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.     

A new genus of cyclostome bryozoan from the European Atlantic coast

We have studied the type and other specimens of Stomatopora calypsoides (Jullien, ) collected in the NE Atlantic off the coast of the NW Iberian Peninsula and held in the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Paris). We consider that this species should be placed in a new genus, Jullienipora gen. nov., because of its budding and branching patterns, and the presence and peculiar positioning of heterozooids. Assignment of this genus to a specific family must wait for the re‐organization of the family Stomatoporidae.     

Four new and one known species of Belondiroidea (Dorylaimida: Nematoda) from Japan

Four new and one known species of Belondiroidea Thorne, 1939 Thorne, G. 1939. A monograph of the nematodes of the superfamily Dorylaimoidea. Capita Zool., 8: 1–261.  [Google Scholar] are reported from Japan. Axonchium mizukuboi sp. nov. has isthmus-like constriction between two parts of pharynx; rectangular pars refringens vaginae; spicules with thickened distal end; seven ventromedian supplements starting above the range of spicules and hemispheroid tail. Axonchium japonicum sp. nov. also has short isthmus-like structure between two parts of pharynx; triangular pars refringens vaginae; massive spicules with thickened distal tip and 9–10 ventromedian supplements. Dorylaimellus (D.) japonicus sp. nov. has 0.9–1.0 mm long body; poorly flanged odontophore; pharyngeal expansion 54–65% of neck length; 22–25 μm long, strongly ventrally arcuate spicules; four ventromedian supplements and elongate conoid tail with subacute terminus. Dorylaimellus (Axodorylaimellus) paracrassidens sp. nov. has 0.4–0.5 mm long body; slender odontostyle; pharyngeal expansion 48–57% of neck length; transverse vulva; long prerectum and short conoid tail. Axonchium amplicolle Cobb, 1920 Cobb, NA. 1920. One hundred new nemas. Contrib Sci Nematol., 9: 217–343.  [Google Scholar] is reported for the first time from Japan.     

Water mites of the genus Hygrobates Koch, 1837 (Acari: Parasitengona: Hygrobatidae) from Hokkaido,northern Japan

Nine species of Hygrobates (Acari: Parasitengona: Hygrobatidae) from Hokkaido, Japan are described or redescribed from newly collected material and historical specimens. Treated herein are eight species in the subgenus Hygrobates, including one new species, H. bibi sp. nov., as well as H. calliger Piersig, ; H. foreli (Lebert, ); H. japonicus Uchida, ; H. longipalpis (Hermann, ); H. longiporus Thor, ; H. nigromaculatus Lebert, ; and H. sokolowi Thor, . Also treated is H. ezoensis Uchida, in the subgenus Rivobates. A lectotype and paralectotype are designated for H. japonicus Uchida, . Hygrobates (s. str.) heteropalpis Imamura, is synonymized with H. calliger Piersig, . The name H. ezoensis Uchida, is resurrected from synonymy with H. diversiporus Sokolow, . Six species previously known from Hokkaido were collected in the study: H. foreli, H. japonicus, H. longipalpis, H. longiporus, H. diversiporus, and H. ezoensis. New records for both Hokkaido and Japan include H. nigromaculatus and H. sokolowi. A species previously recorded from Hokkaido, H. taniguchii Imamura, , was not found in this study. Three new characters are proposed as useful for the taxonomy of the genus Hygrobates: the ratio of the distance between the P‐4 ventral setae to P‐4 length, the ratio of the length of the longest terminal seta on IV‐L‐5 to the length of IV‐L‐5, and the nature of the outer border of the genital plates.     

Two new Pleioplana species (Platyhelminthes,Polycladida, Acotylea) from Turkey

Two new species of flatworms, Pleioplana bosphorensis sp. nov. and Pleioplana Okusi sp. nov., Acotylea, Polycladida, are described from the shallow rocky shores of the Turkish Straits System, northwestern Turkey. Both species are characterized by a prostatic vesicle of atomata-type, stylet and Lang's vesicle. Pleioplana bosphorensis possesses a body of fleshy consistency and without tentacles, with spermiducal bulbs; elongated seminal vesicle and rounded prostatic vesicle with four tubular chambers and a conical, strong, large and straight stylet. Pleioplana Okusi has a translucent body, tentacular knobs, large seminal vesicle, elongated prostatic vesicle with six tubular chambers, and a long slender slightly curved stylet.     

A new genus and species of celleporid bryozoan with ancestrula triad from Hokkaido,Japan

A celleporid bryozoan Psuedocelleporina triplex gen. et sp. nov. of the family Celleporidae is described from Hokkaido, northern Japan. The new species clearly differs from the members of the related genus Celleporina in having non-tabulated ooecia and a distinct triad type of ancestrula, which is different from that of any other known bryozoan.     

