Biogeography and Host Usage of Coral-Associated Crustaceans: Barnacles, Copepods, and Gall Crabs as Model Organisms

Most of the diverse groups of crustaceans associated with scleractinian and fire corals form symbiotic relationship with their coral hosts. Coral-associated barnacles include species from the orders Acrothoracica and Thoracica. Most of the coral-associated barnacles belong to the family Pyrgomatidae in Thoracica. Within Pyrgomatidae, the subfamily Ceratoconchinae contains mostly extant species and is present from Florida through the Caribbean to Brazilian waters. The subfamily Megatrematinae has lower species diversity and has a cosmopolitan distribution (except the Eastern Pacific). The Pyrgomatinae are the most species-rich subfamily and distributed only in Indo-West Pacific waters. Host usage of pyrgomatinid barnacles varies spatially, probably related to coral host diversity. Copepods are the most common and most abundant coral-associated crustaceans, often associated with scleractinian, gorgonian, and alcyonacean corals. More than 90% of coral-associated copepods are endemic to the Indo-West Pacific. In contrast, only a few species (<10%) have been discovered from the Atlantic due to several historical perturbations reducing the diversity of their coral hosts. The communities of coral-associated copepods thus show dramatic differences between geographic regions, notably between the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic Oceans. Brachyurans of the family Cryptochiridae (gall crabs) are obligate associates or parasites, of scleractinian coral hosts in tropical and subtropical seas, being a monophyletic group of only 52 species, from the intertidal to the deep sea (to 512 m) habitats with most (46) recorded in the seas of the tropical Indo-West Pacific and none being cosmopolitan. Atlantic species of Cryptochiridae, apparently not phylogenetically related, display less strict host specificity than their Indo-West Pacific counterparts. Current phylogenetic understandings of the group remain preliminary, while one consistent Indo-West Pacific clade reflects rapid species diversification during the last ~15 million years.

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Slowly but surely: gradual diversification and phenotypic evolution in the hyper-diverse tree fern family Cyatheaceae

Annals of Botany ◽

10.1093/aob/mcz145 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 125 (1) ◽

pp. 93-103

Author(s):

Oriane Loiseau ◽

Anna Weigand ◽

Sarah Noben ◽

Jonathan Rolland ◽

Daniele Silvestro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Taxonomic Diversity ◽

Tree Fern ◽

Rates Of Evolution ◽

Extant Species ◽

The Family ◽

History Of ◽

Rapid Diversification ◽

The Tropics ◽

Diverse Groups

Abstract Background and Aims The tremendously unbalanced distribution of species richness across clades in the tree of life is often interpreted as the result of variation in the rates of diversification, which may themselves respond to trait evolution. Even though this is likely a widespread pattern, not all diverse groups of organisms exhibit heterogeneity in their dynamics of diversification. Testing and characterizing the processes driving the evolution of clades with steady rates of diversification over long periods of time are of importance in order to have a full understanding of the build-up of biodiversity through time. Methods We studied the macroevolutionary history of the species-rich tree fern family Cyatheaceae and inferred a time-calibrated phylogeny of the family including extinct and extant species using the recently developed fossilized birth–death method. We tested whether the high diversity of Cyatheaceae is the result of episodes of rapid diversification associated with phenotypic and ecological differentiation or driven by stable but low rates of diversification. We compared the rates of diversification across clades, modelled the evolution of body size and climatic preferences and tested for trait-dependent diversification. Key Results This ancient group diversified at a low and constant rate during its long evolutionary history. Morphological and climatic niche evolution were found to be overall highly conserved, although we detected several shifts in the rates of evolution of climatic preferences, linked to changes in elevation. The diversification of the family occurred gradually, within limited phenotypic and ecological boundaries, and yet resulted in a remarkable species richness. Conclusions Our study indicates that Cyatheaceae is a diverse clade which slowly accumulated morphological, ecological and taxonomic diversity over a long evolutionary period and provides a compelling example of the tropics as a museum of biodiversity.

