A new species of Pomatoschistus (Teleostei,Gobiidae): the Mediterranean's smallest marine fish

The new sand goby species Pomatoschistus nanus (Teleostei: Gobiidae) is described from the northern coast of the Levantine Sea (eastern Mediterranean Sea) based on both morphological and DNA barcoding data. The new species is the smallest fish in the Mediterranean Sea and may be distinguished from congeners by the following features: predorsal area, first dorsal‐fin base and breast naked; δ‐pore missing; anterior point of the suborbital row b not reaching level of posterior point of suborbital row d; slightly emarginated caudal fin and nape coloration pattern. DNA barcode data clearly discriminate Pomatoschistus spp. in the neighbour‐joining tree with an average of 17·7% interspecific K2P distance. The most closely related taxon to P. nanus sp. nov. is Pomatoschistus bathi and the most distantly related is Pomatoschistus tortonesei with 11·9 and 21·9% K2P distances respectively. Morphometric and genetic data are also provided for Pomatoschistus bathi.     

A new cottid species, Icelus sekii (Perciformes: Cottoidei), from Hokkaido, Japan

A new cottid species, Icelus sekii, is described on the basis of six specimens collected from off Rausu and Urakawa, Hokkaido Island, Japan. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: supraocular and parietal spines absent; nuchal spine obscure; uppermost preopercular spine unbranched; no scales between dorsal scale row and lateral line scale row, and no scales below lateral line scale row; supraocular, parietal, and nuchal cirri present; five dark brown saddles dorsolaterally; anal fin rays 13; pectoral fin rays 15; vertebrae 12 + 24–25 = 36–37. Icelus sekii can be mature at the smallest size among the species of Icelus. As a secondary sexual character, the male holotype has unique ensiform flaps on the distal tips of the first dorsal fin.     

A new species of gobiid fish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cristatogobius rubripectoralis</Emphasis>, from Australia

 A species of the gobiid genus Cristatogobius from northeastern Australia is described as new. This species is distinguishable from other species of the genus in having a higher number of scales in a longitudinal row and in a transverse row and a rounded caudal fin. In addition, there are differences in coloration such as brown reticulation on the upper anterior part of body and a red pectoral fin. A species of Cristatogobius reported from S. Java, Indonesia, is also identified as this species. Received: May 21, 2002 /Revised: November 15, 2002 / Accepted: December 16, 2002     

Ascaridia sprenti, a new species of nematode in Australian parrots

A new species of Ascaridia from Australian parrots is described. The type host is Psephotus haematogaster. The special features of the new species differentiating it from other species reported from parrots are lips with single cutting ridge without cup-like structures, small interlabia present, non-alate spicules and caudal papillae arranged in two distinct rows on each side, anterior row of four, posterior row of five or six.     

A new species of the ghost shrimp genus Neocallichirus Sakai, 1988 (Decapoda: Axiidea: Callianassidae) from the southwestern Atlantic

ABSTRACT

A new species of ghost shrimp, Neocallichirus pinheiroi, is described based on specimens collected in subtidal habitats of Saquaira beach, northeastern coast of Brazil. This new species resembles N. lemaitrei Manning, 1993, but differs from it primarily in having a third maxilliped propodus expanded ventrally, and in the case of males, a large subtriangular tooth on the cutting edge of the major cheliped dactylus. Diagnostic features of the new species include: (i) frontal margin of carapace with rounded lateral projections not exceeding rostrum distal margin, (ii) third maxilliped carpus with row of sclerotized setae on median internal surface, (iii) minor cheliped with cutting edge of dactylus microscopically pectinate, (iv) endopod of male second pleopod with appendices interna and masculina. This is the seventh described species of the genus Neocallichirus from the western Atlantic and the fourth report of this genus in Brazil. A key for identification of western Atlantic species belonging to the genus is provided.     

