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.     

Why are there so few “far southern” myriapods?

There are no extant Antarctic myriapods. The “far southern” islands south of latitude 45° S together with the isolated (south Atlantic) Tristan da Cunha, Gough, (south Indian) St Paul, Amsterdam and (south Pacific) Chatham islands (at 37 to 44° S), harbour only 33 native, introduced and partly identified taxa, including 17 Chilopoda, 11 Diplopoda, two Pauropoda and four Symphyla. The myriapods confined to the extreme edge of the Southern Ocean are entirely derived from pre-glacial Tertiary relicts or post-glacial anthropogenic introductions and show no evidence of co-occurring sibling taxa. This unusual distribution pattern provides a useful “no dispersal/no speciation” benchmark that can be applied to other far-southern non-marine invertebrates where the distinction between pre-glacial and post-glacial endemic taxa is not so clearly defined.     

Three new intertidal sponges (Porifera: Demospongiae) from Brazil’s fringing urban reefs (Maceió, Alagoas,Brazil), and support for Rhabderemia’s exclusion from Poecilosclerida

The inventory of Brazil’s marine sponge fauna is notably fragmentary; knowledge remains basic even in the vicinity of some important urban areas. Accordingly, we set up a plan to prioritize taxonomic study of sensitive areas, coupling high biodiversity potential and likely outstanding human pressure on biological resources. One such area comprises the fringing urban reefs of Maceió (Alagoas State, northeastern Brazil), from where three new demosponges are described here: Plakina coerulea sp. nov., Rhabderemia meirimensis sp. nov. and Mycale rubra sp. nov. The new Rhabderemia shares with Biemna, Desmacella, Neofibularia and Sigmaxinella, the possession of distally microspined sigmas. Recent molecular results have shown these taxa to be only distantly related to chelae-bearing Poecilosclerida, hence our decision to leave the new species as ordo incertae sedis. It is proposed that the intertidal or shallow subtidal sponge fauna in northeastern Brazil’s reefs deserves enhanced conservation effort to preserve what remains in these highly impacted ecosystems. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4F150A0A-2371-40A1-B7B2-8CD14CEB885C     

New xenophyophores (Protista) from the bathyal and abyssal north-east Atlantic Ocean

Eight species of xenophyophores, seven of them new, are described from epibenthic sledge material collected in the north-east Atlantic by the Institute of Oceanographic Sciences. A new genus is established for two of the new species, Homogammina lamina and H. maculosa. The other five new species are Galatheammina discoveryi, G. microconcha, Psammina delicata, P. fusca and P. sabulosa. The eighth species is Reticulammina labyrinthica Tendal, 1972, first described from the south-west Pacific. The material considerably expands knowledge of north-east Atlantic xenophyophores, emphasizes the dominance in this area of the order Psamminida, and suggests a considerable degree of endemism. All specimens are highly fragmented and it is therefore difficult to correlate the species described from the samples with those appearing in simultaneously taken bottom photographs.     

Anurans of a seasonally dry tropical forest: Morro do Diabo State Park,São Paulo state,Brazil

We studied the richness and composition of the anuran assemblage of Morro do Diabo State Park, the major remnant of Mesophytic Semideciduous Forest in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, through hypothesis tests. From September 2005 to March 2007 we recorded 28 anuran species, comprising a mix of Atlantic, Cerrado and South American widespread species, usually considered tolerant to anthropic modifications. The low richness of species and reproductive modes, the predominance of habitat generalist species, and the high similarity with Cerrado areas can be explained by the climatic seasonality of the studied area (a pronounced dry season), as well as its large distance from centres of anuran diversification, such as the coastal mountains of the wet Atlantic Forest.     

Parasitic copepods of Carcharhinidae and Sphyridae (Elasmobranchia) from the Atlantic Ocean

Seventy-four sharks of the families Carcharhinidae and Sphyridae, mainly from the central Atlantic Ocean, were examined. Fourteen species of Copepoda were found on them. Prionace glauca and Sphyrna zygaena are new hosts for the copepod Pandarus floridanus. Kroyeria carchariaeglauci is reported from the nasal cavities of Prionace glauca for the first time.     

Apodidymochelia,a new genus of gammaridean amphipod from the tropical Atlantic Ocean (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Didymochellidae)

Apodidymochelia castellata, new genus, new species is the second genus and fourth species in the rare and poorly known family Didymocheliidae. Apodidymochelia is separated from Didymochelia primarily on mandible structure. This record extends the known range of the family into the Atlantic Ocean.     

基于多卫星融合数据的海平面特征分析

利用1993—2008年法国空间局的AVISO多卫星融合高度计资料,采用随机动态、EOF等方法分析全球海平面变化的长期趋势、变化幅度以及季节变化的空间分布特征.结果表明:(a)1993—2008年间太平洋海平面呈西升东降的形态,印度洋绝大部分海区海平面呈上升趋势,大西洋除湾流流域外的其他海区海平面的长期趋势以上升为主;(b)全球海平面变化存在显著的年变化和半年变化等季节信号,无论是半球平均还是洋盆平均,北半球海平面季节变化的振幅明显大于南半球,中纬度海区季节变化的振幅最大;(c)北印度洋海平面季节变化的振幅高于同纬度带的北太平洋和北大西洋;(d)太平洋、印度洋、大西洋三大洋受西边界流、赤道流系等强流影响的海域海平面变化幅度大于周围海域;(e)赤道海域各大洋东、西边界和大洋内区海平面变化不同步,可能受赤道海洋波动的影响较大;(f)厄尔尼诺年,西太平洋暖池和赤道太平洋中部海平面明显降低,赤道东太平洋海域海平面明显升高,赤道印度洋海域东、西边界的海平面变化与其相反.