Patricia Esquete

Peracarid assemblages of Zostera meadows in an estuarine ecosystem (O Grove inlet, NW Iberian Peninsula): spatial distribution and seasonal variation

The Galician rias are singular and complex estuarine systems of great economic importance. Seagrasses are key elements of the ecosystem and favor the maintenance of high species diversity in benthic communities. Nevertheless, the ecological role of seagrass meadows in the Galician rias has been only partially assessed. Peracarid crustaceans are an important component of soft-bottom faunas and have great importance for the structure of benthic assemblages. In this work, species diversity, patterns of distribution and seasonal fluctuations of peracarids (Crustacea, Peracarida) are studied in estuarine sediments colonized by two species of Zostera (Z. marina and Z. noltii) at the O Grove inlet (Ría de Arousa, Galicia, NW Iberian Peninsula). The spatial distribution of peracarid assemblages was characterized by high numerical dominances due to a few species, particularly tanaidaceans. The temporal study at a Z. marina meadow showed a strongly seasonal pattern defined by great fluctuations of the amphipod population, the latter being the dominant group in abundance and number of species. The highest numbers of species and individuals were observed in September, with minimum values in March. Analyses pointed out a high correlation among the granulometric features of the studied bottoms and the faunistic attributes. Nevertheless, the presence of the seagrasses should influence in a major way the hydrodynamic and sedimentary features of the habitat and utterly the spatial and temporal patterns observed in the peracarid assemblage in the O Grove inlet.

First record of Perioculodes aequimanus (Crustacea: Amphipoda) in the north-east Atlantic, with remarks on taxonomic characters

In this work, we report for the first time the presence of the amphipod Perioculodes aequimanus from the north-east Atlantic. Specimens were collected in Zostera meadows located in the O grove inlet (north-western Iberian Peninsula), where the species is well established and is one of the numerically dominant peracarid species. Some morphological differences were found in comparison to Mediterranean individuals but those are regarded as due to intraspecific variation. This species can be distinguished from other Atlantic species according to the features of the propodus of the first gnathopod, the first coxa, the pereiopod 7 basis and the antennal peduncle.

New data on the Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) from the Canary Islands, with a description of a new species of Apseudopsis

Benthic samples from two harbours at El Hierro and Tenerife (Canary Islands) yielded three species of Tanaidacea. Tanais dulongii and Leptochelia savignyi are recorded for the first time in Tenerife and El Hierro, respectively. A new species of Apseudomorpha, Apseudopsis rogi, was collected in both harbours and can be differentiated from other species of the genus by the male having a cheliped merus with a distinctive, cylindrical dorso-proximal spur. This is the first species of Apseudopsis described for the Macaronesian region. A key to the Atlantic and Mediterranean species of Apseudopsis is provided.

A new species of heterochelous tanaidacean Tanaissus (Paratanaoidea: Tanaissuidae) from the north-west Iberian Peninsula

A new species of tanaidomorph, Tanaissus bamberi, is described from the north-western region of the Iberian Peninsula. Its most remarkable character is the presence of morphologically different right and left chelae in the males. The species occurs sympatrically with T. lilljeborgi, mainly in intertidal and subtidal sediments of medium to muddy sands typical of fully marine and estuarine salinities.

The Apseudomorpha (Crustacea: Tanaidacea) of the Gulf of Cadiz and Horseshoe Continental Rise (NE Atlantic): A taxonomic review with new records, species, and ecological data

The apseudomorphan tanaidaceans of the deep sea have been under-studied, especially in chemosynthetic habitats. A total of ten species present in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Horseshoe Continental Rise (SW off the Iberian Peninsula) are listed here, and new distribution data, ecological remarks and description of one new species of Atlantapseudes (Atlantapseudes curvatus sp. nov.) from recent research cruises are added. Pseudosphyrapus azorensis and Francapseudes uniarticulatus are recorded for the first time since the original descriptions. Notes on morphological development of Leviapseudes segonzaci and intraspecific variation of F. uniarticulatus are included, together with illustrations and descriptions of the material from the Gulf of Cadiz to complement previous descriptions.

