Shallow-water Species Research Articles

Respiration of four species of deep-sea demersal fishes measured in situ in the eastern North Pacific

The lack of data on the metabolism of deep-sea demersal fishes is a major gap in our ecological knowledge of the deep ocean. Metabolism influences individual rate processes such as resource utilization, growth, and reproduction. It also correlates with an animal's ability to accommodate ocean acidification. Here we describe an autonomous in situ respirometry system that is deployed autonomously from a ship to capture fishes attracted to bait, and measure their rate of oxygen consumption. This instrument is multi-chambered and relies on the fish to actuate the capture mechanism and start the experiments. Although capture rates were low, data on five fishes were obtained including Eptatretus deani, two Coryphaenoides acrolepis, Antimora microlepis, and Pachycara gymninium. The metabolisms of the latter two species were measured for the first time. The metabolic rates were low (0.09–0.40 μmols O 2 g −1 h −1 at temperatures of 1.8–4.0 °C) in comparison to shallow water species. After taking temperature differences into account only the metabolic rates of benthopelagic species, C. acrolepis and A. microlepis, were substantially lower, by an order of magnitude, than shallow water relatives such as cod and pollock. The metabolic rate of the deep-sea fishes varied considerably clearly warranting further experiments to ascertain which factors are likely to explain the differences.

Morphology and taxonomy of a new species of Leptogorgia (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae) in Cocos Island National Park, Pacific Costa Rica

Abstract Leptogorgia tricorata is a new shallow-water species found at 14–22 m depth at two rocky islets on the north side of Cocos Island National Park, Costa Rica. The branching pattern, the small size, bright yellow color, long spindles (up to 0.2 mm), and the occurrence of tentacular rods distinguish the new species from others in the genus. Gorgoniids are rare in shallow waters at Cocos Island. Including the new species there are only three species found so far in the region. Leptogorgia tricorata is described, illustrated, and compared with other similar species of the genus reported from the eastern Pacific.

What have natural and human changes wrought on the foraminifera of San Francisco Bay late Quaternary estuaries?

In this study we compare the foraminifera of modern South San Francisco Bay with fossils from sediments of a previous estuary at 125 ka to provide a basis for interpreting the impact of natural and human change on the benthic ecosystem. All the species found in the Pleistocene sediments of this study are estuarine and/or shallow-water species occurring commonly in San Francisco Bay today, except for the introduced foraminifer Trochammina hadai, a native of Japan that was not found in samples taken in San Francisco Bay before 1983. The biodiversity and species composition of the fossil and modern assemblages before the introduction of T. hadai are nearly identical, suggesting that the environmental and physical changes in the 125,000-year-old and modern estuaries have not had a significant effect on the meiofauna of the Bay. In contrast, modern anthropogenic change in the form of species introductions has impacted the modern foraminiferal assemblage: T. hadai began to dominate the modern assemblage a decade after its introduction. Similar to the recorded impacts of introductions of marine metazoan invertebrate species, the dominance of T. hadai changed species proportions in the post-1980s foraminiferal assemblage, however no known extinctions in the native foraminiferal fauna occurred.

Shallow-water species of the genus Aplidium (Ascidiacea) from Kamchatka and Commander Islands

Four shallow-water colonial ascidians of the genus Aplidium (Aplousobranhia: Polyclinidae) are identified in the material collected by SCUBA divers off the coast of East Kamchatka and Commander Islands. Three species from Kamchatka were previously known from this region but were wrongly identified and two of them (A. dissectum n. sp. and A. eborinum n. sp.) are now redescribed as new species. Aplidium redikorzevi nom nov. (for Amaroucium fragile Redikorzev, 1927) is recorded on Commander Islands first time from its original description.

