Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology  

DOI： 10.12782/specdiv.28.147

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：The Royal Society  

Understanding how animals evolve to become parasites is key to unravelling how biodiversity is generated as a whole, as parasites could account for half of all species richness. Two significant impediments to this are that parasites fossilize poorly and that they retain few clear shared morphological features with non-parasitic relatives. Barnacles include some of the most astonishingly adapted parasites with the adult body reduced to just a network of tubes plus an external reproductive body, but how they originated from the sessile, filter-feeding form is still a mystery. Here, we present compelling molecular evidence that the exceedingly rare scale-worm parasite barnacle Rhizolepas is positioned within a clade comprising species currently assigned to Octolasmis , a genus exclusively commensal with at least six different phyla of animals. Our results imply that species in this genus-level clade represent an array of species at various transitional stages from free-living to parasitic in terms of plate reduction and host-parasite intimacy. Diverging only about 19.15 million years ago, the route to parasitism in Rhizolepas was associated with rapid modifications in anatomy, a pattern that was likely true for many other parasitic lineages.

DOI： 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0550

Web of Science

Other Link： https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsbl.2022.0550

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：CSIRO Publishing  

Ribbon worms (phylum Nemertea) are found in oceans worldwide; however, only a few inhabit terrestrial, semiterrestrial and freshwater environments. In our study, we describe Acteonemertes orientalis sp. nov., a new species of Plectonemertidae Gibson, 1990 and the first plectonemertid discovered in Japan. The species was found in the supralittoral zone, from which nemerteans have rarely been reported and inhabits areas under rocks, wave-dissipating concrete blocks, and fallen leaves and stocks, along the coast of the Sea of Japan. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses based on two mitochondrial (16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) and two nuclear gene markers (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA) revealed that A. orientalis sp. nov. formed a clade with Leptonemertes cf. chalicophora collected from Florida. Although the external and internal morphology of A. orientalis sp. nov. is largely consistent with the generic diagnosis, this species differs in having a large proboscis. Based on the molecular and morphological data, we propose to amend the diagnosis of Acteonemertes by excluding proboscis size. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BBBE9549-5DCE-424F-9A39-930F8243C28B

DOI： 10.1071/is22066

Web of Science

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Elsevier BV  

DOI： 10.1016/j.dsr.2023.104025

Web of Science

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Zoological Society of Japan  

DOI： 10.2108/zs220105

Web of Science

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Zoological Society of Japan  

DOI： 10.2108/zs220057

Web of Science

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Pensoft Publishers  

Four new species of Daylithos (Flabelligeridae, Annelida) are described, based on specimens collected from rocks and corals of Japan and Malaysia. Daylithos, contains one species, D. parmatus, currently reported from Japan. However, the specimens described in previous reports were unable to be located and thus deemed lost. Therefore, it was unclear whether the specimens described as D. parmatus in those studies were, indeed, the species. In Malaysia, D. parmatus has also been known as popular species from corals. The specimens collected from Langkawi (Malaysia) showed clearly different characters from D. parmatus and other congeners. In this study, we describe four new species, Daylithos japonicus, D. amamiensis, D. sugashimaensis and D. langkawiensis, based on newly-collected specimens from several part of Japan and Malaysia. These new species can be discriminated from other congeners by body colour, presence of eyes, shape of dorsal shield, length of caruncle and arrangement of neurochaetae. We have also provided mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences of the new species.

DOI： 10.3897/zse.99.97944

Web of Science

Other Link： https://zse.pensoft.net/article/97944/download/xml/

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Magnolia Press  

The phylogenetic relationships of Syllidae have been analyzed in several studies during the last decades, resulting in highly congruent topologies. Most of the subfamilies were found to be monophyletic, while other groups (Eusyllinae and several genera) have been reorganized attending their phylogenetic relationships. However, there are still several enigmatic genera, which could not be assigned to any of the established subgroups. These enigmatic genera usually show a combination of characters indicating relationships with several different groups, and some show morphological traits unique to Syllidae. One of the most intriguing genera, still unclassified within Syllidae is Clavisyllis Knox. Herein, we provide a complete description of a new species Clavisyllis tenjini n. sp. from Japan. We sequence the complete mitochondrial genome, compare with the available data from other syllids, and perform a phylogenetic analysis of three genes (18S, 16S, COI), traditionally used in previous studies. Clavisyllis shows a unique combination of characters within Syllidae, such as nuchal lappets and large ovoid dorsal cirri. The new species has additional anterior appendages that have not been found in any other syllid. Our results show the genus is a member of Eusyllinae, closely related to Pionosyllis Malmgren. The mitochondrial gene order agrees with the considered plesiomorphic gene order in Annelida, which is present in all members of Eusyllinae investigated so far. Clavisyllis reproduces by epigamy, the reproductive mode of members of Eusyllinae. The present study contributes to the systematics of Syllidae, a complex group with a large number of species and striking reproductive modes.

DOI： 10.11646/zootaxa.5244.4.2

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Elsevier BV  

DOI： 10.1016/j.jcz.2022.10.003

Web of Science

Authorship：Last author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5196.4.1

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Magnolia Press  

Whilst seven species of magelonids have been originally described from the North-Western Pacific Ocean, only two have been from Japanese waters. Given the often high diversity of magelonid species within relatively small regions, the number of Japanese Magelona species is likely to be higher. The validity of several recorded species from the region has been additionally called into question, and the urgent need for a review of magelonids of Japan highlighted. Newly collected samples of magelonids have emphasised the presence of three species new to science occurring off Japan, herein described: Magelona alba sp. nov., Magelona armatis sp. nov., and Magelona boninensis sp. nov. A redescription of Magelona japonica is additionally provided, along with notes on a fifth species, which approaches Magelona cornuta. A dichotomous identification key to magelonid species of the North-Western Pacific Ocean, along with a table of characters for all five observed species is provided.

