Unidentified Specimens Research Articles

Aiouea ombrophila (Lauraceae), a new large tree from the wet mountains of the Atlantic Rainforest, Brazil

The study of tree species in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest continues to reveal new discoveries. Herbarium collections often harbor specimens that do not fit into known taxa. During our research, we encountered an unidentified Lauraceae specimen, prompting us to conduct fieldwork in the forest to investigate further. This study describes Aiouea ombrophila Brotto & Völtz, a large tree from the rainiest parts of the mountainous slopes of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo states, Brazil, at elevations between 950 and 2000 m. We provide a comprehensive description of the new species, including illustrations, a distribution map, an extinction risk assessment, and a comparative table distinguishing it from other species.

New insights into the Devonian sea spiders of the Hunsrück Slate (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida).

The sea spiders (Pycnogonida Latreille, 1810) of the Hunsrück Slate (Lower Devonian, ~400 million years ago) are iconic in their abundance, exquisite pyritic preservation, and in their distinctive body plan compared to extant sea spiders (Pantopoda Gerstäcker, 1863). Consequently, the Hunsrück sea spiders are important in understanding the deep evolutionary history of Pycnogonida, yet they remain poorly characterised, impacting upon attempts to establish a time-calibrated phylogeny of sea spiders. Here, we investigated previously described and new material representing four of the five Hunsrück pycnogonids: Flagellopantopus blocki Poschmann & Dunlop, 2006; Palaeoisopus problematicus Broili, 1928; Palaeopantopus maucheri Broili, 1929; and Pentapantopus vogteli Kühl, Poschmann & Rust, 2013; as well as a few unidentified specimens. Using X-ray microtomography and Reflectance Transformation Imaging, we describe new fossils, provide evidence for newly revealed anatomical features, and interpret these data in comparison to extant species. We also reinterpret the previously published illustration of the (probably lost) holotype of Palaeothea devonica Bergström, Stürmer & Winter, 1980. We provide the first detailed description of the cephalic appendages of Palaeoisopus problematicus and revise the interpretation of the organisation of its ocular tubercle. Furthermore, we provide new insights into the structure of the legs and the proboscis of Palaeopantopus maucheri, the first description of the body of Flagellopantopus blocki and describe a new specimen of Pentapantopus vogteli, demonstrating that it had eight legs, in contrast to previous interpretations. We argue that, contrary to previous suggestions, Palaeothea devonica probably had a different body plan from extant pantopods. We discuss the ecological traits of the Hunsrück pycnogonids based on their morphological adaptations, and conclude that there is no compelling evidence of Pantopoda in the Devonian. Through comparative interpretation of the legs as well as general morphology, we can divide the Hunsrück pycnogonids into two morphological groups, while Pantopoda constitutes a third morphological group.

Ground-dwelling invertebrates from an Urban park in the Brazilian Amazon, with particular reference to Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae).

The ground-dwelling invertebrate fauna from an urban park in Belém, Amazonian Brazil, with particular reference to the subfamily Phlebotominae (Diptera: Psychodidae), were characterized. Sampling was performed from March 2022 to May 2023, with 10 emergence traps installed in 2 microhabitats, 5 in each 1: "M1," which included surrounding (up to 1.5 m) trees with tabular roots, and "M2," which included no trees with tabular roots. Invertebrates trapped in adhesive papers were assessed on 2 occasions/cycles (D21/D42). During 10 sampling cycles (10 traps/cycle = 100 samples), 6,490 invertebrates were captured (M1, n = 4,203; M2, n = 2,287) and classified into 5 classes and 21 orders, with Diptera (n = 2,309; 35.6%) being the most abundant. Twenty-nine specimens of the following phlebotomine species were captured: Nyssomyia antunesi (M1, n = 10; M2, n = 3), Trichophoromyia ubiquitalis (M1, n = 6; M2, n = 1), Th. brachipyga (M1, n = 0; M2, n = 2), Bichromomyia flaviscutellata (M1, n = 2; M2, n = 1) and 4 unidentified specimens (M1, n = 2; M2, n = 2). The male/female ratio was 1.08. Fractional vegetation cover was compared, and the physiochemical characteristics of the soil were compared between the microhabitats. Only temperature showed significant differences. A weak positive correlation was found between phlebotomines and other dipterans and between temperature and the amount of organic matter in the soil. Both sampled microhabitats were shown to be suitable for the development and maintenance of different invertebrates, mainly dipterans. The composition of ground-emerging phlebotomine species was similar to that previously surveyed with light traps, including species associated with the transmission of Leishmania spp.