A new species of the genus Scaptognathus (Acari,Halacaridae) from Japan

A new species under the name Scaptognathus ventridiscus sp. nov. is described from Japan. It differs from its congeners by the possession of a ventral disc in the male, a peculiar arrangement of dorsal plates and dorsal setae, and unique leg chaetotaxy.     

A new species of the genus Vercoia from Okinawa Island,Japan (Crustacea,Decapoda, Caridea,Crangonidae), with descriptions of its zoeal stages

A new crangonid shrimp and its four zoeal stages are described and illustrated in detail from Okinawa Island, Japan. The new species of Vercoia is readily distinguished from V. gibbosa Baker, 1904 Baker W. H 1904 Notes on South Australian decapod Crustacea Transactions and Proceedings and Report of the Royal Society of South Australia, 28, 146–161, pls 27–31  [Google Scholar], V. socotrana Duris, 1992 Duris, Z. 1992. Revision of Vercoia Baker (Crustacea: Decapoda: Crangonidae). Invertebrate Taxonomy, 6: 1437–1457.  [Google Scholar] and V. japonica Komai, 1995 Komai, T. 1995. Vercoia japonica, a new species of crangonid shrimp (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea) from Japan. Natural History Research, 3: 123–132.  [Google Scholar], in adult morphology, by the bilobed anterior expansion of the hepatic carina of the carapace, the notched mid-dorsal carina on the fifth abdominal somite, and the presence of the distoventral tooth on the ischium of the second pereopod. The larvae of the new species which are the first larvae of a species assigned to Vercoia to be described, are very similar to those of species of Philocheras, but they differ in the setation of the endopods of the maxillule and maxilla. A key to the adult species of Vercoia is provided.     

Two new species of genus Arrenurus Duges, 1833 (Arrenuridae,Hydrachnellae, Acari) from Turkey

The males and females of Arrenurus dileri n. sp. collected from standing waters at the foothills of the Taurus Mountains in southern Turkey and males of Arrenurus ???kl?ensis n. sp. collected from I??kl? Lake, which is located in south-west Turkey, are described here. The morphological features of the species are compared with those of the similar species Arrenurus claviger Konike, 1882 and Arrenurus nodosus (Koenike, 1896).     

Two new species of terrestrial Isopoda (Crustacea,Oniscidea) from Ascension Island

A collection of eight species of terrestrial isopods from lava and cave sites on Ascension Island is described. Two species, Niambia longiantennata (Platyarthridae) and Elumoides coecus (Eubelidae), are described as new. Atlantoscia alceui Ferrara and Taiti (Philosciidae) is considered to be a junior synonym of A. floridana (Van Name) and the genus Ocelloscia Schultz and Johnson of Atlantoscia Ferrara and Taiti. At present the oniscidean fauna known from Ascension Island consists of 13 species.     

Two new species of the subgenus Cacoxenus (Nankangomyia) from the Oriental Region (Diptera,Drosophilidae)

Two new species of the subgenus Cacoxenus (Nankangomyia) Máca and Lin, 1993 Máca, J. and Lin, F. J. 1993. The Drosophilidae of Taiwan: genera Amiota (excluding subgenus Phortica) and Leucophenga (Nankangomyia subg. nov.).. Bulletin of the Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, 32: 1–11.  [Google Scholar] are described: C. (N.) gani sp. nov. from southwest China and C. (N.) unipaxillus sp. nov. from Myanmar. The diagnosis of Nankangomyia is revised.     

Two new species of Limnoriidae (Isopoda) from Papua New Guinea

Limnoria kautensis and Paralimnoria asterosa are two limnoriids new to science. They were found at a depth of 8–9 m in marine conditions burrowing in rainforest logs of timber species sufficiently dense to sink when lost during log-transporting operations. L. kautensis most closely resembles. L. pfefferi, from which it can be distinguished by the absence of a Y-shaped carina on pleonite 5, the bilobed nature of the lacinia mobilis of the mandible and differences in the proportions of the maxilliped, flagellum of antenna 2 and uropods. Paralimnoria asterosa differs from the only other member of its genus, P. andrewsi, in having a pronounced ring of basally-sheated radiating setae on pleonites 4 and 5 plus the pleotelson, and in details of the pattern of carinae, tubercles and depressions on the pleon and pleotelson.     

