A revision of the Fabriciin genus Augeneriella Banse, 1957 (Polychaeta: Sabellidae)

The Sabellidae polychaete genus Augeneriella Banse is revised based on a reexamination of the type material of most species. Augeneriella hummelincki hummelincki Banse is shown to have vascularized, ventral filamentous appendages which can display up to four branches in a pectinate arrangement, as opposed to only a single dichotomy as originally described. The status of A. hummelincki indica Banse is discussed. The species A. bansei Hartmann-Schröder is based on a single, probably aberrant, specimen in which ventral filamentous appendages are unbranched. Additional material will likely show that this species displays the typical branched condition for ventral filaments. Augeneriella dubia Hartmann-Schröder can be ascribed to an undescribed genus which has been found in Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Two new species of Augeneriella from the Aldabra Atoll, Indian Ocean, are described.     

A revision of Hesiospina (Psamathini,Hesionidae, Polychaeta)

Hesiospina Imajima and Hartman, 1964 Imajima, M and Hartman, O. 1964. The polychaetous annelids of Japan. Part 1. Allan Hancock Foundation Publications, Occasional Paper, 26: 1–166.  [Google Scholar] (Psamathini, Hesionidae, Polychaeta) is revised based on examination of all available types, other museum specimens and a large number of newly collected specimens from world-wide areas. Two species are recognized and redescribed, Hesiospina aurantiaca (Sars, 1862 Sars, M. 1862. Uddrag af en af detaillerade Afbildningar ledsaget udførlig Beskrivelse over følgende Norske Annelider. Forhandlinger i Videnskabsselskabet i Kristiania, 1862: 87–95.  [Google Scholar]), new combination, and H. vestimentifera Blake, 1985 Blake, J. A. 1985. Polychaeta from the vicinity of deep-sea geothermal vents in the eastern Pacific. I. Euphrosinidae, Phyllodocidae, Hesionidae, Nereididae, Glyceridae, Dorvilleidae, Orbiniidae, and Maldanidae. Bulletin of the Biological Society of Washington, 6: 67–101.  [Google Scholar]. The currently used name Hesiospina similis (Hessle, 1925 Hessle, C. 1925. Einiges über die Hesioniden und die Stellung der Gattung Ancistrosyllis. Arkiv för Zoologi, 17: 1–36.  [Google Scholar]) is treated as a junior synonym of both Hesiospina aurantiaca and Castalia longicornis Sars, 1862 Sars, M. 1862. Uddrag af en af detaillerade Afbildningar ledsaget udførlig Beskrivelse over følgende Norske Annelider. Forhandlinger i Videnskabsselskabet i Kristiania, 1862: 87–95.  [Google Scholar]. A lectotype is designated for H. aurantiaca, and the same specimen is used as neotype for C. longicornis, making the two objective synonyms. Hesiospina aurantiaca is widely distributed and recorded from the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, European Atlantic and Mediterranean waters, Japan, Papua New Guinea, the Great Barrier Reef, and New Caledonia, mainly from shallow waters, but down to over 500?m depth. Whereas there are some differences between populations from different regions, including distribution of uni- and bidentate chaetae, the different populations are not characterized by any obvious apomorphies and are treated as a single species. Hesiospina vestimentifera is associated with hydrothermal vents and is widely distributed in the east Pacific.     

A revision of Micropodarke (Psamathini,Hesionidae, Polychaeta)

Micropodarke Okuda, (Psamathini, Hesionidae, Polychaeta) is revised based on examination of all available types, other museum specimens, and a large number of newly collected specimens from Japan, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, Australia, New Caledonia, California, the west coast of Canada, and the Red Sea. The previous synonymy of Micropodarke amemiyai Okuda, with M. dubia (Hessle, ) is substantiated, and M. trilobata Hartmann‐Schröder, is newly synonymized with M. dubia, leaving Micropodarke monotypic. A lectotype is selected for M. dubia. Micropodarke dubia is identified by the apomorphies of a proboscis diaphragm, segmental ventral adhesive papillae, distally nobbed and slightly curved neuroaciculae, and median neurochaetae with few, basally situated prolonged teeth (“spurs”), with abrupt transition to the following, much shorter teeth. Micropodarke dubia has a main distribution in the tropical and warm temperate Indo‐Pacific region, and appears to be absent from the Atlantic Ocean.     

