is considered a serious pest of grapes and several fruit trees. The remaining species are partially sympatric in the subtropical forests of southern Brazil, and N. dissimulator ranges along the gallery forests of Paraná and Uruguay rivers, down to La Plata River. It has been reported damaging citrus and ‘yerba mate’, like N. navicularis and N. dissimilis. The new species N. marvaldiae ranges in southern Brazil and north-eastern Argentina (Misiones), and differs from N. dissimulator, mainly by the very short elytra, the apical tubercles welldeveloped in males and females, the broader front femora, and the different shape of the apex of the penis. The other four species are probably more closely related and they separate from the pair N. dissimulator–N. marvaldiae because of the slightly widened front femora, well-developed corbels of the hind tibiae, and short to indistinct nodulus of the spermatheca.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:051587DD-37C2-4216-AA61-0E563BB44D64     

Diversity and taxonomy of intertidal Bryozoa (Cheilostomata) at Akkeshi Bay,Hokkaido, Japan

We found 39 cheilostome species among more than 7000 specimens collected at 10 intertidal sites in rocky habitats along the shore of Akkeshi Bay, eastern Hokkaido Island, Japan. These species are herein described in detail and illustrated by scanning electron microscopy. Nine species (23% of total) are described as new (Electra asiatica, Callopora sarae, Conopeum nakanosum, Cauloramphus cryptoarmatus, Cauloramphus multispinosus, Cauloramphus niger, Stomachetosella decorata, Microporella luellae, and Celleporina minima), and 21 species (54%) are reported for the first time from Japan. Species richness ranged from eight to 29 species per study site. A TWINSPAN analysis showed the species fell into nine groups defined by the local pattern of distribution. A cluster analysis of study sites based on similarity of species composition showed three faunistic groups distributed geographically: in Akkeshi Lake, along the eastern‐central shore of the bay, and at the mouth of the bay. Species richness in estuarine Akkeshi Lake was low, with a species composition very different from the outer bay. Most cheilostomes were found on rock and shell substrata, but uncommonly occurred on concrete walls, algae, hydroids, tubes of polychaetes, other bryozoans, and anthropogenic debris. Of the 39 species found, 33 (85%) contained embryos during the collecting periods, 2–7 June and 3–6 July 2004. The biogeographical composition of intertidal cheilostomes at Akkeshi Bay included species with Arctic‐Boreal (28%), Boreal (59%), and Boreal‐Subtropical (13%) distributions. The overall species richness of intertidal cheilostomes was two‐thirds that documented intertidally in a comparable study at Kodiak, Alaska, a locality 15° higher in latitude. We attribute the lower richness at Akkeshi to differences in the nearshore marine environment between the two localities.     

Revision of the genus Niwaella in China (Pisces,Cobitidae), with description of two new species

Loaches of the genus Niwaella, family Cobitidae, are distributed only in East Asia. At present only in Japan and South Korea have fishes of the genus Niwaella been found. Herein we revise the genus Niwaella in China. Son and He () transferred the species Cobitis laterimaculata to the genus Niwaella, but their specimens were not N. laterimaculata, but a new species, N. longibarba sp. n., collected from Cao'ejiang River, Huangzezhen, Chengxian County, Zhejiang Province. The new species is distinguished from N. laterimaculata by its colour pattern of a row of slightly large, and long, scattered dark brown vertical bars on the dorsolateral surface, two or three striations on the caudal fin, and long barbels and undeveloped mental lobes. In this paper we also describe another new species, N. xinjiangensis sp. n., collected from Xinjiang River, Guangfeng County, Jiangxi Province, May 1990, with diagnostic colour pattern of 17–20 large and long, dark brown vertical bars on the dorsolateral surface, a dark stripe or rounded black spots along the lateral midline and some blotches below the lateral midline; it is a large‐sized species, with shorter barbels, and longer caudal peduncle. Thus five species of the genus Niwaella are known, three are endemic to eastern China and two are endemic to either Japan or South Korea.     

An abyssal species of Sagitta (Chaetognatha) from the North East Atlantic

A Chaetognath species new to science, Sagitta abyssicola is described from specimens taken at abyssal depths (3500–4000 m) in the north east Atlantic Ocean and comparisons are made with related species of the ‘planctonis’ group namely S. planctonis Steinhaus, 1896, S. zetesios Fowler, 1905 and S. marri David, 1956. Ecological data are provided.