DOI： 10.11646/zootaxa.5196.4.1

Web of Science

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Elsevier BV  

DOI： 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102619

Web of Science

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Authorship：Last author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： https://doi.org/10.1163/15685411-bja10189

Authorship：Last author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Brill  

Summary

A new species of free-living marine nematode, Deontostoma quadridentatum sp. nov., is described from a deep-sea sediment sample collected off the South Orkney Islands, the Southern Ocean, during a cruise (KH-19-6-Leg 4) conducted on the R/V Hakuho-Maru. Deontostoma quadridentatum sp. nov. differs from its congeners by the possession of: i) a cephalic capsule with a smooth posterior edge and without intralobar lacunae; ii) interlobar fenestrae with two posterior incisions; iii) four odontia on each mandible; iv) three onchia; v) spicules with velum and lateral process; vi) gubernacula with a hollow triangular crus, vii) one ventromedian supplement; viii) two precloacal subventral rows consisting of 8-10 setae and 12-20 papillae; and ix) by the lack of ocelli. Partial 18S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene sequences were determined for D. quadridentatum sp. nov., and the diagnosis of Deontostoma and the dichotomous keys to the subfamilies of Leptosomatidae, genera of Deontostomatinae, and species of Deontostoma were revised. Two known species, Triceratonema montredonense comb. nov. and Triceratonema papillosum comb. nov., were transferred from Deontostoma. Our molecular phylogenetic analysis did not clarify the position of Deontostoma quadridentatum sp. nov., but we placed this species into Deontostoma based on morphological observations. We also tried to find a relationship between distribution and morphological characteristic because it seems that there are two phylogenetic lineages that exist in Deontostoma based on the distribution of all species. However, no such relationships could be found from our literature survey.

DOI： 10.1163/15685411-bja10189

Web of Science

Other Link： https://brill.com/downloadpdf/journals/nemy/24/9/article-p1031_7.xml

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Frontiers Media SA  

Nemerteans, or ribbon worms, have been reported from intertidal to hadal depths, often showing bathymetrically wide distribution in genus levels. Although current nemertean systematics practices require to provide DNA sequences and infer phylogenetic relationships with suitable molecular markers, previous molecular systematics on nemerteans are mostly biased toward shallow-water species. Members in the genus Nipponnemertes occur worldwide, from tropical to polar waters and intertidal to bathyal waters. Molecular phylogenetic studies are scarce for the genus; only six shallow-water species of 18 species in the genus were subject to molecular phylogeny. Thus, Nipponnemertes is one candidate that needs to be assessed by genetic approaches. In this study, we performed molecular phylogenetic analyses using 59 specimens in 23 species based on partial sequences of two mitochondrial (16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) and three nuclear gene markers (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and histone H3). Our extensive sampling from intertidal to bathyal waters in the Northwest Pacific significantly updated the fauna of Nipponnemertes in this region from four to 17 species. We herein establish 10 new species and provide an updated species list concisely summarizing all the congeners known from the world. Our phylogenetic tree indicated three major lineages within the genus (herein referred to as “Clade A, B, and C”), each presumably characterized by the combination of morphological characters in the head region. Members in Clade A are: Nipponnemertes pulchra (Johnston, 1837), Nipponnemertes ogumai (Yamaoka, 1947), and several unidentified congeners, characterized by having demarcated head without cephalic patches; members in Clade B are: Nipponnemertes crypta sp. nov., Nipponnemertes jambio sp. nov., Nipponnemertes neonilae sp. nov., and Nipponnemertes ojimaorum sp. nov., species having demarcated head with cephalic patches; members in Clade C are: Nipponnemertes ganahai sp. nov., Nipponnemertes kozaensis sp. nov., Nipponnemertes lactea sp. nov., Nipponnemertes notoensis sp. nov., Nipponnemertes ornata sp. nov., Nipponnemertes sugashimaensis sp. nov., and two unidentified forms collected off Jogashima (Japan) and Guam (USA), species with non-demarcated head lacking cephalic patches. Furthermore, we discuss the evolution of remarkably small body size retained among Clade C.

DOI： 10.3389/fmars.2022.906383

Web of Science

Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

In the original version of this article, the author name Christian Fischer was incorrectly written as Christian Fisher. The original article has been corrected.

DOI： 10.1007/s13127-022-00545-z

Scopus

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：The Plankton Society of Japan/The Japanese Association of Benthology  

DOI： 10.3800/pbr.17.214

Web of Science

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Magnolia Press  

The widely distributed polychaete family Polynoidae Kinberg, 1856 is found across all oceans and from shallow to deep waters, including deep-sea hydrothermal vents and hydrocarbon seeps. Taxa inhabiting chemosynthesis-based ecosystems are often endemic to those specific habitats commonly targeted by deep-sea mining, and understanding their species diversity is essential for shaping conservation plans. Here, we report two previously undescribed scale-worms in the genus Branchinotogluma Pettibone, 1985 from the Off Hatsushima hydrocarbon seep of Sagami Bay and the Nikko Seamount hydrothermal vent on the Izu-Ogasawara Arc, and describe them as B. nikkoensis sp. nov. and B. sagamiensis sp. nov. Branchinotogluma nikkoensis sp. nov. is distinguished from the known species by the following characters: i) ventral segmental lamellae near ventral bases of neuropodia present on segments 13–17, ii) dorsal tentacular cirri being longer than ventral tentacular cirri, iii) absence of dorsal tubercles. Branchinotogluma sagamiensis sp. nov. can be differentiated from other congeners by i) 20 segments, ii) dorsal tentacular cirri being longer than ventral tentacular cirri, iii) ventral segmental lamellae near ventral bases of neuropodia present on segments 13–18, and iv) thin median antennae. The two new species are distinct in both morphology and four gene sequences from the only two species previously known from Japan including Branchinotogluma japonicus (Miura & Hashimoto, 1991) and B. elytropapillata Zhang, Chen & Qiu, 2018, originally described from Kaikata Seamount vent on the Izu-Ogasawara Arc and Okinawa Trough, respectively

