Morphology of Sinophysis minima sp. nov. and three Sinophysis species (Dinophyceae, Dinophysiales) from the Sea of Japan

Four sand‐dwelling species of the marine dinoflagellate genus Sinophysis, including one new species, have been examined from intertidal and subtidal sand, from the Sea of Japan. The morphological features of these species were observed by light and scanning electron microscopy. Sinophysis minima sp. nov. is flattened laterally and is 17.5–35.0 μm in length and 15.0–27.5 μm in depth, with a length/depth ratio of 1.1–1.4, an epitheca depth of 5.0–7.5 μm, and a sulcus length of about three‐quarters the hypotheca length. Sinophysis ebriola (Herdman) Balech, Sinophysis grandis Hoppenrath and Sinophysis stenosoma Hoppenrath were recorded for the first time in the seas of Russia. Sinophysis stenosoma is the most common species in the Sea of Japan. All species usually occurred together in the region investigated. Additional information on the known species is provided.     

Neorhodomela enomotoi sp. nov. (Ceramiales, Rhodophyta) from Japan

The red alga Neorhodomela enomotoi Masuda et Kogame (Rhodomelaceae, Ceramiales) is described as a new species from Japan. It is characterized by the following combination of features: (i) thalli reddish-brown and slightly rigid; (ii) first-order branches mostly indeterminately branched; (iii) adventitious branches infrequent, determinately branched and formed chiefly in the axils of lateral branches; (iv) vegetative trichoblasts abundant; (v) tetrasporangia produced on paniculate ultimate and penultimate branches; and (vi) cystocarps flask-shaped (urceolate). This species has been found growing only in the upper subtidal zone in the warm temperate waters of Japan.     

New Data on Scleractinians from the Northwestern Sea of Japan

three species of scleractinians, individual caryophyllids Caryophyllia alaskensis, C. japonica, and the colonial dendrophyllid Dendrophyllia arbuscula were described for the first time for the Sea of Japan. The findings of these corals in different areas of Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan, allow us to expand their geographic range and the depth range of their distribution. The depth of inhabitation reached 1280 m for C. alaskensis and up to 15–3 m deep for D. arbuscula.     

Verosphacela silvae sp. nov. (Onslowiaceae, Phaeophyceae) from the Mediterranean Sea

We describe Verosphacela silvae sp. nov., from the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of horizontal filaments living on the lower face of the red alga Peyssonnelia rubra (Greville) J. Agardh, from which erect filaments up to 1.5 mm high rise and grow upright after passing through the thallus of the supporting species. There are both horizontal and erect filaments growing by apical cells. In the subapical cells, 1–2 longitudinal divisions occur (more frequently in the erect filaments) but no secondary transverse divisions occur. Erect filaments bear lateral propagules on a stalk of one to three (rarely more) cells. Propagules, with neither apical cells nor arms, consist of seven cells. Zoidangia are borne at the apex of erect laterals. The new species differs from V. ebrachia Henry mainly in habit, propagules and zoidangia. In addition, distinct from V. ebrachia, filaments of V. silvae never penetrate between the cuticle and the cell wall of the supporting alga. Moreover, propagules of V. silvae consist of seven cells, whereas those of V. ebrachia consist of 9–13 cells, and zoidangia are terminal on laterals in V. silvae, whereas in V. ebrachia they are sessile on both axes and laterals.     

Ypsilonidium bananisporum sp. nov. (Ceratobasidiales) from Iriomote Island, Japan

Ypsilonidium bananisporum sp. nov. belonging to Ceratobasidiales is described and illustrated. This fungus has all the characteristics of the genusYpsilonidium including reticulate-hypochnoid basidiomes, broad hyphae branching at right angles, broadly clavate basidia with two sterigmata, and basidiospores germinating by repetition. It differs from all hitherto known species in the genus by producing suballantoid to banana-shaped basidiospores, measuring 19.5–22×5.5–6 μm. Contribution No. 314 of the Tottori Mycological Institute.     

A new potentially toxic Azadinium species (Dinophyceae) from the Mediterranean Sea,A. dexteroporum sp. nov.

