Macroparasite community in molluscs of a tidal basin in the Wadden Sea

We provide a quantitative inventory of macroparasites in intertidal molluscs from a tidal basin in the Wadden Sea (eastern North Sea). Gastropods and bivalves contained a species rich macroparasite community consisting of trematodes (26 species), turbellarians (1), nematodes (1), copepods (2) and polychaetes (1) in 3,800 host individuals from 10 host species. Highest parasite burdens were observed in the gastropods Hydrobia ulvae and Littorina littorea and in the bivalves Cerastoderma edule and Mytilus edulis. In contrast, only one parasite species and no trematodes were found in Crepidula fornicata. The parasite community in the molluscs was similar to other Western European localities but some parasite species showed obvious differences, related to the large-scale distribution of intermediate and final hosts. Parasitism seems to be a common phenomenon in molluscs of the Wadden Sea and hence the detrimental effects observed in experiments can be expected to frequently happen in the field.     

Long-term persistence of low coral cover and abundance on a disturbed coral reef flat in the northern Red Sea

Levels of coral cover and abundance on a coral reef flat in Eilat (Israeli Red Sea) were estimated in 2001 by surveying nineteen 10-m transects, and compared to the levels reported in the same area between 1966 and 1973. Lower values compared to 1966 levels are evident, and there has been only a modest recovery following a catastrophic low tide that killed a large proportion of the corals in 1970. Percent cover of soft and stony corals (16.1%) was less than half of that reported for 1969 (35%), when a sharp decrease in coral abundance had already been observed. The total number of soft and stony coral colonies observed was 300, compared to 541 in 1966. In contrast to 1966, when half of the transects surveyed contained more than 30 coral colonies, no transects with this number of corals were observed. The cover of seven of the most common stony coral species was 841 cm, which is twice the coral cover of that in 1973, but only 22% of the 1969 level. Millepora dichotoma, an abundant species before 1970, has almost disappeared, and the soft coral Litophyton, abundant in 1972, was not observed. Anthropogenic nutrient enrichment is apparently among the causes for the lack of coral recovery in the studied reef flat. Reefs located further away from sources of pollution have recovered quickly after natural and anthropogenic disturbances and have retained their coral abundance and diversity.     

Brachiopods from cryptic coral reef habitats in the northern Red Sea

In contrast to the Palaeozoic to Jurassic fossil record, modern tropical and subtropical shallow-water brachiopods are typically small-sized and mostly restricted to cryptic habitats in coral reefs, but information on microhabitat-composition is scant. At Dahab, northern Red Sea, living brachiopods of the genus Argyrotheca were only detected on massively encrusted coral colonies attached to encrusting foraminifers and coralline red algae. Three samples from autochthonous sediments underneath coral colonies are comparatively rich in the brachiopod genera Megerlia and Argyrotheca, and additionally show low numbers of Novocrania and Thecidellina. Based on a coarse-grain analysis including more than 16,000 components >1 mm, these brachiopod shells co-occur with skeletal components of 11 higher taxa. Decapods, fixosessile foraminifers, molluscs, scleractinians, and coralline red algae clearly dominate the assemblages. Brachiopods in this study always contribute less than 2% to the sediment composition. This confirms previous results that even in brachiopod habitats the contribution of brachiopod shells to the total sediment composition is almost negligible. Our study indicates that brachiopods co-occur with pteriomorph bivalves and other epifauna in the cryptic habitats with limited space for encrusters or epibionts on the undersides of scleractinians and it tentatively supports the hypothesis of brachiopods preferring habitats with low grazing pressure, because shelly components of grazers (polyplacophorans and regular echinoids) are rare in our samples.     

Food of Iago omanensis, a deep water shark from the northern Red Sea

Stomach contents of 252 lago omanensis were examined. Sharks were collected in deep water between 150 and 450 m depth off the Marine Laboratory of Eilat. This species feeds on benthopelagic fishes, deep water cephalopods, crustaceans, benthic molluscs and polychaetes. Cephalopods were the main food of I. omanensis , except during the summer when fishes (mainly myctophids) were ingested in greater quantity. Stomachs also contained terrigenous plant matter, animal remains and large quantities of mud. Prey taxa included two new cephalopod records for the Red Sea.     