DOI： 10.11646/zootaxa.5138.1.2

Web of Science

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Pensoft Publishers  

A new species of Spirobranchus (Annelida: Serpulidae) is described based on specimens collected at the coastal Shonan area of Sagami Bay and the adjacent areas of Honshu, Japan. Spirobranchus akitsushimasp. nov. forms large aggregations in the intertidal rocky zone of warm-temperate Japanese shores. This species was referred to as Pomatoleios kraussii (Baird, 1864) until the monotypic genus Pomatoleios was synonymized with Spirobranchus. This new species is formally described based on morphologically distinct Japanese specimens with supporting DNA sequence data. The calcareous opercular endplate of Spirobranchus akitsushimasp. nov. lacks a distinct talon, but some specimens have a slight rounded swelling on the endplate underside, while in other species of the S. kraussii complex a talon is present, usually extended, and with bulges. We examined sub-fossil tube aggregations of the new species and suggest that such aggregation stranded ashore is a good indicator of vertical land movements (uplift and subsidence) resulting from past events, such as earthquakes, in Honshu, Japan.

DOI： 10.3897/zookeys.1100.79569

Web of Science

Other Link： https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/79569/download/xml/

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology  

DOI： 10.12782/specdiv.27.101

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Elsevier BV  

DOI： 10.1016/j.polar.2022.100846

Web of Science

Authorship：Last author   Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：PeerJ  

Four new species of annelids, <italic>Ctenodrilus japonicus</italic> sp. nov., <italic>Raphidrilus misakiensis</italic> sp. nov., <italic>Raphidrilus okinawaensis</italic> sp. nov., and <italic>Raricirrus anubis</italic> sp. nov., are described based on specimens collected from Japanese waters. <italic>Ctenodrilus japonicus</italic> sp. nov. inhabits the interstitial environment and can be distinguished from the other congeners by the following features: (<italic>i</italic>) total of 16 chaetigers, (<italic>ii</italic>) chaetigers 1–3 with stout hooks, (<italic>iii</italic>) minute body (approximately 1 mm in length), (<italic>iv</italic>) all parapodia with the same number of chaetae (two notochaetae; two neurochaetae), and (<italic>v</italic>) presence of dorsal and ventral papillae. <italic>Raphidrilus misakiensis</italic> sp. nov. lives under intertidal stones and can be distinguished from other congeners by having pectinate neurochaetae. <italic>Raphidrilus okinawaensis</italic> sp. nov. inhabits the interstitial environment and can be distinguished from other congeners by: (<italic>i</italic>) absence of annulation on the peristomium and achaetous segment and (<italic>ii</italic>) presence of a heart body in chaetigers 4–5. <italic>Raricirrus anubis</italic> sp. nov. inhabits whale bones and can be distinguished from other congeners by the following features: (<italic>i</italic>) presence of a heart body in chaetigers 9–14, (<italic>ii</italic>) presence of capillary neurochaetae on chaetiger 1, and (<italic>iii</italic>) presence of simple curved spines. A phylogenetic tree based on partial sequences of cytochrome <italic>c</italic> oxidase subunit I and 16S rRNA from the new species and other cirratulid worms showed that <italic>Raphidrilus</italic> is included in Cirratuliformia. This is the first record of <italic>Raphidrilus</italic> and <italic>Raricirrus</italic> from Japanese waters.

DOI： 10.7717/peerj.13044

Web of Science

Other Link： https://peerj.com/articles/13044.xml

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

The carcinonemertid monostiliferan Ovicides paralithodis Kajihara and Kuris, 2013 was originally described as an egg predator of the red-king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus (Tilesius, 1815) in the Sea of Okhotsk, the Bering Sea, and the Gulf of Alaska. In the present study, several carcinonemertid specimens were obtained from the egg mass of the snow crab Chionoecetes opilio (O. Fabricius, 1788) in the Sea of Japan. Partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) determined from two specimens of the carcinonemertid were identical with a barcode sequence from the holotype of O. paralithodis, indicating that the host range of the species covers at least the two decapod species, P. camtschaticus and C. opilio.

DOI： 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102567

Web of Science

PubMed

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Springer Science and Business Media LLC  

<title>Abstract</title>Among over 20,000 species of Annelida, only two branching species with a highly modified body-pattern are known until now: the Syllidae <italic>Syllis ramosa</italic> McIntosh, 1879, and <italic>Ramisyllis multicaudata</italic> Glasby et al. (Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 164, 481–497, 2012). Both have unusual ramified bodies with one head and multiple branches and live inside the canals of host sponges. Using an integrative approach (combining morphology, internal anatomy, ecology, phylogeny, genetic divergence, and the complete mitochondrial genome), we describe a new branching species from Japan, <italic>Ramisyllis kingghidorahi</italic> n. sp., inhabiting an undescribed species of <italic>Petrosia</italic> (Porifera: Demospongiae) from shallow waters. We compare the new species with its closest relative, <italic>R. multicaudata</italic>; emend the diagnosis of <italic>Ramisyllis</italic>; and discuss previous reports of <italic>S. ramosa</italic>. This study suggests a much higher diversity of branching syllids than currently known. Finally, we discuss possible explanations for the feeding behaviour in the new species in relation to its highly ciliated wall of the digestive tubes (especially at the distal branches and anus), and provide a hypothesis for the evolution of branching body patterns as the result of an adaptation to the host sponge labyrinthic canal system.