A revision of the genus Qianleptoneta (Araneae: Leptonetidae)

Southwest China is one of three famous karst areas of the world but research on cave spiders of the area is sparse. A Chinese endemic midget spider genus and species, Qianleptoneta quinquespinata (Leptonetidae) was erected by Chen and Zhu, 2008 Chen, HM and Zhu, MS. 2008. One new genus and species of troglobite spiders (Araneae, Leptonetidae) from Guizhou, China. J Dali Univ., 7(12): 11–14.  [Google Scholar]. Here, based on numerous materials collected from Guizhou Province, the mainly karst area of southwest China, Qianleptoneta is revised. Ten new species are described and illustrated: Q. triangula, Q. nuda, Q. identica, Q. lycotropa, Q. multiseta, Q. lophacantha, Q. robustispina, Q. palmata, Q. sublunata and Q. megaloda. The natural history of each species is presented.     

A revision of Neobenedenia Yamaguti, 1963 (Monogenea: Capsalidae) including a redescription of N. melleni (MacCallum, 1927) Yamaguti, 1963

Neobenedenia Yamaguti, 1963, a genus of capsalid (benedeniine) monogeneans lacking a vagina, is redefined. The generic diagnosis is amended to include previously unused characters like the path of tendons in the haptor from extrinsic muscles in the body, the presence and form of a marginal valve, the shape of the anterior attachment organs, the arrangement of musculature at the posterior (proximal) end of the penis sac and the presence of a pair of sphincters in the female reproductive tract. On this basis, the generic composition is reduced from 10 to six species. Species considered valid are: N. melleni (MacCallum, 1927) Yamaguti, 1963; N. adenea (Meserve, 1938) Yamaguti, 1963; N. isabellae (Meserve, 1938) Yamaguti, 1963; N. longiprostata Bravo-Hollis, 1971; N. muelleri (Meserve, 1938) Yamaguti, 1963; N. pacifica Bravo-Hollis, 1971. Neobenedenia girellae (Hargis, 1955) Yamaguti, 1963 and N. paragueraensis Dyer, Williams and Bunkley-Williams, 1992 are considered synonyms of N. melleni. Species formerly ascribed to Neobenedenia, namely N. manilae Velasquez, 1982 and N. vermiculariacola Gupta and Khanna, 1975 are considered species inquirendae. A key to valid species is presented. The type species, N. melleni, is redescribed based on the original specimens of MacCallum and N. isabellae is redescribed based on material from the type locality. Since no types of N. melleni were designated, a lectotype and paralectotypes are assigned. The problem of host designation and locality for the types of N. melleni sensu MacCallum is discussed. A study of more than 80 specimens now considered to be N. melleni has permitted comments on its apparent variety of forms and its low host-specificity according to the current revision. N. melleni is now recorded from over 100 species of teleosts in more than 30 families from five different orders. Material reported previously as N. melleni off Chile from Seriola mazatlana, Thunnus thynnus orientalis and Seriola sp. are identified here as Benedenia seriolae (Yamaguti, 1934) Price, 1939. The host-specificity and geographic distribution of species in the revised genus is discussed.     

A phylogenetic and biogeographic study of Euniphysa (Eunicidae,Polychaeta)