An updated review of alien species on the coasts of Turkey

This 2010 review of alien species along the coasts of Turkey represents a total of 400 alien species belonging to 14 systematic groups. The present paper also reports the first findings ofVanderhorstia mertensi in the Aegean Sea (Gökova Bay), Chama adspersa in the Sea of Marmara andMya arenaria in the Aegean Sea. A total of 124 new alien species was determined within the last 5 years. Mollusca had the highest number of species (105 species), followed by Polychaeta (75 species), Crustacea (64 species) and Pisces (58 species). The highest number of alien species (330 species) were encountered on the Levantine coast of Turkey, followed by the Aegean Sea (165 species), Sea of Marmara (69 species) and Black Sea (20 species). The Suez Canal (66% of the total number of alien species) is the main vector for species introductions to the coasts of Turkey, followed by the ship-mediated transport (30%). The majority of species (306 species, 76% of total number of species) have become established in the area, while 59 species are classified as casual (15%), 23 species as questionable (6%) and 13 species as cryptogenic (3%). One new alien species was introduced to the coasts of Turkey every 4 weeks between 1991 and 2010. The majority of aliens were found on soft substratum (198 species) in shallow waters (0-10 m) (319 species). Some species such asCaulerpa racemosa, Amphistegina lobifera, Amphisorus hemprichii, Rhopilema nomadica, Mnemiopsis leidyi, Hydroides spp., Ficopomatus enigmaticus, Charybdis longicollis, Rapana venosa, Asterias rubens, Siganus spp. and Lagocephalus sceleratus show high invasive characters, and have great impacts both on the prevailing ecosystems and humans.

Chironomidae (Insecta: Diptera) succession in Żabieniec bog and its palaeo-lake (central Poland) through the Late Weichselian and Holocene

Subfossil Chironomidae assemblages were studied in a sediment sequence from Żabieniec bog in central Poland. The climate history and habitat changes in the palaeo-lake were reconstructed from these assemblages. Currently no chironomid-based climate calibration set is available from Poland and so past mean July air temperatures were inferred from chironomid-climate calibration data-sets from Norway, Russia, and Switzerland. During the Late Weichselian the three calibration functions from these data-sets provided similar temperature inferences but there was some divergence in the reconstructions for the Younger Dryas and Holocene. In the late Pleniglacial, inferred summer air temperature was relatively low (8–12 °C) and the lake was oligotrophic. At about 16.5 ka BP, temperature rapidly rose to 15 °C and assemblage diversity substantially increased. During the interstadial, temperature stayed at this level. In the Younger Dryas, July air temperature was only 1–2 °C lower than in the interstadial, as inferred from the Norwegian calibration data-set, whereas the Russian and Swiss calibration functions did not indicate any temperature decrease. From the beginning of the Holocene, taxa typical of meso-eutrophic conditions dominated. There was an increased abundance of phytophilous species and the assemblage composition was also influenced by changes in water-level. Palaeotemperature reconstructions differed in their values. From 8.0 to 8.7 ka BP, inferences based on the Swiss and Russian data-sets indicated a cold oscillation while reconstructions based on the Norwegian data-set did not show any temperature decrease. After 2.5 ka BP assemblage diversity and head-capsule concentrations decreased. In the last millennium semi-terrestrial taxa dominated, except from Late Medieval to Early Modern times when shallow-water species reappeared.

Effects of water temperatures, UV radiation and low vs high PAR on phlorotannin content and germination in zoospores of Saccorhiza dermatodea (Tilopteridales, Phaeophyceae)

Steinhoff F.S., Wiencke C., Wuttke S. and Bischof K. 2011. Effects of water temperatures, UV radiation and low vs high PAR on phlorotannin content and germination in zoospores of Saccorhiza dermatodea (Tilopteridales, Phaeophyceae). Phycologia 50: 256–263. DOI: 10.2216/09-107.1Global climate change will have multiple effects on our environment and might especially change marine coastal ecosystems and their communities due to rising water temperatures and changing light regimes in the water column. Due to the key role of zoospores in the life-history cycle of kelps, we investigated how zoospores of the shallow water species Saccorhiza dermatodea (B. de la Pylaie) J.E. Areschoug respond to interactive effects of changing water temperatures, low/high photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and UV radiation (UVR). Zoospores were examined with respect to germination pattern (germination rates, light micrographs) and phlorotannin content (Folin–Ciocalteu method). In summer 2007, we exposed S. dermatodea zoospores, obtained from fertile thalli in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard, Norway), to low PAR laboratory [UV-B∶UV-A∶PAR (W m−2) 8∶114∶100; 2–17°C] and high PAR outdoor experimental conditions [UV-B∶UV-A∶PAR (W m−2) 0.1∶5∶100; 7°C] for 8 h. Under low PAR+UVR conditions and at 2–12°C, almost 98% of zoospores germinated in all light treatments. The germination rate was reduced under PAR+UV-A+UV-B only in the 17°C and 7°C outdoor treatment, to 21.4% and 9.6%, respectively. Light microscopic investigations showed differences in germling appearance, growth and pigmentation in the outdoor treatment and at 17°C low PAR conditions, compared with all other treatments, after an exposure time of 8 h. However, phlorotannin content within zoospores remained unaffected by changing UV and low/high PAR conditions. These results suggest that combined effects of present water temperatures, high PAR and UVR can exhibit similar effects on germination as the combined effects of unnatural high temperatures (17°C), low PAR and UVR. With respect to global climate change, the ecological implications of the present study illustrate that zoospores of S. dermatodea are able to survive enhanced water temperatures up to 12°C. Moreover, high PAR in combination with UVR might potentially affect zoospores of S. dermatodea stronger than expected in clear waters.

