Description,morphometric characterization and distribution pattern of Paradiopatra multibranchiata,a new onuphid (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the tropical eastern Pacific

Paradiopatra multibranchiata, an onuphid found commonly in shelf sediments of the tropical eastern Pacific, is described here. It belongs to the group of Paradiopatra species characterized by the presence of branchiae on the most anterior parapodia (chaetigers 2–3), with at least seven filaments when fully developed. The new species closely resembles P. parva, also distributed in the eastern Pacific but in temperate habitats. It can be distinguished from the latter by the presence rather than the absence of eyes, and because it bears the highest number of branchial filaments (up to 37) observed in any Paradiopatra species known so far (14–18 filaments at most). The taxonomic status of the new species is supported by comparative morphometric and multivariate analyses, which also allowed us to verify its differences with P. parva. The branchial development was the most useful character to determine the relationships between the specimens of P. multibranchiata sp. nov., while its separation from P. parva (Wilks’ lambda?=?0.060, P?<?0.0001) was weighted most heavily by the number of filaments at chaetigers 2 and 10, and the length of the median antenna. An anatomical examination with methylene blue stain and with scanning electron microscopy was carried out to illustrate the ventral glandular pad staining pattern and the features of their cuticular pores.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:194636C6-A032-4B1F-B0B8-1D494C344623     

A new genus and species of the Syllidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from south India

A syllid species new to science is described from intertidal sandy sediments on the cast coast of India, for which a new genus is erected: Psammosyllis aliceae gen. et sp.n. Incorporation into either the Eusyllinae or the Exogoninae is unresolved, because it possesses characters of both of these poorly defined subfamilies.     

Six new deep-water sternaspid species (Annelida,Sternaspidae) from the Pacific Ocean

Most sternaspid species have been described from shallow water, and Caulleryaspis Sendall & Salazar-Vallejo, 2013 includes one deep water species: C. gudmundssoni Sendall & Salazar-Vallejo, 2013 from Iceland. In Sternaspis Otto, 1821, the most speciose genus, most species were described from shallow water and only three thrive in deep water: S. maior Chamberlin, 1919 from the Gulf of California, S. princeps Selenka, 1885 from New Zealand, and S. riestchi Caullery, 1944 from Indonesia. The study of some deep sea sternaspids from the Pacific Ocean in the collections of six research institutions resulted in the discovery of six undescribed species, and for three of them there were abundant materials showing ventro-caudal shield development. Caulleryaspis fauchaldi sp. n. is described based on specimens from Oregon and California; it differs from the known species because it has a shield with rounded anterior margins and its peg chaetae form thin, small spines. Caulleryaspis nuda sp. n. was collected off Oregon; it is unique because its shield lacks a layer of sediment particles firmly attached, but has instead a thin layer of small particles loosely attached. Four other species are newly described in Sternaspis: S. annenkovae sp. n. was collected east off the northern Kurile Islands in about 4,000 m depth; it differs from other species by having a bicolored body, with the introvert darker than the abdomen, and its ventro-caudal shield plates are divergent resulting in a divided fan. The second species, S. maureri sp. n. was found off Peru in 1296–6489 m water depths and in the Southwestern Pacific in 795–3830 m; it resembles S. williamsae sp. n. but differs because its shield has better-developed ribs, the fan has a shallow or indistinct median notch and has lateral notches well-developed. The third species, S. uschakovi sp. n., was found in the Okhotsk Sea in 592–1366 m, off California in 1585 m, Gulf of California in 1200–1274 m, and Western Mexico in 2548 m; it resembles S. africana Augener, 1918 and S. andamanensis Sendall & Salazar-Vallejo, 2013 in having shields with a denticulate posterior margin; the latter two species live in shallow water and they differ from each other and from the new species by a combination of shield and papillae features. The fourth species, S. williamsae sp. n., was found off Oregon in 1000–2400 m, and off California in 878–1246 m; it resembles S. annenkovae because both species have shields with fans narrower than the anterior margin width, but differ in the relative development of shield features and in the relative size of prostomium and mouth; as stated above it also resembles S. maureri sp. n. but its shield has poorly-developed ribs, its median notch is distinct, and the lateral notches are poorly developed or indistinct. Keys to identify all species of Caulleryaspis and Sternaspis are also included.     

