Recovery and fate of three species of marine dinoflagellates after yellow clay flocculation

The recovery and fate of three species of dinoflagellates, Alexandrium tamarense, Cochlodinium polykrikoides and Scrippsiella trochoidea, after having been sedimented by yellow clay, were investigated in the laboratory. The effect of burying period in yellow clay pellet and mixing on the recovery of settled algal cells were studied. The morphological changes of algal cells in yellow clay pellet were also tracked. Results showed that there was almost no recovery for A. tamarense and C. polykrikoides, and the cells decomposed after 2-3 days after visible changes in morphology and chloroplasts. There was some recovery for S. trochoidea. Moreover, S. trochoidea cysts were formed in clay pellet during the period of about 14 days, with the highest abundance of 87 000 cysts g(-1) clay and the incidence of cyst formation of 6.5%, which was considered as a potential threat for the further occurrence of algal blooms. S. trochoidea cysts were isolated from yellow clay and incubated to test their viability, and a germination ratio of more than 30% was obtained after incubation for 1 month. These results showed the species specificity of the mitigation effect of yellow clay. It is suggested that cautions be taken for some harmful species and thorough risk assessments be conducted before using this mitigation strategy in the field.

Effects of macroalgae Ulva pertusa (Chlorophyta) and Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta) on growth of four species of bloom-forming dinoflagellates

The effects of fresh thalli and culture medium filtrates from two species of marine macroalgae, Ulva pertusa Kjellm (Chlorophyta) and Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Bory) Dawson (Rhodophyta), on growth of marine microalgae were investigated in co-culture under controlled laboratory conditions. A selection of microalgal species were used, all, being identified as bloom-forming dinoflagellates: Prorocentrum donghaiense Lu sp., Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech, Amphidinium carterae Hulburt and Scrippsiella trochoide (Stein) Loeblich III. Results showed that the fresh thalli of either U. pertusa or G. lemaneiformis significantly inhibited the microalgal growth, or caused mortality at the end of the experiment. However, the overall effects of the macroalgal culture filtrates on the growth of the dinoflagellates were species-specific (inhibitory, stimulatory or none) for different microalgal species. Results indicated an allelopathic effect of macroalga on the co-cultured dinoflagellate. We then took P. donghaiense as an example to further assess this hypothesis. The present study was carried out under controlled conditions, thereby excluded the fluctuation in light and temperature. Nutrient assays showed that nitrate and phosphate were almost exhausted in G. lemaneiformis co-culture. but remained at enough high levels in U pertusa co-culture, which were well above the nutrient limitation for the microalgal growth, when all cells of P. donghaiense were killed in the co-culture. Daily f/2 medium enrichment greatly alleviated the growth inhibition on P. donghaiense in G. lemaneiformis co-culture, but could not eliminate it. Other environmental factors, such as carbonate limitation, bacterial presence and the change of pH were also not necessary for the results. We thus concluded that allelopathy was the most possible reason leading to the negative effect of U. pertusa on P. donghaiense, and the combined roles of allelopathy and nutrient competition were essential for the effect of G. lemaneiformis on P. donghaiense. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

REPORT ON SOME SPECIES OF PALAEMONIDAE (DECAPODA: CARIDEA) FROM CLIPPERTON ISLAND

The present paper reports six genera nine species of Palaemonidae collected from Clipperton Island, eastern tropical Pacific, including three new species of the pontoniine genus Chacella: C. bicornuta, C. quadricornuta, and C. sexicornuta. We provide a key to identify all the six known species of Chacella.

Two new species of Family Prasiolaceae (Prasiolales, Chlorophyta) from China Sea

Amomg the 30 known species of the algal family Prasiolaceae (Prasiolales, Chlorophyta), nine marine species have been found in marine environments but none in China seas. We reported here two new species Prasiola fangchengensis Luan et Ding sp. nov. and Prasiola volcanica Luan et Ding sp. nov. from subtropical coastal water of southern China.

A new species of Scolelepis (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from sandy beaches in China, with a review of Chinese Scolelepis species

A new species of Spionidae, Scolelepis (Scolelepis) daphoinos sp. nov., is described and illustrated from northern China seas. The species was frequently encountered and highly abundant on sand beaches, but rarely found in subtidal areas. It was formerly misidentified as S. (S.) squamata (Muller, 1806) in China but differed from the latter species in several details in morphology, including the presence of obvious reddish pigmentation patches and the absence of unidentate hooded hooks. Another two Scolelepis species, S. (S.) lingulata Imajima, 1992 and S. (S.) variegata Imajima, 1992, are reported for the first time from Chinese waters. Two species of Scolelepis, S. (S.) globosa Wu & Chen, 1964 and S. (S.) lefebvrei (Gravier, 1905), were reported previously; therefore, five species in this genus are known from China in total. A key to all Scolelepis species from Chinese waters is provided.