DOI： 10.1007/s13127-021-00538-4

Web of Science

Other Link： https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13127-021-00538-4/fulltext.html

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Cambridge University Press (CUP)  

<title>Abstract</title>
<italic>Lacydonia</italic> Marion &amp; Bobretsky, 1875 is the sole genus in the family Lacydoniidae Bergström, 1914. We herein describe the new species of <italic>Lacydonia shohoensis</italic> sp. nov. from 2042-m deep bottoms at Shoho Seamount of the Nishi-Shichito Ridge, the Northwest Pacific Ocean. It is most similar to <italic>L. anapaulae</italic> Rizzo <italic>et al</italic>., 2016 in having a depression on the median anterior region and lacking lateral lobes on the posterior margin of prostomium whereas it is distinguished by possessing pygidium dorsally pigmented with three reddish spots and non-pigmented pygidial lateral cirri equally elongated.

DOI： 10.1017/s0025315421000862

Web of Science

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Springer Science and Business Media LLC  

<title>Abstract</title>Terebellidae worms have large numbers of tentacles responsible for various biological functions. Some Terebellidae worms whose tentacles emit light are found around the world, including exceptional violet-light-emitting <italic>Polycirrus</italic> spp. found in Europe and North America. However, there is no video-recorded observation of the luminous behavior of such unique species in nature, and the genetic information related to their ecology are lacking. Here, for the first time, we video-recorded the violet-light-emitting behavior of an undescribed Japanese worm in its natural habitat. The worm was designated as <italic>Polycirrus</italic> sp. ISK based on morphological observations, and the luminescence spectrum showed a peak at 444 nm, which is an exceptionally short wavelength for bioluminescence in a shallow coastal water environment. An analysis of differentially expressing genes based on separate RNA-Seq analysis for the tentacles and the rest of body revealed the specific expression of genes that are probably involved in innate immunity in the tentacles exposed to predators. We also found a <italic>Renilla</italic> luciferase homologous gene, but coelenterazine was not detected in the worm extract by analyses using a liquid chromatography and a recombinant <italic>Renilla</italic> luciferase. These results will promote an understanding of the ecology and luminescence mechanisms of luminous <italic>Polycirrus</italic> spp.

DOI： 10.1038/s41598-021-98105-6

Web of Science

PubMed

Other Link： https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-98105-6

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Zoological Society of Japan  

DOI： 10.2108/zs210076

Web of Science

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Zoological Society of Japan  

DOI： 10.2108/zs210051

Web of Science

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：The Plankton Society of Japan/The Japanese Association of Benthology  

DOI： 10.3800/pbr.16.145

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Oxford University Press (OUP)  

<title>Abstract</title>
Pelagic polychaetes are distributed from the sea surface to greater depths of the oceans worldwide, but little information is available regarding their ecology. This study investigated the vertical distribution of abundance, biomass and community structure of pelagic polychaetes at a single station in the western subarctic Pacific based on day–night vertical stratified samples collected from a 0 to 1000 m water column during four seasons covering 1 year. The polychaete abundance and biomass ranged from 0 to 757 ind. 1000 m−3 and 0–6.1 mg WW m−3, respectively. Ten pelagic polychaete species belonging to nine genera and six families were identified. From cluster analysis based on abundance, the polychaete community was divided into five communities. Each community occurred at different depth layers. Two surface groups seen at 0–200 m were dominated by two carnivorous species: Tomopteris septentrionalis and Typhloscolex muelleri. The deepest group, dominated by the particle feeder Pelagobia longicirrata, was seen at 500–1000 m. Two transition groups occurred in the intermediate depths. These vertical distributions of the pelagic polychaete communities were common throughout the season and day. Water mass, food availability and the oxygen minimum layer are put forth as environmental factors that affect the pelagic polychaete community.

DOI： 10.1093/plankt/fbab031

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Wiley  

DOI： 10.1111/jzs.12463

Other Link： https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full-xml/10.1111/jzs.12463

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Pensoft Publishers  

In Australia, the deep-water (bathyal and abyssal) benthic invertebrate fauna is poorly known in comparison with that of shallow (subtidal and shelf) habitats. Benthic fauna from the deep eastern Australian margin was sampled systematically for the first time during 2017 RV ‘Investigator’ voyage ‘Sampling the Abyss’. Box core, Brenke sledge, and beam trawl samples were collected at one-degree intervals from Tasmania, 42°S, to southern Queensland, 24°S, from 900 to 4800 m depth. Annelids collected were identified by taxonomic experts on individual families around the world. A complete list of all identified species is presented, accompanied with brief morphological diagnoses, taxonomic remarks, and colour images. A total of more than 6000 annelid specimens consisting of 50 families (47 Polychaeta, one Echiura, two Sipuncula) and 214 species were recovered. Twenty-seven species were given valid names, 45 were assigned the qualifier cf., 87 the qualifier sp., and 55 species were considered new to science. Geographical ranges of 16 morphospecies extended along the eastern Australian margin to the Great Australian Bight, South Australia; however, these ranges need to be confirmed with genetic data. This work providing critical baseline biodiversity data on an important group of benthic invertebrates from a virtually unknown region of the world’s ocean will act as a springboard for future taxonomic and biogeographic studies in the area.