A new photosynthetic planktonic marine dinoflagellate, Azadinium dexteroporum sp. nov., is described from the Gulf of Naples (South Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean Sea). The plate formula of the species, Po, cp, X, 4′, 3a, 6″, 6C, 5?S, 6? and 2″″, is typical for this recently described genus. Azadinium dexteroporum is the smallest rep‐resentative of the genus (8.5 μm average length, 6.2 μm average width) and shares the presence of a small antapical spine with the type species A. spinosum and with A. polongum. However, it differs from all other Azadinium species for the markedly asymmetrical Po plate and the position of the ventral pore, which is located at the right posterior end of the Po plate. Another peculiarity of A. dexteroporum is the pronounced concavity of the second intercalary plate (2a), which appears collapsed with respect to the other plates. Phylogenetic analyses based on the large subunit 28S rDNA (D1/D2) and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS rDNA) support the attribution of A. dexteroporum to the genus Azadinium and its separation from the other known species. LC/MS‐TOF analysis shows that Azadinium dex‐teroporum produces azaspiracids in low amounts. Some of them have the same molecular weight as known compounds such as azaspiracid‐3 and ‐7 and Compound 3 from Amphidoma languida, as well as similar fragmentation patterns in some cases. This is the first finding of a species producing azapiracids in the Mediterranean Sea.     

Gnathia gurjanovae sp. n., a new species of Gnathiids (Isopoda: Gnathiidae) from Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan

A new species of isopods of the suborder Gnathiidae, Gnathia gurjanovae sp. n. has been described from Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan. The new species is most similar to G. derzhavini Gurjanova, 1933, but differs from the latter in a series of morphological characteristics of the male: frontal margin of the head bears a well-pronounced mediofrontal process; each mandible has an unarmed carina and an obscure tooth; pereopod 6 is relatively smooth; the basis, ischium, and merus of pereopod 4 bear strong spurlike processes.     

Diatoms of the genus Attheya west, 1860 from the Sea of Japan

This paper documents the species diversity of the diatom genus Attheya from the Sea of Japan. Two species (A. arenicola and A. longicornis) were studied in field samples and in culture. Their morphology is described using light and electron microscopy; the ecology and the distribution data are provided. A. arenicola is a new record for the seas of Russia.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mirabilicoxa kussakini</Emphasis> sp. nov., a new species of Desmosomatidae (Crustacea,Isopoda, Asellota) from the Sea of Japan

Mirabilicoxa kussakini sp. nov. is described from the bathyal of the northwestern Sea of Japan. This is the first record of the genus Mirabilicoxa Hessler, 1970 in the Sea of Japan. The new species is most similar to M. similis (Hansen, 1916), M. plana Hessler, 1970 and M. minuta Hessler, 1970 from the Northwest Atlantic. It differs from them in having a more elongated body (4.1–4.5 times as long as wide) and antenna 1 with the terminal article 5 shorter than article 4.     

New Species of Boletellus Section Boletellus (Boletaceae,Boletales) from Japan,B. aurocontextus sp. nov. and B. areolatus sp. nov.

We describe and illustrate two new species of Boletellus section Boletellus, B. aurocontextus sp. nov. and B. areolatus sp. nov., which are generally assumed to be B. emodensis. In this study, we reconstructed separate molecular phylogenetic trees of section Boletellus using the nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of nuclear ribosomal DNA, the largest subunit (RPB1) and the second-largest subunit (RPB2) of nuclear RNA polymerase II gene and mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 3 (cox3) gene. We also examined the morphologies of B. emodensis sensu lato (s.l.) and other related species for comparison. The molecular phylogenetic tree inferred from the sequences of nuclear DNA (ITS, and combined dataset of RPB1 and RPB2) indicated that three genetically and phylogenetically well-separated lineages were present within B. emodensis s.l. These three lineages were also distinguished on the basis of the molecular phylogenetic tree constructed using the sequences of mitochondrial DNA (cox3), suggesting distinct cytonuclear disequilibria (i.e., evidence of reproductive isolation) among these lineages. Therefore, these three lineages can be treated as independent species: B. aurocontextus, B. areolatus, and B. emodensis. Boletellus aurocontextus and B. areolatus are also distinct from B. emodensis by the macro- and microscopic morphologies. Boletellus aurocontextus is characterized by a pileus with bright yellow to lemon yellow context, which can be observed through a gap in the scales, and basidiospores with relatively large length (mean spore length, 21.4 μm; quotient of spore length and width, 2.51). In contrast, B. areolatus is characterized by a pileus with floccose to appressed thin scaly patches, a stipe with pallid or pale cream color at the upper half, and basidiospores with relatively small length (mean spore length, 16.5 μm; quotient of spore length and width, 1.80).     

