A new species of Syllis (Polychaeta: Syllidae: Syllinae) from off Fortaleza, north-eastern Brazil

In a study investigating the composition and spatial and temporal variation of the benthic macrofauna associated to the discharge of domestic sewage off Fortaleza, north-eastern Brazil, a new species of Syllis was found. This new species, S. guidae sp. nov., is characterized by having blades of falcigers with subdistal tooth about same length as distal tooth, but stouter than it, with spines on cutting edge almost reaching the tip of subdistal tooth, blades of falcigers with conspicuous subdistal triangular process and unusually long anal papilla between anal cirri, measuring about one-quarter of their length. Syllis guidae sp. nov., is herein described and compared with the most similar congeners.

Description and phylogenetic analysis of the Calycopidina (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Theclinae, Eumaeini): a subtribe of detritivores

Description and phylogenetic analysis of the Calycopidina (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Theclinae, Eumaeini): a subtribe of detritivores. The purpose of this paper is to establish a phylogenetic basis for a new Eumaeini subtribe that includes those lycaenid genera in which detritivory has been recorded. Morphological characters were coded for 82 species of the previously proposed "Lamprospilus Section" of the Eumaeini (19 of these had coding identical to another species), and a phylogenetic analysis was performed using the 63 distinct ingroup terminal taxa and six outgroups belonging to four genera. Taxonomic results include the description in the Eumaeini of Calycopidina Duarte & Robbins new subtribe (type genus Calycopis Scudder, 1876), which contains Lamprospilus Geyer, Badecla Duarte & Robbins new genus (type species Thecla badaca Hewitson), Arzecla Duarte & Robbins new genus (type species Thecla arza Hewitson), Arumecla Robbins & Duarte, Camissecla Robbins & Duarte, Electrostrymon Clench, Rubroserrata K. Johnson & Kroenlein revalidated status, Ziegleria K. Johnson, Kisutam K. Johnson & Kroenlein revalidated status, and Calycopis. Previous "infratribe" names Angulopina K. Johnson & Kroenlein, 1993, and Calycopina K. Johnson & Kroenlein, 1993, are nomenclaturally unavailable and polyphyletic as proposed. New combinations include Badecla badaca (Hewitson), Badecla picentia (Hewitson), Badecla quadramacula (Austin & K. Johnson), Badecla lanckena (Schaus), Badecla argentinensis (K. Johnson & Kroenlein), Badecla clarissa (Draudt), Arzecla arza (Hewitson), Arzecla tarpa (Godman & Salvin), Arzecla canacha (Hewitson), Arzecla calatia (Hewitson), Arzecla tucumanensis (K. Johnson & Kroenlein), Arzecla sethon (Godman & Salvin), Arzecla nubilum (H. H. Druce), Arzecla paralus (Godman & Salvin), Arzecla taminella (Schaus), Arzecla albolineata (Lathy), Electrostrymon denarius (Butler & H.Druce), Electrostrymon guzanta (Schaus), Electrostrymon perisus (H. H. Druce), Rubroserrata mathewi (Hewitson), Rubroserrata ecbatana (Hewitson), Kisutam micandriana (K. Johnson), and Kisutam syllis (Godman & Salvin). The structure of the male genitalia lateral window, labides, and brush organs are described and discussed, as are the female genitalia signa of the corpus bursae and 8th abdominal tergum. Widespread wing pattern sexual dimorphism in the Calycopidina is noted and illustrated, and the presence of alternating dark and light bands on the ventral wings of both sexes is discussed. The evidence for detritivory in Lamprospilus, Badecla, Arzecla, Arumecla, Camissecla, Electrostrymon, Ziegleria, Kisutam, and Calycopis is summarized using the new classification.

Sewage impact on the composition and distribution of Polychaeta associated to intertidal mussel beds of the Mar del Plata rocky shore, Argentina

The polychaete composition and distribution within mussel beds were studied in order to assess organic pollution due to domestic sewage in a rocky shore of Mar del Plata (Argentina) during 1997. Four stations and a control site were randomly sampled around the local effluent. Quantitative data on polychaetes, as well as sediment accumulated among mussels and its organic carbon content were measured. Polychaete distribution patterns are related to the organic matter gradient, being Capitella cf. capitata, Neanthes succinea (Frey & Leuckart, 1847) and Boccardia polybranchia (Haswell, 1885) the dominant indicator species close to the effluent. At medial distances, the cirratulids Caulleriella alata (Southern, 1914) and Cirratulus cirratus (Müller, 1776) are very important in abundance. The syllids Syllis prolixa Ehlers, 1901 and S. gracilis Grube, 1840 are distributed along the study area, but dominate at the medial stations and at the control site. The orbiniid Protoariciella uncinata Hartmann-Schröder, 1962 is subdominant at the control station.

