Twice lost, twice found: A new species of Gonolobus (Apocynaceae: Asclepiadoideae) with a reappraisal of the genus in the Yucatan Peninsula Biotic Province

Gonolobus is reassessed in the Yucatan Peninsula Biotic Province (YPBP). The genus consists of seven taxa in the area: six species and two subspecies. These include a taxon that we propose here as a new species and the treatment of G. yucatanensis as a subspecies of G. stenanthus and the new combination G. stenanthus subsp. yucatanensis is proposed. These two taxa are endemic to the YPBP. The other species are G. barbatus (for which we propose a lectotype), G. cteniophorus, G. fraternus, G. glaberrimus, and G. leianthus. The new species is G. caamalii Carnevali & R. Duno, restricted to the Yucatán state in Mexico and distinguished by its corolla lobes with a dark purple (almost black) longitudinal, callose band along the proximal 2/3 on the right side of the lobes and a 1.1–1.3 mm broad, annular, continuous dark purple-black band surrounding the gynostemium and corona at the base of the corolla lobes. It appears related to G. leianthus from southern Megamexico, a species from humid forests at higher elevations and that differs in its larger flowers with broader corolla lobes and a strikingly different color pattern in the flowers. The new species is described, illustrated, and discussed. Entries for all Gonolobus species from the YPBP include a brief discussion and specimen citations. The conservation status of the Gonolobus taxa endemic to the YPBP are assessed either as as Endangered (EN) or as Near threatened (NT). Distributional maps for all Gonolobus from the area covered are presented. Finally, we offer a key to Gonolobus of the YPBP.

Four-Year Field Survey of Black Band Disease and Skeletal Growth Anomalies in Encrusting Montipora spp. Corals around Sesoko Island, Okinawa

The Indo-Pacific zooxanthellate scleractinian coral genus Montipora is the host of many coral diseases. Among these are cyanobacterial Black Band Disease (BBD) and Skeletal Growth Anomalies (GAs), but in general data on both diseases are lacking from many regions of the Indo-Pacific, including from Okinawa, southern Japan. In this study, we collected annual prevalence data of Black Band Disease (BBD) and Skeletal Growth Anomalies (GAs) affecting the encrusting form of genus Montipora within the shallow reefs of the subtropical Sesoko Island (off the central west coast of Okinawajima Island) from summer to autumn for four years (2017 to 2020). In 2020 Montipora percent coverage and colony count were also assessed. Generalized Linear Models (GLM) were used to understand the spatial and temporal variation of both BBD and GAs in the nearshore (NE) and reef edge (RE) sites, which revealed higher probability of BBD occurrence in RE sites. BBD prevalence was significantly higher in 2017 in some sites than all other years with site S12 having significant higher probability during all four surveyed years. In terms of GAs, certain sites in 2020 had higher probability of occurrence than during the other years. While the general trend of GAs increased from 2017 to 2020, it was observed to be non-fatal to colonies. In both diseases, the interaction between sites and years was significant. We also observed certain BBD-infected colonies escaping complete mortality. BBD progression rates were monitored in 2020 at site S4, and progression was related to seawater temperatures and was suppressed during periods of heavy rain and large strong typhoons. Our results suggest that higher BBD progression rates are linked with high sea water temperatures (SST > bleaching threshold SST) and higher light levels (> 1400 µmol m−2 s−1), indicating the need for further controlled laboratory experiments. The current research will help form the basis for continued future research into these diseases and their causes in Okinawa and the Indo-Pacific Ocean.

MORTALITY OF BLACK-BAND MYLEUS Myloplus Schomburgkii DUE TO POOR WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATED WITH OVERPOPULATION OF DUCKWEEDS IN A CULTURE POND IN THE PERUVIAN AMAZONIA

Ponds covered with duckweeds release nutrients rapidly, causing problems of eutrophication of the water which can reduce water clarity and quality, creating a hypoxic or anoxic ‘dead zone' lacking sufficient oxygen to support most organisms. In the present study, the sudden mortality of black-band myleus Myloplus schomburgkii Jardine, 1841 drove the investigate of factors that caused the death of the specimens registered in a fish pond in the Peruvian Amazon. After the tallying of dead fish, it was revealed that sixty individuals (75% of the total population) of M. schomburgkii had died. The taxonomic identification of the aquatic plant revealed the presence of “duckweeds” locally named in Peru as “lenteja de agua” Lemna minor distributed throughout the pond. Physical and chemical water parameters revealed low levels of oxygen, acid water, and high levels of nitrate and phosphate. Since duckweeds cannot be completely eliminated from waters that are conducive to its growth and require periodic harvesting to prevent matting, proper management strategies therefore become critical to guarantee good quality of water in the pond and avoid black-band myleus deaths due to imbalances in physical and chemical parameters.