Revision of Piromis Kinberg, 1867 and Pycnoderma Grube, 1877 (Polychaeta: Flabelligeridae)

The taxonomy of flabelligerid polychaetes has been difficult because of three main problems: 1) the eversible anterior end is rarely exposed and its appendices are poorly known, 2) there is no standard terminology for chaetae, and 3) most generic definitions have been unstable or improperly defined. A redefinition and revision of all species in Piromis Kinberg, 1867 and Pycnoderma Grube, 1877 is herein presented. Piromis, Pycnoderma, and Trophoniella Caullery, 1944 share a thick tunic and a projected, tongue-shaped branchial plate. Their main difference is the type of neurochaetae in median and posterior chaetigers; thus, Piromis has multiarticulate, often bidentate neurochaetae, whereas Pycnoderma has oligoarticulate, often mucronate neurochaetae, while Trophoniella has anchylosed neurochaetae. This latter genus is being revised elsewhere. The species in Piromis or Trophoniella are separated depending on the extent and type of sediment cover, together with the presence of notopodial or dorsal lobes, the relative length of chaetal articles, especially in neurochaetae, and the relative abundance of body papillae or cephalic cage chaetae. As herein defined, Piromis includes 12 species with five being newly described, while Pycnoderma includes eight species with three being newly described. The species in Piromis are P. arenosus Kinberg, 1867 (type species), P. amoureuxi n. sp. from the Lesser Antilles, P. brisegnoi n. sp. from the Gulf of California, P. capulata (Moore, 1909) n. comb., P. eruca (Claparède, 1869), P. fauchaldi n. sp. from the Gulf of California, P. kisemboanus (Augener, 1918) n. comb., P. robertsi (Hartman, 1951), P. suni n. sp. from the South China Sea, P. vossae n. sp. from the Strait of Florida, P. websteri Day, 1973 n. status, and P. wehei n. sp. from the Indian Ocean. On the other hand, the species in Pycnoderma are P. congoense Grube, 1877 (type species), P. dannyi n. sp. from tropical Western Africa, P. escobarae n. sp. from the Gulf of Mexico, P. ferruginea (Gallardo, 1968) n. comb., P. glabra (Treadwell, 1901) n. comb., P. glasbyi n. sp. from Northeastern Australia, P. gracilis (Hartman, 1961) n. comb., and P. talehsapensis (Fauvel, 1932) n. comb. Another species, P. fernandense Augener, 1918, described from two localities from Ghana and Equatorial Guinea, is transferred to Trophoniella Caullery, 1944, by having anchylosed neurospines in posterior chaetigers. All Piromis and Pycnoderma species thrive in sediments, sometimes in mixed environments, in tropical to temperate regions. Piromis includes mostly shallow water species while Pycnoderma includes species living in greater depths.

Pacifigorgia marviva(Anthozoa: Octocorallia) a new species from Coiba National Park, Pacific Panama

Pacifigorgia marviva, a new shallow-water species of the family Gorgoniidae, was found in Coiba National Park, Pacific Panama at 35–40 m depth. It is characterized by having white to cream, small, erect colonies composed of 1–4 fronds, stems short or absent network irregular and open without fan midribs, and polyp mounds slightly raised and sparsely distributed. All sclerites are colourless. Coenenchymal sclerites mostly composed of long spindles reaching up to 0.25 mm in length, and long and thin anthocodial rods, up to 0.16 mm in length. Morphological characters are analysed and illustrated. Scanning electron microscopy was used for sclerite study. The new species is herein described and compared with other similar species reported from the eastern Pacific.Pacifigoria marvivaincreases the number ofPacifigorgiaspecies to 35; 20 in Panama representing 57% of the genus in the eastern Pacific, followed by Costa Rica and Ecuador with 14 and 10 species, respectively.

Elucidating Marine Biogeography with Macrophytes: Quantitative Analysis of the North Atlantic Supports the Thermogeographic Model and Demonstrates a Distinct Subarctic Region in the Northwestern Atlantic

Quantitative analysis of North Atlantic macrophyte (seaweed) abundance was used to test the thermogeographic model (TM) of marine biogeography. The TM uses coastal area and seawater temperature over Pleistocene time to reveal long-term climate/ area clusters that predict biogeographic regions. An earlier study with the TM predicted 20 of 24 classical biogeographic regions; the 4 omitted regions were either weak, disputed, or structurally (sandy/silty regions) inapplicable to the TM. The TM predicted a new western North Atlantic Subarctic Region, centered on the Strait of Belle Isle and lying between Newfoundland and Labrador. In contrast, Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine were found to be a Boreal/Subarctic transition zone. The predictions of the TM were earlier supported with coralline algal abundances, and here are supported by a test with macrophyte assemblages.Seaweed assemblages were studied at 51 primary SCUBA stations with 4–7 standard depth zones at each station from southern Labrador to Cape Elizabeth, ME. Meter-square quadrats were taken at each station, followed by at-sea sorting, identification, and weighing of biomass by species. A permanent record of these studies is provided by archived underwater photography and voucher herbarium samples, including tissue in silica gel to support future DNA analyses. Comparisons of European seaweed assemblages were accomplished by re-analyzing semi-quantitative data available in the literature.We demonstrate with the biomass data that a 3000-km stretch of coast (i.e., northern Gulf of St. Lawrence, northeastern Newfoundland, and southern Labrador) that is centered on the Strait of Belle Isle has a unique assemblage of seaweeds. In its location and marine climate, this coast closely matches the Subarctic Region predicted by the TM. Based on graphic demonstration, this Subarctic Region is radically different from that of Nova Scotia and the Gulf of Maine, and its dominant species derive from the North Pacific Ocean. Several different statistical approaches applied to the macrophyte data demonstrate the strength of these findings, while also finding that a subset of Subarctic species persists in deeper water to the south in the transition zone (i.e., southwestern Nova Scotia, Gulf of Maine). Only a very small proportion of the seaweed flora of the Subarctic Region is Arctic in origin (<4%). Earlier geographic analyses of biodiversity did not discover the Subarctic Region because rare species hide the strength of assemblages based on abundance.Many of the dominant seaweeds in the transitional region of the Gulf of Maine and Nova Scotia occur widely in Europe, and are Boreal in origin. Such Boreal species form 47–80% of the macrophyte biomass at depths shallower than 5 m in the northwestern Atlantic transition zone southwest of the Subarctic Region. In deeper water (>5 m), however, European Boreal species are only 22–25% of the macrophyte biomass. Although many of the dominant, shallow sublittoral species of the European Boreal flora have made the North Atlantic passage, only about 10% (by biomass) of mid-depth species (2.5–5 m) have crossed and even fewer of the deeper European species are found in the northwestern Atlantic. A few European “Boreal” seaweeds reach further north into the Subarctic Region, but only at low levels of biomass and primarily at mid-depths (2.5–5 m). The Subarctic is inhospitable for establishment of such species in shallow water because of low winter temperatures and sea ice, and in deeper water by low summer temperatures (<5 °C).Few ecologists have had the opportunity to work in the Subarctic Region; instead, most of the recent descriptive and experimental studies of northwestern Atlantic ecosystems are based on studies in the smaller transition zone in the Gulf of Maine and southwestern Nova Scotia. Consequently, we provide detailed photographic, tabular, and graphic descriptions of the seaweed assemblages within the Subarctic and their interactions with