Community Structures of On-Farm Tree Species in Budaka Sub-County, Budaka District, Eastern Uganda

Tree species population composition and diversity refers to the variety of tree species and their relative abundance in an ecosystem. In most tropical agro-ecosystems where land cover changes are faster than natural restoration, tree species composition, distribution, richness and diversity and the services provided by them are particularly susceptible to change globally from continuous stress factors such as bushfires, logging and cultivation. Data for the study was obtained from trees inventory using a systematic random sampling technique. A quadrant measuring 25m x 25m was laid. A total of sixty quadrants were used in the study. Each quadrant was demarcated using a measuring tape and its boundaries marked using pegs. All tree species encountered in each quadrant were identified and recorded. The unidentified specimens were collected, pressed and taken to Makerere University herbarium for proper identification. The results from the study revealed a total of 28 tree species belonging to 16 families were documented as being used by people in the four surveyed villages of Budaka Sub County, where Family Moraceae had the highest number of tree species with no significance difference in the density, diversity, richness, evenness, poles, saplings and seedlings of tree species across the four villages (Kruskal-Wallis P< 0.05). This indicates that these trees are under threat in the study area. This situation is quite alarming and calls for more resourceful and sustainable management and conservation techniques. Among others, it is suggested that laws should be enacted to protect the resource from further timber and fuel wood exploitation in the area in order to allow it to regenerate fully.

Developing a model to predict number of unidentified specimens: A case study from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia, Canada

Highly fragmented assemblages are challenging for zooarchaeologists. Large numbers of morphologically unidentifiable specimens are time consuming to analyze, but may provide valuable information about past subsistence practices. Faced with an assemblage of approximately 30,000 unidentifiable specimens from the Interior Plateau of British Columbia, Canada, I developed a model to predict NSP from bone weight. Although the model would benefit from a larger sample size and data splitting, it can assist zooarchaeologists working with limited budgets and tight time constraints to analyze large assemblages.

Species Occurrence of Weevils in the Northern Part of Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park, Philippines

Weevils are small beetles with long, narrow snouts which is a characteristic of insects belonging to the Curculionidae family. A study on the species composition of weevils was conducted in the northern part of Mt. Malindang Range Natural Park last February 2023. Field investigations were done using a combination of transect walk and opportunistic sampling. A total of 195 individuals of weevils were recorded, comprising seventeen (17) species belonging to two (2) genera- Metapocyrtus and Alcidodes . Metapocyrtus malindangensis was observed in all sampling sites. Site 1 (Gandawan) had the highest species richness (N=13), and the highest species diversity (H’=2.016) was recorded in Site 2 (Lake Duminagat). Cluster analysis showed that weevil species in Lake Duminagat and Uluhan sa Dapitan have closer similarities. The study also recorded unidentified specimens that are potentially new to science. It is highly recommended that more explorations should be conducted to record the species occurrence of weevils in other parts of Mt. Malindang. Keywords : Curculionidae, endemic, Metapocyrtus, opportunisti

Monitoring of respiratory viral infections in Moscow during 2011–2022

Introduction. Respiratory viruses (RV) circulate throughout the world and in all seasons of the year. Long-term monitoring of the distribution of respiratory pathogens is necessary to analyze the relevance of diagnostic systems to current viral isolates, to assess the risks of infection and the need for vaccine development and use, as well as to investigate the interdependence of RV reproduction in mixed infections.
 Objective — to study the causative agents of acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) in Moscow during 2011–2022 by reverse transcription with subsequent polymerase chain reaction with fluorescent hydrolysis probes detection in real-time (RT2-PCR).
 Materials and Methods. Nasopharyngeal swabs from 3908 patients with acute respiratory infections were examined by the RT2-PCR.
 Results. Monitoring of RV spread in Moscow showed cyclical changes in frequencies with three dominant species: influenza A virus (up to 31.3%), respiratory syncytial virus (up to 24.8%) and human rhinoviruses (up to 21.3%) in 2011–2020. The increase in the portion of unidentified clinical specimens from 1.2 to 28.5% in 2022 indicated incomplete accordance of diagnostic systems to modern RV isolates or the emergence of new species or strains of pathogens. Unidirectional changes in dynamics were registered for 5 out of 9 studied RVs with correlation coefficients of 0.43–0.79. High frequencies of mixed acute respiratory viral infections (up to 33.4%) along with unidentified samples do not allow us to accurately assess the risks of infection with various RV in Moscow, but prove the necessity of preventing infectious diseases with the most common RV.
 Conclusion. Analysis of the dynamics of RV frequencies in Moscow showed the preservation of the dominant species: influenza A virus, respiratory syncytial virus and human rhinoviruses. During the period of vaccination against COVID-19, the proportion of seasonal coronaviruses increased.