A description of the second species of the genus Bleptus Eaton, 1885 (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae) from Japan, and phylogenetic relationships of two Bleptus mayflies inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences

A new mayfly species, Bleptus michinokuensis sp. nov. (Ephemeroptera: Heptageniidae) is described on the basis of specimens of male and female adults and mature nymphs collected at a seepage zone of a small freshwater branch of the ‘Tachiya-zawa-gawa’ River located amongst the northern foothills of Mt. Gassan (Shonai-machi Town, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan). This new Bleptus species is characterized by its clear fore and hind wings. That is, they neither exhibit the distinct black band on the fore wings, nor the characteristic darkened margins along the edges of both the fore and hind wings. Rather it has a blackish colored terminal half of its fore legs (i.e., tibial, tarsal and pretarsal segments). These features differ clearly when comparing them to the other known species, Bleptus fasciatus Eaton. The information and data describing the habitat and distribution range of this new species are also noted. We also examined and discussed the genetic relationship of two Bleptus mayflies to settle the taxonomic status, inferred from the partially sequenced cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and large mitochondrial ribosomal subunit (16S rRNA) genes, and also the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) gene sequences. Consequently, phenetic and molecular phylogenetic analyses agreed well in terms of clustering.

Photophore Distribution and Enzymatic Diversity Within the Photogenic Integument of the Cookie-Cutter Shark Isistius brasiliensis (Chondrichthyes: Dalatiidae)

The cookie-cutter shark Isistius brasiliensis (Squaliformes: Dalatiidae) is a deep-sea species that emits a blue luminescence ventrally, except at the level of a black band located beneath the jaw. This study aims to (i) investigate the distribution and histology of the photophores (i.e., light-emitting organs) along the shark body, (ii) describe the tissue-specific transcriptomes of the black band integument region (i.e., non-photogenic) and the ventral integument region (i.e., photogenic), (iii) describe the repertoire of enzyme-coding transcripts expressed the two integument regions, and (iv) analyze the potential expression of transcripts coding for luciferase-like enzymes (i.e., close homologs of known luciferases involved in the bioluminescence of other organisms). Our analyses confirm the black band’s non-photogenic status and photophore absence within this region. The sub-rostral area is the region where the photophore density is the highest. In parallel, paired-end Illumina sequencing has been used to generate two pilot transcriptomes, from the black band and the ventral integument tissues of one individual. In total, 68,943 predicted unigenes have been obtained (i.e., 64,606 for the black band transcriptome, 43,996 for the ventral integument transcriptome) with 43,473 unigenes showing significant similarities to known sequences from public databases. BLAST search analyses of known luciferases, coupled with comparative predicted gene expression (i.e., photogenic versus non-photogenic), support the hypothesis that the species uses an unknown luciferase system. An enzymatic repertoire was predicted based on the PRIAM database, and Enzyme Commission numbers were assigned for all detected enzyme-coding unigenes. These pilot transcriptomes based on a single specimen, and the predicted enzyme repertoire, constitute a valuable resource for future investigations on the biology of this enigmatic luminous shark.

