First record of Pagellus bellottii (Teleostei: Sparidae) in the Bay of Biscay, France

The red pandora, Pagellus bellottii Steindachner, 1882, is a tropical and subtropical demersal Sparidae (Porgies) that lives over hard or sandy bottoms in coastal marine waters. It mostly occurs at depths ranging from 10 to 50 metres. It is distributed in the eastern Atlantic, from the Strait of Gibraltar to Angola and the Canary Islands where it is occasionally recorded (Bauchot and Hureau, 1986; Franqueville, 1983). The species is also recorded in the southwestern Mediterranean, in the Alboran Sea, off the Algerian coasts and in the Gulf of Gabes (Oral, 2010). The records of the species in the eastern Mediterranean, Syrian and Israeli waters (Fricke, et al. 2014, Fig. 1) is questioned. We consider these records are misidentification of Pagrus pagrus (Linnaeus, 1758). Pagellus bellottii was also included in the checklist of the fishes from Portugal as a consequence of records coming from the Algarve region, about 36°59′ N, 8° W, the northernmost records in Atlantic waters (de Castro, 1967; Erzini et al., 1996; Carneiro et al., 2014; Carneiro com. pers.). Some specimens were also recorded in Spanish Mediterranean waters, in the Bay of Almería about 36°47′ N, 2°25′ W (Lucena, et al. 1982), the northernmost records for the Mediterranean waters. Herein, the first record of P. bellottii in the Bay of Biscay is reported.

First record of the coloured righteye flounder, Poecilopsetta colorata (Teleostei: Poecilopsettidae) from the Sakalaves seamounts in the Mozambique Channel

Background: The coloured righteye flounder, Poecilopsetta colorata Günther, 1880 was previously known from the eastern Indian Ocean to the South China Sea and Indonesia. Here, a new record from the western Indian Ocean is reported. Results: The new record is based on a specimen collected on the Sakalaves seamounts at 375 m in depth in the Mozambique Channel during a recent oceanographic survey. Four other teleost fish species including an uncommon ophidiid species, Neobythites somaliaensis Nielsen, 1995 were also collected on the same seamounts. Conclusions: The presence of P. colorata in the Mozambique Channel suggests a broad and Indo-West Pacific wide distribution for this relatively rare deep-sea species. The sequence of the cytochrome oxidase subunit-I for the collected specimen is provided as a genetic reference for further DNA barcoding and systematic studies.

First record of molluscs naturally infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis (Chen, 1935) (Nematoda: Metastrongylidae) in Brazil

Seeking the identification of Angiostrongylus cantonensis as a potential etiological agent of three clinical cases of eosinophilic meningitis, mollusc specimens were collected in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The snails were identified as Sarasinula marginata (45 specimens), Subulina octona (157), Achatina fulica (45) and Bradybaena similaris (23). Larvae obtained were submitted to polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism diagnosis. Their genetic profile were corresponded to A. cantonensis. Rattus norvegicus experimentally infected with third-stage larvae, developed menigoencephalitis, and parasites became sexually mature in the lungs. Additionally, larvae obtained from A. fulica snails, from São Vicente, state of São Paulo, also showed genetic profiles of this nematode. This is the first record of Brazilian molluscs infected with this nematode species.

First record of Trypanosoma sp. (Protozoa: Kinetoplastida) in tuvira (Gymnotus aff. inaequilabiatus) in the Pantanal wetland, Mato Grosso do Sul State, Brazil

O objetivo do presente estudo foi reportar a infecção por Trypanosoma sp. em tuviras (Gymnotus aff. inaequilabiatus) oriundas do Pantanal Sul-mato-grossense, Brasil. Dez peixes provenientes do rio Paraguai, Pantanal Sul-mato-grossense, foram avaliados quanto à presença de hemoflagelados. Tripomastigotas de Trypanosoma sp. foram observados nas extensões sanguíneas de três peixes (30% de prevalência), e algumas formas encontravam-se em divisão. Por meio do exame a fresco e da centrifugação do sangue em capilar de hematócrito como métodos para diagnóstico, a taxa de prevalência foi de 80%. Esse é o primeiro relato de Trypanosoma sp. em tuviras no Brasil.

First record of Ocinebrina nicolai (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Muricidae: Ocenebrinae) in North-Eastern Atlantic waters

Ocinebrina nicolai Monterosato, 1884 a marine mollusc belonging to the Muricidae family is reported from Algarve, south coast of Portugal for the first time and is a new record for the biodiversity of the Portuguese malacological fauna and northeastern Atlantic waters. This species with a medium-size shell for the genus (14–16 mm) was initially sampled during a baseline project that studied marine biotopes in the central Algarve region. This short note presents a brief diagnosis of the species, provides local information on geographical distribution, habitat, and compares it with other congeneric species found in Portugal: Ocinebrina aciculata (Lamarck, 1822) and Ocinebrina edwardsii (Payraudeau, 1826).

First record of Anachis aliceae (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Columbellidae) in the Algarve, south coast of Portugal

The marine gastropod Anachis aliceae (Pallary, 1900) is reported with certainty for the first time from the Algarve, south coast of Portugal from species-rich rocky priority biotope. Several live specimens of this species belonging to the Columbellidae family were collected and identified from by-catch samples, recovered from octopus traps set at depths between 50 and 70 m off Ponta da Piedade. Taxonomic validation of the newly recorded species is based on the comparison to other related species within the genus.