Balclutha jafara (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae): integrative identification of a species introduced in the Western Hemisphere, and notes on other Balclutha.

Leafhopper specimens of the genus Balclutha Kirkaldy, found in southern Florida (Palm Beach and Collier Counties), United States, beginning in 2020, and in shipments of plant products originating from Colombia and entering the United States beginning in 2019, are identified as B. jafara Webb. This species was previously known only from the Seychelles and Aldabra Islands, which are parts of the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean east of mainland Africa. Identifications were made by comparison with type specimens, both morphologically and through molecular analysis. Specimens in Palm Beach Co. were swept from commercial rice (Oryza sativa L.) paddies. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) barcodes of specimens from Florida and Colombia were closely matched to each other and to partial barcodes obtained from paratype specimens of B. jafara. The COI barcodes also closely matched sequences from previously unidentified Balclutha specimens in the Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) from Kenya and South Africa, several of which were confirmed later morphologically as B. jafara. Previously unidentified museum specimens from South Sudan, Zambia, and Zimbabwe were determined as B. jafara. Together, these specimens show that B. jafara has a more widespread African distribution than was known previously, and that it arrived in the Western Hemisphere by 2019. Balclutha jafara is redescribed and illustrated. Further studies on the Balclutha fauna of Florida were performed. COI barcode data were generated for Floridian specimens of B. caldwelli Blocker, B. curvata Caldwell, B. flavescens (Baker), B. frontalis (Ferrari), B. incisa (Matsumura), and B. lucida (Butler). A phylogenetic analysis of COI data was conducted using publicly available sequences and those generated here. A key to the Balclutha species known from Florida is provided. The names that have been applied and mis-applied to Western Hemisphere species are discussed. To clarify the identity of some species, illustrations are given for: the female holotype and a male paratype of Eugnathodus virescens Osborn (=B. flavescens); the holotype of Nesosteles robustus Caldwell (=B. robusta); and the holotype of Balclutha curvata Caldwell. Additional barcoded specimens of Balclutha from Kenya and Pakistan were provided for examination by the BOLD research group and determined as B. sujawalensis Ahmed, previously known only from India and Pakistan, and this species is also illustrated here.

Mechanical Behavior of Seamless Pipes Using Ring Expansion Technique and Novel Hoop Stress Correlation Factor (K)

This study investigated the stress–strain behavior of seamless pipes in the hoop direction using the ring expansion test, which is a non-standardized mechanical testing technique used for evaluating the mechanical properties of round tubes. However, this technique has limitations, such as unidentified specimen geometry, strain measurement, and the estimation of friction coefficients. The study employed experimental, numerical, and analytical methodologies to address these limitations and throughout the study, a novel hoop stress correlation factor (K) was identified to be multiplied by the hoop stress derived equation for reduced section ring specimens. The experimental strain was measured using a newly derived analytical equation, and a mathematical predictive model was developed to estimate the K-factor using the Design of Experiment (DoE) and Design-Expert statistical software. The study concluded that the ring expansion test is a promising technique for evaluating the mechanical properties of seamless pipes similar to the unified axial tensile stress–strain behavior. However, future research is needed to estimate the hoop stress correlation value (K) for all ring geometries. The study's finding of the novel hoop stress correlation factor (K) in the case of a reduced section ring specimen is particularly noteworthy, as it addresses a significant research gap in the field.

New species of Monomitopus (Ophidiidae) from Hawaii, with the description of a larval coiling behavior.

