Poorly known sponges in the Mediterranean with the detection of some taxonomic inconsistencies

Author(s):  
Julio A. Díaz ◽  
Sergio Ramírez-Amaro ◽  
Francesc Ordines ◽  
Paco Cárdenas ◽  
Pere Ferriol ◽  
...  

Abstract The poorly known sponge species Axinella vellerea (Topsent, 1904), Acarnus levii (Vacelet, 1960) and Haliclona poecillastroides (Vacelet, 1969) are reported from bottom-trawl samples off the Balearic Islands, Western Mediterranean. A re-description is provided for all three species and the Folmer fragment of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) obtained for A. levii and H. poecillastroides. This is the second report of A. vellerea in the Mediterranean, the first time that A. levii is reported outside Corsica and the first time that H. poecillastroides is documented outside the Gulf of Lion, France. The systematic allocation of A. levii and H. poecillastroides is discussed based on a COI phylogenetic analysis and morphology. The poorly understood phylogeny of the Haplosclerida does not permit us to find a proper allocation for H. poecillastroides, although its current position in the genus Haliclona or the family Chalinidae is not defensible. On the other hand, A. levii currently fits best in the family Microcionidae, and seems related to some Clathria species with mixed features between Clathria and Acarnus. Considering that the species of the genus Acarnus shares a strong synapomorphy (the possession of Cladotylotes), it is plausible for all Acarnus species to be Microcionids. We conclude that H. poecillastroides needs to be reallocated to a new genus: Xestospongia poecillastroides comb. nov. (Petrosiidae). However, a reallocation of A. levii is not advisable for the moment, as this would imply major systematic changes such as the reallocation of the whole genus Acarnus to Microcionidae, and the redescription of Microcionidae and Acarnidae.

1989 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rony Huys

The new genus and species, Dicrotrichura tricincta, is described from deep mud (1220 m) in the Ligurian Sea (western Mediterranean). It is the first tantulocaridan not found to be attached to a crustacean host but free living in the sediment. It is assigned to the Deoterthridae on the basis of the absence of a rostrum, the abdominal segmentation and the characteristic cephalic pore pattern. It can be distinguished from all known tantulocaridans in the presence of peculiar, bi-articulated caudal setae and the difference in thoracopodal setation between leg 2 and legs 3–5. Some new structures located on the attachment disc are described for the first time. D. tricincta is the second tantulocaridan to be recorded from the Mediterranean.


2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (8) ◽  
pp. 1817-1823
Author(s):  
Francesc Ordines ◽  
Sergio Ramírez-Amaro ◽  
Ulla Fernandez-Arcaya ◽  
Elena Marco-Herrero ◽  
Enric Massutí

AbstractThe first record of the ophiuroid family Ophiohelidae from the Mediterranean Sea is reported. It consists of the description of the new record of Ophiomyces grandis from the Mallorca Channel seamounts in the Balearic Islands, western Mediterranean, where it shows high abundances. We present both the morphological description of the individuals collected and, for the first time, the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence of this species. The morphological traits of our specimens match the available descriptions of O. grandis. On the other hand, molecular analyses show a large genetic distance between O. grandis and Ophiomyces delata, the two species being very similar morphologically. Despite the high abundances of O. grandis reported here, previous surveys in the Mallorca Channel seamounts using ROV did not detect it, emphasizing the importance of beam trawl sampling to improving the biodiversity description of these geomorphological sea bottom features.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 183 (2) ◽  
pp. 120
Author(s):  
PRZEMYSŁAW DĄBEK ◽  
KOEN SABBE ◽  
ANDRZEJ WITKOWSKI ◽  
COLIN ARCHIBALD ◽  
KRZYSZOF J. KURZYDŁOWSKI ◽  
...  