Maribacter caenipelagi sp. nov., a member of the Flavobacteriaceae isolated from a tidal flat sediment of the Yellow Sea in Korea

A Gram-strain negative, rod-shaped and gliding bacterial strain, designated HD-44^T, was isolated from a tidal flat sediment in the Korean peninsula. Strain HD-44^T was found to grow optimally at pH 7.0–8.0, at 25° C and in the presence of 2–3 % (w/v) NaCl. A neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain HD-44^T falls within the clade comprising the Maribacter species, clustering with the type strains of Maribacter aquivivus, Maribacter ulvicola, Maribacter stanieri, Maribacter dokdonensis, Maribacter orientalis, Maribacter forsetii, Maribacter arcticus and Maribacter sedimenticola, with which it exhibits 97.1–98.3 % sequence similarity values. Sequence similarities to the type strains of the other recognized Maribacter species are 95.6–96.8 %. Strain HD-44^T was found to contain MK-6 as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C_17:0 3-OH, iso-C_15:1 G, iso-C_15:0 and summed feature 3 (C_16:1 ω6c and/or C_16:1 ω7c) as the major fatty acids. The major polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine and two unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain HD-44^T was determined to be 37.6 mol% and its mean DNA–DNA relatedness values with M. aquivivus KCTC 12968^T, M. ulvicola KCTC 12969^T, M. stanieri KCTC 22023^T, M. dokdonensis DSW-8^T, M. orientalis KCTC 12967^T, M. forsetii KT02ds18-6^T, M. arcticus KCTC 22053^T and M. sedimenticola KCTC 12966^T were 27.7–8.0 %. Differential phenotypic properties, together with the phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness, revealed that strain HD-44^T is distinguishable from recognized Maribacter species. On the basis of the data presented, strain HD-44^T is proposed to represent a novel species of the genus Maribacter, for which the name Maribacter caenipelagi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is HD-44^T (= KCTC 32549^T = CECT 8455^T).     

Large gryphaeid oysters as habitats for numerous sclerobionts: a case study from the northern Red Sea

The shell of a living specimen of the Indo-Pacific gryphaeid giant oyster Hyotissa hyotis was colonized by numerous encrusting, boring, nestling and baffling taxa which show characteristic distribution patterns. On the upper valve, sponge-induced bioerosion predominates. On the lower valve intergrowth of chamid bivalves and thick encrusting associations—consisting mostly of squamariacean and corallinacean red algae, acervulinid foraminifera, and scleractinian corals—provides numerous microhabitats for nestling arcid and mytilid bivalves as well as for encrusting bryozoans and serpulids. Such differences between exposed and cryptic surfaces are typical for many marine hard substrata and result from the long-term stable position of the oyster on the seafloor. The cryptic habitats support a species assemblage of crustose algae and foraminifera that, on exposed surfaces, would occur in much deeper water.     

硇洲岛潮汐带牡蛎相关可培养细菌多样性

[目的]了解南海硇洲岛潮汐带香港巨牡蛎(Crassostrea hongkongensis)相关可培养细菌的多样性.[方法]应用纯培养法分离样品中的细菌(含放线菌),采用基于16S rRNA基因序列的系统发育分析方法研究这些分离菌株的生物多样性.[结果]用补充0-25％(W/V) NaC1的MA、MH和NA培养基从样品中分离到102株细菌,在形态观察和部分生理生化实验结果的基础上去冗余,选取74个代表性菌株进行基于16S rRNA基因序列的系统发育分析.结果表明,这些菌株归为38个物种,属于4个大的系统发育类群(Gamma-Proteobacteria,Alpha-Proteobacteria,Bacteroidetes,Firmicutes)的16个科、18个属.大多数菌株属于Gamma-Proteobacteria亚门(45株,60.8％),其余依次是Firmicutes门(12株,16.2％)、Bacteroidetes门(11株,14.9％)和Alpha-Proteobacteria亚门(6株,8.1％).大多数菌株与其系统发育关系最密切的有效发表种典型菌株之间(16S rRNA基因序列相似性为94.3％-99.8％)存在一定的遗传差异,其中JSM 111069可能代表Carnobacteriaceae科的潜在新属;菌株JSM 111039和JSM 111085可能分别代表Bacillus属的两个新物种,菌株JSM 111020、JSM 111072和JSM 111090可能分别代表Pseudoalteromonas、Proteus和Idiomarina属的新物种.[结论]南海硇洲岛潮汐带牡蛎中存在较为丰富的原核生物多样性,并潜藏着一定数量的微生物新类群(物种).     