Parvularia atlantis gen. et sp. nov., a Nucleariid Filose Amoeba (Holomycota,Opisthokonta)

The opisthokonts constitute a eukaryotic supergroup divided into two main clades: the holozoans, which include animals and their unicellular relatives, and the holomycotans, which include fungi, opisthosporidians, and nucleariids. Nucleariids are phagotrophic filose amoebae that phenotypically resemble more their distant holozoan cousins than their holomycotan phylogenetic relatives. Despite their evolutionary interest, the diversity and internal phylogenetic relationships within the nucleariids remain poorly studied. Here, we formally describe and characterize by molecular phylogeny and microscopy observations Parvularia atlantis gen. et sp. nov. (formerly Nuclearia sp. ATCC 50694), and compare its features with those of other nucleariid genera. Parvularia is an amoebal genus characterized by radiating knobbed and branching filopodia. It exhibits prominent vacuoles observable under light microscopy, a cyst‐like stage, and completely lacks cilia. P. atlantis possesses one or two nuclei with a central nucleolus, and mitochondria with flat or discoid cristae. These morphological features, although typical of nucleariids, represent a combination of characters different to those of any other described Nuclearia species. Likewise, 18S rRNA‐based phylogenetic analyses show that P. atlantis represents a distinct lineage within the nucleariids.     

Fauna of Calcareous Sponges (Calcarea) in Russian Waters of the Sea of Japan

Based on the collection of the Zoological Institute (Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg) and the data available in the literature, a list of calcareous sponges (Calcarea) of the Russian waters of the Sea of Japan was compiled. It comprises 15 species belonging to ten genera and seven families. Among these sponges, five species were found in the Sea of Japan for the first time: Leucetta poculiformis (Hozawa), Sycon protectum Lambe, Grantia uchidai Hozawa et Tanita, Heteropia medioarticulata Hozawa, and Leucopsila stilifera (Schmidt). Data on the distribution and ecology of the calcareous sponges in the area of study are reported.     

Thalassiocyclus pankensis sp. nov., a new diatom from the Panke Swamp, northern Japan (Bacillariophyta)

Thalassiocyclus pankensis sp. nov. is described from Panke Swamp (Panke-numa) located in Horonobe Town, Hokkaido, northern Japan. The species is characterized by a strong transversely undulate central area of the valve face with one to three fultoportulae on the elevated part and one fultoportula on the depressed part. The external valve face has costate radial interfascicles and very wide fascicles on the marginal area. Thickened openings of mantle fultoportulae are located at the end of interfascicles with roofed board spines. The cingulum consists of five bands. The new species is compared to the only other species belonging to genus Thalassiocyclus , T. lucens (Hustedt) Håkansson & Mahood. Thalassiocyclus pankensis is the second species in the genus Thalassiocyclus and also the first report of a Thalassiocyclus species in Japan.     

Fauna of Sponges (Porifera) of Peter the Great Bay,Sea of Japan

A complete list of sponges of Peter the Great Bay (northwestern Sea of Japan) is presented comprising 40 species belonging to 27 genera, 19 families, 9 orders, and 2 classes. Information is presented about the biogeographical composition of sponge fauna of the bay, the depths of their habitats, and their substrates.Original Russian Text Copyright ¢ 2005 by Biologiya Morya, Khodakovskaya.     

Six New Species of Fresh and Brackish Water Ostracods (Crustacea) from Yakushima, Southern Japan

Twelve species of brackish and freshwater ostracods were collected from the island of Yakushima in southern Japan. Six species, belonging to the genera Cypria, Dolerocypris, Stenocypris, Schellencandona and Paracypria, are new and are described herein. The genus Schellencandona is reported for the first time outside Europe. Although a wide range of apparently suitable habitats was sampled for ostracods across the island, all specimens were recovered from or near the coast; further inland yielded no ostracods. The freshwater habitats around the coast of the island consist of springs and rockpools at the top of the shore above most high tide levels.