The integration of locomotion and prey capture in divergent cottid fishes: functional disparity despite morphological similarity

Many mobile animals rely on the integration of locomotion and feeding to capture prey. Fishes commonly swim up to a prey item and utilize a combination of ram and suction feeding for prey capture. Marine cottids represent a diverse and abundant lineage of fishes that exhibit variation in feeding mode that is related to their mouth morphology. However, little is known regarding the integration of the locomotor and feeding systems during prey capture. We quantified the feeding kinematics, feeding performance and integration of locomotion and feeding in two species of divergent cottids: Blepsias cirrhosus (silver-spotted sculpin) and Oligocottus maculosus (tidepool sculpin). Individuals were caught from sympatric habitats near the Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on Vancouver Island and filmed with a high-speed video camera (500 Hz) while feeding on amphipod prey. Two principal component axes summarize differences in integration and feeding mode despite similarity in attack velocity and feeding morphology (peak gape, peak cranial elevation and peak jaw protrusion). A greater number of correlations between locomotor and feeding variables in B. cirrhosus, compared with O. maculosus, indicate greater integration. We conclude that traditional measures of attack kinematics do not capture functionally and ecologically relevant differences between species. The mechanisms underlying differences in locomotor strategy likely result from unexplored morphological or ecological differences between species. In cottids, integration is apparent in more basal, subtidal species such as B. cirrhosus, and the need for integration may be superceded by demands from the habitat in more derived, shallow-water species such as O. maculosus.

A comparative study on the visual adaptations of four species of moray eel

The goal of this study was to investigate how the eyes of different species of moray eel evolved to cope with limitations to vision imposed on them by the photic environments in which they reside. The comparative retinal histological structures and visual pigment characteristics including opsin gene sequences, of four species of moray eel inhabiting diverse habitats (i.e., shallow-water species, Rhinomuraena quaesita and Gymnothorax favagineus, and deep-sea species, Gymnothorax reticularis and Strophidon sathete) were examined. The histological sections showed that retinal layer structures of R. quaestia are significantly different from those of the other three species which likely reflects the effects of distribution depth on the structures. The maximal absorbance wavelength (λmax) of photoreceptor cells, as measured by microspectrophotometry (MSP), showed a close correlation between the λmax and the intensity/spectral quality of the light environment where each species lives. The spectra-shift, between shallow and deep-sea species, observed in the rods cells results from amino acid substitution in Rh1 gene, while that in cones most likely results from differential expression of multiple Rh2 genes.

A comparative study of the Bivalvia (Mollusca) from the continental shelves of Antarctica and Brazil

During identification of bivalve molluscs collected in Antarctica, a rich taxonomic bibliography was gathered, stimulating comparisons with the Brazilian malacofauna. We listed a total of 68 and 368 known shallow-water species (less than 200 m depth) from Antarctica and Brazil, respectively, in order to find species, families and superfamilies in common, and to investigate how these malacofaunas differ in regard to these representative groups and their life habits. There are 23 superfamilies absent in Antarctica, but present in Brazil with at least one species; the reverse does not occur, as all superfamilies known from Antarctica are also recorded from Brazil. The number of Brazilian species is higher, being composed of a mixture of taxa from different biogeographical provinces, whereas in Antarctica there are only a few species adapted to its polar conditions, with minor components from elsewhere. Thus, many typical Caribbean species extend into Brazil, belonging to the diverse Arcoidea, Pectinoidea, Lucinoidea, Cardioidea, Veneroidea, and Tellinoidea. Cemented Ostreoidea, Plicatuloidea, Dimyoidea, Spondylidae (Pectinoidea), and Chamoidea are absent from Antarctica, as are wood (Teredinidae, Pholadoidea) and rock borers (Pholadidae, Pholadoidea; Gastrochaenoidea; and Lithophaginae, Mytiloidea). A large number of Brazilian species of infaunal (e.g., Tellinidae, Veneridae, Cardiidae, and Mactroidea) and epifaunal groups (Pectinidae, Mytilidae, and Arcidae) are absent from or poorly represented in Antarctica. Nuculanoidea, Limopsoidea, Lucinoidea, Galeommatoidea, Cyamioidea, and Cuspidarioidea are the richest groups in Antarctica; some of them are also represented by several species in Brazil, albeit in deeper waters. Three species are recorded as living in both places: Limatula pygmaea (Limidae), Lasaea adansoni (Lasaeidae), and Gaimardia trapesina (Gaimardiidae). Through the analysis of these groups from each fauna, it is possible to identify those that are taxonomically diverse in one place or another, and then emphasize them in ecological studies, eventually using them as model or monitoring organisms. The present paper can be a starting point for future discussion on the existing latitudinal gradients along the coast of eastern South America, stimulating studies on changes occurring in the composition of the faunas of bivalves from Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina, and Antarctica.