Long-term changes of intertidal and subtidal sediment compositions in a tidal basin in the northern Wadden Sea (SE North Sea)

Wadden Sea tidal flats are highly dynamic regarding the spatial distribution and the grain size composition of their sediments. From 2003 to 2006 surface sediments have been surveyed in an intertidal and a subtidal area within the tidal inlet Königshafen (south-eastern North Sea, northern Wadden Sea, island of Sylt) with the goal to gain information on short-term development trends in the grain size composition. The average grain size (Mean) becomes finer in the sheltered part of the intertidal survey area whereas a coarsening tendency can be observed in the more exposed part of the intertidal and especially in the subtidal survey area. The trend of the most frequent grain size (first Mode) shows the same spatial distribution pattern but is far less distinct. Thus, the changing Mean must be related to an increase in the deposition of fines in the sheltered part of the intertidal Königshafen as well as a general removal of fine-grained material in the exposed intertidal and subtidal Königshafen. In order to see long-term trends the surveys of 2003–2006 were compared to earlier studies conducted in 1932/1933, 1981 and 1989. A significant depletion of mud can be observed in the entire survey area. It is concluded that primarily changed hydrodynamics that may accompany ongoing climate change are responsible for this. However, the loss of fine-grained sediments is additionally amplified by a reduced vegetation cover and coastal protection measures.     

Purification and culture characteristics of 36 benthic marine diatoms isolated from the Solthörn tidal flat (Southern North Sea)

Marine benthic diatoms growing in biofilms on sediment surfaces generally occur associated with heterotrophic bacteria, whereas modern molecular techniques and analyses of species‐specific physiology create a demand for axenic cultures. Numerous benthic diatoms were isolated from surface sediments during a monitoring of the Solthörn tidal flat (southern North Sea, Germany) from May 2008 to May 2009. Of these, around 50% could be purified from the accompanying heterotrophic bacteria using different antibiotics combined with physical separation methods (vortexing, ultrasound). Overall, seven different antibiotics were tested at different concentrations, and a best working protocol was developed. The axenic strains were stable on average for only around 15 months, indicating a symbiotic interaction between the benthic diatoms and the associated bacteria. While most short‐term effects during the purification process were restricted to differences in growth rates among xenic and axenic diatom strains, long‐term cultivation led to distinct changes in cell volumes and growth characteristics of the axenic strains.     

Abrupt community change on a rocky shore – biological mechanisms contributing to the potential formation of an alternative state

The 1997/1998 El Niño initiated a major shift in the intertidal assemblage on the Washington State outer coast. A 25 year time series (1978–2003) shows stands of dominant canopy algae replaced by mussel beds. A prior experiment had indicated that mussels can become too large to be eaten by starfish; newly initiated starfish removals predict mussel attainment of a size refuge. Such escapes inhibit recovery towards prior community composition and enhance development of alternative community states which may persist long after the originating forcing has lessened or disappeared.     

南海硇洲岛潮汐带栉江珧可培养细菌的系统发育多样性

【目的】研究南海硇洲岛潮汐带栉江珧(Atrina pectinata)样品相关可培养细菌的多样性。【方法】采用纯培养法和基于16S r RNA基因序列的系统发育分析,法对样品中可培养细菌(含放线菌)的类群多样性、物种多样性和遗传多样性进行研究。【结果】用补充0–25%(质量体积比)Na Cl的MA、MH和NA培养基从栉江珧样品中分离到125株细菌。在形态观察和部分生理生化实验结果的基础上去冗余,选取90个代表性菌株进行基于16S r RNA基因序列的系统发育多样性分析。结果表明,这90个分离菌株分属于3个大的系统发育类群(Gamma-proteobacteria、Firmicutes、Actinobacteria)、6个科、10个属,可分为33个物种。优势类群为厚壁菌门(Firmicutes)(56株,62.2%)和γ-变形杆菌亚门(Gamma-proteobacteria)(31株,34.5%)。大多数菌株与其系统发育关系最密切的已知物种的典型菌株之间存在一定的遗传差异(16S r RNA基因序列相似性为95.7%–99.9%),其中有5株可能代表新的分类单元(Potential new taxa)。分析表明,菌株JSM 112024可能代表了盐单胞菌科(Halomonadaceae)的一个属一级新分类单元;菌株JSM 112019、JSM 114045、JSM 114058和JSM 114083可能分别代表盐弧菌属(Salinivibrio)、芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)、盐单胞菌属(Halomonas)和枝芽孢菌属(Virgibacillus)的新物种。【结论】湛江硇洲岛潮汐带栉江珧中存在较为丰富的可培养细菌物种多样性和系统发育多样性,并潜藏着较多的新微生物类群(物种)。     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Marinobacter zhanjiangensis</Emphasis> sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from sea water of a tidal flat of the South China Sea