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Fossil evidence for vampire squid inhabiting oxygen-depleted ocean zones since at least the Oligocene

Communications Biology ◽

10.1038/s42003-021-01714-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Martin Košťák ◽

Ján Schlögl ◽

Dirk Fuchs ◽

Katarína Holcová ◽

Natalia Hudáčková ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Deep Sea ◽

First Record ◽

Low Oxygen ◽

Central Paratethys ◽

Extant Species ◽

Physiological Adaptations ◽

The Family ◽

Geochemical Analyses ◽

Vampyroteuthis Infernalis ◽

Early Cenozoic

AbstractA marked 120 My gap in the fossil record of vampire squids separates the only extant species (Vampyroteuthis infernalis) from its Early Cretaceous, morphologically-similar ancestors. While the extant species possesses unique physiological adaptations to bathyal environments with low oxygen concentrations, Mesozoic vampyromorphs inhabited epicontinental shelves. However, the timing of their retreat towards bathyal and oxygen-depleted habitats is poorly documented. Here, we document a first record of a post-Mesozoic vampire squid from the Oligocene of the Central Paratethys represented by a vampyromorph gladius. We assignNecroteuthis hungaricato the family Vampyroteuthidae that links Mesozoic loligosepiids with RecentVampyroteuthis. Micropalaeontological, palaeoecological, and geochemical analyses demonstrate thatNecroteuthis hungaricainhabited bathyal environments with bottom-water anoxia and high primary productivity in salinity-stratified Central Paratethys basins. Vampire squids were thus adapted to bathyal, oxygen-depleted habitats at least since the Oligocene. We suggest that the Cretaceous and the early Cenozoic OMZs triggered their deep-sea specialization.

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A checklist of the extant species of ophiuroids (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea) from Brazilian waters

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3447.1.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3447 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

CARLOS ALBERTO DE MOURA BARBOZA ◽

MICHELA BORGES

Keyword(s):

Species Distribution ◽

Deep Sea ◽

New Records ◽

Benthic Fauna ◽

Mineral Resources ◽

The Other ◽

Shallow Waters ◽

Distribution Data ◽

Extant Species ◽

The Family

Species of ophiuroids in Brazilian waters were last compiled over a decade ago. Since that time, there have been manyimportant contributions with additional diversity and species distribution data. An updated review of the number of records isnecessary, as well as an identification of the gaps related to the taxonomy. We list a total of 133 species that belong to 54genera and 16 families. This number corresponds to approximately 6% of the species described worldwide. All families havebeen registered, and the majority of species belongs to the family Amphiuridae (50spp), which have primarily been recoveredduring surveys of the shallow waters of the continental shelf. On the other hand, numerous new records (e.g. species belongingto the families Ophiacanthidae and Ophiuridae) have been registered in recent years from the deeper margins of Brazil. Asophiuroids are an abundant component of the benthic fauna, increasing occupation of coastal areas and the exploration of energy and mineral resources in the deep sea call for a better knowledge about the diversity and biogeography of the group.

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The polycentropodid genus <i>Cernotina</i> (Insecta, Trichoptera) in Miocene Dominican amber

Fossil Record ◽

10.5194/fr-24-129-2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 129-133

Author(s):

Wilfried Wichard ◽

Christian Neumann

Keyword(s):

Fossil Species ◽

Caribbean Islands ◽

Dominican Amber ◽

Extant Species ◽

The Family ◽

The Caribbean

Abstract. A new polycentropodid caddisfly species is described from Miocene Dominican amber. The family Polycentropodidae is therefore represented in the Dominican amber with two species belonging to the genus Cernotina: C. pulchra Wichard, 2007, and C. fossilinova sp. nov. The endemic C. danieli Flint & Sykora, 2004, is the only representative of the genus occurring on Hispaniola today and is similar to the two fossil species. On the Caribbean islands altogether six extant species of the genus Cernotina are registered.

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The systematics of land crabs of the genus Gecarcoidea and recognition of a pseudocryptic species, G. humei, from the eastern Indian Ocean (Crustacea : Decapoda : Gecarcinidae)

Invertebrate Systematics ◽

10.1071/is16052 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 406 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Joelle C. Y. Lai ◽

Hsi-Te Shih ◽

Peter K. L. Ng

Keyword(s):

Indian Ocean ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Eastern Indian Ocean ◽

Valid Species ◽

West Pacific ◽

Land Crab ◽

Christmas Island ◽

Extant Species ◽

Land Crabs ◽

The Family

The gecarcinid genus Gecarcoidea H. Milne Edwards, 1837 is currently represented by two species from the Indo-West Pacific – the widely distributed purple land crab, G. lalandii H. Milne Edwards, 1837, and the red crab endemic to Christmas Island, G. natalis (Pocock, 1889). One species, G. humei (Wood-Mason, 1874), described from the Nicobar Islands, has had a confused taxonomic history, but was treated as a junior synonym of G. lalandii by Türkay (1974) in his revision of the family. In this study, using molecular as well as morphological characters, we show that G. humei is a valid species. Gecarcoidea lalandii and G. humei have distinct non-overlapping distributions throughout much of their range, with G. lalandii occurring in most of South-east Asia and the West Pacific, while G. humei is known only from the eastern Indian Ocean. On Christmas Island, in the eastern Indian Ocean, however, all three species are present. As a result, Christmas Island is the only locality where all extant species of Gecarcoidea are found. The three species can also be separated by differences in live colours and patterns, as well as proportions of the carapace, male abdomen, ambulatory legs and third maxillipeds, and details of the orbits and male first gonopods.