DOI： 10.3897/zookeys.1020.57921

PubMed

Other Link： https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/57921/download/xml/

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Springer Science and Business Media LLC  

<title>Abstract</title>The phylum Annelida exhibits high morphological diversity coupled with its extensive ecological diversity, and the process of its evolution has been an attractive research subject for many researchers. Its representatives are also extensively studied in fields of ecology and developmental biology and important in many other biology related disciplines. The study of biomineralisation is one of them. Some annelid groups are well known to form calcified tubes but other forms of biomineralisation are also known. Herein, we report a new interstitial annelid species with black spicules, <italic>Thoracophelia minuta</italic> sp. nov., from Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan. Spicules are minute calcium carbonate inclusions found across the body and in this new species, numerous black rod-like inclusions of calcium-rich composition are distributed in the coelomic cavity. The new species can be distinguished from other known species of the genus by these conspicuous spicules, shape of branchiae and body formula. Further, the new species’ body size is apparently smaller than its congeners. Based on our molecular phylogenetic analysis using 18S and 28S sequences, we discuss the evolutionary significance of the new species’ spicules and also the species' progenetic origin.

DOI： 10.1038/s41598-020-80702-6

PubMed

Other Link： http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-80702-6

Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：CSIRO Publishing  

Among ~1300 species of world nemerteans, seven species in five genera of lineid heteronemerteans have been known to possess a branched proboscis. In this paper, we describe the eighth branched-proboscis species: Gorgonorhynchus citrinus sp. nov. from Okinawa, Japan. We also report Gorgonorhynchus cf. repens Dakin &amp;amp; Fordham, 1931 with uniformly orange body, as a new member for the Japanese nemertean fauna. We infer the phylogenetic relationships between these forms and other members of Lineidae McIntosh, 1874 for which partial sequences of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, and the nuclear 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and histone H3 genes are available in public databases, along with newly sequenced data of another branched-proboscis heteronemertean, Polydendrorhynchus zhanjiangensis (Yin &amp;amp; Zheng, 1984) from China. In the resulting tree, Gorgonorhychus Dakin &amp;amp; Fordham, 1931 was sister group to non-branched-proboscis Dushia Corrêa, 1963, whereas P. zhanjiangensis was sister group to likewise non-branched-proboscis Cerebratulus lacteus (Leidy, 1851).
http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:685992C5-F595-4C28-9178-256D945E595A

DOI： 10.1071/is20057

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Magnolia Press  

A new interstitial acrocirrid, Actaedrilus yanbarensis gen et. sp. nov., is described from Okinawa-jima Island, Japan. Individuals of the new genus and species were collected from the interstices of subtidal coarse sand (about 1 m depth). The new genus is comprised of the new species and A. polyonyx (Eliason, 1962) comb. nov. and it is characterized by the presence of two pairs of long branchiae, non-retractile head, minute body, and short club-shaped palps. We infer the phylogenetic position of A. yanbarensis gen. et sp. nov. within Acrocirridae using five gene markers (COI, 16S, 18S, 28S, Cyt B).

DOI： 10.11646/zoosymposia.19.1.17

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Magnolia Press  

Community structure and seasonal changes in the population structure of pelagic polychaetes were studied based on zooplankton samples collected by sediment traps moored at 200 m depth in the subarctic and subtropical western North Pacific throughout the year. Eight species belonging to seven genera and seven families occurred at the subarctic station, while twelve species belonging to ten genera and seven families were identified at the subtropical station. Polychaete abundance was 5.37 ± 0.44 ind. m-2 day-1 (annual mean ± standard error) at the subarctic station, and 1.36 ± 0.15 ind. m-2 day-1 at the subtropical station. Polychaete abundance at the subarctic station was high from May to August, but no seasonal patterns were observed at the subtropical station. The dominant species in the subarctic was Tomopteris septentrionalis, which accounted for 62.9% of annual mean abundance; at the subtropical station, the dominant species was Pelagobia sp. (22.8%). In the subarctic, small specimens of T. septentrionalis (&lt;3 mm in body length) occurred only in winter (December-March). No clear seasonal changes in population structure of the subtropical Pelagobia sp. were detected. The latitudinal patterns we observed in the polychaete communities of the western North Pacific were similar to those previously observed in the eastern North Pacific. Changes in the population structure of T. septentrionalis suggest that the life cycle of this species is seasonal in the subarctic region.

DOI： 10.11646/zoosymposia.19.1.9

Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Magnolia Press  

We describe a new species of polyclad flatworm, Pericelis flavomarginata sp. nov., from the intertidal and subtidal zones along localities on the Pacific coast of Japan. Pericelis flavomarginata sp. nov. is characterized by i) the dorsal surface of the body fringed by a lemon-yellow line except for the tip of tentacles, with a narrow brown midline running from the anterior edge of the body to the posterior end of the pharynx, ii) the pair of marginal tentacles with the tips extending and tapering, and iii) the presence of a common gonopore. Our molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed that selected Pericelis species were divided into two clades, each of which may be agreed with a characteristic dorsal color pattern. Additionally, we report an observation on the feeding behavior of P. flavomarginata sp. nov. on the polychaete Iphione muricata (Savigny in Lamarck, 1818).

DOI： 10.11646/zootaxa.4894.3.6

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：The Plankton Society of Japan/The Japanese Association of Benthology  

DOI： 10.3800/pbr.15.289

Authorship：Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology  

<p>A new species of flabelligerid polychaete, <i>Lamispina miurai</i> sp. nov., has been described based on material collected at a depth of 226–228 m in the Pacific Ocean, off Aomori, Japan. <i>Lamispina miurai</i> sp. nov. can be differentiated from other congeners by the following features: <i>i</i>) the body is not covered with sand or large sediment particles; <i>ii</i>) the lamispines are present on the chaetiger 4 and succeeding chaetigers; <i>iii</i>) the tip of the lamispine is curved and subdistally serrated; <i>iv</i>) the cephalic cage is formed by chaetigers 1–3; and <i>v</i>) the length of the cephalic cage is twice as long as the body width.</p>

DOI： 10.12782/specdiv.25.329

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Magnolia Press  

Two new species of fauveliopsid annelids, Fauveliopsis antri sp. nov. and Laubieriopsis soyoae sp. nov., are described based on specimens collected from Japanese waters. Fauveliopsis antri sp. nov. inhabits submarine caves and can be discriminated from the other congeners by the following features: i) 32 chaetigers, ii) chaetigers 1–3 with stout hooks, iii) minute body (about 1 mm in length), iv) all parapodia with same number of chaetae (2 notochaetae; 2 neurochaetae), and v) presence of dorsal and ventral papillae. Laubieriopsis soyoae sp. nov. inhabits deep water sediments and can be distinguished from the other congeners by: i) 24 chaetigers, ii) chaetigers 1–3 without annulations, and iii) acicular chaetae with tips entire, without denticles.