A novel Gram-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, non-sporulating, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium, designated strain JSM 078120^T, was isolated from sea water collected from a tidal flat of Naozhou Island, South China Sea. Growth occurred with 1–15% (w/v) total salts (optimum, 2–4%), at pH 6.0–10.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and at 4–35°C (optimum, 25–30°C). The major cellular fatty acids were C_18:1 ω9c, C_16:0, C_12:0 3-OH and C_16:1 ω7c. The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-9, and the genomic DNA G + C content was 60.6 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain JSM 078120^T should be assigned to the genus Marinobacter, being related most closely to the type strains of Marinobacter segnicrescens (sequence similarity 98.2%), Marinobacter bryozoorum (97.9%) and Marinobacter gudaonensis (97.6%). The sequence similarities between the novel isolate and the type strains of other recognized Marinobacter species ranged from 96.7 (with Marinobacter salsuginis) to 93.3% (with Marinobacter litoralis). The levels of DNA–DNA relatedness between strain JSM 078120^T and the type strains of M. segnicrescens, M. bryozoorum and M. gudaonensis were 25.3, 20.6 and 18.8%, respectively. The combination of phylogenetic analysis, DNA–DNA relatedness, phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic data supported the view that strain JSM 078120^T represents a novel species of the genus Marinobacter, for which the name Marinobacter zhanjiangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JSM 078120^T (= CCTCC AB 208029^T = DSM 21077^T = KCTC 22280^T). The GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ accession number for the 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain JSM 078120^T is FJ425903.     

The giant oyster Hyotissa hyotis from the northern Red Sea as a decadal-scale archive for seasonal environmental fluctuations in coral reef habitats

This study explores the giant oyster Hyotissa hyotis as a novel environmental archive in tropical reef environments of the Indo-Pacific. The species is a typical accessory component in coral reefs, can reach sizes of tens of centimetres, and dates back to the Late Pleistocene. Here, a 70.2-mm-long oxygen and carbon isotope transect through the shell of a specimen collected at Safaga Bay, northern Red Sea, in May 1996, is presented. The transect runs perpendicularly to the foliate and vesicular layers of the inner ostracum near the ligament area of the oyster. The measured δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C records show sinusoidal fluctuations, which are independent of shell microstructure. The δ¹³C fluctuations exhibit the same wavelength as the δ¹⁸O fluctuations but are phase shifted. The δ¹⁸O record reflects the sea surface temperature variations from 1957 until 1996, possibly additionally influenced by the local evaporation. Due to locally enhanced evaporation in the semi-enclosed Safaga Bay, the δ¹⁸O_seawater value is estimated at 2.17‰, i.e., 0.3–0.8‰ higher than published open surface water δ¹⁸O values (1.36–1.85‰) from the region. The mean water temperature deviates by only 0.4°C from the expected value, and the minimum and maximum values are 0.5°C lower and 2.9°C higher, respectively. When comparing the mean monthly values, however, the sea surface temperature discrepancy between reconstructed and global grid datasets is always <1.0°C. The δ¹³C signal is weakly negatively correlated with regional chlorophyll a concentration and with the sunshine duration, which may reflect changes in the bivalve’s respiration. The study emphasises the palaeogeographic context in isotope studies based on fossils, because coastal embayments might not reflect open-water oceanographic conditions.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Euphyllia paradivisa</Emphasis>, a successful mesophotic coral in the northern Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba,Red Sea