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Gibbosaverruca weijiai, a new verrucid (Crustacea, Thoracica) species from the Weijia Guyot deep-sea seamount in the West Pacific

European Journal of Taxonomy ◽

10.5852/ejt.2021.739.1273 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 739 ◽

Author(s):

Zhibin Gan ◽

Dongsheng Zhang ◽

Xinzheng Li ◽

Chunsheng Wang

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Deep Sea ◽

Shell Morphology ◽

Future Research ◽

Caudal Appendage ◽

The West ◽

West Pacific ◽

Extant Species ◽

A New Species ◽

Rrna Sequences

A new species of verrucid barnacle, Gibbosaverruca weijiai sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on specimens collected from a deep-sea seamount, Weijia Guyot, in the West Pacific. This is the third barnacle species reported from Weijia Guyot. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by its extremely long caudal appendage. In terms of shell morphology, G. weijiai sp. nov. is most similar to G. gibbosa and G. sulcata but differs from them by the intermediate articular ridges of its movable tergum and scutum, which are distinctly wider than the axial ridges. The COI and 16S rRNA sequences of the holotype of G. weijiai sp. nov. are presented to support future research, and a key to extant species of the genus Gibbosaverruca Young, 2002 is provided.

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The Family Therapy Of Substance Abuse: Implications For The Caribbean Church

10.2986/tren.051-0067 ◽

1991 ◽

Author(s):

Patrick H. O'connor

Keyword(s):

Substance Abuse ◽

Family Therapy ◽

The Family ◽

The Caribbean

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Three new cribrimorph bryozoans (order Cheilostomatida) from the early Miocene of Argentina, with a discussion on spinocystal shield morphologies

Journal of Paleontology ◽

10.1017/jpa.2020.108 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Juan López-Gappa ◽

Leandro M. Pérez ◽

Ana C.S. Almeida ◽

Débora Iturra ◽

Dennis P. Gordon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Type Species ◽

Systematic Position ◽

Early Miocene ◽

Morphological Data ◽

Fossil Species ◽

Extant Species ◽

The Family ◽

Subjective Synonym

Abstract Bryozoans with calcified frontal shields formed by the fusion of costae, collectively constituting a spinocyst, are traditionally assigned to the family Cribrilinidae. Today, this family is regarded as nonmonophyletic. In the Argentine Cenozoic, cribrilinids were until recently represented by only two fossil species from the Paleocene of Patagonia. This study describes the first fossil representatives of Jolietina and Parafigularia: J. victoria n. sp. and P. pigafettai n. sp., respectively. A fossil species of Figularia, F. elcanoi n. sp., is also described. The material comes from the early Miocene of the Monte León and Chenque formations (Patagonia, Argentina). For comparison, we also provide redescriptions of the remaining extant species of Jolietina: J. latimarginata (Busk, 1884) and J. pulchra Canu and Bassler, 1928a. The systematic position of some species previously assigned to Figularia is here discussed. Costafigularia n. gen. is erected, with Figularia pulcherrima Tilbrook, Hayward, and Gordon, 2001 as type species. Two species previously assigned to Figularia are here transferred to Costafigularia, resulting in C. jucunda n. comb. and C. tahitiensis n. comb. One species of Figularia is reassigned to Vitrimurella, resulting in V. ampla n. comb. The family Vitrimurellidae is here reassigned to the superfamily Cribrilinoidea. The subgenus Juxtacribrilina is elevated to genus rank. Inferusia is regarded as a subjective synonym of Parafigularia. Parafigularia darwini Moyano, 2011 is synonymized with I. taylori Kuklinski and Barnes, 2009, resulting in Parafigularia taylori n. comb. Morphological data suggest that these genera comprise different lineages, and a discussion on the disparities among cribrilinid (sensu lato) spinocysts is provided. UUID: http://zoobank.org/215957d3-064b-47e2-9090-d0309f6c9cd8

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