DOI： 10.11646/zootaxa.4878.2.11

Web of Science

Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology  

DOI： 10.12782/specdiv.25.213

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Part of collection (book)  

Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Informa UK Limited  

DOI： 10.1080/14772000.2020.1785038

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Lacydonia japonica sp. nov. (Annelida, Lacydoniidae) is described based on material found in sediments collected off the Pacific coast of northern Honshu, Japan, at depths of 262 m and 407 m. The sediments were obtained by a remotely operated vehicle equipped with a suction sampler during a Tohoku Ecosystem-Associated Marine Sciences (TEAMS) project in 2019. Lacydonia japonica sp. nov. belongs to the eyeless group of lacydoniids and is discriminated from the morphologically most similar congener, Lacydonia papillata Uschakov, 1958 by its reddish pigments on both the dorsal and ventral parapodial cirri and four pigment spots on the pygidium. To assess the phylogenetic position of the new species among other lacydoniids for which sequence data are available in public databases, analyses were performed using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16S rRNA, as well as the nuclear 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA genes. We additionally obtained some lacydoniids by sledging off western Japan, but these were severely fragmented and broken during collection. Using the paucity of morphological data, they were left unidentified as Lacydonia sp. but included in the molecular analyses. Genetic distances between Lacydonia eliasoni Hartmann-Schröder, 1996, Lacydonia japonica, and Lacydonia sp. off western Japan were 10.4-17.1% uncorrected p-distance (11.3-18.6% K2P) in terms of 658-bp COI sequences.

DOI： 10.6620/ZS.2020.59-28

PubMed

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Background A new acrocirrid species, Flabelligena hakuhoae sp. nov., is described from off the South Orkney Islands, the Southern Ocean. Individuals of the new species were collected by rock dredging, 2036-2479 m in depth. New information The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by the number of branchiae, position and length of paired ventral large papillae and length of body papillae.

DOI： 10.3897/BDJ.8.E53312

Scopus

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author  

DOI： 10.31396/Biodiv.Jour.2019.10.4.325.328

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Preliminary results of the deep-sea faunal survey conducted from the TR/V Seisui-maru of Mie University in April 2019 are presented. A total of 20 taxonomists and ecologists working on a wide variety of animal taxa participated in this survey. Surveyed areas included the Kumano Sea（off Mie Prefecture）and south of the Kii Strait（off Tanabe Bay, Wakayama Prefecture）， at depths of 112－775 m. Sampling gears employed were beam trawl and biological dredge. The collection is represented by macrobenthos and meiobenthos from nine animal phyla, including echinoderms, arthropods, molluscans and annelids. The number of phyla occurring in each station varied from seven to eight. The station with most diverse fauna at the phylum level was St. 3B（south of the Kii Strait, 775－661 m depth, mud bottom）．Meiofauna includes priapulids, nematodes and small arthropods such as copepods, tanaidaceans, amphipods, isopods and cumaceans. In addition to freeliving species, cnidarians symbiotic on a gastropod and an antipatharian, and crustaceans parasitic on a fi sh and sea urchins were also collected. Preliminary identifi cations are given for Asteroidea, Ophiuroidea, Holothuroidea, Crinoidea, Cyclopoida, Siphonostomatoida, Tanaidacea, Isopoda, Decapoda, Mollusca, polychaetes, Bryozoa, Cnidaria and Nemertea.

CiNii Books

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Some polychaete species in the family Syllidae exhibit distinctive life cycles, in which a posterior part of the body of an individual detaches as a reproductive individual called a "stolon". This type of reproductive mode is known as stolonization or schizogamy. Although a number of observations have been reported, and techniques using molecular markers have recently been applied to characterize this phenomenon, little is known about the developmental and physiological mechanisms underlying stolonization. In the present study, Megasyllis nipponica, a common syllid species distributed throughout Japan, is proposed as a model to reveal the developmental and physiological mechanism of stolonization, and the rearing system to maintain it in laboratory conditions is described. This species was repeatedly sampled around Hokkaido, where more dense populations were found from August to October. The animals were maintained in the laboratory under stable long-day condition (20°C, 16L:8D), and fed mainly with spinach powder. Stolonization processes, spawning, embryonic and postembryonic development were observed and documented, and the required period of time for each developmental stage was recorded. The complete generation time was around two months under the rearing condition. The information provided is valuable to maintain this and other syllid species in the laboratory, and hence contributes to the establishment of new evolutionary and developmental research lines in this group of annelids.

DOI： 10.2108/zs190058

PubMed

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (bulletin of university, research institution)  

CiNii Books

Other Link： https://agriknowledge.affrc.go.jp/RN/2030931241

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Terebelliformia is a benthic group of marine annelid worms. The bioluminescence of several species has been reported in taxonomical and histological literature, but very little information is known about the biochemical aspects of this phenomenon. In this study, we examined the basic properties of the luminescence system using an extract of the Japanese terebelliform worm, Thelepus japonicus. The bioluminescence extract was soluble in water, and emitted blue-green light at λmax 508 nm following the addition of divalent cations. This triggering action was highly specific to Fe2+ and addition of ATP, H2 O2 or coelenterazine did not enhance activity. The bioluminescence was inactivated by heat treatment and organic solvents, indicating the involvement of a protein component. These results suggested that Thelepus worm produces light using a novel system that differs from that in other known luminescent annelids.