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) host a thriving community of biota that has remained virtually unexplored. Here we report for the first time on a large population of the endangered coral species Euphyllia paradivisa from the MCEs of the Gulf of Eilat/Aqaba (GOE/A), Red Sea. The mesophotic zone in some parts of the study site harbors a specialized coral community predominantly comprising E. paradivisa (73 % of the total coral cover), distributed from 36 to 72 m depth. Here we sought to elucidate the strict distribution but high abundance of E. paradivisa in the MCEs at the GOE/A. We present 4 yr of observations and experiments that provide insight into the physiological plasticity of E. paradivisa: its low mortality rates at high light intensities, high competitive abilities, successful symbiont adaptation to the shallow-water environment, and tolerance to bleaching conditions or survival during prolonged bleaching. Despite its ability to survive under high irradiance in shallow water, E. paradivisa is not found in the shallow reef of the GOE/A. We suggest several factors that may explain the high abundance and exclusivity of E. paradivisa in the MCE: its heterotrophic capabilities; its high competition abilities; the possibility of it finding a deep-reef refuge there from fish predation; and its concomitant adaptation to this environment.     

Age determination in the Red fox (Vulpes vulpes)–an evaluation of technique efficiency as applied to a sample of suburban foxes

A review of age determination techniques that have been applied to the family Canidae is presented. It is shown that the pattern of growth and development of the various species is very similar, the rate of development being greater in the smaller, shorter-lived species, and vice versa.
The occurrence of annuli in the hard tissues of London foxes is demonstrated; these annuli can be used reliably for age determination, despite suggestions that temperate zone animals from weakly continental climates have indistinct annuli. The objective ages determined by cementum annuli are then used to investigate the value of less time-consuming age determination techniques, particularly in the separation of the young-of-the-year from adults. The results obtained from different studies vary, and these differences are discussed. It is suggested that the speed of development varies slightly in different Red fox populations, and so caution must be exercised before data from one population areapplied to another population.     

Comparative taphonomy of three bivalve species from a mass shell accumulation in the intertidal regime of North Sea tidal flats

This study comprises a comparative taphonomic analysis of three endobenthic bivalves (Mya arenaria, Cerastoderma edule, and Macoma balthica) derived from a mass accumulation of mainly vertically packed shells from the “Wurster Watt” in Lower Saxony’s Wadden Sea, German Bight. Bulk samples from two transects were analyzed with respect to taxonomic composition, left/right valve presence, counts and weight percentages of taxa, and size-frequency distributions. Taphonomic features including abrasion, fragmentation, encrustation and bioerosion were subjected to a semi-quantitative analysis. Taphonomic results show significant differences with respect to bivalve taxa as well as between transects. Mya arenaria, a large endobenthic bivalve, shows the greatest amount of fragmentation and is often encrusted by balanids and bryozoans. The smaller and more robust Cerastoderma edule has the greatest values for bioerosion especially by the polychaete Polydora ciliata. Macoma balthica, which has the thinnest valves, shows the highest values for abrasion, but low values for the rest of the measured taphonomic features. Taphonomic differences between the taxa, samples and transects are related to (1) the origin of the bivalves (from living populations or exposed colonization horizons), (2) the different size and morphology of the valves (themselves related to mode of life), (3) the taphonomic trajectories of the different bivalves, as well as (4) the varying depositional environment of the two transects.     

Stable oxygen isotopes in<Emphasis Type="Italic"> Porites</Emphasis> corals monitor weekly temperature variations in the northern Gulf of Aqaba,Red Sea

In order to assess the ability of Porites corals to accurately record environmental variations, high-resolution (weekly/biweekly) coral ¹⁸O records were obtained from four coral colonies from the northern Gulf of Aqaba, which grew at depths of 7, 19, 29, and 42 m along one transect. Adjacent to each colony, hourly temperatures, biweekly salinities, and monthly ¹⁸O of seawater were continuously recorded over a period of 14 months (April 1999 to June 2000). Contrary to water temperature, which shows a regular and strong seasonal variation and change with depth, seawater ¹⁸O exhibits a weak seasonality and little change with depth. Positive correlations between seawater ¹⁸O and salinity were observed. The two parameters were related to each other by the equation ¹⁸O _Seawater (, VSMOW) = 0.281 × Salinity – 9.14. The high-resolution coral ¹⁸O records from this study show a regular pattern of seasonality and are able to capture fine details of the weekly average temperature records. They resolve more than 95% of the weekly average temperature range. On the other hand, attenuation and amplification of coral seasonal amplitudes were recorded in deep, slow-growing corals, which were not related to environmental effects (temperature and/or seawater ¹⁸O) or sampling resolution. We propose that these result from a combined effect of subannual variations in extension rate and variable rates of spine thickening of skeletal structures within the tissue layer. However, no smoothing or distortion of the isotopic signals was observed due to calcification within the tissue layer in shallow-water, fast-growing corals. The calculations from coral ¹⁸O calibrations against the in situ measurements show that temperature (T) is related to coral ¹⁸O ( _c ) and seawater ¹⁸O ( _w ) by the equation T (°C) = –5.38 ( _c – _w ) –1.08. Our results demonstrate that coral ¹⁸O from the northern Gulf of Aqaba is a reliable recorder of temperature variations, and that there is a minor contribution of seawater ¹⁸O to this proxy, which could be ignored.     

