Report of epibiont ciliates (Cilliophora: Suctorea) on pelagic ostracods (Crustacea: Ostracoda) from the Arabian Sea

The article deals with the report of 5 suctorians viz. Lecanophryella satyanandani (Santhakumari, 1986), Paracineta karunakarani Santhakumari, 1986, Ephelota gemmipara (Hertwig, 1876), Acineta foetida Maupas, 1881 and Pelagacineta sp. on marine pelagic ostracods Cypridina dentata (Müller, 1906) from new localities of the Arabian Sea. Diagnostic characters of Paracineta karunakarani are emended. Ephelota gemmipara (Hertwig, 1876) and Acineta foetida Maupas, 1881 are reported here for the first time on planktonic marine ostracods. Pelagacineta sp. is reported for the first time as epibiont on ostracods and from the Indian Ocean.

Pelagic ostracods of the new subtribe Conchoeciina (Ostracoda, Crustacea) from the North Pacific

The tribe Conchoeciini Chavtur & Angel, 2011, which was singled out by Chavtur and Angel (2011) from the subfamily Conchoeciinae Müller, 1912, is divided into the new Conchoeciina subtribe, including all species of the genera Conchoecia Dana, 1849 and Porroecia (Martens, 1979), and the “non-Conchoeciina” group, which includes all the remaining genera in other subtribes. The genus Conchoecia is subdivided into five genera - retaining Conchoecia and establishing four new genera, namely Macrochoecilla Chavtur, gen. nov., Lophuroecia Chavtur, gen. nov., Parvidentoecia Chavtur, gen. nov .and Hyalocoecia Chavtur, gen. nov.. Similarly, a new genus, Parthenoecia Chavtur, gen. nov., is split from the genus Porroecia. All species attributed to these new genera, which have been collected by numerous Russian expeditions in the North Pacific, are described. Keys to these genera and their species are provided.

A bathypelagic ostracodConchoecissa nigromaculatussp. nov. (Myodocopa, Halocyprididae) from the South China Sea

Pelagic ostracods are one of the main groups of zooplankton and are abundant in marine ecosystems worldwide. The record of marine planktonic ostracod species in the central and southern part of the South China Sea accounts over for one-third of the total recorded marine planktonic ostracods in seas around China. In this study, we examined and compared the specimens from a recent cruise in this region that appeared to be different from previously described species of genusConchoecissa, and then confirmed them as a new bathypelagic speciesConchoecissa nigromaculatus. These specimens clearly differed from the other species of genusConchoecissawith differences observed in the size, carapace, locations of glands, mandible, maxilla, sixth limb, and furca. In this species, mandibular coxal endite has no ventral finger process, maxilla has prominently large endites and has only two claws on the tip, the sixth limb has very simple endites, and this species has distinctive features not previously observed in the tribe Conchoeciini before. It is therefore necessary to emend the diagnosis of this group.

Zoning of waters in the Australian-New Zealand sector of the South Ocean by the example of distribution of pelagic ostracods from subclass Myodocopa

Distribution of mass antarctic, subantarctic, antarctic-subantarctic and tropical-subtropical interzonal pelagic ostracods is considered depending on structure and dynamics of waters in the Australian-New Zealand sector of the South Ocean on the base of authors’ and cited data. The species are separated latitudelly and vertically, that probably diminishes competition between them. Biogeographic boundaries of the subantarctic and antarctic zones determined by the ostracods distribution patterns are close to the South Polar and Subpolar Fronts.