Reinstatement of Indian Ocean Porolithon coarctatum and P. gardineri based on sequencing type specimens, and P. epiphyticum sp. nov. (Corallinales, Rhodophyta), with comments on subfamilies Hydrolithoideae and Metagoniolithoideae

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph L. Richards ◽  
Gary W. Saunders ◽  
Jeffery R. Hughey ◽  
Paul W. Gabrielson
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Dna Sequencing ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Eastern Indian Ocean ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Vegetative Cells ◽  
Anatomical Character ◽  
Independent Confirmation

Abstract Partial rbcL sequences were obtained from the type specimens of Lithophyllum coarctatum and L. gardineri. Both species were variably assigned to either Hydrolithon or Porolithon during the last two centuries, with L. coarctatum, from the tropical eastern Indian Ocean currently considered a synonym of L. gardineri from the tropical western Indian Ocean. Phylogenetic analyses show that both belong in Porolithon and that they are distinct species despite their morpho-anatomical similarities, including a columnar morphology. Porolithon epiphyticum sp. nov., from the same locality as P. coarctatum, Cocos-Keeling Islands, is the first reported epiphytic species in the genus. Eight of the currently recognized 15 species of Porolithon have had their type specimens sequenced to correctly apply names, including the generitype specimen. DNA sequencing provides independent confirmation that the morpho-anatomical character of the presence of horizontal fields of trichocytes without intervening vegetative cells is diagnostic for Porolithon. The generitypes of the four genera classified in the subfamily Metagoniolithoideae, Dawsoniolithon, Floiophycus, Harveylithon, and Metagoniolithon as well as Hydrolithon in the subfamily Hydrolithoideae, have not been sequenced. The taxonomic and nomenclatural uncertainties in each of these genera are discussed.

scholarly journals Bat coronavirus phylogeography in the Western Indian Ocean

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Léa Joffrin ◽  
Steven M. Goodman ◽  
David A. Wilkinson ◽  
Beza Ramasindrazana ◽  
Erwan Lagadec ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Reunion Island ◽  
High Genetic Diversity ◽  
Soil Fertilization ◽  
Réunion Island ◽  
History Of ◽  
Bat Coronavirus

AbstractBats provide key ecosystem services such as crop pest regulation, pollination, seed dispersal, and soil fertilization. Bats are also major hosts for biological agents responsible for zoonoses, such as coronaviruses (CoVs). The islands of the Western Indian Ocean are identified as a major biodiversity hotspot, with more than 50 bat species. In this study, we tested 1,013 bats belonging to 36 species from Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Reunion Island and Seychelles, based on molecular screening and partial sequencing of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene. In total, 88 bats (8.7%) tested positive for coronaviruses, with higher prevalence in Mozambican bats (20.5% ± 4.9%) as compared to those sampled on islands (4.5% ± 1.5%). Phylogenetic analyses revealed a large diversity of α- and β-CoVs and a strong signal of co-evolution between CoVs and their bat host species, with limited evidence for host-switching, except for bat species sharing day roost sites.ImportanceThis is the first study to report the presence of coronaviruses (CoVs) in bats in Mayotte, Mozambique and Reunion Island, and in insectivorous bats in Madagascar. Eight percent of the tested bats were positive for CoVs, with higher prevalence in continental Africa than on islands. A high genetic diversity of α- and β-CoVs was found, with strong association between bat host and virus phylogenies, supporting a long history of co-evolution between bats and their associated CoVs in the Western Indian Ocean. These results highlight that strong variation between islands does exist and is associated with the composition of the bat species community on each island. Future studies should investigate whether CoVs detected in these bats have a potential for spillover in other hosts.