DOI： 10.1002/bio.3643

PubMed

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

A new species of bone-eating annelid, Osedaxbraziliensis sp. n., found in a sunken whale carcass at a depth of 4,204 m at the base of the São Paulo Ridge in the South Atlantic Ocean off the Brazilian coast is described. The organism was retrieved using the human-occupied vehicle Shinkai 6500 during the QUELLE 2013 expedition. This is the 26th species of the genus and the first discovery from the South Atlantic Ocean, representing the deepest record of Osedax worldwide to date. This species morphologically resembles Osedaxfrankpressi but is distinguished by the presence of a yellow bump or patch behind the prostomium and its trunk length. Molecular phylogenetic analysis using three genetic markers (COI, 16S, and 18S) showed that O.braziliensis sp. n. is distinct from all other Osedax worms reported and is a sister species of O.frankpressi.

DOI： 10.3897/zookeys.814.28869

PubMed

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (bulletin of university, research institution)  

In this study, we had investigated the benthic deep-sea fauna using the dredge and beam trawl in the region from the continental shelf to the continental slope of the Sea of Kumano, Mie Prefecture, during the No．1722 research voyage of the training ship Seisui-Maru of Mie University. The survey was carried out at 16 stations covering a depth range of 113－1059 m. The results of the survey, 14 phyla had been confirmed. Arthropod, echinoderm, annelid and molluscan macrobenthos were collected from all of the stations. The phylum number of each station was in the range from 4 to 11. The largest number of phyla had been confi rmed at St．10D of boulders bottom（768－800 m depth）. Meiobenthos confi rmed in our sample were kinorhynchs, nematodes, tardigrades, loriciferans and small arthropods such as tanaidaceans, copepods and cumaceans. In addition to free-living species, parasitic copepods, isopods, platyhelminthes, acanthocephalans and nematodes had been found in fish, crustaceans and polychaetes.

CiNii Books

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

A new species of polynoid annelids, Bathykermadeca thanatos sp. nov., is described based on specimens collected from sunken whale bones in the Nansei-Shoto Trench in the Philippine Sea at a depth of 4974 m. The cetacean-carcass community at the site exceeds the deepest record reported to date. This new species can be distinguished from other members of the genus by the following features: i) there is only one type of neurochaetae, ii) the teeth lack serration and grow inwardly, iii) median antenna extends beyond the tip of frontal filament, iv) nephridial papillae are present in segments 12-15, and v) there are about 50 notochaetae in each parapodium.

DOI： 10.11646/zootaxa.4450.5.4

PubMed

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Pensoft Publishers  

A new species of amphinomid polychaete, Benthoscolex seisuiae sp. n., is described from the Sea of Kumano, Japan, from depths of 487–596 m. The species is distinguishable from its congeners by the following features: i) palps 1.8 times as long as lateral antennae
ii) branchiae do not reach to the tip of the notochaetae. This is the first record of Benthoscolex from Japan. A partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene sequence from the holotype of B. seisuiae sp. n. is provided for reliable species identification in the future.

DOI： 10.3897/zookeys.738.22927

Scopus

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Academia Sinica  

Elisesione imajimai sp. nov. is newly described based on specimens collected in Sagami Bay, Japan, at a depth of 150-250 m. This new species resembles E. problematica (Wesenberg-Lund, 1950) from Iceland, but differs because in E. imajimai sp. nov. the ventral cirri surpass the tips of the neurochaetal lobes, reaching to the medial part of the neurochaetal bundle
the palps are 1/2 – 4/5 as long as the antennae
the aciculae are pale brownish
and the dorsal integument shows 9-10 transverse wrinkles per segment, whereas in E. problematica the ventral cirri hardly reach the tips of the neurochaetal lobes
the palps are as long as the antennae
the aciculae are black
and there are 15 transverse wrinkles per segment. A morphological redescription of E. problematica based on its type material and a revised key to identify species in the genus are also provided. A phylogenetic analysis based upon four genes (COI, 16S, 18S, 28S) confirms its position within Hesionini.

DOI： 10.6620/ZS.2018.57-08

Scopus

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology  

A new species of flabelligerid polychaete, Lamispina ammophila sp. nov., is described from offthe coast of Shimoda, Japan. The species can be discriminated from the other congeners by the following features: i) dorsal region of body being adhered to by sediment particles, ii) lamispines without accessory tooth, present from chaetiger 4 and succeeding chaetigers, and iii) cephalic cage 1.5-2.0 times as long as body width. A partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequence from the paratype is provided as a DNA barcode for the new species.

DOI： 10.12782/specdiv.23.39

Scopus

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Japanese Society of Systematic Zoology  

A new species of hesionid polychaetes, Leocratides kimuraorum sp. nov., is described based on material collected from the Shima Peninsula and Sagami Bay (middle Honshu, Japan), as well as museum specimens collected from Sagami Bay, Suruga Bay, and Shirahama. Leocratides kimuraorum sp. nov. is the third species in this genus and can be discriminated from the two congeners, L. filamentosus Ehlers, 1908 and L. ehlersi (Horst, 1921), by i) the length of the antennae, which are as long as palps, ii) the presence of pharyngeal terminal papillae, and iii) the absence of a papillose peristomial membrane. On the other hand, L. filamentosus, originally described from offWestern Sumatra, Indonesia, was also collected from Sagami Bay, and represents a new record of this species for Japanese waters. Partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene sequences from the holotype of L. kimuraorum sp. nov. and newly collected specimen of L. filamentosus are provided for reliable species identification in the future.

