Allozyme and mitochondrial DNA variability within the New Zealand damselfly genera Xanthocnemis, Austrolestes, and Ischnura (Odonata)

We collected larval damselflies from 17 sites in the North, South and Chatham Islands, and tested the hypotheses that: (1) genetic markers (e.g., allozymes, mtDNA) would successfully ¬discriminate taxa; and (2) the dispersal capabilities of adult damselflies would limit differentiation among locations. Four species from three genera were identified based on available taxonomic keys. Using 11 allozyme loci and the mitochondrial cytochrome c-oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, we confirmed that all taxa were clearly discernible. We found evidence for low to moderate differentiation among locations based on allozyme (mean FST = 0.09) and sequence (COI) divergence (<0.034). No obvious patterns with respect to geographic location were detected, although slight differences were found between New Zealand’s main islands (North Island, South Island) and the Chatham Islands for A. colensonis (sequence divergence 0.030–0.034). We also found limited intraspecific genetic variability based on allozyme data (Hexp < 0.06 in all cases). We conclude that levels of gene flow/dispersal on the main islands may have been sufficient to maintain the observed homogeneous population structure, and that genetic techniques, particularly the COI gene locus, will be a useful aid in future identifications

Bait-attending amphipods of the Tonga Trench and depth-stratified population structure in the scavenging amphipod Hirondellea dubia Dahl, 1959

Background The hadal zone encompasses the deepest parts of the world’s ocean trenches from depths of ∼6,000–11,000 m. The communities observed at these depths are dominated by scavenging amphipods that rapidly intercept and consume carrion as it falls to the deepest parts of the trenches. New samples collected in the Tonga Trench provide an opportunity to compare the amphipod assemblages and the population structure of a dominant species, Hirondellea dubia Dahl, 1959, between trenches and with earlier data presented for the Tonga Trench, and other trenches in the South Pacific. Methods Over 3,600 individual scavenging amphipods across 10 species were collected in seven baited traps at two sites; in the Horizon Deep site, the deepest part of the Tonga Trench (10,800 m) and a site directly up-slope at the trench edge (6,250 m). The composition of the bait-attending amphipods is described and a morphometric analysis of H. dubia examines the bathymetric distribution of the different life stages encountered. Results The amphipod assemblage was more diverse than previously reported, seven species were recorded for the first time from the Tonga Trench. The species diversity was highest at the shallower depth, with H. dubia the only species captured at the deepest site. At the same time, the abundance of amphipods collected at 10,800 m was around sevenfold higher than at the shallower site. H. dubia showed clear ontogenetic vertical structuring, with juveniles dominant at the shallow site and adults dominant at the deep site. The amphipods of the deeper site were always larger at comparable life stage. Discussion The numbers of species encountered in the Tonga Trench is less than reported from the New Hebrides and Kermadec trenches, and six species encountered are shared across trenches. These findings support the previous suggestion that the fauna of the New Hebrides, Tonga and Kermadec Trenches may represent a single biogeographic province. The ontogenetic shift in H. dubia between the two Tonga Trench sites supports the hypothesis of interspecific competition at the shallower bathymetric range of the species, and the presence of competitive physiological advantages that allow the adults at the trench axis to exploit the more labile organic material that reaches the bottom of the trench

Dancing for Food in the Deep Sea: Bacterial Farming by a New Species of Yeti Crab

Vent and seep animals harness chemosynthetic energy to thrive far from the sun's energy. While symbiont-derived energy fuels many taxa, vent crustaceans have remained an enigma; these shrimps, crabs, and barnacles possess a phylogenetically distinct group of chemosynthetic bacterial epibionts, yet the role of these bacteria has remained unclear. We test whether a new species of Yeti crab, which we describe as Kiwa puravida n. sp, farms the epibiotic bacteria that it grows on its chelipeds (claws), chelipeds that the crab waves in fluid escaping from a deep-sea methane seep. Lipid and isotope analyses provide evidence that epibiotic bacteria are the crab's main food source and K. puravida n. sp. has highly-modified setae (hairs) on its 3rd maxilliped (a mouth appendage) which it uses to harvest these bacteria. The ε- and γ- proteobacteria that this methane-seep species farms are closely related to hydrothermal-vent decapod epibionts. We hypothesize that this species waves its arm in reducing fluid to increase the productivity of its epibionts by removing boundary layers which may otherwise limit carbon fixation. The discovery of this new species, only the second within a family described in 2005, stresses how much remains undiscovered on our continental margins