Fourteen species have either been described in, or referred to, the genus Euniphysa. Seven of these are here re-described based on type material and two new species, E. quadridentata and E. filibranchia, are described. Euniphysa oculata is found to be a subjective synonym of E. spinea, and E. unicusa is a subjective synonym of E. aculeata. Euniphysa taiwanensis and E. megalodus are correctly assigned to the genus, but cannot be described due to lack of material. Euniphysa misakiensis, E. tubicola and E. tubifex are transferred to Eunice. A key is given to the nine identifiable species retained in Euniphysa. Coding strategies for polymorphic and inapplicable characters, as well as problems associated with shared absences, are discussed. A phylogenetic analysis of Euniphysa based on 24 morphological characters yielded two most parsimonious trees (CI = 0.902, RI = 0.905). The tree topology separates Euniphysa into two distinct groups. Group I includes E. filibranchia n. sp., E. italica, E. jeffreysii, E. quadridentata n. sp. and E. spinea, it is supported by five equivocal similarities. Group II is supported by five unequivocal synapomorphies and two equivocal similarities, it includes E. aculeata, E. auriculata, E. falciseta and E. tridontesa. Based on the phylogenetic topology, Paraeuniphysa and Heterophysa are considered as junior synonyms of Euniphysa. The recognition of a separate family for Euniphysa is not warranted. All species of Euniphysa are fragile, shallow, warm water species. They have been collected mainly from sandy sediments of the Northern Hemisphere. The greatest diversity is from the South China Sea area; other species are found throughout the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the East Atlantic Ocean coasts suggesting the genus may have originated in the Tethys Sea. A few species have also been found in the Gulf of Mexico and the West Atlantic Ocean coast again suggesting a Tethyan origin associated with the westward drift of the North American continent.     

Two new species of Demonax (Sabellidae: Polychaeta) from Liverpool Bay

Demonax cambrensis sp. nov. resembles the east Pacific Demonax medius (Bush), but is thinner though just as long and has less than 15 axial cells in a radiole cross section. Demonax torulis sp. nov. resembles Demonax japonicus (Moore) in having thoracic tori so small that they do not indent the ventral shields, but differs in having broad-hooded inferior thoracic setae. Both benefit by enrichment of the sediment with sewage sludge.     

A revision of the new riodinid butterfly genus Pseudotinea (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae)

A revision of the new South American riodinid genus Pseudotinea is presented that includes taxonomic and ecological notes, distributional data and illustrations of adults and genital structures for all species. The systematic position of Pseudotinea within the Riodinidae, its ecology and biogeography are discussed. Five species are recognized: volcanicus Callaghan and Salazar, hemis Schaus and caprina Hewitson are transferred from Calydna (comb. n.) and two new species, P. eiselei and P. gagarini, are described here. The genus is confined to the Andes and south-east Brazil where all species are very rare and many endangered.     

New fanworm species (Polychaeta: Sabellidae: Fabriciinae) in the genus Pseudofabriciola Fitzhugh

Three new species are described: Pseudofabriciola quasiincisura from Belize, P. peduncula from Papua New Guinea, and P. sofla from the Gulf of Mexico off Florida. The total number of species in the genus is increased to 11. Pseudofabriciola quasiincisura and P. peduncula are intertidal, whereas P. sofla is from 26 m depth. An additional species from the Gulf of Mexico off Florida (88m depth), known only from a single specimen lacking the branchial crown, is described briefly but not named. Pseudofabriciola sofla and the unnamed species were originally described by Uebelacker (1984) as Fabricia sp. A. An emended definition for Pseudofabriciola is provided. Cladistic relationships of the species described herein are evaluated relative to others in the genus. The depth distribution of Pseudofabriciola, which displays the greatest known range within the Fabriciinae, is also re-examined.     

Caruncle in Megalomma Johansson, 1925 (Polychaeta: Sabellidae) and the description of a new species from the Eastern Tropical Pacific

The presence of a caruncle in the polychaete family Sabellidae is documented. It is placed dorsally above the mouth, between the dorsal lips, supported with hyaline cartilage constituted by a homogeneous eosinophilic matrix and it is innervated directly from the cerebral ganglion. The caruncle surface has four longitudinal ciliated bands; the cilia from the lateral bands are hypertrophied, wider distally, tongue‐like, forming a ciliated curtain or membranella. The genus Megalomma is emended based on the presence of a caruncle, a long dorsalmost radiolar pair, a high number of radiolar skeletal cells, and the presence of interramal eyespots. We describe a new species from Acapulco in the Tropical Eastern Pacific –Megalomma carunculata sp. nov. It has a caruncle, subtriangular ventral lappets, well developed dorsal pockets, compound eyes in all radioles, and interramal eyespots in the thoracic and abdominal segments.     