Two new marine species from South Korea with remarks on the family Stylochidae (Acotylea,Polycladida, Plathelminthes)

Two new species of acotylean Polycladida are described from Korea, Munseoma maculata gen. et sp. nov., Callioplanidae, and Crytostylochus koreensis sp. nov., Stylochidae. Munseoma maculata is characterized by a small free prostatic vesicle but only indistinctly cut off from the ejaculatory duct; a Lang's vesicle is present. Crytostylochus koreensis possesses a prostatic vesicle with tubular lining of radial arrangement. Each papillate tube is connected via a glandular duct to a single extra‐vesicular gland attached to the muscular wall of the prostatic vesicle. That morphological feature forces discussion of the relationships within the family Stylochidae. Consequently, type material of other stylochids deposited in the museums of Hamburg, Vienna, and Stockholm was borrowed to investigate the genital organs and, in particular, the interior lining of the prostatic vesicle. Based on these analyses, two new types of prostatic lining are defined, the polyglandular type and the monoglandular type. The monoglandular type is defined as having an oval to elongate prostatic vesicle with tubular lining and extra‐vesicular glands. Each extra‐vesicular gland is connected via a glandular duct with a single tube. The polyglandular type is defined as having a mostly roundish oval prostatic vesicle with long‐fingered extensions, more or less horizontally directed distad, and numerous extra‐vesicular glands. Each long‐fingered extension is connected via several glandular ducts of extra‐vesicular glands. Based on these new characters, the family Stylochidae is newly defined.     

The Stegana shirozui species group (Diptera,Drosophilidae) from East Asia

One subgroup of the Stegana (Steganina) coleoptrata species group is elevated as a species group (i.e., the shirozui species group), so as to include the three known species, S. ctenaria Nishiharu, S. (S.) masanoritodai Okada and Sidorenko and S. (S.) shirozui Okada, as well nine new species reported from China and Japan: S. (S.) jiajinshanensis, S. (S.) jianfenglingensis, S. (S.) maoershanensis, S. (S.) multidentata, S. (S.) qinlingensis, S. (S.) saigusai, S. (S.) shennongi, S. (S.) wuyishanensis and S. (S.) xanthosticta spp. nov. A key to all the species of this group is provided.     

Two new species of the genus Sinella Brook, 1882 (Collembola: Entomobryidae) from East China

Two new species, Sinella hexaseta sp. nov. and Sinella pauciseta sp. nov., collected from East China, Anhui and Zhejiang provinces, respectively, were described. Both are easily discriminated from each other and all known Sinella species by their unique dorsocentral chaetotaxic patterns on Abd. IV. In S. pauciseta sp. nov., postlabial setae H_1–4 are ciliate, which are smooth in all other known species of the genus.     

A survey of the genus Stegana Meigen from southern Japan (Diptera,Drosophilidae), with descriptions of three new species

Nine species of genus Stegana from southern Japan, including three new species, S. (Oxyphortica) nigripennis Hendel, S. (Steganina) ctenaria Nishiharu, S. (Steganina) izu Sidorenko, S. (Steganina) kanmiyai Okada and Sidorenko, S. (Steganina) masanoritodai Okada and Sidorenko, S. (Steganina) ornatipes Wheeler and Takada, S. (Oxyphortica) dendrobium sp. nov., S. (Steganina) biprotrusa sp. nov. and S. (Steganina) bacilla sp. nov. are surveyed and described with designation of a new synonym S. (Steganina) maymyo Sidorenko. A key to all species of genus Stegana from southern Japan is provided.     

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.     

Description of a new species of Armandia (Polychaeta: Opheliidae) from western Kyushu,Japan, with character variations

Armandia amakusaensis sp. nov. (Polychaeta: Opheliidae) is described from an intertidal sandflat in western Kyushu, Japan. The holotype measures 13.14 mm in total body length, and has 32 setigers, with branchiae on setigers 2–31. Eleven pairs of lateral eyes are present on setigers 7–17. The anal funnel opens dorsally, fringed with 11 papillae, its length being slightly shorter than the length of the last three setigers. A long unpaired cirrus originates mid-ventrally from the inside of the anal funnel. Variation in these diagnostic characters is described. The new species is most similar to A. leptocirris (Grube, 1878) and A. intermedia Fauvel, 1902. However, it is distinguished from A. leptocirris in the distribution patterns of the branchiae and the lateral eyes, and from A. intermedia in the distribution pattern of the lateral eyes, the ratio of anal funnel length to total body length, and the number of anal-funnel papillae.     

Records of ascidians from Bahrain,Arabian Gulf with three new species

Fifteen ascidian species were identified from 1 to 12 m depth in coastal waters of Bahrain, Arabian Gulf. Three new species, Aplidium rubripunctum, Didemnum yolky and Symplegma bahraini are described. Four species collected are cosmopolitan. This study increases knowledge of the ascidian fauna of an area for which only sporadic collections have previously been made.