Effects of Salinity on Growth and Molting of Sympatric Callinectes spp. from Camaronera Lagoon, Veracruz, Mexico

Megalopae of Callinectes rathbunae Contrareras, 1930 and C. sapidus Rathbun, 1896 were exposed to salinities of 5, 15, and 25 at 25.0degreesC (through crab stage 16) to determine if there were species-specific differences in survival, growth, and intermolt duration. Survival of C. rathbunae decreased significantly at higher salinities, but there was no salinity effect for C. sapidus. Callinectes rathbunae had significantly higher survival than C. sapidus in salinities of 5 and 15, but survival was not different in a salinity of 25. There was no difference in survival of C. rathbunae by gender; survival of both genders was generally lowest at a salinity of 25. There was no difference in survival for females of C. sapidus among salinities, but mates had lowest survival at the lowest salinity. Additionally, males had significantly greater survival than females in salinities of 15 and 25. Females of C. rathbunae grew faster than males at all salinities and both genders grew fastest in a salinity of 15. In contrast, males and females of C. sapidus grew at the same rate, with the lowest growth rate for both genders at the lowest salinities. Relative to C rathbunae, C. sapidus had a significantly higher growth rate and shorter intermolt duration at the highest salinity. There was no significant difference in intermolt duration between genders for C. rathbunae or C. sapidus. However, intermolt duration among salinity treatments for C. rathbunae differed significantly in crabs greater than or equal to stage 7, with the longest duration in the highest salinity. In contrast, intermolt duration of C. sapidus was shortest in a salinity of 25. Results of this study suggest that C. rathbunae is more tolerant of low salinity habitats than C. sapidus

Primeros registros de mísidos (Crustacea: Peracarida, Mysida) del Parque Nacional Arrecife Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México

Los mísidos del Caribe mexicano permanecen poco estudiados hasta el presente. Este trabajo representa el primer registro de estos crustáceos para el Parque Nacional Arrecife Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, México. El material fue recolectado de macroalgas, esponjas y roca de coral, con ayuda de equipo SCUBA. Se documentan ocho especies de mísidos para dicho parque arrecifal. Las especies Heteromysis elegans, Brattegard, 1974; H. (Olivemysis) floridensis Brattegard, 1969 y H. (O.) siciliseta Brattegard, 1970, constituyen registros nuevos para el Caribe mexicano

Composición, abundancia y distribución de cumáceos (Crustacea: Peracarida) en los Parques Nacionales de Isla Mujeres e Isla Contoy, Quintana Roo, México: Composition, abundance, and distribution of cumaceans (Crustacea: Peracarida) in the National Parks of Isla Mujeres and Isla Contoy, Quintana Roo, Mexico

En este estudio se evaluó la composición, distribución y abundancia de cumáceos colectados en los Parques Nacionales Isla Mujeres e Isla Contoy, Quintana Roo, México. Los especímenes fueron recolectados con una red de cuchara (0,30 m de ancho por 0,48 m de largo y 330 µm de apertura de malla). Los arrastres se realizaron sobre vegetación sumergida en transectos de 10 m de largo paralelos a la línea de costa. Adicionalmente, en una estación de Isla Mujeres se utilizó una trampa de luz blanca con una intensidad de 30 lm. Se midieron los parámetros fisicoquímicos in situ, los cuales estuvieron dentro de los valores establecidos por la norma oficial mexicana para aguas no contaminadas; temperatura (27,26 ± 0,64 °C); salinidad (35,65 ± 0,21); oxígeno disuelto (8,01 ± 0,88 mg L-1); sólidos disueltos (22,82 ± 0,22 ppm); y pH (8,07 ± 0,15). En cuanto a las familias Bodotriidae y Nannastacidae, se identificaron un total de 7.590 ejemplares pertenecientes a 5 géneros y 18 especies. Cumella sp. “A” fue la especie más abundante con 5.364 ejemplares seguida de Vaunthompsonia floridana con 1.391 ejemplares. Se registró Vaunthompsonia minor en 9 de las 11 estaciones de muestreo. Se amplió el rango geográfico de distribución de Cyclaspis mexicansis, Cumella achimae, C. bacescui, C. andri, C. caribbeana, C. croixensis, C. medeeae y C. somersi. La mayor diversidad y equidad se presentó en Isla Mujeres (3,05 y 0,88 bits ind-1, respetivamente). El género Vaunthompsonia fue dominante en Isla Mujeres, mientras que el género Cumella fue dominante en Isla Contoy