Distribution and limnological drivers of submerged aquatic plant communities in Lake Simcoe (Ontario, Canada): Utility of macrophytes as bioindicators of lake trophic status

Species composition, distribution, and biomass of submerged aquatic plants were studied in Lake Simcoe (Ontario, Canada) as was the use of macrophytes as indicators of lake trophic status. While previous studies in this lake targeted one eutrophic embayment, this study covered the entire lake area, identified five areas of high plant biomass and recorded 16 macrophyte species; the community was dominated by Ceratophyllum demersum (39.1% of the total biomass), the invasive species Myriophyllum spicatum (27.4%), Elodea canadensis (10.7%) and Chara spp. (9.7%). Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified four significant limnological variables related to plant biomass: (a) depth, likely a proxy for light levels; (b) substrate type, related to nutrient availability, stability, and wave exposure; (c) phosphorus loading from the closest tributary; and (d) size of the area drained by a tributary. Since initial (1971) macrophyte surveys on Lake Simcoe, the community has been dramatically altered by expansion of an invasive species (i.e. M. spicatum) resulting in declines of native shallow-water species (e.g. Chara spp.). The arrival of zebra mussels ( Dreissenia polymorpha) ~ 1995 and reductions in phosphorus loading have increased water clarity, extending the maximum depth of plant colonization (6.0 m in 1984 to 10.5 m in 2008), and almost tripled macrophyte biomass (1.2 kg·m −2 in 1984 to 3.1 kg·m −2 in 2008). Increased plant biomass, and a loss of species diversity due to spread of M. spicatum are interpreted by macrophyte indices as a decrease in lake trophic status, which likely explains why these indices did not follow trends in reduced phosphorus loading.

Shallow-water species of Beania Johnston, 1840 (Bryozoa, Cheilostomata) from the tropical and subtropical Western Atlantic

Shallow-water species of Beania Johnston, 1840 (Bryozoa, Cheilostomata) from the tropical and subtropical Western Atlantic

Reverse Evolution in RH1 for Adaptation of Cichlids to Water Depth in Lake Tanganyika

Reverse evolution is a widespread phenomenon in biology, but the genetic mechanism for the reversal of a genetic change for adaptation to the ancestral state is not known. Here, we report the first case of complete reverse evolution of two amino acids, serine and alanine, at a single position in RH1 opsin pigment for adaptation to water depth. We determined RH1 sequences of cichlid fishes from four tribes of Lake Tanganyika with different habitat depths. Most of the species were divided into two types: RH1 with 292A for species in shallow water or 292S for species in deep water. Both types were adapted to their ambient light environments as indicated by the absorption spectra of the RH1 pigments. Based on the RH1 locus tree and ecological data, we inferred the ancestral amino acids at position 292 and the distribution of the depth ranges (shallow or deep) of ancestral species of each tribe. According to these estimates, we identified two distinct parallel adaptive evolutions: The replacement A292S occurred at least four times for adaptation from shallow to deep water, and the opposite replacement S292A occurred three times for adaptation from deep to shallow water. The latter parallelism represents the complete reverse evolution from the derived to the ancestral state, following back adaptive mutation with reversal of the RH1 pigment function accompanied by reversal of the species habitat shift.