Two new species of the genus Pliciloricus (Loricifera, Pliciloricidae) from the Faroe Bank, North Atlantic

Five cruises to the Faroe Bank in the northeast Atlantic revealed a rich loriciferan fauna inhabiting shell gravel to fine carbonate sand. This paper describes two new species of Pliciloricus found at depths of 120-260 m. Currently, only six species of this genus have been described from various localities around the world, but several new species are currently being described. The diagnosis of the genus Pliciloricus is emended to include the two new taxa. The first of the two new species Pliciloricus leocaudatus sp. n. is characterized by having four new kinds of scalids in the second row and an additional row of alternating plates in the eighth row. The second species Pliciloricus shukeri sp. n. is characterized in having a secondary double organ in the third row. The morphology of the two species, including the new structures, has been investigated using LM and scanning electron microscopy. Conclusively, the scalid pattern of the introvert of Pliciloricus has been re-evaluated, due to the finding of the new structures. Additionally, a discussion of the life cycle of the genus Pliciloricus is given, since the postlarval stage is reduced in both new species.     

Ryocalanus spinifrons,a new species of Ryocalanidae (Copepoda: Calanoida), from the southwestern part of Sagami Bay,Japan

A new Ryocalanoid copepod, Ryocalanus spinifrons, collected by the MTD net system at a depth of 1400 m from the southwestern part of Sagami Bay, Japan, is described. The new species is morphologically very close to R. infelix Tanaka, 1956 (female unknown) from the Izu region of Sagami Bay. It is distinguished from other species by the presence of 12 long spinules on the ventral inner side of the fifth pedigerous somite, nine setae on the coxal epipodite of the maxillule and nine large robust spinules on the coxal segment of the fourth leg. The row of five robust spines on the paragnath distinguishes R. spinifrons.     

Potamotrygon marquesi,a new species of neotropical freshwater stingray (Potamotrygonidae) from the Brazilian Amazon Basin

Potamotrygon marquesi, sp. nov., is described and compared with other species of Potamotrygon occurring in the Amazon Basin. The identity of this new species is supported by an extensive external and internal morphological study including coloration pattern, squamation, skeleton and ventral lateral-line canals. Morphometrics and meristics were used to further distinguish P. marquesi from congeners. Potamotrygon marquesi was first considered to fall within the range of variation found in P. motoro. However, even with an extensive variation in coloration observed in P. motoro, this new species presents a series of autapomorphies that confidently distinguishes it from what is understood as the morphological variation found in P. motoro. Additional morphological characters that diagnose P. marquesi include three angular cartilages, asymmetrical star-shaped denticles, a single regular row of spines on tail dorsum, lateral row of caudal spines near the sting insertion, dorsal disc background in beige and grey mixed with shades of grey and bearing open and closed bicolored rings, among others. Although presenting a gap of distribution along the west–east extension of the Amazon Basin, its diagnostic charactistics are consistent in both recorded regions. Our study supports the need for many morphological characters to robustly distinguish members of Potamotrygoninae considering their extremely variable dorsal disc color pattern.     

Description of a new species of the genus Awaous Valenciennes, 1837 (Gobiiformes: Oxudercidae) from the middle stretch of the Mahanadi River,Odisha, India,with comments on the Awaous species from India

A new species of the genus Awaous (Oxudercidae), Awaous motla sp. nov., is described based on 18 specimens collected from the Mahanadi River near Sonepur, Subarnapur District, and 3 specimens from the same river near Boudh bridge, Boudh District of Odisha, India. This species is distinct from its congeners by having a combination of characteristics: relatively small eyes, diameter of 6.6–8.4 in head length (LH); robust and long snout, 2.0–2.6 in LH; eye diameter 2.7–4.1 in snout length; cephalic sensory pore system interrupted with eight pores; predorsal scales 13–15; longitudinal scale series 55–58; gill rakers 2 + 1 + (6–7) on the first gill arch; teeth small, conical, and in a single row on the upper jaw and multiserial (2–3) on the lower jaw. This species is also differentiated from some of its congeners in the nucleotide composition of the cytochrome c oxidase I gene by 8.3%–13.8% Kimura two-parameter (K2P) distance and belongs to a separate cluster in the maximum likelihood tree analysis. This finding is also supported by the species delimitation analysis based on Assemble Species by Automatic Partitioning. The new species holds high commercial value in its locality and needs special conservation attention for sustainable utilization.     

