Revision of the bathyal fish genus Benthocometes (Teleostei: Ophidiidae) with a new species from off NW Australia

The bathyal genus Benthocometes (Teleostei: Ophidiidae) is revised based on 29 specimens from the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and one from off NW Australia. Examination of the Atlantic and Mediterranean material confirmed the synonomizing of the three Atlantic species, B. robustus, B. armatum and B. muraenolepis. The Australian specimen represents a new species, B. australiensis, differing from B. robustus in e.g. the number of long rakers on the anterior gill arch, the form of the palatine dentition and the predorsal and upper jaw lengths.

A challenge to the taxonomy of Porphyra in Australia: the New Zealand red alga Porphyra rakiura (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) occurs in southern Australia, and is distinct from P. lucasii

Extensive collections of Porphyra from throughout New Zealand since the early 1980s have revealed unexpectedly high diversity within the genus. From small-scale, opportunistic sampling of southern Australian Porphyra, small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (SSU) sequence data confirm the presence in Tasmania of a recently-described species of Porphyra, P. rakiura W.A.Nelson. This is the first report of P. rakiura from outside New Zealand. Analysis of rbcL–rbcS spacer DNA sequence from P. rakiura specimens and from an isotype specimen of P. lucasii Levring confirm that P. rakiura can be distinguished from the P. lucasii isotype at the molecular level as well as morphologically. A Western Australian specimen collected as P. lucasii provides a nuclear SSU sequence that is clearly different (92.1% similar) to that of P. rakiura, and rbcL–rbcS spacer sequence data identical to that of the P. lucasii isotype. Sequence data from the rbcL–rbcS spacer of a herbarium specimen from South Australia initially identified as P. lucasii, but with P. rakiura-like morphology, demonstrate that it is genetically distinct from P. rakiura and place it closer to, but not identical with, the P. lucasii isotype. This challenges the current taxonomic understanding of Porphyra in Australia, and of P. lucasii in particular.

Paramphistomes (Digenea; Paramphistomidae) Parasitic in Marine Turtles (Reptilia: Chelonia).

Schizamphistomum scleroporum (Creplin, 1844) Groschaft, Otero & Tenora, 1977 nec Looss, 1912, and S. erratum, sp. nov. [=S. scleroporum sensu Looss, 1912 (nec Creplin, 1844)], are described from the green turtle, Chelonia mydas (L.), from Australia. One specimen of the former species was also recovered from an Australian specimen of the hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata (L.). Paramphistomum papillostomum MacCallum, 1916 and Schizamphistomoides chelonei Gupta, 1961, are regarded as synonyms of Schizamphistomum scleroporum (Creplin). S. taiwanense Fischthal & Kunz, 1975 is regarded as a species inquirenda. The remaining species known from sea turtles, Schizamphistomoides spinulosum (Looss, 1901) Stunkard, 1925, is redescribed, mostly from original material collected by Looss. This species has not yet been found in the Australian region. The relationships between Schizamphistomum scleroporum, S. erratum and Schizamphntomoides spinulosum are discussed.