Morphology and infraciliature of three species of Metaurostylopsis (Ciliophora, Stichotrichia): M. songi n. sp., M. salina n. sp., and M. marina (Kahl 1932) from sediments, saline ponds, and coastal waters.

Two new urostylid ciliates, Metaurostylopsis songi n. sp. and Metaurostylopsis salina n. sp. and Metaurostylopsis marina (Kahl 1932) are investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation. These species were isolated in Korea from intertidal sediments, saline ponds, and coastal waters. Metaurostylopsis songi is in vivo about 120 pm x 25 mu m, has a slenderly ellipsoidal body, colorless cortical granules in rows on ventral and dorsal body sides, about 54 macronuclear nodules, 28-47 adoral membranelles, five frontal, two or three frontoterminal and six or seven transverse cirri, and 9-12 midventral cirral pairs followed posteriorly by 1-3 single cirri. In vivo M. salina is about 60 pin x 25 mu m, has a pyriform body, colorless cortical granules irregularly arranged, about 45 macronuclear nodules, 18-23 adoral membranelles, three frontal, three to five frontoterminal and two to five transverse cirri, and four or five midventral cirral pairs followed posteriorly by five to seven single cirri. Both species have three marginal cirral rows on each body side and 3 long dorsal kineties. The Korean specimens of M. marina match the Chinese population in all main features. Metaurostylopsis songi differs from M. marina by the more slender body, the number of frontal cirri (invariably five vs. four), and the arrangement of cortical granules (in rows on dorsal and ventral cortex vs. only along dorsal kinetics and anterior body margin). Metaurostylopsis salina differs from its congeners by the distinctly smaller size, the pyriform body shape, the scattered cortical granules (vs. in rows), and number of frontal cirri. It differs from M. marina also by the number of midventral cirral pairs (four or five vs. seven to 11).

Four new species of the Genera Eudesme and Sphaerotrichia (Chordariaceae, Heterokontophyta) from the Chinese Coast

Four new species, Eudesme huanghaiensis Ding et Lu, E. qingdaoensis Ding et Lu, E. shandongensis Ding et Lu and Sphaerotrichia huanghaiensis Ding et Lu, from the western Yellow Sea coast of China are described. Eudesme huanghaiensis is mainly characterized by its spherical or sub-spherical sub-cortical cells, its rhizoidal filaments developing from the basal cells of sub-cortex and its broad sub-cortical and medullary layers. E. qingdaoensis is mainly characterized by its long medullary cells, generally hollow center of the medulla, short sub-cortex with only 3-4 cylindrical cells and long, slender and clavate terminal cells of the rhizoidal filaments. E. shandongensis is mainly characterized by its hollow frond, thick cell walls of both medulla and inner sub-cortical layers and the spherical terminal cells of the rhizoid filaments. Sphaerotrichia huanghaiensis is mainly characterized by its cylindrical, sparsely branched frond with acute angle, and its thick 5-6 layered sub-cortex with long assimilating filaments of 6-10 cells.

Studies on four new species of the malacocarpic Sargassum (Sargassaceae, Heterokontophyta) in China

In this paper, four new species of malacocarpic Sargassum are described: S. fuliginosoides Tseng et Lu sp. nov. is characterized by its discoid holdfast, the presence of the bulbs on the basal parts of the primary branches and very thick, lanceolate leaves. S. gemmiphorum Tseng et Lu sp. nov. is characterized by its conical holdfast, usually branched axis and very long, narrow, thin, denticulate leaves. S. shandongense Tseng, Zhang et Lu sp. nov. is characterized by its discoid holdfast, flattened primary branches, its leaves mostly entire or wavy at the margins and its racemose to paniculate receptacles. S. qingdaoense Tseng et Lu sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of the glandular dots on the ultimate branches and elongated lanceolate, acute, mostly wavy leaves.

Studies on Chinese species of Gelidiella and Pterocladiella (Gelidiales, Rhodophyta)

A detailed study of materials from our herbarium shows the presence of two species of Gelidiella and three species of Pterocladiella, including two new records and a new species. Previously recorded species include G. acerosa and P. capillacea. G. bornetii and P. caerulescens are new records for China and P. yinggehaiensis is believed to be a new species. This new species is characterized by its small thalli, 1.5-2 cm high, that are more densely branched on the middle to upper parts for one half their lengths. These characteristics are so distinctive that they can be used to separate this species readily from other species now reported in this genus.