Redescription and molecular characterization of Crenidens macracanthus Günther, 1874 (Pisces: Sparidae), and first record of C. indicus Day, 1873 in the eastern Indian Ocean

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (7) ◽  
pp. 1147-1153
Author(s):  
Subal Kumar Roul ◽  
N. S. Jeena ◽  
Shubhadeep Ghosh ◽  
Prathibha Rohit
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Eastern Indian Ocean ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
Morphological Description ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Meristic Characters ◽  
East Coast Of India ◽  
North East

AbstractCrenidens macracanthus was originally described in 1874 based on a single specimen collected from Chennai (Madras), south-east coast of India. In 1875, the species was synonymized with C. indicus without citing any valid reason. Since then, no taxonomic studies have been attempted for the genus Crenidens, except in 2013 the species was resurrected from synonymy and redescribed as a valid species based on the holotype and non-type specimen. In view of the fact that C. macracanthus is a poorly known species, it is redescribed based on examination of 30 additional specimens of 105.8–162.2 mm SL, collected from Puri, Odisha, north-east coast of India (Bay of Bengal) from 2017–2019, using morphological and molecular examinations. Our study provides a detailed morphological description, first colour photographs and phylogenetic analysis using COI barcodes of the species. The study has expanded the range in several morpho-meristic characters in comparison with the type and non-type specimens described earlier. The species in fresh condition can be easily distinguished from its two congeners (C. crenidens and C. indicus) by the yellowish tip of the lower caudal-fin lobe. Our study has also extended the distribution range of C. indicus (previously known only from the north-eastern Arabian Sea) to the eastern Indian Ocean, based on examination of a preserved specimen collected from Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu.

The cardinalfish Fowleria isostigma in the Red Sea and the validity of F. punctulata (Perciformes: Apogonidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2677 (1) ◽  
pp. 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
OFER GON ◽  
SERGEY V. BOGORODSKY
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Ocean ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Red Sea ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Original Description ◽  
Junior Synonym ◽  
Type Specimens

The Red Sea has five species of the apogonid genus Fowleria, including F. isostigma, a Pacific Ocean species not yet known from the western Indian Ocean proper. Previously, F. isostigma was placed in the synonymy of F. punctulata (Rüppell 1838). However, the taxonomic status of the latter has not been established and in previous works it was placed in the synonymy of F. aurita or F. variegata. This paper compares Red Sea specimens identified as F. isostigma with F. variegata and with the type specimens of F. punctulata. The presence of F. isostigma in the Red Sea is established and F. punctulata is confirmed as a junior synonym of F. variegata. The holotype of F. punctulata is identified by the size given in the original description. A key to the Red Sea species of Fowleria is provided.

Revalidation of Caridina natalensis De Man, 1908 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Atyidae) in the South Western Indian Ocean

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4543 (3) ◽  
pp. 375
Author(s):  
VALENTIN DE MAZANCOURT ◽  
MAGALIE CASTELIN ◽  
CLEMENTINE RENNEVILLE ◽  
MUSA C. MLAMBO ◽  
GERARD MARQUET ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
Freshwater Shrimp ◽  
The South ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
The Indian Ocean ◽  
De Man

Numerous specimens of a freshwater shrimp with small eggs belonging to the Caridina nilotica complex collected in the South Western Indian Ocean were studied and compared with recent and old collection specimens genetically (16S mitochondrial analysis for recent and type specimens) and morphologically. The results revealed that, in the Indian Ocean, what has been identified by several authors under various species names of the complex C. nilotica, was in fact C. natalensis De Man, 1908. This valid species is re-described and compared with closely related species, often confused with it in this area: C. brachydactyla De Man, 1908, C. brevidactyla Roux, 1920, C. gracilipes De Man, 1892 and C. longirostris H. Milne Edwards, 1837. 

scholarly journals Diagnosing Heat and Vorticity Budgets of Annual Coupled Rossby Waves

2005 ◽  
Vol 35 (7) ◽  
pp. 1173-1189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Warren B. White ◽  
Jeffrey L. Annis
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Latent Heat ◽  
Rossby Waves ◽  
Surface Wind ◽  
Phase Speed ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Heat Fluxes ◽  
Eastern Indian Ocean ◽  
Wind Stress Curl ◽  
Upper Level