Description and phylogenetic analysis of the Calycopidina (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Theclinae, Eumaeini): a subtribe of detritivores

Description and phylogenetic analysis of the Calycopidina (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae, Theclinae, Eumaeini): a subtribe of detritivores. The purpose of this paper is to establish a phylogenetic basis for a new Eumaeini subtribe that includes those lycaenid genera in which detritivory has been recorded. Morphological characters were coded for 82 species of the previously proposed "Lamprospilus Section" of the Eumaeini (19 of these had coding identical to another species), and a phylogenetic analysis was performed using the 63 distinct ingroup terminal taxa and six outgroups belonging to four genera. Taxonomic results include the description in the Eumaeini of Calycopidina Duarte & Robbins new subtribe (type genus Calycopis Scudder, 1876), which contains Lamprospilus Geyer, Badecla Duarte & Robbins new genus (type species Thecla badaca Hewitson), Arzecla Duarte & Robbins new genus (type species Thecla arza Hewitson), Arumecla Robbins & Duarte, Camissecla Robbins & Duarte, Electrostrymon Clench, Rubroserrata K. Johnson & Kroenlein revalidated status, Ziegleria K. Johnson, Kisutam K. Johnson & Kroenlein revalidated status, and Calycopis. Previous "infratribe" names Angulopina K. Johnson & Kroenlein, 1993, and Calycopina K. Johnson & Kroenlein, 1993, are nomenclaturally unavailable and polyphyletic as proposed. New combinations include Badecla badaca (Hewitson), Badecla picentia (Hewitson), Badecla quadramacula (Austin & K. Johnson), Badecla lanckena (Schaus), Badecla argentinensis (K. Johnson & Kroenlein), Badecla clarissa (Draudt), Arzecla arza (Hewitson), Arzecla tarpa (Godman & Salvin), Arzecla canacha (Hewitson), Arzecla calatia (Hewitson), Arzecla tucumanensis (K. Johnson & Kroenlein), Arzecla sethon (Godman & Salvin), Arzecla nubilum (H. H. Druce), Arzecla paralus (Godman & Salvin), Arzecla taminella (Schaus), Arzecla albolineata (Lathy), Electrostrymon denarius (Butler & H.Druce), Electrostrymon guzanta (Schaus), Electrostrymon perisus (H. H. Druce), Rubroserrata mathewi (Hewitson), Rubroserrata ecbatana (Hewitson), Kisutam micandriana (K. Johnson), and Kisutam syllis (Godman & Salvin). The structure of the male genitalia lateral window, labides, and brush organs are described and discussed, as are the female genitalia signa of the corpus bursae and 8th abdominal tergum. Widespread wing pattern sexual dimorphism in the Calycopidina is noted and illustrated, and the presence of alternating dark and light bands on the ventral wings of both sexes is discussed. The evidence for detritivory in Lamprospilus, Badecla, Arzecla, Arumecla, Camissecla, Electrostrymon, Ziegleria, Kisutam, and Calycopis is summarized using the new classification.

Polychaete fauna of the Northwest Portuguese Coastal Shelf: ecology, diversity and distribution

Polychaetes are one of the larger groups of macroinvertebrates with more than 9000 species recognised, distributed worldwide. Thanks to the broad ecological adaptability and high abundaces, this taxon plays a leading role and is considered an important component of all benthic assemblages. Our knowledge about the West Iberian Coast polychaete fauna are scarce, and the only studies are recent. In this sense, the aim of this work was to investigate the composition and the spatial distribution of the polychaete fauna along the NW Portuguese Coastal Shelf, focusing on their relationship to environmental factors (depth, grain size, longitude and latitude) and to add new data to the existing biological dataset. A total of 39 sites were analysed, collected in an area of about 5665 km², between 20 and 150 m depth, distributed in a way to cover the overall grain size gradient. A total of 9352 specimens belonging to 41 families were found, and the analysis based on the abundance of polychaete species revealed five affinity groups: (a) nearshore medium sand characterised by Pisione parapari and Hesionura elongata; (b) very coarse sand that showed the highest abundance of Syllidae and was characterised by Protodorvillea kefersteini and Syllis garciai; (c) fine sand dominated by Spiophanes bombyx and Glycera tridactyla; (d) very fine sand with Nepthys assimilis and Amage sp. and the highest abundance of Paraonidae; (d) mud characterised by Labioleanira yhleni and Ampharete finmarchica. The combination of the environmental variables and the biological data, done with BIOENV routine, demonstrated that depth, grain size and fine contents were the best related with the biological data (rho=0.598). In general, the results agree with the composition and the spatial distribution of the polychaete fauna in other parts of the world; further polychaete assemblages related to mud sediments were firstly recorded in the Northwestern Portuguese Coastal Shelf.