A reconsideration of the Lower Guinean species of Sericanthe (Rubiaceae,Coffeeae), with four new species from Cameroon and Gabon

The genus Sericanthe was established and its species were revised 30 years ago by one of the authors. Intensive recent botanical collecting in Lower Guinea (mainly southern Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon) has made a reconsideration of species in this area necessary. Revision of the newly collected Lower Guinean herbarium specimens of Sericanthe (twice as many as were available at the time of the first revision) has brought four new species to light, namely S. gabonensis and S. mpassa from Gabon, S. lowryana from Cameroon and S. rabia from Cameroon and Gabon. Distributional data are much augmented, and distributional maps of all species from the area are provided. Four species were reported to be newly recorded for at least one country. The occurrence of the novelties in the main diversity centre of the genus is discussed in the context of the chorology of the entire genus Sericanthe. A first estimation of the conservation status for the new species is given. A synopsis of the genus Sericanthe in Lower Guinea with a taxonomic key is provided. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 169 , 530–554.     

Morphological and molecular information of a new species of Geleia (Ciliophora, Karyorelictea), with redescriptions of two Kentrophoros species from China

The morphology and infraciliature of three karyorelictean ciliates, Geleia sinica spec. nov. and two poorly known Kentrophoros species, K. flavus and K. gracilis, isolated from the intertidal zone of a beach at Qingdao, China, were investigated. Geleia sinica spec. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: body medium-sized and slender-cylindrical; with a conspicuous prebuccal fossa; 28–34 somatic kineties; about 40 short adoral polykineties; intrabuccal kinety composed of 25–34 dikinetids; paroral kineties composed of closely spaced dikinetids. The comparison with similar congeners clearly supports the validity of this new species based on morphological and small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence data. In light of these new data the “well-known” morphotype, Geleia simplex (Fauré-Fremiet, 1951), is redefined. Two Kentrophoros species are redescribed and improved diagnoses are supplied. Kentrophoros flavus Raikov and Kovaleva, 1968 is mainly characterized by having about 33 macronuclei and 12 micronuclei forming a row that extends along the cell meridian, and 12–19 ciliary rows on the right side of the cell. Kentrophoros gracilis Raikov, 1963 is characterized by having about 14 macronuclei, 13 micronuclei and 10–13 kineties on the right side of the cell.     

A new species of sergestid shrimp,acetes orientalis (Crustacea: Decapoda,Sergestidae) from Goa,Central West Coast of India

Acetes orientalis, a new species of sergestid shrimp belonging to the genus Acetes H. Milne-Edwards collected from the Mandovi estuary, Goa, Central West Coast of India has affinities to most of the Indo-Pacific species. The petasma of the male has resemblance in shape to. A. sibogae, A. vulgaris, A. sibogalis, A. australis, A. erythraeus and Acetes sp. and very much alike in structure to that of A. sibogae. The female genital area has a pair of protuberance as in A. vulgaris and A. indicus. These combinations in characters along with several other important features which justify the creation of this new species are discussed in comparison with those of the other Indo-Pacific species having closet affinities.     

A new species of Pseudoniphargus (Crustacea,Amphipoda) from subterranean waters in Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Pseudoniphargus candelariae n. sp. is described from a ground-water-fed well in Tenerife (Canary Islands) and is compared with all species known from Macaronesia. The new species has one unique character (spination of palmar angle of gnathopod 1 sexually dimorphic) and presents furthermore a new combination of morphological features not found in other species of the genus in the area studied.     

A new species of armored sea robin, Paraheminodus kamoharai (Teleostei: Peristediidae), from the Philippines

A new peristediid, Paraheminodus kamoharai, is described from three specimens (106.9–114.8mm SL) collected from the Sulu Sea, the Philippines. The new species is easily distinguished from its congeners (Paraheminodus laticephalus and P. murrayi) in having 33 bony plates in the upper lateral row, the 24–25th to 30th bony plate each in the upper lateral row with a forwardly directed spine, 17–19 gill rakers on the lower limb, a long slender rostral projection (43.4–47.0% of head length), and short upper (41.1–42.3%) and lower jaws (36.5–37.2%).     

Two species of Lirula on Abies from Yunnan, Southwest China

Based on a recent investigation of species of the Rhytismatales in the eastern Himalayas in China, two species of Lirula on Abies were found, one of which is described as a new species, Lirula yunnanensis, which differs from Lirula japonica mainly by ascomatal structure and conidiomatal features, while the other is Lirula exigua, a new record for China. An analysis of the combined sequences of ITS + LSU r DNA showed that Lirula macrospora and Lophodermium piceae were closely related and that Lirula yunnanensis and Lophodermium autumnale were grouped together. The genus of Lirula should be redefined based on more molecular data. Lirula exigua was distantly related to Lirula species and its systematic position has to be confirmed by further molecular data. A key for known species of Lirula worldwide is provided.     