Shallow-water wave lensing in coral reefs: a physical and biological case study

Wave lensing produces the highest level of transient solar irradiances found in nature, ranging in intensity over several orders of magnitude in just a few tens of milliseconds. Shallow coral reefs can be exposed to wave lensing during light-wind, clear-sky conditions, which have been implicated as a secondary cause of mass coral bleaching through light stress. Management strategies to protect small areas of high-value reef from wave-lensed light stress were tested using seawater irrigation sprinklers to negate wave lensing by breaking up the water surface. A series of field and tank experiments investigated the physical and photophysiological response of the shallow-water species Stylophora pistillata and Favites abdita to wave lensing and sprinkler conditions. Results show that the sprinkler treatment only slightly reduces the total downwelling photosynthetically active and ultraviolet irradiance (∼5.0%), whereas it dramatically reduces, by 460%, the irradiance variability caused by wave lensing. Despite this large reduction in variability and modest reduction in downwelling irradiance, there was no detectable difference in photophysiological response of the corals between control and sprinkler treatments under two thermal regimes of ambient (27°C) and heated treatment (31°C). This study suggests that shallow-water coral species are not negatively affected by the strong flashes that occur under wave-lensing conditions.

A new classification of the Galatheoidea (Crustacea: Decapoda: Anomura)

The high level classification of the Galatheoidea, popularly known as squat lobsters, has been relatively stable for almost a century. Multiple recent studies of their interrelationships, however, have revealed significant incongruities between the traditional classification and phylogeny. The Aeglidae, Chirostylidae and Kiwaidae were recently removed to other superfamilies. On the basis of previous phylogenetic analyses, we herein revise the higher classification of the remaining Galatheoidea to comprise four families: Galatheidae, Munididae fam. nov., Munidopsidae, and Porcellanidae. The galatheoid families are both morphologically and ecologically distinct. Members of the Munidopsidae are distinguished by the absence or reduction of the maxilliped 1 flagellum and usually occur in outer slope or abyssal habitats. Members of the Munididae fam. nov. are united by the trifid or trispinous anterior margin of the carapace and usually occur at outer shelf or slope depths. The Galatheidae includes primarily shallow water species, united by a broad, triangular rostrum, and is most closely related to the porcelain crabs, Porcellanidae. The families of the Galatheoidea are diagnosed and a diagnostic key provided. Extant and fossil genera are listed for each galatheoid squat lobster family.

The inner ear and its coupling to the swim bladder in the deep-sea fish Antimora rostrata (Teleostei: Moridae)

The inner ear structure of Antimora rostrata and its coupling to the swim bladder were analyzed and compared with the inner ears of several shallow-water species that also have similar coupling. The inner ear of Antimora has a long saccular otolith and sensory epithelium as compared to many other fishes. Some parts of the membranous labyrinth are thick and rigid, while other parts are thinner but attached tightly to the bony capsule. The partially rigid membranous labyrinth, along with its intimate connection to the swim bladder, may help the inner ear follow the sound oscillations from the swim bladder with better precision than would occur in a less rigid inner ear. In addition, the saccular sensory epithelium has an elaborate structure and an anterior enlargement that may be correlated with increased hearing sensitivity. Some of the features in the inner ear of Antimora may reflect the functional specialization of deep-water living and support the hypothesis that there is enhanced inner ear sensitivity in some deep-sea fishes.

Genetic Diversity Levels in Fishery-Exploited Spiny Lobsters of the Genus Palinurus (Decapoda: Achelata)

Abstract Most fisheries involving spiny lobsters of the genus Palinurus have been overexploited during the last decades, so there is a raising concern about management decisions for these valuable resources. A total of 13 microsatellite DNA loci recently developed in Palinurus elephas were assayed in order to assess genetic diversity levels in every known species of the genus. Microsatellite markers gave amplifications and showed polymorphism in all species, with gene diversity values varying from 0.650 ± 0.077 SD (Palinurus barbarae) to 0.792 ± 0.051 SD (Palinurus elephas). Most importantly, when depth distribution was taken into account, shallower water species consistently showed larger historical effective population sizes than their deeper-water counterparts. This could explain why deeper-water species are more sensitive to overfishing, and would indicate that overexploitation may have a larger impact on their long-term genetic diversity.