Review of the Capitellidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from the Eastern Tropical Pacific region, with notes on selected species

The main objective of this work is to contribute to the taxonomic knowledge of the species of Capitellidae reported for the Eastern Tropical Pacific. This catalogue includes the original name of each species, new names, synonymies, type localities, the museum or institution where the type material is deposited, revision of the material reported for the region by different authors, new examined material, previous reports from other regions of the world, and comments on systematics and distributions. The catalogue lists 43 species in 19 genera. Of these, 6 species were erroneously recorded for the region (Decamastus gracilis Hartman, 1963; Decamastus nudus Thomassin, 1970; Mastobranchus variabilis Edwing, 1984; Notomastus aberans Day, 1957; Notomastus americanus Day, 1973; Notomastus latericeus Sars, 1851) and 5 species are found here to be questionable records for the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Capitella capitata (Fabricius, 1780); Dasybranchus glabrus Moore, 1909; Decamastus lumbricoides Grube, 1878; Notomastus lineatus Claparède, 1870 and Notomastus tenuis Moore, 1909).     

Capitellidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

Eleven species of Capitellidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) belonging to eight genera are reported from the subtidal and intertidal of the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. Three species, Mediomastus ambiseta, M. californiensis and Notomastus hemipodus, are found in highest abundances and are widespread in subtidal and intertidal environments. A taxonomic key to these species is included.     

Ptereleotris carinata, a new species of hovering goby (Perciformes: Microdesmidae) from the tropical eastern Pacific

A new hovering goby or dartfish is described from material collected in Mexico, Costa Rica and Panama. It is the only species of the cosmopolitan genus Ptereleotris known from the eastern Pacific. It is distinguished from its Western Atlantic and Indo-Pacific congeners by its low fin-ray counts, prominent median keel on the ventral margin of the head, lanceolate caudal fin with dusky lower half and dusky blue or lavender body in adults.     

The Magelonidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Seychelles, with the description of three new species

Three new species of Magelona are described from the Seychelles: M. conversa, M. falcifera and M. gemmata. Magelona conversa belongs to a 'M. mirabilisgroup', having a rounded prostomium and specialised chaetae on chaetiger 9, but differs from all other members in having long prechaetal neuropodial lamellae on chaetigers 1–8. Magelona falcifera bears large sickle-shaped hooded hooks in the abdomen and thus approaches the genus Meredithia, but lacks prostomial horns. Magelona gemmata belongs to a 'M. longicornis group' in having distinct prostomial frontal horns, and a thorax with lanceolate postchaetal lamellae in the notopodia and ventral neuropodial lobes. The distinctively swollen bud-like tips on the notopodial lamellae of chaetiger 9 are an unique feature. The status of MeredithiaHernández-Alcántara & Solís-Weiss, 2000 and current magelonid terminology are discussed.     

Protemblemaria perla, a new species of tube blenny (Perciformes: Chaenopsidae) from the tropical eastern Pacific

Protemblemaria perla, from Isla del Rey, Islas Perlas, Panama, is distinctive in having a long unbranched cirrus on the posterior nostril, a U-shaped fleshy ridge bearing fleshy flaps and a pair of papillae on the nape, a relatively high number (18) of segmented dorsal-fin rays, and small rust-colored spots on the dorsal fin. Protemblemaria perla and P. punctata, from the southern Caribbean, share several morphological features and form a transisthmian species pair. Although the degree of color variation is unknown in P. perla, color varies greatly in P. bicirris and P. punctata, both of which have an orange morph.     

Bathysabellaria neocaledoniensis, a new genus and species of Sabellariidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from bathyal zones off New Caledonia (Southwest Pacific Ocean)

A new genus and species of Sabellariidae is described from deep water off New Caledonia and compared with other sabellariids having four parathoracic segments.     