First record of the Mediterranean parrotfish, Sparisoma cretense in Ria Formosa (south Portugal)

Several juvenile specimens of Sparisoma cretense, a previously unrecorded species, were caught using beach seining in Ria Formosa.The hypothesis that these occurrences are related with climatic changes is discussed.

First record of Stygnidae for the state of Espírito Santo and description of a new Protimesius (Arachnida: Opiliones: Laniatores)

Protimesius osvaldoi sp. nov. is described from the Reserva Biológica de Sooretama, state of Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil, being the first record of Stygnidae from this State and the southernmost record of the family in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest (hitherto, the family was recorded down to Bahia only), extending in 210 km south of the previously known distribution. This is a large species, with armature of leg IV very reduced and penial morphology differing from the closest counterparts mainly in the ventral plate, which recedes deeply at the lateral borders and has the distal margin curved ventrally and by the presence of two small intermediate setae. Protimesius Roewer, 1913 consisted hitherto of 17 species, recorded from northern/northeastern Brazil and Amazonia of adjacent countries. A key is given for the 17 species of Protimesius for which males are known.

Spiranthera atlantica (Rutaceae, Galipeae), a New Species and the First Record of the Genus for the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

A new species of Spiranthera A. St.-Hil. (Rutaceae, Galipeinae) is illustrated and described from Espirito Santo, Brazil. Spiranthera atlantica Pi rani represents the first species record for the genus in the Atlantic Forest of eastern Brazil. The new (axon resembles the Amazonian S. guianensis Sandwith but differs by its smaller, few-flowered inflorescences and by the fruit and leaflet morphology.

Notes on Acaulospora bireticulata Rothwell & Trappe and first record of Acaulospora koskei Blask. from Brazil)

(Notes on Acaulospora bireticulata Rothwell & Trappe and first record of Acaulospora koskei Blask. from Brazil). Our knowledge of species distribution in arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is still limited and morphological variations found in isolates of one species may provide additional insight for understanding the characters used in the taxonomy of this group. The aims of this work were to expand biogeographical data regarding Acaulospora koskei Blaszk. and Acaulospora bireticulata Rothwell & Trappe, both found in an Araucaria Forest in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, as well as to compare the descriptions of these species with those of other similar AMF.

First record of Phytophthora capsici from Queensland

Phytophthora capsici has been identified from two new hosts in Queensland, Custard Apple (Annona squamosa) and Mandevilla sp. This is the first record of P. capsici in Queensland and only the second record of the pathogen. in Australia. It is also the first report of the pathogen on these hosts.

Azana atlantica, n.sp., with reduced mouthparts and two ocelli: first record of Azana for the Neotropical region (Diptera : Mycetophilidae : Sciophilinae)

A new Sciophilinae-Azana atlantica, sp. n. - is described from the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil. The species has a number of distinctive apomorphic features, including loss of the mid ocellus, reduced mouthparts, Sc short and incomplete, first section of Rs missing, r-m elongated, longitudinal in position, aligned with the second section of Rs ( R(5)), unforked medial and cubital veins, R(4) missing, M(4) entirely absent, gonostyle triangular, with an inner row of elongated spines and a basal, digitiform inner projection. Some of these features are shared with other genera of the Azana-group of Sciophilinae. The shape of the scutum and the strong spines on the gonostyle make it clear that the species belongs in Azana, despite the features that are distinctive from the remaining species in the genus. There are ten species described in Azana to date, from United States, Europe, Sri Lanka, Canary Islands, tropical Africa and Baltic amber. This is the first Neotropical species belonging to the genus. The complete loss of M(4) and the separated gonocoxites suggest that Azana atlantica, sp. n. forms a monophyletic group with the Afrotropical species of the genus. Azana, Morganiella, Neoaphelomera, Neotrizygia, and Trizygia are shown to compose a small clade within the Azana-group of genera. The division of the genus into two subgenera - A. ( Azana) and A. ( Jugazana) - most probably renders A. ( Azana) paraphyletic and it is suggested that this should be for the time being abandoned.

First record of the mite Hirstiella diolii Baker (Prostigmata : Pterygosomatidae) from Australia, with a review of mites found on Australian lizards

We report the First occurrence in Australia of an exotic mite parasite of lizards, Hirstiella diolii Baker (Prostigmata, Pterygosomatidae), and its association with iguanas at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. We also report on the spread of the exotic snake mite Ophionyssus natricis (Gervais) to native populations of skinks, provide a key to the mites associated with Australian lizards and review how to distinguish chiggers from pterygosomatid mites.

First record of the bushy-tailed opossum, Glironia venusta, Thomas, 1912, (Didelphimorphia) from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil

A new record of a very rarely observed mammal, the bushy-tailed opossum, Glironia venusta (Didelphimorphia), was obtained for the Adolpho Ducke Forest Reserve, Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil. Only 17 other records existed of this species, most from the 1980s. There were only three previous records of the species from Brazil (in the states of Pará, Amazonas and Rondônia). This new record supports the notion that G. venusta is a locally rare species throughout its range, but widely distributed in Brazilian Amazonia.