The Cassidininae Hansen, 1905 (Crustacea: Isopoda: Sphaeromatidae) of Australia

The Cassidininae of Australia are revised. The status of the subfamily is assessed and it is concluded that, as presently constituted, the Cassidininae is an artificial taxon. It is maintained here as a taxon of convenience (sensu lato) until the other sphaeromatid subfamilies can be reassessed, but a new diagnosis (sensu stricto) is given. The genus Cassidina is redescribed. Three new genera are established: Agostodina gen. nov. (type species: A. munta sp. nov.), Apemosphaera gen. nov. (type species: A. naranagi sp. nov.) and Discidina gen. nov. (type species: D. banawarra sp. nov.). New diagnoses are provided for the genera Cassidina Milne Edwards, Chitonopsis Whitelegge, Cassidinidea Hansen, Paracassidina Baker, Syncassidina Baker and Platysphaera Holdich and Harrison. The genus Dies is placed in synonymy with Cassidinidea and an annotated list is given of all species of the genus. The following new species (excluding the new type species) are described: Chitonopsis booyoolie, Agostodina munta, Paracassidina anasilla, P. bakeri, P. bamarook, P. bilbie, P. cervina, P. dama, P. fuscina, P. incompta, P. kutyo, P. munna, P. petala, P. prolata, P. wurrook and Cassidinidea korpie. Keys to the Australian genera and species are given.     

A revision of Bovichtus Cuvier, 1831 (Pisces: Bovichthyidae) from Australasia,with description of a new deepwater species from the New Zealand Subantarctic

The genus Bovichtus includes four species from the Australasian region, viz. B. variegatus Richardson, B. psychrolutes Günther, B. angustifrons Regan, and B. oculus n. sp. B. decipiens Regan and Aurion effulgens Waite are junior synonyms of B. variegatus and B. psychrolutes respectively. B. oculus, described from a specimen taken in 847–902 m on the Campbell Plateau in the New Zealand Subantarctic, is the first known deep water Bovichtus species. It differs from all congeners in having a very large eye (horizontal diameter <9·0 times in SL) and, alone with B. psychrolutes, has a patch of ctenoid scales on the body behind the pectoral fin base.     

Revision of the genus Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 (Polychaeta: Polynoidae: Lepidastheniinae) with notes on the subfamily Lepidastheniinae and the description of a new species

The present revision covers all known species of the genus Lepidastheniella Monro, 1924 (i.e. Lepidastheniella comma (Thomson, 1902), L. phillippensis Monro, 1924 and L. monroi Benham, 1950). The comparison of the available type material showed that L. monroi is a junior synonym of L. comma and that specimens from a collection of scale worms from off Shimoda (Japan) belong to the new species L. nishii sp. nov. described herein. The generic diagnosis of Lepidastheniella is emended and an identification key to all valid species given. Additionally, the subfamily affiliation of Lepidastheniella is discussed, distinctive characters of all genera belonging to the subfamily Lepidastheniinae Pettibone, 1989 are described, and an identification key to these genera is given.     

A revision of the genus Siamthelphusa Bott, 1968 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parathelphusidae), with descriptions of five new species from Thailand

The taxonomy of the northern Peninsular Malaysian and Thai freshwater crab genus Siamthelphusa Bott, 1968 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parathelphusidae) is revised. Nine species are recognized: S. improvisa (Lanchester, 1901), S. holthuisi Naiyanetr and Ng, 1990, S. retimanus n. sp., S. paviei (De Man, 1898), S. acutidens n. sp., S. faxoni (Rathbun, 1905), S. transversa n. sp., S. nan n. sp., and S. variegata n. sp. A neotype is designated for S. improvisa (Lanchester, 1901), the type species of the genus.     

Revision of Flabelliderma Hartman, 1969 (Polychaeta: Flabelligeridae)