Los isópodos (Crustacea, Peracarida) asociados al sistema arrecifal Bajos de Sisal y Puerto Progreso, Yucatán, México

En este trabajo se analizan la composición faunística, la distribución y la abundancia de los isópodos asociados a diferentes sustratos del Sistema Arrecifal Bajos de Sisal y Puerto Progreso. Las recolectas fueron realizadas manualmente, con el empleo de SCUBA, en los meses de mayo y junio del 2012, en 16 sitios de muestreo, entre 1 y 20 m de profundidad. Se obtuvieron organismos asociados a camas de algas, esponjas, pedacería de coral, madera, sedimento, boyas y pilotes. Se cuantificaron 3,604 isópodos pertenecientes a 5 subórdenes, 5 superfamilias, 18 familias, 28 géneros y 49 especies. La familia con la mayor riqueza específica fue Anthuridae (ocho especies). La especie Carpias algicola presentó la abundancia mayor (1,693 individuos). El sitio con abundancia mayor fue Bajo de Diez (1,066 individuos), siendo Madagascar el que presentó la riqueza específica mayor. Cuatro especies constituyen registros nuevos para el Golfo de México, mientras que 14 especies presentan ampliaciones del ámbito geográfico, hasta el sureste del golfo

Isópodos (Crustacea: Peracarida) del Área Natural Protegida Arrecife Tuxpan-Lobos, Veracruz, México: lista de especies y registros nuevos

Se presenta una lista de los isópodos bentónicos asociados al Área Natural Protegida Arrecife Tuxpan-Lobos, México. Se realizaron muestreos en 11 sitios, entre 5 y 25 m de profundidad, en los meses de junio y julio de 2011. Fueron identificados 1,159 organismos pertenecientes a los subórdenes Asellota Latreille, 1802; Cymothoida Wägele, 1989; Limnoriidea Poore, 2002 y Sphaeromatidea Wägele, 1989; 5 superfamilias, 13 familias, 20 géneros y 31 especies. En este estudio se documentan 10 registros nuevos de isópodos para el Golfo de México: Carpias bermudensis, Joeropsis personatus, Hansenium spathulicarpus, Anthomuda affinis, Mesanthura bivittata, Pendanthura hendleri, Natatolana gracilis, Excorallana oculata, Excorallana quadricornis y Limnoria insulte, así como 16 ampliaciones del ámbito geográfico para esta fauna de crustáceos

Nebalia villalobosi Ortiz, Winfield & Cházaro-Olvera, 2011, n. sp.