DOI： 10.12782/specdiv.22.133

Scopus

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Elsevier BV  

DOI： 10.1016/j.parint.2017.08.001

Web of Science

PubMed

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：MAGNOLIA PRESS  

Seven new species of Diplocirrus are described from Japan: D. asamushiensis sp. nov., D. imajimai sp. nov., D. mamoi sp. nov., D. ohtsukai sp. nov., D. seisuiae sp. nov., D. tohokuensis sp. nov., and D. toyoshioae sp. nov. These species are distinguished from all the known species of Diplocirrus by the following features: length of the cephalic cage, length of lateral papillae, presence of gonopodial lobe, adhering pattern of sediment particles, length of caruncle, length and morphological feature of branchiae, articles and morphological features of neurochaetae, and swollen area along the body.

DOI： 10.11646/zootaxa.4337.3.2

Web of Science

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：MAGNOLIA PRESS  

A new species of polychaete, Flabegraviera fujiae sp. nov., is described and the first report of F. mundata (Gravier, 1906) from the shallow water around Syowa Station, Antarctica, is presented. Flabegraviera fujiae sp. nov. resembles F. profunda Salazar-Vallejo, 2012 but is discriminated from the latter by having eyes and an exposed cephalic cage. The specimen of F. mundata was collected from a depth of 8 m, providing the shallowest record of this species to date.

DOI： 10.11646/zootaxa.4221.4.4

Web of Science

PubMed

Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：PENSOFT PUBL  

The hesionid polychaete Hesione reticulata von Marenzeller, 1879 was described from Enoshima Island, Japan and has been recorded also from the Red Sea. Depending on researchers, it has been regarded as either a distinct species or synonymous with older established ones. The type specimen has been lost. In order to clarify its taxonomic status, H. reticulata is herein redescribed, illustrated, and a neotype is proposed based on recent material collected near the type locality. The diagnostic features include the presence of several dorsal, discontinuous longitudinal bands, interrupted by pale segmental spots; prostomium with tiny antennae; a tuberculated dorsal integument; acicular lobes double; and neurochaetal blades with guards approaching the distal tooth. The dorsal color pattern in life enables a clear distinction from similar species such as H. intertexta Grube, 1878 amongst others. Mitochondrial COI barcoding sequences are deposited in the DNA Data Bank of Japan. A key to Hesione species from Japan is also included.

DOI： 10.3897/zookeys.657.11064

Web of Science

PubMed

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Kyoto University  

DOI： 10.5134/217458

CiNii Books

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Pensoft Publishers  

Trophoniella hephaistos sp. n. was collected from a tank irrigated with seawater pumped directly from Nabeta Bay, Japan. This species is discriminated from other Trophoniella by having dorsal tubercles, a tongue-shaped branchial plate, a tunic covered with large sediment grains dorsally and ventrally, having eyes, and anchylosed neurohooks starting from chaetigers 17-20. This is the first record of Trophoniella from Japanese waters. Identification keys to species of Trophoniella and four gene sequences (COI, 16S, 18S, 28S) of this species are provided. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted to clarify phylogenetic position of Trophoniella in Flabelligeridae using four genes.

DOI： 10.3897/zookeys.614.8346

Web of Science

PubMed

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

CiNii Books

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Cambridge University Press  

Diplocirrus nicolaji is a flabelligerid worm originally described from shallow waters of Peter the Great Bay, Sea of Japan. Later, this species was also recorded from Japan, but detailed data were not provided
thus the occurrence of D. nicolaji in Japan needs to be confirmed based upon additional material. The collection of 20 D. nicolaji individuals from four localities along Japanese coasts (the Sea of Japan and western Pacific Ocean), allowed us to provide detailed morphological observations using stereoscopic and scanning electron microscopy. Partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences were obtained for phylogenetic analysis. Although the morphological analysis detected a few variations in palp length and body colour in ethanol among the local populations, the phylogenetic analysis confirmed their conspecificity with little genetic divergence. This is the first report of D. nicolaji from the western Pacific Ocean and extends its distribution southward.

DOI： 10.1186/s41200-016-0024-7

Scopus

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV  

JAMBIO, Japanese Association for Marine Biology, has been organizing JAMBIO Coastal Organism Joint Surveys at Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba, and Misaki Marine Biological Station, the University of Tokyo. The aims of the Surveys are to uncover the benthic marine fauna of the coastal areas in and around Sagami Bay, and to form a collaborative network between marine biologists across Japan. We have so far performed six surveys, with over 100 participants in total, using common equipment such as dredges, bottom mud samplers, and epibenthic sleds. Even in Sagami Bay, one of the most intensively studied marine environments in the world, we have succeeded in collecting about 50 probable undescribed species. Other species were collected for the first time from Sagami Bay or found from previously unreported depth. The Surveys could be useful for ecological and environmental studies as well. We plan to continue the JAMBIO Coastal Organism Joint Surveys to further reveal the rich biodiversity within and around Sagami Bay and to accelerate nationwide research collaborations. We also hope to expand the Surveys to include plants and protists, and to perform them at other areas in Japan. Through the Surveys, we aim to develop new cross-disciplinary research areas and to record the long-term transition of biota along the Japanese coast. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI： 10.1016/j.rsma.2015.05.003

Web of Science

J-GLOBAL

J-GLOBAL

Language：Japanese   Publisher：日本動物分類学会  

DOI： 10.19004/taxa.47.0_30

CiNii Books

Language：Japanese  

J-GLOBAL

J-GLOBAL