The flabelligerid genus Flabelliderma Hartman, 1969 Hartman, O. 1969. Atlas of the sedentariate polychaetous Annelids from California, 812Los Angeles: University of Southern California, Allan Hancock Foundation.  [Google Scholar] is redefined and its type species is re‐established. In comparison with Flabelligera Sars, 1829 Sars, M. 1829. Bidrag til Söedyrenes Naturhistorie; Förste Hæfte, 60Bergen: Dahl.  [Google Scholar], the diagnostic features include the fusion of papillae forming tubercles, often adhering sediment particles, and notopodial lobes forming large ovoid lobes. Four species are described and presented as new combinations, and three others were previously undescribed; thus the species included are F. papillosa (Essenberg, 1922 Essenberg, C. E. 1922. Stylarioides papillosa, sp. nov., a new annelid from the San Diego region.. University of California, Publications in Zoology, 22: 379–381.  [Google Scholar]) from southern California, F. berkeleyorum n. sp. from Washington, F. claparedei (de Saint‐Joseph, 1898 de Saint‐Joseph, A. 1898. Les annélides polychètes des côtes de France (Manche et Océan).. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Zoologie, Série 8, 5: 209–464.  [Google Scholar]) from the Bay of Biscay, F. gourdoni (Gravier, 1906 Gravier, C. 1906. Sur les annélides polychètes recueillies par l'Expédition Antarctique Française (Aphroditiens, Amphinomiens, Flabelligériens, Maldaniens, Ampharétiens).. Bulletin du Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 7: 535–540.  [Google Scholar]) from Antarctica, F. lighti n. sp. from Guadalupe Island, western Mexico, F. ockeri n. sp. from southern California, and F. pruvoti (Fauvel, 1930 Fauvel, P. 1927. Polychètes sédentaires & addenda aux polychètes errantes.. Faune de France, 16: 1–494.  [Google Scholar]) from New Caledonia.     

Taxonomic revision and systematic notes on some Halecium species (Cnidaria,Hydrozoa)

Although the genus Halecium is easy to recognize, identifications at the species level are often difficult, this even for quite common and supposedly well‐known species of the north‐eastern Atlantic. This paper revises and re‐describes some Halecium species which resemble each other closely and which are not easy to distinguish. Additional information on a few rare species is also provided. The study is based on material collected from the North Atlantic, Mediterranean, South Africa, and New Zealand. Halecium scutum Clark, is recognized as a valid species and distinct from both H. beanii and H. halecinum; colony form and microscopic characters allow a distinction. The pinnate colony form of H. halecinum is a characteristic trait, but not all colonies show this growth form. Halecium beanii can occur in monosiphonic and polysiphonic colonies. Monosiphonic colonies of H. beanii have probably been misidentified by some authors as H. lankesterii. The differences of H. lankesteri to H. beanii and H. petrosum are discussed. The South African population of the reportedly cosmopolitan H. beanii has distinct gonothecae and could belong to a separate species. The Mediterranean Halecium mediterraneum is hardly distinguishable from the New Zealandic H. delicatulum, but it is kept separate mainly for biogeographic reasons. The rare Mediterranean Halecium banyulense is re‐described based on a second find from Naples. The male gonothecae of Halecium corrugatissimum are described for the first time.     

New deep-sea Poecilochaetidae (Polychaeta: Spionida) from New Zealand

Three Poecilochaetus species occurring in N.Z. waters are described. Poecilochaetus trachyderma n. sp. is similar to P. fulgoris Claparède; P. aff. bermudensis Hartman and P. sp. 3 are previously unrecorded species, but as yet only anterior fragments have been obtained. Setal microstructures were examined by scanning electron microscopy. P. trachyderma and P. aff. bermudensis have distinctive capillary setae with nested spiral palisades of fused spinules. P. aff. bermudensis has hispidpappose capillaries with twin accessory spines. A key to the family is given.     

A new species of Fabricinuda Fitzhugh, 1990 (Fabriciinae: Sabellidae: Polychaeta) from the Caribbean,with an emendation of the genus

During a survey of the infauna of seagrass meadows in Venezuela, several specimens of an unknown species of Fabriciinae were collected. The species could not be assigned to any genus of the subfamily, although it was most closely allied to Fabricinuda Fitzhugh, 1990. However, the absence of pseudospatulate inferior notochaetae on chaetiger 8 prevented assignment of the specimens to this genus since their presence on chaetigers 3 to 8 is one of its diagnostic apomorphies. In order to decide whether to establish a new genus for the species or to redefine Fabricinuda, a phylogenetic analysis of the subfamily was made on the basis of a pre‐existing character matrix. Twenty‐two anatomical characters were analysed for 59 species including the new one, and from the resulting consensus tree it was clear that the new species must be included within Fabricinuda and consequently an emendation of the genus is provided herein.