Abstract Annual coupled Rossby waves are generated at the west coast of Australia and propagate westward across the eastern Indian Ocean from 10° to 30°S in covarying sea level height (SLH), sea surface temperature (SST), and meridional surface wind (MSW) residuals, generally traveling slower than uncoupled Rossby waves while increasing amplitude. The waves decouple in the western Indian Ocean as SST and SLH residuals become decorrelated, with wave amplitudes decreasing and westward phase speeds increasing. Here, the ocean and atmosphere thermal and vorticity budgets of the coupled Rossby waves in the eastern Indian Ocean along 20°S are diagnosed. In the upper ocean, these diagnostics find the residual SST tendency driven by the residual meridional geostrophic advection of mean temperature with warm SST residuals dissipated by upward latent heat flux to the atmosphere. In the troposphere, these upward latent heat fluxes drive mid-to-upper-level residual diabatic heating via excess condensation, balanced there by upward residual vertical thermal advection. The resulting upward residual vertical velocity drives residual upper-level divergence and lower-level convergence, the latter balanced in the troposphere vorticity budget by the residual meridional advection of planetary vorticity. This yields poleward MSW residuals collocated with warm SST residuals, as observed. The SLH tendency is modified by a positive feedback from wind stress curl residuals, the latter acting to increase the amplitude and decrease the westward phase speed of the wave. These diagnostics allow a more exact analytical model for coupled Rossby waves to be constructed, yielding wave characteristics as observed.

Redescriptions of two poorly known deep-sea shrimps (Crustacea: Decapoda: Caridea: Pasiphaeidae and Glyphocrangonidae) from the Andaman Sea, eastern Indian Ocean

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4303 (1) ◽  
pp. 73
Author(s):  
TOMOYUKI KOMAI ◽  
TIN-YAM CHAN
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Andaman Sea ◽  
Eastern Indian Ocean ◽  
Single Specimen ◽  
Present Material ◽  
Diagnostic Features ◽  
Western Atlantic

Two deep-sea caridean shrimps are reported on the basis of topotypic materials recently collected from the Andaman Sea off Myanmar, eastern Indian Ocean: Pasiphaea unispinosa Wood-Mason, 1892 (Pasiphaeidae) and Glyphocrangon smithii Wood-Mason & Alcock, 1891b (Glyphocrangonidae). These two taxa are poorly known in literature, and thus their diagnostic features remain to be reassessed. The present material enabled us to describe morphological characters of the two species in detail, even though only a single specimen is available for each species. Pasiphaea unispinosa closely resembles P. merriami Schmitt, 1931 from the western Atlantic, but the distinctly carinate middorsal carapace, the deep branchiostegal sinus and the different structure of the pleonal tergites distinguish P. unispinosa from P. merriami. Glyphocrangon smithii is most similar to G. amblytes Komai, 2004 from the western Indian Ocean and G. wagini from Sala y Gomez Ridge in the eastern Pacific, but it is distinctive in having an unusually deep longitudinal groove on the extensor surface of each pereopod 4 and 5 dactylus. 

scholarly journals A 1000-yr-old tsunami in the Indian Ocean points to greater risk for East Africa

Geology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (8) ◽  
pp. 808-813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vittorio Maselli ◽  
Davide Oppo ◽  
Andrew L. Moore ◽  
Aditya Riadi Gusman ◽  
Cassy Mtelela ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Indian Ocean ◽  
East Africa ◽  
Tsunami Wave ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Sedimentary Facies ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Eastern Indian Ocean ◽  
Tsunami Source ◽  
Recurrence Time ◽  
Sand Layer

Abstract The December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman tsunami prompted an unprecedented research effort to find ancient precursors and quantify the recurrence time of such a deadly natural disaster. This effort, however, has focused primarily along the northern and eastern Indian Ocean coastlines, in proximal areas hardest hit by the tsunami. No studies have been made to quantify the recurrence of tsunamis along the coastlines of the western Indian Ocean, leading to an underestimation of the tsunami risk in East Africa. Here, we document a 1000-yr-old sand layer hosting archaeological remains of an ancient coastal Swahili settlement in Tanzania. The sedimentary facies, grain-size distribution, and faunal assemblages indicate a tsunami wave as the most likely cause for the deposition of this sand layer. The tsunami in Tanzania is coeval with analogous deposits discovered at eastern Indian Ocean coastal sites. Numerical simulations of tsunami wave propagation indicate a megathrust earthquake generated by a large rupture of the Sumatra-Andaman subduction zone as the likely tsunami source. Our findings provide evidence that teletsunamis represent a serious threat to coastal societies along the western Indian Ocean, with implications for future tsunami hazard and risk assessments in East Africa.