PREVALENSI DAN KELIMPAHAN PENYAKIT KARANG DI PERAIRAN DESA BUTON KABUPATEN MOROWALI SULAWESI TENGAH

Penyakit karang sekarang ini sudah menjadi perhatian utama para peneliti karang. Banyak kasus dilaporkan penyakit karang menjadi penyumbang terbesar kematian karang di sebuah perairan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui prevalensi dan kelimpahan penyakit karang di Perairan Desa Buton, Kabupaten Morowali, Sulawesi Tengah. Metode pengambilan data prevalensi dan kelimpahan penyakit karang menggunkan belt transect (transek sabuk) dengan luas 180m2 yang ditarik sejajar garis pantai pada 3 (tiga) titik stasiun. Hasil penelitian menunjukan ditemukan sebanyak 5 (lima) jenis penyakit karang (White Band Disease, Brown Band Disease, Ulcerative White Spot, Bleaching, dan Black Band Disease dan 3 (tiga) jenis gangguan kesehatan karang (Fish bites, Crown-of-Thorn-Starfish (COTS), dan Tube formers). Secara umum total prevalensi penyakit karang di lokasi penelitian sebesar 78,7% (52,3% penyakit karang dan 26,4% berupa gangguan kesehatan karang) dengan kasus tertinggi terdapat di stasiun 1 (satu). lebih lanjut kelimpahan rata-rata penyakit karang sebesar 0,65 koloni/m2. Kelimpahan penyakit karang tertinggi ditemukan pada stasiun I yaitu sebesar 0,32 koloni/m2.Kata Kunci: Penyakit Karang, Prevalensi, Kelimpahan, Perairan Desa Buton

A new species of the genus Caenorhinus Thomson, 1859 (Coleoptera, Rhynchitidae) from Laos

A new species, Caenorhinus (Flavodeporaus) guskovae Legalov, sp. nov. from Central Laos is described and illustrated. This new species is similar to C. (F.) nigrobasalis Legalov, 2003 from Vietnam but differs from it in the densely punctate pronotum, antennae extend behind humeri, forehead without a black band, black protibiae, and narrower rostrum. This is the third species of the subgenus Flavodeporaus of the genus Caenorhinus described from Laos.

A comparative baseline of coral disease across the central Red Sea

The Red Sea is a unique environment for corals with a strong environmental gradient characterized by temperature extremes and high salinities, but minimal terrestrial runoff or riverine input and their associated pollution. Disease surveys were conducted along 22 reefs in the central Red Sea along the Saudi Arabian coast in October 2015, which coincided with a bleaching event. Our objectives were to 1) document types, prevalence, and distribution of coral diseases in a region with minimal terrestrial input, 2) compare regional differences in diseases and bleaching along a latitudinal gradient of environmental conditions, and 3) use histopathology to characterize disease lesions at the cellular level. Coral reefs of the central Red Sea had a widespread but a surprisingly low prevalence of disease (<0.5%), based on the examination of >75,750 colonies. Twenty diseases were recorded affecting 16 coral taxa and included black band disease, white syndromes, endolithic hypermycosis, skeletal eroding band, growth anomalies and focal bleached patches. The three most common diseases were Acropora white syndrome (59.1% of the survey sites), Porites growth anomalies (40.9%), and Porites white syndrome (31.8%). Over half of the coral genera within transects had lesions and corals from the genera Acropora, Millepora and Lobophyllia were the most commonly affected. Cell-associated microbial aggregates were found in four coral genera resembling patterns found in the Indo-Pacific. Differences in disease prevalence, coral cover, amount of heat stress as measured by degree heating weeks (DHW) and extent of bleaching was evident among sites. Disease prevalence was not explained by coral cover or DHW, and a negative relationship between coral bleaching and disease prevalence was found. The northern-most sites off the coast of Yanbu had the highest average DHW values but absence of bleaching and the highest average disease prevalence was recorded. Our study provides a foundation and baseline data for coral disease prevalence in the Red Sea, which is projected to increase as a consequence of increased frequency and severity of ocean warming.

Marine natural products

A comprehensive review of 1490 new MNPs including looekeyolides A and B, which are associated with coral black band disease.

Nothobranchius furzeri as an emerging model for mate choice: female choice revealed by animations

The African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri) is the shortest-lived vertebrate research model. It is also sexually dimorphic, making it suitable for studying sexual selection. We take advantage of a natural tail colour polymorphism in males and investigate female responses to computer animations of males that differ in this phenotype. Our findings indicate that GRZ (Gonarezhou) females prefer animated males with traits specific to their strain (a yellow tail with a black band) compared to males exhibiting traits from another strain of the same species (a red tail). When females were simultaneously shown animations of both males, they spent significantly more time on the side of the tank where the yellow-tailed animation was visible, and significantly more time interacting with the yellow-tailed animation. Given these repeatable responses and the availability of genomic resources, N. furzeri represents an excellent, untapped model for studying the genetic basis of preferences and reproductive behaviours.