Phyllophorus (Phyllophorus) maculatus, a new species of sea cucumber from the Yellow Sea (Echinodermata : Holothuroidea : Dendrochirotida)

Phyllophorus (Phyllophorus) maculatus new species is described from a depth of 22-45 meters near the western edge of the Yellow Sea. The body is cylindrical, with body wall ossicles present only in the anal region. Ossicles are four-pillared tables with low spires and indented disc margin. A revised key to the eleven phyllophorine (Family Phyllophoridae, Subfamily Phyllophorinae) species now known from China is presented.

Laurencia nanhaiense sp nov., a new species of the genus Laurencia(Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) from China

Laurencia nanhaiense sp. nov. (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) is described from Hainan and Guangdong Provinces, China. The new species clearly displays one of the defining features of the genus, viz. four periaxial cells per vegetative axial segment. It differs from other closely related species in having a combination of features such as terete axes from a basal system composed of a primary, discoid holdfast and a secondary attachment to give rise to many short rhizoids, branching oppositely and alternately, irregularly tristichous or subverticillately polystichous, having more curve branches with very sparse, adventitious ultimate branchlets, non-projecting superficial cortical cells at the apices of ultimate branchlets, presence of longitudinally oriented secondary pit-connections between contiguous superficial cortical cells, absence of lenticular thickenings in the walls of medullary cells, parallel arrangement of tetrasporangia along the axis of stichidia, and presence of intercellular spaces between medullary cells.

A new species and two new record species of genus Allokepon Markham, 1982 (Isopoda : Epicaridea : Bopyridae) from China

Descriptions of a new species and two new records of species of the genus Allokepon Markham, 1982 from Chinese waters are presented. The host species were portunid crabs. Allokepon hendersoni (Giard & Bonnier 1887) was found infesting Charybdis bimaculata (Miers), A. monodi (Bourdon, 1967) infesting Portunus pelagicus (L), Portunus trituberculatus ( Miers), and Thalamita sp. and A. longicauda n. sp. infesting Portunus pulchricristatus (Gorden). Three of the host species were recorded for the first time harboring isopod parasites, and the male of A. monodi is presented. Allokepon longicauda n. sp. is distinguished from the other four species found in China by the long slender uropods of females.

Report on some species of Palaemonidae (Crustacea, Decapoda) from French Polynesia

Based on material collected from French Polynesia and deposited in the Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, the present paper reports 31 palaemonid shrimp species, which belong to the Palaemoninae (two genera, three species) and to the Pontoniinae (12 genera, 28 species), including six new species. The new species are: Izucaris crosnieri n. sp., Periclimenes alexanderi n. sp., P. josephi n. sp., P platydactylus n. sp., P polynesiensis n. sp. and P vicinus n. sp. Detailed descriptions and illustrations of the new species are provided. Besides the six new species, ten other species are recorded for the first time from French Polynesia: Exoclimenella maldivensis Duris & Bruce, 1995, Kemponia rapanui (Fransen, 1987) n. comb., Palaemonella crosnieri Bruce, 1978, P spinulata Yokoya, 1936, Periclimenaeus hecate (Nobili, 1904), P orbitocarinatus Fransen, 2006, Periclimenes aleator Bruce, 199 1, P paralcocki Li & Bruce, 2006, P uniunguiculatus Bruce, 1990, Pontonides loloata Bruce, 2005.

Description of a new genus and two new species of Ioninae (Isopoda : Epicaridea : Bopyridae) parasites of Leucosiidae (Decapoda : Brachyura) from Beibu Gulf

A new genus, Onkokepon n. gen., and two new species, O. articulatus n. sp. and O. beibuensis n. sp., infesting Leucosia longibranchia Shen & Chen and Leucosia unidentata de Haan, respectively, are described from Beibu Gulf in China and Vietnam. Neither of these species of Leucosia has previously been reported as bopyrid hosts. The new genus differs from other ionine bopyrid genera in the presence of a well-developed tubercular frontal lamina, a deeply digitate barbula, rudimentary subcircular pleopodal endopodites, and lacking coxal plates. O. articulatus n. sp. is distinguished from O. beibuensis n. sp. by having articulated maxillipedal palp, blunt posterolateral point of oostegite 1 and setose triangular frontal lamina of the female.

Aega sheni, a new species of Aegidae (Crustacea : Isopoda : Cymothoida) from southern China and Australia

Aega sheni sp. nov. from Chinese and Australian waters, is described and figured. This species is characterized by the plate-like expansion of antennule peduncle articles 1 and 2, very large eyes (nearly making contact), numerous robust setae on the inferior margins of the ischium of pereopods 2 and 3, large distal lobe on the propodus of pereopods 1-3, shape and setation of the uropods, and the rounded pleotelson posterior margin. Aega sheni has been recorded at depths of 300-435 metres.