Membraniporopsis tubigera (Osburn, 1940) (Bryozoa) on floating substrata: evidence of a dispersal mechanism in the western Atlantic

Membraniporosis tubigera (Osburn 1940) (Fig. 1a–f) was collected in 2008 in São Paulo and between August and september 2009 in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil in shrimp trawlnets or by hand in sand beaches. This species was originally described as being from Puerto Rico and the Gulf of Mexico (Florida and Texas), and since then it has been reported forming erect colonies in the Pacific (Japan, Australia, and New Zealand), south-southeastern Brazil, and Uruguay (Gordon et al. 2006; López Gappa et al. 2010). Encrusting colonies of M. tubigera were found on floating plastics, dead leaves, and algae with other pseudoplanktonic bryozoans [eg.\ud Jellyella tuberculata (Bosc, 1802) (Taylor and Monks 1997)]. Erect fronds were found stranding in sandy beaches. We have found young encrusting colonies of M. tubigera,\ud which are considered rare (Gordon et al. 2006). They are small, flat, rounded, forming unilaminar patches (Fig. 1a) entirely covering the substrata in late astogeny (Fig. 1b–d)\ud and often covering both surfaces of algae with bilaminar expansions at the edge (Fig. 1e). Erect fronds previously reported from New Zealand and Brazil may have a tapering\ud proximal portion that could facilitate the detachment of fronds from the encrusting colony (Gordon et al. 2006). Erect colonies of M. tubigera may also become free with the restruction of ephemeral substrata (Fig. 1f). The dispersal mechanisms of M. tubigera are poorly understood. The occurrence of living M. tubigera on floating plastics and algae with other pseudoplanktonic bryozoan species provides evidence for rafting as a dispersal mechanism,\ud and the characteristic shape of foliaceous colonies, which keep\ud alive when free, could also benefit dispersal. Dispersal by\ud rafting does not exclude the hypothesis of transoceanic transportation\ud in fouling communities of vessels or ballast water, as\ud suggested by Gordon et al. (2006). Although it is unclear\ud where M. tubigera is originally native, it has been considered\ud invasive in many places. Given the variety of possible dispersal\ud capabilities, it is expected that M. tubigera may reach\ud new localities in tropical to warm-temperate waters of the\ud Atlantic, Indo-Pacific, and eastern Pacific over relatively short\ud time periods.CAPES/PROCADFAPESP (Proc. 2012/24285-1)NP-BioMar, US

Rediscovery of Gastropteron chacmol (Gastropoda: Gastropteridae) on the Brazilian coast

CAPES Foundation, proc. #8739/13-7, to CM

Morfologia, comportamento e metamorfose em larva de Sipuncula do Canal de São Sebastião – São Paulo, Brasil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) - Projeto nº 330002010027P

Regeneração no coral invasor Tubastraea coccinea (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Scleractinia)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) - Proc. 2012/21583-

Caracterização do padrão de macrocílios de duas espécies de Beroe (Ctenophora) presentes na costa brasileira

FAPESPCNP

Araçá: biodiversity, impacts and threats

Inserida em uma das mais belas e turísticas regiões litorâneas do país - o Litoral Norte do Estado de São Paulo -, a Baía do Araçá (São Sebastião, SP), além de conter remanescentes de manguezal e de abrigar alta diversidade biológica, é também um verdadeiro laboratório a céu aberto e um importante reduto de catadores de moluscos e pescadores artesanais. Com o objetivo de compilar preliminarmente a biodiversidade da baía, este estudo reúne a extensa bibliografia dedicada à região e apresenta a lista das espécies da fauna e da flora formalmente reportadas para o local. O texto sumaria ainda o histórico das alterações antrópicas sofridas nas últimas décadas e destaca certos representantes da fauna (espécies novas, ameaçadas de extinção, bioindicadoras e como recursos naturais), como exemplos da peculiaridade e riqueza biológica dessa pequena baía. Pretende-se, assim, fornecer subsídios para tomadas de decisão e planos de manejo, e despertar a atenção para a preservação desse frágil patrimônio ambiental, uma área que pode ser revitalizada e integrada ao ambiente urbanizado.Araçá Bay (São Sebastião, State of São Paulo), within one of Brazil's most beautiful coastlines, has small relict mangrove stands and a very diverse marine ecosystem. As such, the bay is a natural laboratory as well as important for local small scale fishing. In this study we summarize the large literature base to comprehensibly list the flora and fauna as a preliminary biodiversity inventory of Araçá Bay. We place this in the historical context of human impact on the environment of the bay and we emphasize new, introduced and threatened species as bioindicators and natural resources. With this information, we provide a basis to inform conservation decisions as well as data for conservation management plans and call attention to the urgent need to protect this fragile environment and biota. We also emphasize that this small and uniquely biologically rich bay should be preserved, revitalized and integrated into the growing urban environment

Ctenostomatous Bryozoa from São Paulo, Brazil, with descriptions of twelve new\ud species

This paper describes 21 ctenostomatous bryozoans from the state of São Paulo, Brazil, based on specimens observed in vivo. A new family, Jebramellidae n. fam., is erected for a newly described genus and species, Jebramella angusta n. gen. et sp. Eleven other species are described as new: Alcyonidium exiguum n. sp., Alcyonidium pulvinatum n. sp., Alcyonidium torquatum n. sp., Alcyonidium vitreum n. sp., Bowerbankia ernsti n. sp., Bowerbankia evelinae n. sp., Bowerbankia mobilis n. sp., Nolella elizae n. sp., Panolicella brasiliensis n. sp., Sundanella rosea n. sp., Victorella araceae n. sp. Taxonomic and ecological notes are also included for nine previously described species: Aeverrillia setigera (Hincks, 1887), Alcyonidium hauffi Marcus, 1939, Alcyonidium polypylum Marcus, 1941, Anguinella palmata van Beneden, 1845, Arachnoidella evelinae (Marcus, 1937), Bantariella firmata (Marcus, 1938) n. comb., Nolella sawayai Marcus, 1938, Nolella stipata Gosse, 1855 and Zoobotryon verticillatum (delle Chiaje, 1822).Natural History Museum, London (U.K.)São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) within the BIOTA/FAPESP─Virtual Institute of Biodiversity Program (www.biota.org.br) and BIOTA/FAPESP-Araça (grants # 1998/07090-3 and 2011/50317- 5 to A.C.Z. Amaral).CNPq (474605/2013-2)FAPESP (Proc.nº 2006/ 05141-8; 2008/10619-0; 2012/24285-1)CNPq (306568/2009-8)FAPESP (Proc.nº 2008/10624-3; 2012/10413-8)NP-BioMar, USPContribution No. 959 from the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierc

Revalidação de Okenia polycerelloides (Mollusca: Nudibranchia): uma espécie criptogênica no Brasil

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) - Proc. #2013/08425-