Measurements of the branchial sieve of sardine (Sardinops sagax ocellatus) from the west and south coasts of southern Africa

Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (p. 40-46).Branchial sieves of southern African sardine (Sardinops sagax ocellatus) were collected from three geographical regions along the southern African coast: Namibia, the south coast and the west coast of South Africa. Sardine from Namibia represented the northern Benguela upwelling ecosystem while sardine from the west and south coasts of South Africa represented the southern Benguela upwelling ecosystem. Morphometric measurements (gill arch length and gill raker spacing) and counts (number of gill rakers) of branchial sieves on the left side of the first gill arch were taken to determine whether the sardine from these regions have different branchial sieve structures

I Pengaruh Faktor-Faktor Persekitaran Terhadap Pertumbuhan Dan Kemandirian Tiram Komersil, Crassostrea redalei (Faustino) Di Kawasan Penternakan Tiram Di Kg. Telaga Nenas, Perak [QL430.7.Y9 I99 2007 f rb].

Satu kajian telah dijalankan ke atas tiram komersil, Crassostrea iredalei yang telah diternak di kawasan penternakan tiram di Kg. Telaga Nenas, Perak yang terletak di kawasan muara. A study was done on the commercial oyster, Crassostrea iredalei that was cultured at an oyster culturing site in Kg. Telaga Nenas, Perak which located at an estuarine area

Description of a new species of Marphysa Quatrefages, 1865 (Polychaeta: Eunicidae) from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and comparisons with species from Marphysa group A from the Indo-West Pacific and Indian Ocean

A new species of Marphysa Quatrefages, 1865 (Polychaeta: Eunicidae) is described from the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and compared with species from Marphysa Group A from the Indo-West Pacific and Indian Ocean. The number of species known within Marphysa Group A has been increased, and the concept that M. mossambica is a widely distributed species in the Indo-Pacific is refuted. The new species is commercially important and occurs in the mangrove forest along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Notes on the biology, ecology and commercial aspects of M. moribidii sp. nov. are presented

Diversity, biological and ecological aspects of marine baitworms, with an emphasis on a polychaete Marphysa moribidii (IDRIS, HUTCHINGS, ARSHAD 2014) from Morib Mangrove area, Malaysia

The commercial value of marine baitworms from Class Polychaeta in Malaysia is not fully explored. It was previously researched by selected, local and foreign researchers. Hence, the objectives of the present study are to identify taxonomically polychaete species used as baitworms in Peninsular Malaysia, and to examine the biology and ecology of the dominant species. The study was performed in two phases; the first phase was to systematically identify polychaete species used as baitworms in Peninsular Malaysia. The second phase focused on the biology and ecology of a dominant species from June 2011 to December 2012 at the Morib mangrove area in Selangor, Peninsular Malaysia. Random transect quadrats across three designated tidal flat areas were used to collect samples. A total of seven polychaete species were identified in this study, namely Marphysa moribidii sp. nov., M. cf. sanguinea, Halla okudai, Diopatra claparedii, Namalycastis rhodochorde, N. cf. abiuma and Perinereis cf. nuntia. Marphysa moribidii sp. nov. was named and described in this study while M. cf. sanguinea, N. cf. abiuma and P. cf. nuntia had close similarities with the existing species. All species are new records in Malaysia with the exception of D. claparedii and N. rhodochorde which were previously reported in Kedah and Sabah respectively. Marphysa moribidii sp. nov. is the dominant baitworm species collected by the bait diggers and have a wide distribution across the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.The population of M. moribidii sp. nov. in Morib mangroves, was mostly confined in the upper tidal flat (UTF) area, particularly within the patchy microhabitat, which was identified as polychaete niche (PN). The microhabitat was characterised by having a high percentage of total organic matter, water content, silt and very fine sand. It was also located around the stilt roots of Rhizophora apiculata, providing protection from potential predators. Allometry analyses indicate that the growth of the species followed an allometric pattern. The maximum life span (tmax) was two years with growth constant (K) of 1.5 year-1. The Bhattacharya and NORMSEP analyses concluded that there were two major spawning events occurred in 2012, although the von Bertalanffy Growth Function (VBGF) was only able to detect one spawning event. The male and female ratio was close to 1:1. The gametogenesis processes were asynchronous in both sexes. Fecundity data revealed that there were two spawning seasons occurred during the study period. Marphysa moribidii sp. nov. exhibited subsurface deposit feeding with high percentage of organic matter found in its intestinal contents. It also practices selective feeding by consuming a higher percentage of very fine sand compared to other sediments size classes. This sediments size class was chosen by M. moribidii sp. nov. for its high surface volume ratio which allowed more surfaces for organic coatings. In summary, several aspects covering the systematics, biology and ecology of marine baitworms, in particular, M. moribidii sp. nov. in Peninsular Malaysia, have been documented in this study. Results obtained indicated that the biology and ecology of M. moribidii sp. nov. in Morib mangrove were interrelated. Moreover, the biological characteristics of M. moribidii sp. nov. meet all the criteria for commercial baitworm species. Nevertheless, more studies are needed to grasp a better understanding of the species, to allow correct resource management and to carefully consider the possibility of rearing the species in an artificial environment

Checklist of polychaetous annelids in Malaysia with redescription of two commercially exploited species

A checklist of polychaetous annelids identified within Malaysian territory is presented. The checklist is produced based on the collected specimens by the present authors and from published materials. Two species from the checklist that are currently commercially exploited were described in detail based on their original descriptions as well as current observation. In total, 64 polychaete species from 31 families have been identified in Malaysia from 1866 until present. The two described species, Halla okudai Imajima, 1967 and Diopatra claperedii Grube, 1878 are harvested as baitworms along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The checklist has extended the distribution of these two species from their previous records. The number of polychaete species identified in Malaysia is lower than its neighbouring countries except the Philippines. The polychaete research in Malaysia is evaluated and research direction is commented

Unravelling the convoluted nomenclature of Marphysa simplex (Annelida, Eunicidae) with the proposal of a new name and the re-description of species

Marphysa simplex is a name that three species bear within the same genus, but each has a different authority and morphological characteristics. This homonymy condition leads to taxonomic confusion and the finite designation of name-bearing is imperative. The current study focuses on two species identified as M. simplex Crossland, 1903 and M. simplex Treadwell, 1922 and a third one, recently considered a secondary homonymy, M. simplex (Langerhans, 1884), is also assessed. The available type specimens were examined and re-described in detail using updated characters and the original descriptions. Marphysa simplex (Langerhans, 1884) is herein judged as an indeterminable species. Marphysa simplex Crossland, 1903 is confirmed as a junior synonym of M. teretiuscula (Schmarda, 1861a) because the differences are minimal. Moreover, M. teretiuscula has characteristics similar to Group B2 (Sanguinea-group; only compound spinigers), instead of the Teretiuscula-group (compound spinigers in the anterior region, subacicular limbate in all chaetigers). On the other hand, M. simplex Treadwell, 1922 is a junior primary homonym of Crossland’s species replaced by M. fijiensis nom. nov. with the chaetal arrangement similar to Group A (limbate chaetae only). In conclusion, the name M. simplex is now unacceptable. The hypothesis on species group only with limbate chaetae and the redescription on M. teretiuscula is also given

Unravelling the convoluted nomenclature of Marphysa simplex (Annelida, Eunicidae) with the proposal of a new name and the re-description of species

Marphysa simplex is a name that three species bear within the same genus, but each has a different authority and morphological characteristics. This homonymy condition leads to taxonomic confusion and the finite designation of name-bearing is imperative. The current study focuses on two species identified as M. simplex Crossland, 1903 and M. simplex Treadwell, 1922 and a third one, recently considered a secondary homonymy, M. simplex (Langerhans, 1884), is also assessed. The available type specimens were examined and re-described in detail using updated characters and the original descriptions. Marphysa simplex (Langerhans, 1884) is herein judged as an indeterminable species. Marphysa simplex Crossland, 1903 is confirmed as a junior synonym of M. teretiuscula (Schmarda, 1861a) because the differences are minimal. Moreover, M. teretiuscula has characteristics similar to Group B2 (Sanguinea-group; only compound spinigers), instead of the Teretiuscula-group (compound spinigers in the anterior region, subacicular limbate in all chaetigers). On the other hand, M. simplex Treadwell, 1922 is a junior primary homonym of Crossland’s species replaced by M. fijiensis nom. nov. with the chaetal arrangement similar to Group A (limbate chaetae only). In conclusion, the name M. simplex is now unacceptable. The hypothesis on species group only with limbate chaetae and the redescription on M. teretiuscula is also given

Reinstatement of species belonging Marphysa sanguinea complex (Annelida Eunicidae) and description of new species from the mid-Pacific Ocean and the Adriatic Sea

Molina-Acevedo, Isabel C., Idris, Izwandy (2020): Reinstatement of species belonging Marphysa sanguinea complex (Annelida Eunicidae) and description of new species from the mid-Pacific Ocean and the Adriatic Sea. Zootaxa 4816 (1): 1-48, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4816.1.

Redescriptions of <I>Neanthes</I> Kinberg, 1865 (Annelida: Errantia: Nereididae) species from worldwide regions

The present study redescribes four species of Neanthes Kinberg, 1865 (Nereididae de Blainville, 1818) based on their type specimens collected from different worldwide localities: Neanthes chilkaensis (Southern, 1921) from India, N. galetae (Fauchald, 1977) from Panama, N. helenae (Kinberg, 1865) from St Helena Island, and N. mossambica (Day, 1957) from Mozambique. The morphology of the types was re-examined for the first time after the species were originally described, and incorporated the recent improvements in the standards and terminology for describing nereidid features. The arrangement of paragnaths on area VI stood out among the diagnostic features used to distinguish these four species. Neanthes chilkaensis and N. helenae are the unique nereidids bearing p-bar paragnaths on the area VI. Both species are also distinctive as the former species only exhibited p-bar paragnaths on the area VII–VIII and the latter ventrolateral projections on the apodous segment. Further examination revealed that N. nanciae (Day, 1949) from St Helena is a junior synonym of N. helenae. Moreover, N. galetae and N. mossambica are distinguishable from other species also by the development of dorsal cirri, neuropodial postchaetal lobe and ventral ligule, the presence/absence of merged paragnaths on area IV, paired oesophageal caeca, among other features. This study has further contributed to the morphological delimitation of the species in Neanthes as a first step towards revising the genus.</p

Redescriptions of Neanthes Kinberg, 1865 (Annelida: Errantia: Nereididae) species from worldwide regions

The present study redescribes four species of Neanthes Kinberg, 1865 (Nereididae de Blainville, 1818) based on their type specimens collected from different worldwide localities: Neanthes chilkaensis (Southern, 1921) from India, N. galetae (Fauchald, 1977) from Panama, N. helenae (Kinberg, 1865) from St Helena Island, and N. mossambica (Day, 1957) from Mozambique. The morphology of the types was re-examined for the first time after the species were originally described, and incorporated the recent improvements in the standards and terminology for describing nereidid features. The arrangement of paragnaths on area VI stood out among the diagnostic features used to distinguish these four species. Neanthes chilkaensis and N. helenae are the unique nereidids bearing p-bar paragnaths on the area VI. Both species are also distinctive as the former species only exhibited p-bar paragnaths on the area VII–VIII and the latter ventrolateral projections on the apodous segment. Further examination revealed that N. nanciae (Day, 1949) from St Helena is a junior synonym of N. helenae. Moreover, N. galetae and N. mossambica are distinguishable from other species also by the development of dorsal cirri, neuropodial postchaetal lobe and ventral ligule, the presence/absence of merged paragnaths on area IV, paired oesophageal caeca, among other features. This study has further contributed to the morphological delimitation of the species in Neanthes as a first step towards revising the genus