Description, systematics and ecology of a new tanaidacean (Crustacea, Peracarida) species from mediterranean fish farms

An undescribed species of tanaidacean belonging to the genus Hexapleomera, tribe Pancolini, Hexapleomera bultidactyla sp. nov. was found in fouling community samples from off-coast fish farms cages in the western Mediterranean Sea. The species can be distinguished from other Hexapleomera species by the presence of a ventral apophysis on the dactylus of the chela in males. Other diagnostic characters (in combination) include a male antennule with five aesthetascs, the female with three, the maxillule palp with four terminal setae and maxilliped basis and coxa each with two setae; the male fixed finger with four ventral setae and proximal apophysis, the female chela fixed finger with a proximal triangular apophysis, an apophysis on the coxa of pereopod 1, a pleopod 3 basis with three outer setae, and an uropod of four segments. Although several substrata were investigated, the species was most abundant where the turf formed by Ceramiaceae algae and the hydroid Aglaophenia sp. was dominant. An updated identification key to all the species of Hexapleomera is provided.

Ecology and systematics of a new species of Uromunna (Crustacea: Isopoda) from Spanish eelgrass beds

Uromunna naherba sp. nov. is described from eelgrass beds (Zostera marina and Z. noltii) of the NW Iberian Peninsula. This is the second species of the genus reported from the NE Atlantic, after U. petiti. The new species was more abundant on rhizomes than on the leaves of the plants. Seasonal samples show that ovigerous females are present throughout the year, but become more abundant in late spring and summer, when adult males decrease in frequency. Ovigerous females appear in only one size class. Owing to the yearly productivity cycle of the eelgrasses, these data suggest that the species is semelparous and completes its lifecycle within 1 year. The taxonomic characters of the genus are discussed.

Additions to the Tanaidomorpha (Crustacea: Tanaidacea) from mud volcanoes and coral mounds of the Gulf of Cadiz and Horseshoe Continental Rise

The Tanaidacea collection from various research cruises carried out in the Gulf of Cadiz and Horseshoe Continental Rise between 2004 and 2012 yielded four species new to science that are described herein. Two belong to genera recorded for the first time since the original descriptions of their type species: Cetiopyge, described from the Gulf of Mexico and Gamboa from shallow waters of Macaronesia. The other two belong to the genera Collettea and Paragathotanais, both with a worldwide distribution. Additionally, specimens of Tumidochelia uncinata are described and illustrated to complete previous descriptions. Identification keys to all known genera of Nototanaidae, and the Eastern Atlantic species of Paragathotanais and Collettea are provided. This works raises the number of tanaidacean species known from the deep-sea habitats in the study region to a total of 22.

The genus Uromunna (Crustacea: Isopoda: Munnidae) in New South Wales, Australia, with a key for all known species

ABSTRACT The invertebrate collection of the Australian Museum revealed the existence of three new species of the genus Uromunna (family Munnidae) from New South Wales, Australia. Uromunna tenagoika sp. nov. from Batemans Bay has the head anterior margin concave, without simple setae; eyes with few ommatidia, eye lobes with both margins parallel, in male posterior margin directed forward; pereonite 7 as wide as pereonite 6, subequal to pleotelson width; pleotelson distal margin pointed, suburopodal shelf present; mandible palp absent; pereopod I propodus robust setae absent; pereopods relatively short; pleopod IV exopod distal tip with one pappose seta. Uromunna rhamnda sp. nov. from Batemans Bay has a head anterior margin concave, without simple setae; eye lobes with both margins parallel, in male posterior margin parallel to frontal margin; pleotelson distal margin pointed, suburopodal shelf absent; mandible palp present; pereopod I propodus robust setae absent; pleopod IV exopod distal tip with one pappose seta. Uromunna eora sp. nov. was found at Southern Creek, located north of Sydney and is the first species of the genus described from a fully freshwater environment with no marine water input. It has a relatively elongate body (length 3.4× width), anterior margin concave, eye lobes with both margins converging distally, in male posterior margin directed forward; pereonite 7 as wide as pereonite 6, wider than pleotelson width; pleotelson distal margin truncate, suburopodal shelf present; mandible palp present; pereopod I propodus robust setae present; pleopod IV exopod distal tip with two pappose setae. This work raises the number of Uromunna species found in Australia to a total of six. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D877FC47-BC6E-4827-BA89-3A75AFDE1124

New records of Sea Spiders (Arthropoda: Pycnogonida) for continental Portugal and notes on species distribution

A sampling effort carried out in the Northern coast of Portugal revealed the presence of two species of sea spiders that are recorded for the first time in Portugal: Anoplodactylus angulatus and Ammothella longioculata. While A. angulatus is widespread along the North East Atlantic coast, A. longioculata is recorded for the first time outside of the Mediterranean Sea. Eight species were recorded in this survey, increasing the pycnogonid species list of Portugal to twenty-four. A species list of the Pycnogonids of continental Portugal including references and distribution is provided.