We present a new marine benthic diatom genus Cymatosirella gen. nov. The genus belongs to the family Cymatosiraceae and has been assigned to the subfamily Extubocelluloideae on the basis of ultrastructural cell wall features. It has isovalvate cells with undulate valves and is characterized by the absence of tubular processes and the occurrence of hollow spines which are observed for the first time in the Cymatosiraceae. The new genus contains four species, two of which are transferred from the genus Cymatosira, viz. Cymatosirella capensis comb. nov. and Cymatosirella minutissima comb. nov., and two which are new to science, viz. Cymatosirella benguelensis sp. nov. and Cymatosirella taylorii sp. nov. Cymatosirella capensis is chosen as the generitype. The new genus includes a group of very small taxa inhabiting the intertidal zone of the Atlantic Ocean with three species in South Africa and one in Europe. C. capensis was originally described by Giffen from Langebaan Lagoon (a shallow marine inlet in the southern part of Saldanha Bay, Western Cape Province), on the basis of light microscopy only, and has to date only been illustrated by line drawings. C. minutissima, so far only known from the Westerschelde estuary (The Netherlands), has previously been documented in more detail using both light and electron microscopy. Here, we present the results of detailed light and electron microscopical investigations of C. capensis, both from its original type material and from recently collected samples from the type locality and neighboring littoral areas in the Western Cape Province, and of the new species C. benguelensis and C. taylorii, also from Western Cape localities. All species are compared with similar small taxa belonging to the Cymatosiraceae, subfamily Extubocelluloideae.


1996 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Le Renard ◽  
Bruno Sabelli ◽  
Marco Taviani

The record of the fossil representatives of the family Juliidae is updated. The new genus Candinia is proposed, in the subfamily Juliinae, for two fossil species somewhat intermediate between Julia and Berthelinia. The new species Candinia pliocaenica is recorded from the lower Pliocene shallow marine deposits near Siena (Tuscany, Italy). This is the first record of Sacoglossa in the Mediterranean Basin. Based on the very specialized life habits of the Juliidae, it is suggested that subtropical Caulerpa algal prairies inhabited the Mediterranean during the early Pliocene, likely becoming extinct in this basin because of the mid-Pliocene climatic deterioration.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 358 (1) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
PRISCYLLA NAYARA BEZERRA SOBREIRA ◽  
MARCELA EUGENIA DA SILVA CÁCERES ◽  
LEONOR COSTA MAIA ◽  
ROBERT LÜCKING

A new genus of lichenized fungi of the family Porinaceae is described, known from Costa Rica and Brazil. Flabelloporina Sobreira, M. Cáceres & Lücking is a thus far monospecific genus with an isolated position of its only species in the family, morphologically different from all other genera in Porinaceae. The genus is characterized by the production of numerous, flabelliform squamules on the surface of the thallus, together with black perithecia and transversally septate ascospores (with three septa in the only species). The new combination Flabelloporina squamulifera (Breuss, Lücking & Navarro) Sobreira, M. Cáceres & Lücking is proposed, based on Porina squamulifera Breuss, Lücking & Navarro, and the species is for the first time reported from Brazil.


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jindřich Roháček

The family Anthomyzidae (Diptera: Acalyptrata) is recorded from China for the first time based on 11 species, 6 of them new to science. A distinctive new genus Marshallya gen. nov. is described, based on single peculiar species, M. platythorax sp. nov. (both sexes) from Sichuan. Other new species, viz. Amygdalops sevciki sp. nov. (Hainan I.) (both sexes), Epischnomyia tkoci sp. nov. (Sichuan) (male only), Anthomyza ornata sp. nov. (Sichuan) (female only), Anthomyza sulphurea sp. nov. (Yunnan) (both sexes) and Arganthomyza hyperseta sp. nov. (Shaanxi) (male only) are described and illustrated in detail. Male-female association of two Amygdalops species is clarified by means of molecular barcoding and the female of A. bisinus Roháček, 2008 is correctly identifi ed and described. Relationships of all these taxa are discussed. Five species, viz. Amygdalops bisinus (Hainan I.), Epischnomyia merzi Roháček, 2009, Anthomyza cuneata Roháček, 1987, Anthomyza trifurca Sueyoshi & Roháček, 2003 (all from Sichuan) and Arganthomyza versitheca Roháček, 2009 (Shaanxi, Sichuan) are new additions to the Chinese fauna of Anthomyzidae. DNA sequences of the barcoding region of COI have been obtained for 3 species, Amygdalops bisinus, Amygdalops sevciki and Marshallya platythorax. Biology and distribution of all 11 species are discussed. First photographs of living Anthomyzidae from East Asia are presented. Based on knowledge of Anthomyzidae from neighbouring areas the diversity of the Chinese fauna of the family is estimated to include 50-60 species.