Three new species of Parkia (Leguminosae: Mimosoideae) from tropical South America

Parkia cachimboensis andP. bahiae are described from central and eastern Brazil respectively. The third new species,P. panurensis, which is widespread in central and western Amazonia, has passed hitherto under the incorrect nameP. pectinata (Willd.) Benth.     

Orbiniidae polychaetes (Polychaeta: Scolecida) from Coiba Island, eastern Pacific of Panama, with description of a new species

Santa Cruz and El Gambute, two mangrove systems with associated tidal flats, were sampled in Coiba National Park, Coiba Island, Pacific of Panama. At each site, two samplings were done at low, middle and high intertidal levels in February and November of 1997. A new orbiniid species were found: Orbinia oligopapillata n. sp. is characterized by having 15-16 thoracic chaetigers with four or five rows of uncini and up to three papilliform postchaetal processes on neuropodial lobes by the abdominal parapodia bearing flail-tipped neurochaetae, and by the presence on anterior-most abdominal chaetigers of interramal cirri and a low number of subpodial and stomach papillae. A specimen belonging to genus Leitoscoloplos Day, 1977 is described as "Leitoscoloplos sp.", characterized by the lateral pouches on its abdominal chaetigers, a unique case for the family because these brooding structures have only been previously cited in two species of Scoloplos. Naineris sp. is characterized by the number of its thoracic chaetigers, branchiae, uncini and bilobed abdominal neuropodia with protruding aciculae.     

Questa (Annelida, Polychaeta, Orbiniidae) from Pacific regions — new species and reassessment of the genus Periquesta

On the basis of new material from various Pacific regions we critically evaluate the characters for the taxonomy of the genus Questa and the former Questidae, a taxon now concluded to be a lineage within the family Orbiniidae. Two new species, Questa retrospermatica sp. n. from Hawaii (with similar forms also from New Caledonia and China), and Questa fijiensis sp. n. from Fiji, are described, and the morphological character patterns and phylogeny of the genus are revisited on the basis of a cladistic analysis. The finding of Hawaiian material of a new species, Levinsenia hawaiiensis sp. n., similar to Periquesta canariensis Brito & Nunez, 2002 (=Levinsenia canariensis comb. n.), challenges the view that Periquesta Brito & Nunez, 2002 is closely related to Questa; rather, it belongs to Paraonidae as a junior synonym of Levinsenia Mesnil, 1897.     

Three new interstitial dorvilleids (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Cymodocea nodosa meadows of the Canary Islands

Resource–consumer relationships in Lake Victoria were investigated by use of stable isotope data. ¹³C and ¹⁵N signatures were determined for organisms at a deep (22 m) and a littoral (5 m) site in the Napoleon Gulf near Jinja, Uganda. Results suggest that two food chains operate at the deep site, one leading from a shrimp (Caridina nilotica) to juvenile Nile perch (Lates niloticus), the second leading from zooplankton (copepods and cladocerans) to a cyprinid (Rastrineobola argentea) and lake flies (Chaoborus). Isotopic evidence suggests that shrimp eat suspended particulates and benthos, not crustacean zooplankton or water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes). Resource–consumer relationships revealed in this study have implications for understanding future yields of the economically important Nile perch fishery.     

A new species of Amphictene (Annelida,Pectinariidae) from the northern South China Sea

Pectinariids are a family of polychaetes commonly found in shallow coastal waters around the world, but their diversity is poorly known along the coasts of Asia. Here we describe Amphictenealatasp. n. (Pectinariidae), based on 15 specimens collected from the coastal waters of Guangdong in the northern South China Sea. This new species can be distinguished from all other 13 described species and one described subspecies of Amphictene by having a pair of dorsolateral lobes on segment 3, a pair of large lateral lobes on segment 21, and more scaphal hooks (26 to 37 pairs).     

Three new species of Sphaerosyllis (Polychaeta, Syllidae) from mangrove habitats in Belize

Three new species of Sphaerosyllis Claparède, 1863, S. belizensis, S. longilamina , and S. parvoculata, are described from mangrove and adjacent shallow-water habitats of Twin Cays, Belize.