Benthic fauna at station FINO 1, 2005-2007

In der Nordsee wurden auf der Forschungsplattform FINO 1 Felduntersuchungen durchgeführt, um spezielle Fragen zu möglichen Auswirkungen von Offshore-Windenergieparks auf die marine Umwelt zu beantworten. Der Fokus war dabei auf die Konsequenzen für die Lebensgemeinschaft am Meeresboden gerichtet. Es wurden die benthosökologischen Prozesse im Nahbereich der Piles sowie die mittelfristige Entwicklung der Aufwuchsfauna auf der künstlichen Unterwasserstruktur dokumentiert. Die Ansammlung pelagischer Fischen um die Plattform und der Export organischen Materials von der Plattform wurden quantifiziert. Die räumliche Ausdehnung und die Erheblichkeit von Auswirkungen auf die Lebensgemeinschaften des Meeresbodens wurden anhand mathematischer Modellierung abgeschätzt. Zusätzlich wurde die Anwendbarkeit der elektrochemischen Akretionstechnologie zur Schaffung naturnaher Kalksubstrate in der Nordsee getestet und geeignete Parameter für eine erfolgreiche Umsetzung unter Nordseebedingungen ermittelt. Die auch 4,5 Jahre nach Errichtung der Plattform noch ansteigende Artenzahl der Aufwuchsfauna lässt darauf schließen, dass der Sukzessionsprozess noch nicht abgeschlossen ist. Die stark vertikal zonierte Aufwuchsfauna auf der Unterwasserkonstruktion erreicht eine Masse von ca. 5 Tonnen mit ausgeprägten saisonalen Schwankungen. Anhand von echoakustischen Untersuchungen wurden saisonal auftretende Ansammlungen pelagischer Fische um die Plattform dokumentiert. Der Nahbereich der Plattform unterschied sich durch eine Schillauflage und eine räumlich und zeitlich sehr variable Sediment- und Bodenfaunazusammensetzung deutlich von einem Referenzgebiet in 200-400 m Abstand von der Plattform. Eine konzentrische Zonierung mit unterschiedlich stark ausgeprägten Veränderungen der Bodenfauna lässt auf komplexe Veränderung des gesamten lokalen Nahrungsgefüges im Nahbereich der Plattform schließen. Anhand einer Modellierung konnte der Materialexport in die umgebenden Weichbodenbereiche für einzelne Piles und einen hypothetischen Windpark abgeschätzt werden. Die lokale Ausbildung einer hohen Biomasse auf der Unterwasserkonstruktion von WEA sowie der Export mit anschließender Sedimentation lassen zumindest lokal einen erheblichen Einfluss auf Stoff- und Energieflüsse erwarten.

Seawater carbonate chemistry near the Island of Ischia, Italy, 2008

We present the first study of the effects of ocean acidification on settlement of benthic invertebrates and microfauna. Artificial collectors were placed for 1 month along pH gradients at CO2 vents off Ischia (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). Seventy-nine taxa were identified from six main taxonomic groups (foraminiferans, nematodes, polychaetes, molluscs, crustaceans and chaetognaths). Calcareous foraminiferans, serpulid polychaetes, gastropods and bivalves showed highly significant reductions in recruitment to the collectors as pCO2 rose from normal (336-341 ppm, pH 8.09-8.15) to high levels (886-5,148 ppm) causing acidified conditions near the vents (pH 7.08-7.79). Only the syllid polychaete Syllis prolifera had higher abundances at the most acidified station, although a wide range of polychaetes and small crustaceans was able to settle and survive under these conditions. A few taxa (Amphiglena mediterranea, Leptochelia dubia, Caprella acanthifera) were particularly abundant at stations acidified by intermediate amounts of CO2 (pH 7.41-7.99). These results show that increased levels of CO2 can profoundly affect the settlement of a wide range of benthic organisms.