scholarly journals Alloblennius frondiculus, a new species of blenny from the Andaman Islands(Teleostei: Blenniidae: Salariini)

Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3199 (1) ◽  
pp. 60 ◽  
Author(s):  
WILLIAM F. SMITH-VANIZ ◽  
GERALD R. ALLEN
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Red Sea ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Eastern Indian Ocean ◽  
Andaman Islands ◽  
Pectoral Fin ◽  
Eye Diameter ◽  
A New Species

A new species of blenniid fish, tribe Salariini, is described based on a 23.8 mm SL specimen collected from the AndamanIslands, eastern Indian Ocean. It differs from other species of Alloblennius in having a pinnately branched supraorbitalcirrus about equal to eye diameter in height; lower jaws with relatively large, darkly pigmented labial flap anteriorly oneach side of chin; pectoral fin with 10 or 11 distinct, small dark spots; and anteriormost preopercular pore position with avertical pair of pores. The distribution of the new species is notable because the four previously described species of thegenus are known only from the western Indian Ocean and Red Sea. A table comparing the five species of Alloblennius is presented.

Redescription of Ateleopus japonicus Bleeker 1853, a senior synonym of Ateleopus natalensis Regan 1921 (Teleostei: Ateleopodiformes: Ateleopodidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4238 (4) ◽  
pp. 583
Author(s):  
TATSUYA KAGA
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Western Indian Ocean ◽  
Close Similarity ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
Body Proportions ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Lower Jaw ◽  
Senior Synonym ◽  
The Difference

Ateleopus natalensis Regan 1921, described from off the coast of Natal, South Africa, has been regarded as a valid species. Regan (1921) stated that the difference between the two species is the condition of the lower-jaw teeth: toothless in A. natalensis vs. teeth present in Ateleopus japonicus Bleeker 1853. However, the condition of lower-jaw teeth of Ateleopus has been proved an unreliable character because the lower-jaw teeth are very deciduous. Although Regan (1921) also implied that the differences between the two species include several body proportions, my examination of two syntypes and non-type specimens of A. natalensis from the western Indian Ocean revealed their close similarity to the range of many specimens of A. japonicus. Ateleopus japonicus is redescribed as a senior synonym of A. natalensis. 

scholarly journals Phacidiaceae endophytes of Picea rubens in Eastern Canada

Botany ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 96 (9) ◽  
pp. 555-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joey B. Tanney ◽  
Keith A. Seifert
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Data ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Elongation Factor ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Fungal Endophyte ◽  
Picea Rubens ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
Rdna Its ◽  
Forest Region

More than 100 fungal endophyte strains belonging to the family Phacidiaceae were isolated from surface-sterilized Picea rubens Sarg. needles collected from the Acadian Forest Region in New Brunswick, Canada. The strains were characterized morphologically by their asexual states, and phylogenetic analyses were conducted using the nuclear internal transcribed spacer rDNA (ITS) marker and the second largest subunit of ribosomal polymerase II (RPB2). Morphological and phylogenetic data revealed seven species: Darkera cf. parca; Strasseria geniculata; two novel Phacidium species: Phacidium dicosmoanum and Phacidium faciforme; and three novel monotypic genera described to accommodate distinct species: Calvophomopsis rubenticola, Cornibusella ungulata, and Gloeopycnis protuberans. Further analyses of Darkera spp. were performed with ITS and partial translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1α), and the results suggest that D. parca is a species complex. Phacidiaceae includes hundreds of known species that are unrepresented by sequence data; therefore, ITS sequences were generated from herbarium material including type specimens of Darkera parca, Phacidium lunatum, and specimens of Allantophomopsiella, Allantophomopsis, Bulgaria, Phacidium, and Pseudophacidium species. The description of novel species combined with morphological observations and reference sequences will facilitate the identification of conifer endophytes, both from specimens or cultures and in environmental sequence data, and improve our understanding of this large and mostly neglected family.

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