The Magnitude of Global Marine Species Diversity

Background: The question of how many marine species exist is important because it provides a metric for how much we do and do not know about life in the oceans. We have compiled the first register of the marine species of the world and used this baseline to estimate how many more species, partitioned among all major eukaryotic groups, may be discovered. Results: There are ∼226,000 eukaryotic marine species described. More species were described in the past decade (∼20,000) than in any previous one. The number of authors describing new species has been increasing at a faster rate than the number of new species described in the past six decades. We report that there are ∼170,000 synonyms, that 58,000–72,000 species are collected but not yet described, and that 482,000–741,000 more species have yet to be sampled. Molecular methods may add tens of thousands of cryptic species. Thus, there may be 0.7–1.0 million marine species. Past rates of description of new species indicate there may be 0.5 ± 0.2 million marine species. On average 37% (median 31%) of species in over 100 recent field studies around the world might be new to science. Conclusions: Currently, between one-third and two-thirds of marine species may be undescribed, and previous estimates of there being well over one million marine species appear highly unlikely. More species than ever before are being described annually by an increasing number of authors. If the current trend continues, most species will be discovered this century

The squat lobster genus Phylladiorhynchus Baba, 1969 in New Zealand and eastern Australia, with description of six new species

Schnabel, Kareen E., Ahyong, Shane T. (2019): The squat lobster genus Phylladiorhynchus Baba, 1969 in New Zealand and eastern Australia, with description of six new species. Zootaxa 4688 (3): 301-347, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4688.3.

Validation of Three Species of Spongicolid Shrimp of New Zealand: Spongicoloides clarki Schnabel, Kou &amp; Xu, S. sonne Schnabel, Kou &amp; Xu and Spongiocaris antipodes Schnabel, Kou &amp; Xu (Crustacea: Decapoda: Stenopodidea)

Schnabel, Kou &amp; Xu reported three new species of spongicolid shrimp from New Zealand. The present note, with ZooBank registrations, serve to validate the names Spongicoloides clarki, S. sonne and Spongiocaris antipodes by fulfilling Code conditions for nomenclatural availability. As such, the date and authorship of the species names take the date of publication of this note. Specimens are deposited at the National Institute of Water &amp; Atmospheric Research, Wellington (NIWA) and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington (NMNZ)

Integrative Taxonomy of New Zealand Stenopodidea (Crustacea: Decapoda) with New Species and Records for the Region

The New Zealand fauna of the crustacean infraorder Stenopodidea, the coral and sponge shrimps, is reviewed using both classical taxonomic and molecular tools. In addition to the three species so far recorded in the region, we report Spongicola goyi for the first time, and formally describe three new species of Spongicolidae. Following the morphological review and DNA sequencing of type specimens, we propose the synonymy of Spongiocaris yaldwyni with S. neocaledonensis and review a proposed broad Indo-West Pacific distribution range of Spongicoloides novaezelandiae. New records for the latter at nearly 54° South on the Macquarie Ridge provide the southernmost record for stenopodidean shrimp known to date

Southern High Latitude Squat Lobsters: Galatheoidea and Chirostyloidea from Macquarie Ridge with Description of a New Species of Uroptychus

Macquarie Ridge is one of the southernmost seamount ridges, spanning 1600 kilometres from the southern tip of New Zealand to the Australia-Pacific-Antarctic triple junction halfway to Antarctica. Squat lobsters, superfamilies Chirostyloidea and Galatheoidea, are highly diverse at low and mid-latitudes, declining rapidly towards the poles; only 15 of the more than 1000 species have been recorded south of 50 degrees S. Prior to the present study, one species of squat lobster (Munidopsis pyrochela, Munidopsidae) was known from the Macquarie Ridge, but recent research voyages in 2003 and 2008 collected a further five species from both superfamilies and three families. Uroptychus tracey (Chirostylidae) is new to science. Uroptychus insignis (Henderson, 1885) is reported for the first time outside of the western Indian Ocean and re-described based on type material. Subtle differences between the western Indian Ocean and Macquarie Ridge specimens of U. insignis suggest that the latter specimens might represent a separate species. Munida chathamensis Baba, 1974 (Munididae) is re-described and reported for the first time outside of its Chatham Rise type locality. New morphological variation is reported for Munida isos. Munidopsis tasmaniae is reported not only for the first time from the Macquarie Ridge, but also for the first time from New Zealand waters

FIGURE 4. Uroptychus macquariae n in Southern high latitude squat lobsters II: description of Uroptychus macquariae sp. nov. from Macquarie Ridge

FIGURE 4. Uroptychus macquariae n. sp., Holotype, female ov., pcl 10.5 mm, Hjort Seamount, Macquarie Ridge (AM P100957, ex. NIWA 40904). A, dorsal habitus. B, carapace, right lateral. C, right antenna, ventral view. D, right maxilliped 3, lateral. E, right crista dentata. F, right P1 ischiomerus, ventral. G, sternal plastron. H, telson.Scale: A, B, F = 2.5 mm; C, D, G, H = 1.25 mm; E = 0.5 mm. (Modified after Ahyong et al.2015