Mass occurrence of the cubomedusa Copula sivickisi (Cnidaria: Cubozoa) at Seto Harbor, Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan, in summer of 2013; a possible recent example of global warming

More than 200 very young medusae of Copula sivickisi (Stiasny) were collected within totally 60 minutes at two nights in June, 2013 at the Seto Harbor, Shirahama, Wakayama, Japan. This mass occurrence might be related to recent global warming at Shirahama, known as the northernmost distributional locality of this cubozoan species. It is assumed that the polyp stage of this species may live in the surrounding areas, because there jellyfish were small size (most are less than 1.6 mm height) that was conceivable as the newly released one from the polyp

Characterizations of juvenile stages of some semaeostome Scyphozoa (Cnidaria), with recognition of a new family (Phacellophoridae)

Phacellophora camtschatica has long been assigned to the semaeostome scyphozoan family Ulmaridae. Early stages (scyphistomae, strobilae, ephyrae, postephyrae, and young medusae) of the species were compared with those of several other semaeostomes currently assigned to Ulmaridae, Pelagiidae, and Cyaneidae. Juveniles of P. camtschatica did not strictly conform with characters of those of any of these families, and appeared intermediate between Cyaneidae and Ulmaridae. A new family, Phacellophoridae, is proposed to accommodate P. camtschatica.Alexander von Humboldt FoundationAlexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH)FAPESP[2003/02433-0]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CNPq[481399/2007-0]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

First record of Phyllorhiza sp. (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa) in a Chinese coastal aquaculture pond

Background. It has been suggested that aquaculture ponds on the Chinese coast could act as breeding grounds for scyphozoans. Here, we present the first record of the scyphomedusa Phyllorhiza sp. in an aquaculture pond on the coast of the southern Yellow Sea, based on a combination of morphological characteristics and mitochondrial 16S DNA sequence data. Methods. A field survey was performed on June 29, 2017 in a pond used for culturing the shrimp Penaeus japonicus, located in the southern Yellow Sea, China. Jellyfish specimens were collected for morphological and genetic analysis. The morphological characters of the jellyfish specimens were compared to taxonomic literature. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial 16S fragments of these specimens were also conducted. Results. These specimens had the following morphological characters: hemispherical umbrella without scapulets; 1-shaped oral arms; a single larger terminal club on each arm; bluish colored with a slightly expanded white tip; and mouthlets present only in the lower half to one-third of each arm. These morphological features of the medusae indicated that the specimens found in the shrimp culture ponds belong to the genus Phyllorhiza Agassiz, 1862, but did not match with the description of any of the known species of the genus Phyllorhiza. Phylogenetic analyses of the mtDNA 16S regions revealed that these specimens, together with Phyllorhiza sp. from Malaysian coastal waters, belong to a sister group of Phyllorhiza punctata. Juveniles and ephyrae of Phyllorhiza sp. were observed in the aquaculture pond. The mean density of Phyllorhiza sp. medusa in the surface water within the pond was estimated to be 0.05 individuals/m(2). Discussion. Based on our observations of the gross morphology and molecular data, we state that the specimens collected in the aquaculture pond can be identified as Phyllorhiza sp. This is the first record of Phyllorhiza sp. in Chinese seas. Large scale dispersal through ballast water or the expansion of jellyfish aquarium exhibitions are possible pathways of invasion, but this needs to be confirmed in further studies

Food resources influencing the asexual reproductive cycle of coronate Scyphozoa

The study of the strobilation process, a feature unique in the class Scyphozoa, is an issue that helps understanding the patterns of asexual reproduction in sessile invertebrates. Many inducers of asexual reproduction are known for scyphozoans. However, the influence of food resources on the strobilation of Coronate Scyphozoa has never been tested. WO observed strobilation of a large number of polyps of Nausithoe aurea, from a wide sampling area along the South Atlantic coast of Brazil, through the administration of controlled number of hatched nauplii of Artemia franciscana under a previous tested starvation and feeding protocol. The number of strobilations between and within groups varied and the fate and shape of strobilation deviated from the biology reported in the original description. Artificial seawater was used to reduce the influence of dissolved organic matter as likely important alternative nourishment.CAPESCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Universidade de Mogi das CruzesUniversidade de Mogi das Cruze