In 1985, Carter and Cohen noted that there are several yet-to-be described species of Monomitopus (Ophidiidae), including one from Hawaii. Recently, blackwater divers collected a larval fish off Kona, Hawaii, similar to the previously described larvae of M. kumae, but DNA sequence data from the larva does not match any of the six previously sequenced species within the genus. Within the Smithsonian Institutions National Museum of Natural History Ichthyology Collection, we find a single unidentified adult specimen of Monomitopus collected North of Maui, Hawaii in 1972 whose fin-ray and vertebral/myomere counts overlap those of the larval specimen. We describe this new Hawaiian species of Monomitopus based on larval and adult characters. Additionally, blackwater photographs of several species of Monomitopus show the larvae coiled into a tight ball, a novel behavior to be observed in cusk-eels. We describe this behavior, highlighting the importance of blackwater photography in advancing our understanding of marine larval fish biology.

Living on the edge – first survey of loriciferans along the Atacama Trench

The fauna of Loricifera along a north-south longitudinal transect following the Atacama Trench was explored. Whereas no loriciferans were collected from the actual trench, the continental slope and surrounding abyssal plains yielded two species of Rugiloricus and two of Pliciloricus. All four species are considered as new to science, but only one of them could be formally described. The new species, Pliciloricus ukupachaensis sp. nov., is closely related with the North Atlantic Pliciloricus leocaudatus, and the two species share different morphological traits, including an enlarged anal field with conspicuous pentagonal and hexagonal fields formed by strong, cuticular ridges. Among other peculiar traits, the new species is characterised by having strongly reduced trichoscalid plates and no double trichoscalids. Comparison with previously published, unidentified specimens suggests that the new species’ distributional range might reach as far as Oregon off the US west coast.

Helminth Fauna of Juvenile Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) from Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil.

The helminth fauna of juvenile green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas Linnaeus, 1758) is still poorly known. Herein, we study the gastrointestinal helminths of 28 juvenile green sea turtles found stranded on the north coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil. All turtles were infected showing a rich helminth fauna. In total, 14802 trematodes belonging to 30 species and 5 families including Micros-caphidiidae, Plagiorchiidae, Pronocephalidae, Hapalotrematidae, and Telorchiidae were recovered. An unidentified nematode specimens was also found. The mean intensity was 536 (95% CI = 362 - 853) (range: 1 - 2831), and the species richness was 7.86 (95% CI = 6.46 - 9.21) (range: 1 - 17). The coast of Rio de Janeiro state represents new locality records for Angiodictyum posterovitellatum, Microscaphidium aberrans, M. warui, Octangium hyphalum, O. sagitta, Enodiotrema reductum and Pleurogonius laterouterus. This study confirms that the green sea turtle harbors the richest helminth fauna among sea turtle species and provides useful information on the gastrointestinal helminths of a poorly known stage in the life cycle of this endangered chelonian.

Museum specimens and occurrences of Glottidia audebarti, Discradisca strigata and other brachiopods (Brachiopoda) in the Pacific of Costa Rica

Introduction: Lamp shells or brachiopods have a rich fossil record but only about 400 extant species. Their diversity on the Eastern Pacific is poorly known and only eight species are reported for the Pacific of Costa Rica. Objective: To list the specimens from Costa Rica and provide a distribution map along its Pacific coast. Methods: We checked collections at the University of Costa Rica (MZ-UCR) and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Results: We found 22 records at MZ-UCR and 10 at Scripps, both include unidentified specimens, as well as Glottidia audebarti and Discradisca strigata, which are frequently collected intertidally. Conclusion: The study of Eastern Pacific living brachiopods is at an early stage; ecological studies could focus on the more easily accessed intertidal species.

New insights into the Enchytraeus albidus complex (Annelida, Enchytraeidae), with the description of three new species from seashores in Italy and Croatia

Between 2019 and 2021, samplings were carried out from seashores in Italy and Croatia, where specimens were found morphologically similar to the species of the Enchytraeus albidus complex. The taxon Enchytraeus albidus was recently divided into a number of separate species, and the new Italian and Croatian specimens of Enchytraeus proved to be three additional species, all new to science, based on the results of morphological and molecular studies. In this paper, we present the description of these new species, namely Enchytraeus adrianensis sp. nov., Enchytraeus andrasi sp. nov. and Enchytraeus andrasiformis sp. nov., and provide additional morphological data and new reference sequences for E. albidus s. str., E. krumbachi, E. irregularis and further unidentified specimens that belong to the E. albidus group collected formerly from Hungary, Korea, Svalbard and Kerguelen Islands.