2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 89 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.M. FERRERO-VICENTE ◽  
A. LOYA-FERNANDEZ ◽  
C. MARCO-MENDEZ ◽  
E. MARTINEZ-GARCIA ◽  
J.I. SAIZ-SALINAS ◽  
...  

Specimens of the sipunculan worm Phascolion (Phascolion) caupo Hendrix, 1975 have been collected for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea, thus increasing the number of known sipunculan species of up to 36 in this area. They were encountered on soft bottoms from the coast of San Pedro del Pinatar (Western Mediterranean). Thirty specimens were collected at a depth ranging from 32.6 to 37.2 m, mainly in sandy substrata with high load of silt and clays. 80% of the individuals were found inhabiting empty shells of gastropods or empty tubes of serpulid polychaetes.


Zootaxa ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 1037 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
QING-HAI FAN ◽  
YAN CHEN
Keyword(s):  

The family Pomerantziidae is reviewed and the genus Pomerantzia Baker is redefined. A new genus Apomerantzia is established for two described species, A. kethleyi (Price, 1975) comb. n. and A. prolata (Price, 1971) comb. n., formerly placed in Pomerantzia. Keys to stages and species of the family are provided. An Oriental species, P. subterranea sp. n. collected from deep soil in Fuzhou, China is described and illustrated. The family is recorded in China for the first time.


Author(s):  
Michael Ellis

From the moment you discover that you are going to be a parent, the hopes, dreams, and expectations you have for your­self and your child flood your mind. No matter how your child is to arrive, your heart is full of hope and promise. You begin to let yourself plan your future. Will your child become president, a doctor, a lawyer, work in the family business, or win the Nobel Peace Prize? Will he or she possess a special talent or skill? Your mind wanders and daydreams of all that is to come. The moment they place your beautiful child in your arms, you realize that there is no greater feeling. You are in love. There is no feeling deeper or grander. The unimaginable joy and gratitude for the blessing of your child is overwhelming. We all know those moments where your heart surged out of your body in awe of the blessing you were given. You may have even asked yourself, “How did I get so lucky?” I can relate. The moment they placed my daughter in my arms for the first time, I knew I had a greater purpose. I would not find out how much for another two years. I devoted myself to her; her care, her introduction to the world, and to the very amazing person I knew she would become. I gave everything of myself tirelessly to her. Her every whimper, cry, or gesture was met with a response. I could anticipate her needs and wants before she fully expressed them. I thought I had an undeniable bond with my daughter. I did. I had a bond that needed no words. That was the problem: we did not need words. If you are like me, you noticed at first subtle differences in your child, and then later there were glaring and alarming indications something was not developing correctly. But, no matter your education or your intelligence level, denial can be a powerful thing.


1991 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleni Voultsiadou-Koukoura ◽  
R.W.M. van Soest

A representative of the genus Hemiasterella Carter, 1879 was found for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea during sampling in the shallow waters of the northern Aegean Sea. The new species, H. aristoteliana, is compared with Atlantic Hemiasterella elongata Topsent, 1928. The status of the family Hemiasterellidae is discussed.


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