Overexpression and cosuppression of xylem‐related genes in an early xylem differentiation stage‐specific manner by the AtTED4 promoter

Tissue‐specific overexpression of useful genes, which we can design according to their cause‐and‐effect relationships, often gives valuable gain‐of‐function phenotypes. To develop genetic tools in woody biomass engineering, we produced a collection of Arabidopsis lines that possess chimeric genes of a promoter of an early xylem differentiation stage‐specific gene, Arabidopsis Tracheary Element Differentiation‐related 4 (AtTED4) and late xylem development‐associated genes, many of which are uncharacterized. The AtTED4 promoter directed the expected expression of transgenes in developing vascular tissues from young to mature stage. Of T2 lines examined, 42%, 49% and 9% were judged as lines with the nonrepeat type insertion, the simple repeat type insertion and the other repeat type insertion of transgenes. In 174 T3 lines, overexpression lines were confirmed for 37 genes, whereas only cosuppression lines were produced for eight genes. The AtTED4 promoter activity was high enough to overexpress a wide range of genes over wild‐type expression levels, even though the wild‐type expression is much higher than AtTED4 expression for several genes. As a typical example, we investigated phenotypes of pAtTED4::At5g60490 plants, in which both overexpression and cosuppression lines were included. Overexpression but not cosuppression lines showed accelerated xylem development, suggesting the positive role of At5g60490 in xylem development. Taken together, this study provides valuable results about behaviours of various genes expressed under an early xylem‐specific promoter and about usefulness of their lines as genetic tools in woody biomass engineering.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Jindonia aestuariivivens</Emphasis> gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from a tidal flat on the south-western sea in Republic of Korea

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-flagellated, and coccoid, ovoid or rod-shaped bacterium, designated JDTF-65^T, was isolated from a tidal flat on the south-western sea in Republic of Korea. Strain JDTF-65^T grew optimally at 25°C, at pH 7.0–8.0 and in the presence of 2.0% (w/v) NaCl. Strain JDTF-65^T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of 97.1–97.6% to the type strains of ‘Aliisedimentitalea scapharcae’, Phaeobacter gallaeciensis, Phaeobacter inhibens, Leisingera aquimarina, Tropicibacter litoreus, Sulfitobacter pseudonitzschiae, and Pseudoseohaeicola caenipelagi. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JDTF-65^T forms an independent lineage within the radiation enclosed by the family Rhodobacteraceae. Strain JDTF-65^T contained Q-10 as the predominant ubiquinone and C_18:1 ω7c as the major fatty acid. The major polar lipids of strain JDTF-65^T were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified aminolipid, and one unidentified lipid. The DNA G+C content of strain JDTF-65^T was 56.8 mol% and its DNA-DNA relatedness values with the type strains of the phylogenetically related species were 13–27%. Differential phenotypic properties revealed that strain JDTF-65^T is separated from representatives of some phylogenetically related taxa. On the basis of the data presented, strain JDTF-65^T represents a new genus and species within the family Rhodobacteraceae, for which the name Jindonia aestuariivivens gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Jindonia aestuariivivens is JDTF-65^T (=KCTC 52564^T =NBRC 112534^T).     

Cyphastrea kausti sp. n. (Cnidaria,Anthozoa, Scleractinia), a new species of reef coral from the Red Sea

A new scleractinian coral species, Cyphastrea kausti sp. n., is described from 13 specimens from the Red Sea. It is characterised by the presence of eight primary septa, unlike the other species of the genus, which have six, ten or 12 primary septa. The new species has morphological affinities with Cyphastrea microphthalma, from which it can be distinguished by the lower number of septa (on average eight instead of ten), and smaller calices and corallites. This species was observed in the northern and central Red Sea and appears to be absent from the southern Red Sea.