Oreonectes guilinensis (Teleostei,Cypriniformes, Nemacheilidae), a new loach species from Guangxi,China

A new loach Oreonectes guilinensis sp. nov. is described from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. It is the second surface-dwelling fish identified in the genus Oreonectes after the type species Oreonectes platycephalus. This new species can be distinguished from other species within the genus by the combination of the following features: a round caudal fin, 13–14 branched rays, an incomplete lateral line with 4–6 pores, a short pelvic fin located some distance from the anus, a scale-covered body, a stout build (body width 14.0%–16.7% of standard length), a posterior chamber of well-developed airbladder and a yellowish-brown body with a lateral dark brown strip. The maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on cytb gene recovered this new species in a well-supported clade with the type species O. platycephalus, sister to the Lefua clade. Morphological comparisons as well as our phylogenetic tree support Oreonectes shuilongensis, Oreonectes daqikongensis, Oreonectes jiarongensis as species of Troglonectes. Based on our results there are 6 valid species in the genus Oreonectes.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Lockhartia viruensis</Emphasis> (Orchidaceae-Oncidiinae), a new species from Roraima state,Brazilian Amazonia region

A new species, Lockhartia viruensis, is described and illustrated from the state of Roraima, in the Brazilian Amazon, and its affinities are discussed. The new species is similar to L. imbricata, but differs by having an entire lip with an obtuse to rounded apex, a callus on the disk of the lip with a longitudinal row of papillae with a rounded apex, and the margin of the column wings entire.     

Schindleria parva,a new species of Schindler's fish (Teleostei: Schindleriidae: Schindleria) from Jeddah,Saudi Arabia,Red Sea

Schindleria parva, a new species of the family Schindleriidae, is described from two specimens collected from the central Red Sea of Saudi Arabia. The new species is characterized by lack of pigmentation on the body, possession of an inconspicuous gas bladder and the presence of small teeth on the premaxillae. The holotype is a female of 11 mm standard length (SL) (11.9 mm total length) and the paratype is a male of 9 mm SL. Dorsal fin rays 10 (9) anal fin rays 9 (7). The body depth at pectoral-fin origin 5% (4%) of SL, depth at anal-fin origin 8% (7%) SL, predorsal length 63% (65%) SL, preanal length 72% (72%) SL, the first anal-fin ray situated below the fourth dorsal-fin ray), a total of 23 + 16 myomeres. The female contained a series of 30 rectangular eggs in a single row, whereas the male is characterized by a short rod-like urogenital papilla. Species of the genus Schindleria are likely the smallest marine vertebrates on the planet and S. parva is likely the smallest Schindleria species in the Red Sea. The global diversity of Schindleria is likely underestimated due to the paedomorphic features of this genus. Its fast generation times make it a species-rich genus of high turnover rates, thus potentially highly important for the trophic food webs of coral reefs. Thus, this finding advances knowledge on the biodiversity of the Red Sea, highlights its conservation significance, and contributes towards the understanding of the complexity of the coral-reef fish community.     

A new species of Gobius (Perciformes: Gobiidae) from the Mediterranean Sea and the redescription of Gobius bucchichi

A new species of the gobiid genus Gobius (Gobiidae, Perciformes), Gobius incognitus sp. nov. is described from the Mediterranean Sea, and its most morphologically similar species Gobius bucchichi is redescribed. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by: scales in lateral series 51–59; predorsal scales 25–35; opercle scaled in adults with 10–16 scales present; pectoral fin with ray count 18–20 and free tips on upper rays well developed and on the first ray longer than two thirds of the entire ray length; pelvic disc complete and with well‐developed anterior membrane without lateral lobes; anterior oculoscapular canal with pore α at rear of orbit; oculoscapular row x¹ not extending forwards to pore β; suborbital row d discontinuous with large gap below suborbital rows 3 and 4; eye diameter 1·08–1·32 in snout length; by pigment rows on cheek and pigmentation on pectoral‐fin base.