A tribute to whom defend the forest: Hyptidendron dorothyanum (Lamiaceae: Hyptidinae), a new species from the Amazonian domain

Amazonia, despite being famous as the most prominent tropical forest, is currently suffering high rates of degradation, with recurrent fires and deforestation, which could shortly lead it to be classified as a biodiversity hotspot for conservation. Although the known flora of the domain displays exceptional richness, its diversity is far from being well known, with several new species being described each year and lots of areas still poorly collected. During the preparation of a revision of Hyptidendron (Lamiaceae, subtribe Hyptidinae), a small genus with 21 species, unidentified and unmatched specimens from the Amazonian domain were uncovered. Here we describe and illustrate these specimens as Hyptidendron dorothyanum sp. nov., named in honor of Sister Dorothy Stang, murdered for her support for the biodiversity of the Amazon and her defence of the rights of local people. The new species, currently known from just two gatherings from Amazonas and Pará States is compared with its most closely related species, Hyptidendron canum, H. arboreum, H. asperrimum and H. leucophyllum. We also provide a distribution map, a preliminary conservation assessment, as well as comments on the phenology and ecology of the new species. This paper calls attention to the importance of the conservation of Amazonia and its rich but still not completely known diversity.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of Tulipa (Liliaceae) from Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve

Barcodes are conserved sequences of genomic, plastid and mitochondrial DNA that can be utilized to uniquely identify an unidentified specimen to its species when conventional identification methods are inapplicable. Among prokaryotic and eukaryotic species, nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sections are one of the most often utilized DNA markers in DNA barcoding and phylogenetic research. In addition to the ribosomal genes, the plastid genes are the most suitable for identifying plant species. The Aksu-Zhabagly Nature Reserve is the oldest nature reserve in Central Asia and is home to 1,312 vascular plant species, 44 of which are categorized as threatened or endangered in Kazakhstan's red data book. In this study, a collection of specimens of uncommon tulip species was compiled, along with their morphological identification and DNA barcoding. The ITS region and parts of the matK and ycf1b genes of tulip plastid DNA were sequenced. The evolutionary link between species of tulips was investigated. Phylogenetic study predicted two Tulipa subclades. Tulipa species have substantially preserved MatK genes. Tulips' ycf1b gene has evolved more slowly than other Liliaceae family members. Nuclear and plastid DNA sequences investigated Tulipa species evolutionary relationships. The findings about the ITS region of nuclear DNA were more definite. Overall, our work shows that genetic data will be important in determining species concepts in this genus, however, even with a molecular perspective pulling apart closely related taxa can be extremely challenging.

Helminths of freshwater turtles in Northeastern Brazil: parasite–host–environment relationships

ABSTRACT The parasitic fauna of reptiles is considered understudied compared to that of other vertebrates and is even less well known than the parasitic fauna of chelonians. Yet parasites are considered one of the main controllers of host populations because they can strongly impact population structure and species diversity. The objective of the present study was to identify the helminth fauna infecting freshwater turtles Phrynops geoffroanus and Mesoclemmys tuberculata, to evaluate the effects of host features (body mass and sex) and seasonality (dry and rainy seasons) on the abundance of parasites, and to compare infection rates in each host species between different biomes (Caatinga and Atlantic Forest) in an area of Northeastern Brazil. We found seven species of helminths that belong to Nematoda (Physaloptera sp., Serpinema amazonicus, Serpinema monospiculatus and Spiroxys figueiredoi), Cestoda (unidentified specimen), Digenea (Echinostomatidae) and Monogenea (Polystomoides brasiliensis). For both freshwater turtle species, we did not find a significant difference in the abundance of helminths related to the maximum carapace length, body mass or host sex; however, males had higher prevalence than females, while females presented greater abundance when infected. We observed significant differences in the infection levels between biomes and between seasons (dry and rainy), where the Atlantic Forest specimens showed higher infection rates compared to the Caatinga and the highest rates occurred in the dry season. The main parasitological parameters observed in P. geoffroanus and M. tuberculata showed that the studied biomes directly influenced the levels of parasitic infection. Variations in habitat characteristics can directly influence patterns of helminth diversity and abundance, and interactions between these characteristics can generate differences in parasitism rates of the same host species in different environments.

Cocoons, Fungi, Nematodes, Rhizoids, Annelids, Eggs, Arthropoda in Gale Crater, Mars?

White and dark gray oblong-ovoid cocoon-egg-like forms (“cocoon-eggs”), less than a mm in diameter, many with a single hole in one end, and some with unidentifiable specimens protruding from (exiting or entering) these holes, were photographed on mudstone in Gale Crater, Mars, on Sol 1302. If biological some of these cocoon-eggs may be frozen, fossilized or have already “hatched” or undergone metamorphosis. Specimens resembling segmented and tubular worms and rhizoids and those with multiple appendages (Arthropoda) were also photographed on these and other substrates on Mars, including on Sols 130, 132, 302, 551, 553, 808, 809, 868, 906, 1280, 1921, in Gale Crater. Many Sol 1302 “cocoon-eggs” are embedded in substrate that appears to consist entirely of a coral-stromatolite-like mass of worm- and larvae-like forms; and similar worm and segmented larvae forms appear in the interior of three semi-transparent ovoid structures. Embedded in the soil surrounding these “cocoon-eggs” are numerous concave patches reminiscent of dried “egg-yolk,” cocoon remnants or fungus, and that may represent the final stage of “cocoon” collapse and disintegration; or they are fungal in origin. Some of the segmented and tubular worm-like forms may include rhizoids and tubular fungi. Ovoids with open apertures may be evidence of fungal sporing. The possibility that fungus and diverse species and their “cocoons” share the same substrate is supported by what appears to be cyanobacteria, worms, insecta (arthropoda), and stalks topped by ovoids or ovoid-shaped microbialite-like sediment. Fungi, lichens, cyanobacteria, stromatolites and arthropoda have been previously reported in other areas of Gale Crater, whereas fungal “puffballs” and specimens attached to rocks with stalks and topped with mushroom-like caps have been observed in Meridiani Planum. The possibility these specimens are abiogenic cannot be ruled out. The evidence, in our view, arguably supports the hypotheses that various organisms colonized Mars in the ancient or recent past.

New records and descriptions of recent Australian brachiopods (Terebratulida, Dallinidae and Aulocothyropsidae; and Rhynchonellida, Frieleiidae)

The recent brachiopod fauna of Australia remains poorly understood with several species lacking upto-date descriptions, and with many unidentified or misidentified specimens in museum collections. A large collection of brachiopods housed at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery was recently examined to allow the re-description of two Australian endemic Dallinid brachiopods, Jaffaia jaffaensis and Campages furcifera, and identify new species and species occurrences. Furthermore, the large number of specimens allowed ecological aspects to be explored. As a result, the morphology and variation of C. furcifera and J. jaffaensis were clarified and expanded, a new deep-sea Dallinid species, Dallina tasmaniaensis, sp. nov. was described, the first occurrence of this genus from Australia, and the deep-sea Aulocothyropsid species Fallax neocaledonensis and Rhynchonellid Neorhynchia strebeli were also recorded from Australia for the first time. Jaffaia was revealed to be far more alike Nipponithyris than previously appreciated. The morphometric relationships of the three Dallinid species were found to differ significantly, with the attachment substrata and epibiota particularly prominent and diverse for J. jaffaensis and C. furcifera. This research facilitates the improved identification of Australian brachiopods, significantly increases understanding of variation within local species, and highlights the underappreciated biodiversity of deep-sea brachiopods in Australian waters.

Neospongodes atlantica, a potential case of an early biological introduction in the Southwestern Atlantic.

Soft corals (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) are discreet components in the Southwestern Atlantic reef communities. In Brazil, the native octocoral shallow-reef fauna is mostly represented by gorgonians. Consequently, except for the nephtheid Neospongodes atlantica, most of the known soft corals from this region are considered non-indigenous. Hitherto, the monotypic genus Neospongodes, which was proposed in the early 1900s, has been considered to be endemic to the Northeastern Brazilian coast. Herein, based on in situ records, we show that N. atlantica is a substrate generalist that has been probably expanding its distribution by dominating extensive shallow and mesophotic sandy and reef bottoms, generally outcompeting other reef benthic organisms, including Brazilian endemic species. Based on previously unidentified museum specimens, new records, and a broad literature review, we provide the most comprehensive modelling of the potential distribution of this species in the Southwestern Atlantic. Based on molecular inference supported by in-depth morphological analysis, the probable non-indigenous and, therefore, ancient introduction of N. atlantica in Brazilian waters is discussed. Finally, these results support that Neospongodes and the Indo-Pacific Stereonephthya are synonyms, which led us to propose the latter as taxonomically invalid.