Agustín Garese

New records of sea anemones (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) from Costa Rica

Despite being important components in coastal marine systems, sea anemones have been poorly studied on both coasts of Costa Rica. In this paper new records of sea anemones are mentioned for the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica and the Isla del Coco National Park. Additionally, the presence of other species previously recorded in Costa Rica based on single observations or photos, is reconfirmed. An updated inventory of these cnidarians is provided, and with the corallimorpharians, comprises of 16 species (10 in the Caribbean and 6 in the Pacific and Coco Island). A comparison with the sea anemone fauna of Panama is added.

Sea Anemones (Cnidaria: Actiniaria and Corallimorpharia) from Panama

A partir de la literatura existente se realizo una lista actualizada y revisada de las anemonas de mar de ambas costas de Panama, que incluyo 26 especies validas (22 pertenecientes al orden Actiniaria, tres al orden Corallimorpharia y una especie de ubicacion sistematica incierta). La especie Calliactis polypus es un registro nuevo para esta region. Siete de las especies se conocen solamente en Panama. La riqueza de especies es predominante en el Golfo de Panama, debido probablemente a un esfuerzo de muestreo mayor y desproporcionado en relacion a otras zonas. El hecho que los registros existentes esten fuertemente sesgados hacia un centro de intenso muestreo, indica la necesidad de muestreos adicionales en otras areas. Estudios posteriores deberan estar orientados no solo a la busqueda de nuevos taxa, sino tambien a la verificacion de las descripciones y el status taxonomico de las especies registradas.

Anthopleura dalyae sp. nov. (Cnidaria: Actiniaria), a new species of sea anemone from the southern Gulf of Mexico

Anthopleura dalyae sp. nov, a new species of sea anemone (Actiniaria: Actiniidae) from the rocky intertidal zone of La Gallega reef, Veracruz, Mexico, is described and illustrated. This species is characterized by a column that is pale yellow proximally and dark-orange to bright-orange distally, longitudinal rows of verrucae from margin to limbus, and a series of marginal projections with acrorhagi. Anthopleura dalyae sp. nov. is distinguished from other species of Anthopleura from the Gulf of Mexico by several taxonomic characters, such as column coloration, number of tentacles, variable number of directive mesenteries and siphonoglyphs, as well as some differences on cnidae. Anthopleura dalyae sp. nov. is the fourth species of the genus occurring in shallow intertidal waters associated to coastal and coral reef environments of the region, and the third species of the genus Anthopleura recorded in the southern Gulf of Mexico.

Morphological variability of the “Caribbean hidden anemone” Lebrunia coralligens (Wilson, 1890)

Lebrunia coralligens is among the most common sea anemone species found inhabiting in coral reefs environments along the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. This species exhibit two distinct morphotypes characterized mainly by differences in the location of vesicles on its pseudotentacles. The morphology and cnidae size ranges between representatives of the two morphotypes, as well as with those from specimens of its congeners Lebrunia neglecta, were compared to identify taxonomic distinctions that would enable separation of the morphotypes into different species. Statistical variability in specimens and cnidae size ranges was found between the two morphotypes, but a greater variability was found when compared with cnidae size ranges of L. neglecta. These results suggest that pseudotentacular form and cnidae size differences are due to broad phenotypic plasticity within L. coralligens. In addition, results also suggest that quantitative comparisons of cnidae could reinforce the taxonomic distinction of closely related species as L. coralligens and L. neglecta.