Jellyfish (Chrysaora lactea, Cnidaria, Semaeostomeae) aggregations in southern Brazil and consequences of stings in humans

The frequency of jellyfish blooms is generating a world-wide discussion about medusae population explosions, mainly those associated with stings. We report over 20,000 envenomations caused by Chrysaora lactea (Scyphozoa) in the State of Paranaa (southern Brazil) during the austral summer of 2011-2012. Envenomations were considered mild, but almost 600 cases were treated in emergency services, with either toxic and allergic reactions, some with systemic manifestations. We proposed non-exclusive hypotheses to explain this large number of cases.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Investigating the determinants of E-banking loyalty for large business customers: two empirical models

The current research paper proposes two models for the determinants of E-banking Loyalty for large business customers. The results demonstrated that five main quality dimensions were identified for the e-banking portals: assurance, reliability, convenience and quality monitoring by the financial director of the company. The results also confirm that e-banking quality has a strong impact on e-banking loyalty via the mediating effect of e-trust and switching costs have strong a impact on e-banking loyalty. Further our findings also suggest that interpersonal relationships generated between the bank manager and the decision maker of the company have a strong impact on the perceptions of service quality in online banking, and will also affect positively E-Banking Loyalty. Banking, e-loyalty, e-banking quality.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Is there any risk in a symbiotic species associating with an endangered one? A case of a phoronid worm growing on a Ceriantheomorphe tube

The conservation of emblematic threatened species is in highlight nowadays. Interestingly, few invertebrate groups attract scientific attention on this issue while they constitute the vast majority of animal biodiversity. Nevertheless, many invertebrate species are nowadays at risk of extinction. This means that plenty of species are currently disappearing out of sight. During a survey in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean tubes of an endangered species of cerianthid were sampled. This study reports for the very first time the occurrence of the species Phoronis australis in southwestern Atlantic waters and the association of phoronids with the genus Ceriantheomorphe. This raises questions on mutual extinction risks for symbiotic species and also on the criteria for their inclusion on Red Lists.Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) through the Programa de Posgraduacao em Zoologia do Departamento de Zoologia (IBUSP, Universidade de Sao Paulo)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)CNPq[481399/2007-0]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (PETROBRAS)Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos (FINEP)MCT/FINEP/Acao Transversal-Cooperacao ICTs-Empresas (Petrobras)[06/2006 (3175/06)]Universidade de São Paulo - Laboratorio de Microscopie Electronica and of the Departamento (Enio Mattos) de Zoologia - IB-USPUniversidade de São Paulo - Laboratorio de Microscopie Electronica and of the Departamento (Enio Mattos) de Zoologia - IB-US

Faunal assemblages of intertidal hydroids (Hydrozoa, cnidaria) from argentinean patagonia (Southwestern Atlantic Ocean)

This study provides taxonomical and ecological accounts for the poorly known diversity of hydroids distributed over ~2,000 km of Argentinean Patagonian intertidal habitats (42°-54°S). Sampling was performed in 11 sites with tidal amplitude between 6-13 m dominated by rocky outcrops, breakwaters, and salt marshes. Samples were sorted and identified up to the species level and hydroid associations were analyzed by multivariate analyses. A total of 26 species were recorded. The most frequent species were Amphisbetia operculata, present in 8 of the 10 sites inhabited by hydroids, followed by Symplectoscyphus subdichotomus and Nemertesia ramosa. All recorded hydroids are geographically and bathymetrically widely distributed species, common at the austral hemisphere. Seven species (Coryne eximia, Bougainvillia muscus, Ectopleura crocea, Hybocodon unicus, Halecium delicatulum, Plumularia setacea, and Clytia gracilis) were reported from intertidal fringes. Species richness differed according to the composition of the bottom, topographical complexity and density of mytilid communities. Some muddy intertidal fringes dominated by the glasswort Sarcocornia perennis had an unexpected hydroid fauna composition, never reported for salt marsh habitats, representing a remarkable novelty for the hydroid literature. The lack of studies on the hydroid fauna from these particular habitats represented a substantial gap for our biodiversity knowledge.Fil: Genzano, Gabriel Nestor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Bremec, Claudia Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Diaz Briz, Luciana Mabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Costello, John H.. Providence College; Estados UnidosFil: Morandini, Andre C.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Miranda, Thaís P.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Marques, Antonio C.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi