Echinoderes Claparede 1863

<i>Echinoderes</i> sp. 1 <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Two specimens of an unknown species, <i>Echinoderes</i> sp. 1, were collected at station SI-03. One specimen was mounted for SEM, but was useless for examination. The other was mounted for LM (Fig. 10 A–E), and deposited at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, under catalogue number ZMUC KIN- 855.</p> <p> <b>Descriptive notes.</b> Female <i>Echinoderes</i> (Fig. 10A) with middorsal spines on segments 4 and 6 (Fig. 10C), and laterodorsal tubes on segment 10. Ventral side with ventrolateral tubes on segment 2 (Fig. 10B), lateroventral tubes on segment 5, lateroventral spines on segments 6, 8 and 9, but not on 7, and lateral accessory tubes on segment 8 (Fig. 10D). Tergal extensions, triangular, with curved external margins, and almost straight, serrated/hairy inferior margins (Fig. 10E). Glandular cell outlets of type 2 are not present.</p> <p> The observed spine pattern quite clearly reveals that the species is new to science. Only two other species, namely, <i>Echinoderes bispinosus</i> Higgins, 1982 and <i>Echinoderes astridae</i> Sørensen, 2014, have their middorsal spines restricted to segments 4 and 6, but both species have lateroventral spines on segments 6 to 9, segment 7 included (see Higgins, 1982; Sørensen, 2014). <i>Echinoderes bispinosus</i> furthermore lacks tubes in any position on segment 8, whereas the tubes on segment 8 in <i>E. astridae</i> are located in sublateral position. Also the lateral spine pattern in <i>Echinoderes</i> sp. 1, with lateroventral spines on segments 6, 8 and 9, but not on 7, is unique among all species of <i>Echinoderes</i>.</p> <p> With the shared presence of middorsal spines on segments 4 and 6, and a similarity in general habitus, it is not unlikely that <i>Echinoderes</i> sp. 1 represents a Southeast Asian relative to <i>E. bispinosus</i> and <i>E. astridae</i>. <i>Echinoderes astridae</i> is known from São Sebastião in Brazil only (Sørensen, 2014), whereas <i>E. bispinosus</i> is described from Bermuda (Higgins, 1982). A species very similar to <i>E. bispinosus</i> was furthermore quite recently reported from Turkey (Sönmez et al., in press), but the geographic distance between Bermuda and the East Mediterranean suggests that the Turkish record represents a similar, but yet new species.</p>Published as part of <i>Sørensen, Martin V., Gąsiorowski, Ludwik, Randsø, Phillip V., Sánchez, Nuria & Neves, Ricardo C., 2016, First report of kinorhynchs from Singapore, with the description of three new species, pp. 3-27 in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 64</i> on page 20, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4502533">10.5281/zenodo.4502533</a&gt

Condyloderes paradoxus Higgins 1969

<i>Condyloderes paradoxus</i> Higgins, 1969 <p>(Fig. 6)</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Three adult specimens, two from station SI-03 and one from SI-04 (Fig. 1, Table 1). One specimen from SI-03 was mounted for LM, and subsequently deposited at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, under catalogue number ZMUC KIN- 848. The remaining two specimens were mounted for SEM, but due to the dirt covering, they only contributed with very little information.</p> <p> <b>Notes on taxonomy and distribution.</b> <i>Condyloderes paradoxus</i> (Fig. 6A) and its four congeners can be discriminated by the segmental distributions of minute cuspidate spines in the lateroventral positions. In <i>C. paradoxus</i>, lateroventral cuspidate spines are present on segments 2, 4, 5, 8 and 9 (Higgins, 1969a). This distribution corresponds to the cuspidate spine distribution in the recorded specimens from Singapore (Fig. 6B, C). Other characters in the examined specimens from Singapore, including the general spine distribution and dimensions, correspond with the data in the original description provided by Higgins (1969a), hence, we feel confident to identify the recorded species as <i>C. paradoxus</i>.</p> <p> <i>Condyloderes paradoxus</i> was originally described from two localities in the Bay of Bengal, off the Indian coast near Visakhapatnam (Higgins, 1969a). Collecting the species in Singapore also suggests that <i>C. paradoxus</i> might be distributed throughout the coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal, Andaman Sea and Malacca Strait. Besides the occurrence of this species at its type locality in India, and its presence in Singapore, no other records of <i>C. paradoxus</i> appear in the literature. However, during the extensive work on the kinorhynch fauna of the Korean Peninsula and the East China Sea, carried out by the first author and Dr H. S. Rho (see Sørensen et al., 2010a–c, 2012a, b, 2013; Lundbye et al., 2011; Thomsen et al., 2013; Sánchez et al., 2013; Altenburger et al., 2015) some specimens were actually identified as <i>Condyloderes</i> cf. <i>paradoxus</i> (Sørensen, unpubl.). The specimens occurred in samples taken at 132 m depth in the Korea Strait and between 79–103 m depth in the central part of the East China Sea, but by the time of the examinations, the identity of the specimens were considered doubtful, due to the distance between these sampling localities and the Bay of Bengal. However, with the current record of <i>C. paradoxus</i> from Singapore, which represents a biogeographic transitional point between the Indian Ocean and the West Pacific, it becomes more likely that the species has a wide distribution that ranges from the Bay of Bengal to the Korean Peninsula.</p>Published as part of <i>Sørensen, Martin V., Gąsiorowski, Ludwik, Randsø, Phillip V., Sánchez, Nuria & Neves, Ricardo C., 2016, First report of kinorhynchs from Singapore, with the description of three new species, pp. 3-27 in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 64</i> on page 12, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4502533">10.5281/zenodo.4502533</a&gt

Centroderes impurus Sørensen & Gąsiorowski & Randsø & Sánchez & Neves 2016, sp. nov.

Centroderes impurus sp. nov. (Figs. 2–5) Material examined. Holotype adult stage- 2 male, collected from sand with mud on 16 May 2014, at station SI-03 (Fig. 1, Table 1), at 9 m depth, between Bedok Jetty and Sungei Bedok in the southeast part of Singapore Island (01°18.387’N, 103°57.591’E), mounted in Fluoromount G, deposited at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, under catalogue number ZRC.MIS.0001. Paratypes include two specimens of uncertain sex, probably either adult stage- 1 male or female, or eventually preadult stages (J6), collected at same locality as holotype, mounted in Fluoromount G, and deposited at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, under catalogue numbers ZMUC KIN-846 and KIN-847. Additional, non-type material, includes one adult stage- 2 male and two putatively stage- 1 specimens of uncertain sex, collected at same locality as holotype, and mounted for SEM. The SEM specimens are very dirty, and contributed only with limited information. Diagnosis. Centroderes with middorsal acicular spines on segments 1–9 and 11; long, flexible, ventromedial acicular spines on segment 1; rigid lateroventral acicular spines on segments 8 and 9, with spine on segment 9 being conspicuously stout and robust.Male stage-2 with middorsal and midlateral crenulated spines on segment 10. Putative adult stage- 1 specimens, or alternatively preadults, with middorsal and midlateral acicular spines on segment 10, and with minute tubes present in ventrolateral positions on segment 2 and lateroventral positions on segment 5. Sensory spots present paradorsally on segments 2–6 and 8–9, subdorsally on segment 1 (in male stage-2 only) and segment 11 (two pairs), laterodorsally on segments 1 (in putative J6 or stage- 1 specimen only) and 3–10, midlaterally on segment 2, in a lateral accessory position on segments 1, 3–4 and 6–9 and ventromedially on segments 3–4 and 6–10. Etymology. The species is named after the Latin word “ impurus ”, meaning “unclean” or “covered with dirt”, referring to the severe dirt problems that were experienced during the examination of the specimens. Description. Adult with head, neck and eleven trunk segments (Figs. 2, 3A, B, 4A, B). For measurements and dimensions, see Table 2. Distribution of cuticular structures (spines, tubes and sensory spots) is summarised in Table 3. The head consists of a retractable mouth cone and an introvert. The mouth cone is equipped with nine outer oral styles, each consisting of two joined units, arranged as one style anterior to each introvert sector, except at the middorsal sector 6. A double fringe consisting of numerous tips is located basally to each style. Scalid arrangement could not be examined in detail. The neck has 16 placids that dorsally and laterally alternate in size width between broader (15–16 µm width) and narrower (6–8 µm width) ones; all placids measure 15–17 µm length. The midventral placid is broader and flanked by two narrower placids on each side. Segment 1 consists of one complete cuticular ring with middorsal acicular spine, being short and stout in male stage-2 (Fig. 3A), and two slender, elongated spines in ventromedial positions, which extend over two following segments (Figs. 2, 5B). All spines on this and following segments are at least partly covered with minute cuticular hairs, however, frequently the proximal 1/3 of the surface is smooth. At least until segment 6 or 7, the middorsal spines appear stout in male stage-2, whereas they are more slender and acicular in the putative J6 or stage- 1 specimens (compare Fig. 3A with 3B). A midventral process is present between the two ventromedial spines (Figs. 2, 4B). Sensory spots are located medially on the segment in either subdorsal (male stage-2) or laterodorsal (putative J6 or stage- 1 adults) positions, and always in lateral accessory position (Fig. 4C). Sensory spots in subdorsal/laterodorsal positions are circular and composed of micropapillae arranged around a central pore (Fig. 4C); all sensory spots on all the following segments show the same appearance. The sensory spots in the lateral accessory positions differ though, and are more oval with cuticular papillae arranged in three rows and adhering to the cuticle surface (Fig. 4D). Minute, densely distributed cuticular hairs are present on the posterior half of the segment. Segment 2 and all remaining segments consist of one tergal and two sternal plates. A middorsal spine is present in all specimens. Furthermore, minute ventrolateral tubes were observed in the putative J6 or stage- 1 specimens (Fig. 5B). In male stage-2 no such structure was observed neither in LM nor in SEM; in the single specimen examined with SEM it was evident that the position where the tube would attach was filled with densely arranged prominent hairs. Similar hairs were spotted on other segments as well (Fig. 4F). Sensory spots are present in paradorsal and midlateral position. The paradorsal sensory spots are located very close to the posterior segment margin, next to the base of the middorsal spine. Secondary pectinate fringe consisting of minute cuticular hairs present on anterior part of segment; the fringe may be partially covered by the posterior margin of preceding segment. Additional hairs are densely and evenly distributed over the posterior half of the segment. Hairs in the tergosternal junction region are distinctly longer, especially anteriorly. A similar arrangement of hairs is present on segments 3–10 (Figs. 2, 4E). Segments 3 and 4 with middorsal acicular spine. Sensory spots are present in paradorsal, laterodorsal, lateral accessory and ventromedial positions (Figs. 2, 5A). Cuticular hairs as on preceding segment. Segment 5 with middorsal acicular spine. Minute lateroventral tubes are present in putative J6 or stage- 1 specimens (Figs. 4E, 5D). Stage- 2 specimens without such tubes, and instead with densely arranged prominent hairs in the areas where the tubes would attach (Fig. 4F). Sensory spots are present in paradorsal and laterodorsal positions (Figs. 2, 5A). Cuticular hairs as on preceding segment. Segment 6 with middorsal acicular spine. Sensory spots present in paradorsal, laterodorsal, lateral accessory and ventromedial positions (Figs. 2, 5A). Cuticular hairs as on preceding segment. Segment 7 with middorsal acicular spine. Sensory spots present in laterodorsal, lateral accessory and ventromedial positions. On this and the following segments, the laterodorsal sensory spots are located slightly closer to the midlateral position. Putative J6 or stage- 1 specimens show no indication of female specific glands, as observed in other Centroderes (see Neuhaus et al., 2014). Cuticular hairs as on preceding segment. Segment 8 with prominent, long middorsal acicular spine (Figs. 2, 3A). Small acicular spines present in lateroventral positions (Figs. 4G, 5E, F). Sensory spots present in paradorsal, laterodorsal, lateral accessory and ventromedial position. Putative J6 or stage- 1 specimens show no indication of female specific glands. Cuticular hairs as on preceding segment. Segment 9 with prominent, long middorsal acicular spine (Figs. 2, 3A). Conspicuously robust acicular spines are present in lateroventral positions; these spines can be twice as long as the corresponding spines on segment 8 (Figs. 4G, 5E, F, see also Table 2), especially in the male stage-2. Sensory spots present in paradorsal, laterodorsal, lateral accessory and ventromedial position. Cuticular hairs as on preceding segment. Segment 10 with middorsal and midlateral acicular spines in putative J6 or stage- 1 specimens (Figs. 3B, 5F) and with middorsal and midlateral crenulated spines in stage- 2 males (Figs. 2, 3A, 4H, 5C, E). Sensory spots present in laterodorsal and ventromedial positions. Cuticular hairs as on preceding segment. Segment 11 with middorsal, lateral terminal, lateral terminal accessory, and midterminal spines (Figs. 2, 3, 4A, B, 5F). The midterminal spine is considerably longer than the other spines on this segment (Table 2). Two pairs of subdorsal sensory spots, one pair being more anterior than the other, are present. The whole cuticular surface is covered with minute cuticular hairs which turn slightly longer and denser in the terminal part of the segment.Published as part of Sørensen, Martin V., Gąsiorowski, Ludwik, Randsø, Phillip V., Sánchez, Nuria & Neves, Ricardo C., 2016, First report of kinorhynchs from Singapore, with the description of three new species, pp. 3-27 in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 64 on pages 5-10, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.450253

Echinoderes annae Sørensen & Gąsiorowski & Randsø & Sánchez & Neves 2016, sp.

<i>Echinoderes annae</i> sp. nov. <p>(Figs. 7–9)</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Holotype adult female, collected from muddy, intertidal seagrass aggregations on 19 May 2014, at station SI-06 (Fig. 1, Table 1), on Saringat Island, just south of Singapore Island (01°13.531’N 103°51.299’E), mounted in Fluoromount G, deposited at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, under catalogue number ZRC.MIS.0002. Paratypes, all mounted in Fluoromount G, were collected at same locality as holotype and include one male, deposited at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, under catalogue number ZRC.MIS.0003, and two additional males, one female, and one juvenile deposited at the Natural History Museum of Denmark under catalogue numbers ZMUC KIN- 851 to KIN-854. Additional, non-type material includes six specimens, from same locality as the holotype, mounted for SEM. The SEM specimens were extremely dirty, and contributed with very limited information.</p> <p> <b>Diagnosis.</b> <i>Echinoderes</i> with short middorsal spine on segment 4, and without any lateroventral acicular spines; tubes present in lateroventral positions on segments 5 and 8, midlateral positions on segment 9, and, in laterodorsal positions on segment 10. Glandular cell outlets type 2 present in subdorsal positions on segments 2 and 4, in laterodorsal positions on segments 2, 6 and 8, in sublateral positions on segments 5 and 7, and in lateroventral positions on segment 2. Sensory spots of type 1 and very small. Large, but narrow and elongated sieve plates present in sublateral positions on segment 9. Males with three pairs of penile spines; females with conspicuously short and stout lateral terminal accessory spines.</p> <p> <b>Etymology.</b> The new species, <i>Echinoderes annae</i>, is named after Anna – the girlfriend of the author PVR.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Adult with head, neck and eleven trunk segments (Figs. 7A, B, 8A, 9G). For measurements and dimensions see Table 4. Distribution of cuticular structures (spines, tubes, glandular cell outlets and sensory spots) is summarised in Table 5. Since all specimens mounted for SEM were covered with dirt to different degrees, the species may have additional sensory spots that were not observed and hence are not reported in the present description.</p> <p>The head consists of a retractable mouth cone and an introvert. Arrangement of styles and scalids could not be examined. The neck bears 16 placids (Figs. 8B, 9A, B, G), measuring 18 µm in length.</p> <p>Midventral placid broadest, measuring 19 µm in width. Trichoscalid plates present ventrally on placids 2 and 16 and dorsally on placids 6, 8, 10 and 12 (Figs. 7A, B, 8B). Ventral trichoscalid plates much broader than dorsal ones.</p> <p>Segment 1 consists of a complete cuticular ring with sensory spots located near the anterior segment margin in subdorsal and laterodorsal positions (Fig. 9A), and medially in ventromedial positions (Figs. 9B). Sensory spots on this and following segments are small and rounded with seven to eight short cuticular papillae surrounding two small pores (Fig. 9D). Glandular cell outlets type 1 are present in sublateral positions. Cuticular hairs emerge through rounded perforation sites and are distributed evenly around the segment except in the anterior part of segment and around the sensory spots. The segment terminates into a pectinate fringe. Fringe with very short tips along the dorsal and lateral parts of segment margins, whereas the margins of the ventral parts have significantly longer fringe tips. Ventromedial fringe tips longest.</p> <p>Segment 2 consists of a complete cuticular ring with sensory spots at least in middorsal (Fig. 9E), subdorsal and ventromedial positions (Fig. 9B). Glandular cell outlets type 1 present in middorsal and ventromedial positions; glandular cell outlets type 2 present in subdorsal, laterodorsal and lateroventral positions (Figs. 8B, C). Cuticular hairs and pectinate fringe as on segment 1. Pectinate fringe of segments 1 and 2 considerably shorter than on following segments.</p> <p>Segment 3, and all following segments, consists of one tergal plate and two sternal plates. Glandular cell outlets type 1 present in middorsal and ventromedial positions. Cuticular hairs as on segment 2. Pectinate fringe of this segment with considerably longer tips than that of preceding segments. Midlateral parts of segment margin with slightly shorter fringe tips. Sensory spots not observed.</p> <p>Segment 4 with very short middorsal acicular spine (Figs. 7A, 8E), and sensory spots at least, in laterodorsal positions. Glandular cell outlets type 1 present only ventromedially; glandular cell outlets type 2 present in subdorsal positions (Fig. 8E). Cuticular hairs and pectinate fringe as on segment 3.</p> <p>Segment 5 with relatively long lateroventral tubes (Figs. 8D, 9C). Sensory spots present at least, in subdorsal, midlateral and ventromedial positions (Fig. 9C). Glandular cell outlets type 1 present only ventromedially; glandular cell outlets type 2 present in sublateral positions (Fig. 8D). Cuticular hairs and pectinate fringe as on segment 4, but without variations in tip length around the segment.</p> <p>Segment 6 with sensory spots at least in ventromedial positions (Fig. 9C). Glandular cell outlets type 1 present in paradorsal and ventromedial positions; glandular cell outlets type 2 present in laterodorsal positions (Fig. 8D, G). Cuticular hairs and pectinate fringe as on preceding segment.</p> <p>Segment 7 with sensory spots present, at least in subdorsal and ventrolateral positions (Fig. 9F). Glandular cell outlets type 1 present in paradorsal and ventromedial positions; glandular cell outlets type 2 present in sublateral positions (Fig. 8G), as on segment 5. Fringe tips of pectinate fringe slightly longer on middorsal margin than those on preceding segments. Cuticular hairs as on preceding segment.</p> <p>Segment 8 with lateroventral tubes (Figs. 8F, 9F). Sensory spots present at least in ventromedial positions (Fig. 9F). Glandular cell outlets type 1 present in paradorsal (Fig. 8G) and ventromedial positions; glandular cell outlets type 2 present in laterodorsal positions (Fig. 8F, G), as on segment 6.</p> <p>Segment 9 with midlateral tubes (Figs. 8F, J, 9I), and a pair of large, elongated sieve plates in sublateral positions (Fig. 8F). Sensory spots present at least in laterodorsal positions. Glandular cell outlets type 1 present in paradorsal and ventromedial positions (Figs. 8F, J). Pectinate fringe and cuticular hairs as on preceding segment.</p> <p>Segment 10 with sexually dimorphic laterodorsal tubes near the posterior segment margin (Fig. 8H). Tubes are apparently similar in length but differ in width of both the proximal shaft and the distal tip. In males, the distal parts of the tubes are much thinner, and the proximal shaft is slightly longer than those in females (Figs. 7A, C, 8H). Sensory spots present at least in subdorsal positions. Glandular cell outlets type 1 present in paradorsal and ventromedial positions (Fig. 8F). Cuticular hairs as on preceding segments. Pectinate fringe of posterior margin with shorter and thinner tips than those on preceding segments.</p> <p>Segment 11 with conspicuously short and stout lateral terminal spines (Fig. 8H, I), with a ring of fine trichoids or cuticular markings around each spine, about 1/3 from its proximal end. Males with three pairs of penile spines (Fig. 8H); females with short lateral terminal accessory spines (Fig. 8I). Segment with few cuticular hairs only. Sensory spots not observed. Glandular cell outlets absent. Tergal extensions elongate and triangular (Figs. 7, 8I).</p>Published as part of <i>Sørensen, Martin V., Gąsiorowski, Ludwik, Randsø, Phillip V., Sánchez, Nuria & Neves, Ricardo C., 2016, First report of kinorhynchs from Singapore, with the description of three new species, pp. 3-27 in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 64</i> on pages 13-19, DOI: <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4502533">10.5281/zenodo.4502533</a&gt

Echinoderes tchefouensis Lou 1934

Echinoderes tchefouensis Lou, 1934 Material examined. Echinoderes tchefouensis appeared on stations SI-01, SI-03, and SI-06, and was hence the most ubiquitous species in the area. A total of six adult specimens were mounted for LM, and deposited at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, under catalogue numbers ZMUC KIN- 857 to KIN- 862. Notes on taxonomy and distribution. The species was originally described from the Yantai area on the Chinese Northeast Coast (Lou, 1934). The original description was rather poor, and would in itself fit dozens of Echinoderes species. However, R. P. Higgins later collected specimens of Echinoderes in the area, and considered these to be conspecific with E. tchefouensis. Later, Higgins & Kristensen (1988) provided a note about the unusual lateral spine pattern in these specimens, with lateroventral spines/tubes on segments 5, 8 and 9 only. This enabled Sørensen et al. (2012a) to identify numerous specimens from adjacent waters as E. tchefouensis, and, based on these, provide a redescription that met present days’ requirements. The species is easily recognised because it lacks lateroventral spines on segments 6 and 7, combined with the presence of regular-sized glandular cell outlets type 2 in subdorsal position on segment 2, and a pair of extraordinary large outlets in laterodorsal positions on segment 8 (see Sørensen et al., 2012a for additional characters). The record of E. tchefouensis in Singapore increases the known distributional range of the species, and makes it one of the apparently most widely distributed species of Echinoderes. According to the collectings of Sørensen et al. (2012a) the species covers an area from the Korean Peninsula in northeast, to an easternmost occurrence near Saipan Islands in the West Pacific, and south through the East China Sea and the Philippines, to Sipadan in Malaysian Borneo that until now has marked its southernmost point of distribution. However, the record of the species in Singapore, suggests that it not only has a wide West Pacific distribution, but also could be widespread in the Indonesian Archipelago, and perhaps even could extent into the Indian Ocean. With such a wide distribution, the species would be ideal for population genetic studies, where haplotypes from geographically very distant populations could be compared. Another interesting finding is the appearance of E. tchefouensis at the intertidal station SI-06. Until now, the species has mostly been recorded from subtidal stations (9–140 m according to Sørensen et al., 2012a). The only other intertidal record of the species is from Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands (Sørensen et al., 2012a). Apparently the species is not only widely distributed, but also highly opportunistic and able to adapt to different habitats.Published as part of Sørensen, Martin V., Gąsiorowski, Ludwik, Randsø, Phillip V., Sánchez, Nuria & Neves, Ricardo C., 2016, First report of kinorhynchs from Singapore, with the description of three new species, pp. 3-27 in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 64 on page 19, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.450253

Leiocanthus nagini Sørensen & Gąsiorowski & Randsø & Sánchez & Neves 2016, sp.

Leiocanthus nagini sp. nov. (Figs. 11–13) Material examined. Holotype adult male, collected from sand with mud on 16 May 2014, at station SI-05 (Fig. 1, Table 1), at 52 m depth, at the locality “ Eastern Fairway ” southeast of Singapore Island (01°15.589’N 103°56.680’E), mounted in Fluoromount G, deposited at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, under catalogue number ZRC. MIS.0004. Additional, non-type material, includes one adult female, collected from sand with mud on 16 May 2014, at station SI-03 (Fig. 1, Table 1), at 9 m depth, between Bedok Jetty and Sungei Bedok in the southeast part of Singapore Island (01°18.387’N 103°57.591’E), and mounted for SEM. Diagnosis. Leiocanthus without middorsal elevations. Paradorsal setae present on segments 2–9, paired ones on segment 4. Tergal anterior margin of segment 1 strongly denticulated and followed by a broad, ornamented area. Dorsal and ventral sides on segment 10 with longitudinal cuticular thickenings, visible with LM and SEM. Type 1 sensory spots present on segments 1–10, but not detectable on segment 11. Etymology. The species name, nagini, is the female version of Nāgá – the Sanskrit word for a group of divine dragons or serpent deities known from Hindu and Buddhist mythology. Nagini is furthermore Lord Voldemort’s serpent, known from J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels. Description. The single specimen available for SEM was not suitable for introvert examinations, and detailed information on number and arrangement of scalids and oral teeth was thus not possible to obtain. Neck with four dorsal and two ventral placids (Figs. 11A, B, 13A, B). All placids are thick and hard, with a depressed surface, and articulating with the anterior edge of the first trunk segment. Dorsal placids are rectangular and of similar size, whereas the ventral ones are broader and curve towards the lateral sides. Cuticular folds appear between dorsal and ventral placids. Trichoscalid plates are absent. Trunk consisting of 11 segments (Figs. 11A, B, 12A, B). First segment with one tergal and three sternal plates (Figs. 11A, B, 13A, B); segments 2–11 with one tergal and two sternal plates (Figs. 11A, B, 12B). Dimensions and measurements of holotype are summarised in Table 6, and distribution of spines, sensory spots and setae in Table 7. The segment width is nearly constant along the trunk, reaching the maximum width at segment 5 and tapering slightly from this segment towards the posterior ones. Pachycycli of tergal and sternal plates are well-developed, with regular sized peg-and-socket joints from segments 2–10. Hairy tergosternal junctions, with numerous short cuticular hairs present on segments 2–10. Conspicuous, oval glandular cell outlets present in laterodorsal and ventromedial positions on segments 2–10 (Fig. 11A, B). Indistinct, rounded muscular scars present in laterodorsal and ventromedial positions on segments 2–10. One pair of laterodorsal and ventrolateral cuticular ridges present on segments 2–10. One pair of apodemes near the anterior margins of segments 9 and 10 (Fig. 11A). Segment 1 with anterolateral margins of tergal plate projecting into horn-like extensions. Tergal, anterior margin of the segment strongly denticulated, followed by a broad, longitudinal cuticular ornamentation (Figs. 11B, 12E, 13A). Posterior margin of dorsal plate smooth, without middorsal structure specialisation (middorsal process or elevation) or intracuticular atria. Tergal plate with one pair of subdorsal glandular cell outlets, one pair of paralateral setae (Fig. 13B) and three pairs of sensory spots: one pair in subdorsal and two pairs in laterodorsal positions. Sensory spots on this and all following segments belong to type 1, which are rounded and small, consisting of several small cuticular papillae around a central collar of wider papillae. Ventral side with two episternal plates and one trapezoidal midsternal plate, the latter one overhanging the anterior edge of the segment (Figs. 11A, C, 13B). Anterior margin of each sternal plate is ornamented and followed by a contiguous depressed area (Fig. 13B). Each episternal plate with a glandular cell outlet in the medial region and two ventromedial sensory spots. Pectinate fringe on both dorsal and ventral sides thin, only visible with SEM. Conspicuous parallel, cuticular wrinkles present in the posterior parts of tergal and episternal plates, but absent in the midsternal one. Segment 2 without middorsal elevation or intracuticular atria at the posterior margin of the dorsal plate. Tergal plate with a single paradorsal seta, and paired setae in laterodorsal and lateroventral positions. Paired sensory spots present in subdorsal and laterodorsal positions. Dorsal side with short secondary pectinate fringes in the anterior part of the segment, present from the tergosternal junction to the laterodorsal longitudinal ridge. Sternal plates with one pair of ventromedial sensory spots. Males with a pair of thick ventromedial tubes (Fig. 11A). Females instead with a pair of ventrolateral setae (Figs. 11C, 12F). Ventral side with secondary pectinate fringe similar to that on the dorsal side, stretching from the tergosternal junction to the ventromedial cuticular ridge. Posterior margin of tergal and sternal plates with conspicuous parallel, cuticular wrinkles. Tergosternal junctions with numerous short cuticular hairs. Muscular scars and glandular cell outlets present in laterodorsal and ventromedial positions. Pachycycli of tergal and sternal plates well-developed, with regular sized peg-and-socket joints. Pectinate fringe as on the preceding segment. Segment 3 without middorsal elevation or associated intracuticular atria on tergal plate. A single paradorsal seta, one pair of laterodorsal setae, and two pairs of laterodorsal sensory spots are present on tergal plate. Both pairs of laterodorsal sensory spots are located mesially to the laterodorsal setae. Lateroventral setae absent. Sternal plates with one pair of ventromedial setae and sensory spots, with the sensory spots located lateral to the setae (Fig. 12F). Otherwise similar to preceding segment. Segment 4 without middorsal elevation or associated intracuticular atria on tergal plate. Paired setae present in paradorsal, laterodorsal and lateroventral positions. Three pairs of sensory spots present, one in subdorsal and two in laterodorsal positions, all of them located mesially to the laterodorsal setae. Sternal plates as on segment 3. Otherwise similar to preceding segments. Segment 5 with tergal plate (Fig. 13C) almost similar to that of segment 3 (Fig. 11B), but only with a single pair of laterodorsal sensory spots. Sternal plates similar to those on segment 3, except for the presence of paired ventrolateral setae. Otherwise similar to preceding segments. Segment 6 with tergal plate (Figs. 11B, 12D, 13C) almost similar to that of segment 4, but with a single paradorsal seta. Sternal plates same as those of segment 3, but with the ventral setae in females displaced to a ventrolateral position (Figs. 11A, 13D). Otherwise similar to preceding segments. Segment 7 with tergal and sternal plates (Figs. 11A, B, 12D, 13D) almost as those of segment 5, except for the ventral setae that are displaced to a ventrolateral position (Figs. 11A, 13D). Otherwise similar to preceding segments. Segment 8 with tergal plate (Figs. 11B, 12C, 13F) similar to that of segment 6, but with one additional pair of laterodorsal sensory spots, making it three laterodorsal pairs in total (Fig. 11B). Sternal plates as those on segment 3. Otherwise similar to preceding segments. Segment 9 with tergal (Figs. 11B, 12C, 13F) and sternal plates similar to those of segment 3. Protonephridial opening in paralateral position, with the pore surrounded by a few short cuticular hairs; opening not sieve-like. Paired apodemes (or anteromesial thickenings of ventral pachycycli) present near the anterior margin of segment (Fig. 11A). Otherwise similar to preceding segment. Segment 10 without dorsal structures (Figs. 11B, 12G). Tergal plate with one pair of lateroventral setae and a pair of laterodorsal sensory spots. Sternal plates with ventrolateral setae. Ventromedial sensory spots not found. Paired apodemes present near the anterior margin of the segment (Figs. 11A, 13E). Lateral margins of tergal and sternal plates with conspicuous, longitudinal cuticular thickening visible with LM and SEM (Figs. 12G, 13E). Otherwise similar to preceding segment. Segment 11 with a pair of lateral terminal spines (Fig. 11A, B, D). Males with two pairs of penile spines and genital pores surrounded by a tuft of long hairs. Posterior segment margin with characteristic, irregularly fringed shape (Fig. 13E).Published as part of Sørensen, Martin V., Gąsiorowski, Ludwik, Randsø, Phillip V., Sánchez, Nuria & Neves, Ricardo C., 2016, First report of kinorhynchs from Singapore, with the description of three new species, pp. 3-27 in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 64 on pages 20-25, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.450253

First report of kinorhynchs from singapore, with the description of three new species

The kinorhynch fauna of Singapore, or from any locality close by, has never been explored. For the present study, samples of Kinorhyncha were collected at seven localities around Singapore. This revealed the presence of at least nine different species distributed across four genera. Two species, Echinoderes tchefouensis and Condyloderes paradoxus, are known from other localities in Asia, whereas the remaining seven species are new to science. Three of them, Centroderes impurus sp. nov., Echinoderes annae sp. nov., and Leiocanthus nagini sp. nov., are described, whereas materials representing the remaining, potentially new, species were too limited to allow complete descriptions.Depto. de Biodiversidad, Ecología y EvoluciónFac. de Ciencias BiológicasTRUEpu

A new insight into the Stygofauna Mundi: assembling a global dataset for aquatic fauna in subterranean environments

The potential of subterranean environments as models to address major evolutionary and ecological questions has been highlighted in the literature. They represent partially isolated, discrete units offering several replicates of the same evolutionary processes. Species occurrence data of these environments is abundant, although sparse in the literature or gathered in databases established according to regional, taxonomical, or ecological criteria. We here present a newly assembled dataset consisting of records of aquatic animals in all types of caves or wells from all over the world. Literature sources were gathered from Google Scholar by independently searching for each metazoan phylum/arthropod order, as well as the key words “cave”, “groundwater”, “well”, or “stygobite”, in English, Galician, Spanish, Portuguese, Catalonian, French, Italian, Hungarian, Greek, German, Polish, Russian, and Serbo-Croatian. The relevance of each source was confirmed after checking the title and the abstract. For each selected source, we examined its reference list in order to identify studies that were not published in journals indexed in the databases we searched. From the 6852 selected references, we manually extracted all records that concerned either occurrence of a species in a given geographical area or occurrence of any taxon in a particular cave or well. Records were classified as primary or secondary, depending on whether they provided new information or referred to already publish records, allowing us to identify redundant information in posterior analyses. Information for each access point was organized in as a gazetteer, including synonym names, geographical, ecological, and geological information. Following this strategy, we have obtained 48,800 records (32,769, primary) from 1957 references checked so far. Most records are amongst fish and crustaceans. In contrast, few data exist for other groups that are comparatively diverse outside caves, such as Nematoda. Relevant information will be included in World Register of Marine Cave Species (Fig. 1)