Nebalia villalobosi n. sp. (Figs. 1–6) Material examined. Holotype: adult female, 5 mm (CNCR # 26196); Allotype: adult male, 3 mm (CNCR # 26197). Paratypes (CNCR # 26198): 56 females (3.8–5.1 mm), 3 males (3.3, 3.7, 3.9 mm). Type locality. Veracruz Coral Reef System, Veracruz State, Mexico, SW Gulf of Mexico; 0 7 May 2007; Blanquilla coral reef, 19 ° 13 ’ 32.9 " N and 96 °05’53.0" W, 12 m depth. Collected from the sponge Ircinia fistularis Verrill (Dictyoceratyda: Irciniidae) (CNPGG #0896). Diagnosis. Carapace extending back to the middle of the third abdominal segment along the sides, but with a narrow dorsal sinus. Eyes large, oval, slightly tapering distally, forming single distal lobe. Marginal ommatidia may be seen, the rest of the eye is black. Rostrum twice as long as wide. Antennular flagellum with up to 13 articles. Antenna with flagellum almost equal in length to half the body length, 60 or fewer articles of which the first 18–20 are very short, not fused. Exopod of second maxilla as long as first article of endopod. Article 3 of mandible palp with inner border covered with robust setae. Postero-lateral border of pereonite 4 with rounded denticles. Peduncle of pleopod 4 smooth. Pleopod 5 with 6 robust setae slightly longer than the distal point. Pleonite 6 with rounded denticles along dorsal posterior border. Caudal furca slightly longer than pleonite 7 and telson combined. Description. Carapace: oval, not covering pereonite 4 (Fig. 1 A); dorsal-posterior margin concave with medial notch, bilobate (Fig. 2 C). Rostrum: length 2 times eye orbits; depressed distally in lateral view (Figs. 1 B, 1 C). Ventral keel poorly developed; antero-lateral border and anterior depression not clearly seen (Fig. 1 D). Eyes, reaching 2 / 3 of rostrum length, directed downward, supraorbital plate vestigial. Antennule: peduncle 4 -segmented; article 2 with short and long setae; article 3 wider at subdistal point, bearing a tuft of long setae on distal border; article 4 shorter than 2, widest distally, 4 short setae on ventral border, a short robust setae on distal dorsal border beside the articulation of the antennal scale; antennal scale elongate, length 2 times width; distal and proximal half of ventral border with a long seta; flagellum longer than peduncle with 14 articles; articles 1–2 not clearly separated; a pair of aesthetascs from articles 7 to 12, almost all with an apical seta (Fig. 2 A). Antenna: peduncle 3 -segmented; article 1 with a small straight tooth placed subdistally; article 2 with a distal dorsal tooth; article 3 as long as 2, length 1.2 times width, several robust setae and smooth-plumose setae along dorsal margin, 4 long setae on ventral margin, a small anterior lobe with 3 curved setae, 4 long setae on rest of distal border; flagellum well developed, longer than peduncle, with almost 60 articles (Fig. 2 B). Mandible: mandible molars well developed, mandible palp 3 -segmented; right molar quadrangular, bifid distally; left molar triangular; article 3 shorter than 2, with parallel margins, rounded distally; outer border covered with parallel simple setae, lined with small setae (Figs. 3 B, 3 C). First maxilla: protopod with 2 endites, endite 1 with a simple seta bearing setulose setae, endite 2 larger than 1, with 6 long spatulate and 7 short simple setae; palp well developed, almost 4 times length of protopod, with 4 spaced setae, 2 on distal tip (Fig. 3 A). Second maxilla: protopod with 4 endites armed with long setae, endites 1 and 3 largest; endopod longer than exopod, with 2 articles, distal article 2 / 3 length of basal article; exopod almost surpassing articulation between articles 1 and 2 of endopod; terminal seta of distal article on endopod, shorter than entire ramus (Fig. 3 D). Thoracopods: thoracopod 1 endopod as long as exopod, weakly divided, distal article with 6 setae, one small on lateral margins; exopod with a few short setae along ventral and lateral margins. Epipod short without setae (Fig. 4 A). Thoracopods 2–4 exopods and epipods gradually enlarging to almost the length of thoracopod 5. Thoracopod 5 endopod slightly longer than exopod, bearing a distal article with a tuft of 6 setae; exopod with a small seta dividing 2 incipient lobes on ventral margin; epipod almost reaching basal half of exopod (Fig. 4 B). Thoracopods 6 and 7 exopods and epipods gradually enlarging to almost the length of thoracopod 8. Thoracopod 8 endopod as long as exopod, bearing a distal article with 6 setae; exopod covered with setae on outer border; epipod almost reaching 2 / 3 length of exopod (Fig. 4 C). Pleopods: pleopod 1 peduncle with a long subdistal seta that covers exopod halfway; exopod 2 times longer than peduncle, inner border covered with 14 setae, 4 long and 2 short apical robust setae; endopod 2 -articles, 3 times longer than peduncle, a short terminal robust setae, inner border covered with 17 long setae; epipod longer than wide, teeth on distal border (Fig. 5 A). Pleopod 2 peduncle very stout with a subdistal curved robust setae; exopod short, quadrangular, outer border with 4 long and 5 short robust setae, 3 long distal setae; endopod 2 -articles, almost 1.1 times length of peduncle, a short distal robust setae, 4 simple setae; outer border covered with 18 setae; epipod not seen (Fig. 5 B). Pleopod 3 peduncle stout, a distal robust setae covers 1 / 4 of exopod; exopod longer than peduncle but shorter than endopod, covered with a set of long and short setae on outer border, 2 apical setae and 7 long setae on distal half of inner border; endopod with setae all around; epipod with 2 coupling robust setae (Fig. 5 C). Pleopod 4 peduncle shorter than rami; endopod smaller than exopod, bearing 3 submarginal robust setae on inner border and 4 on distal half of outer border, 3 distal robust setae (Fig. 6 A). Pleopod 5 ramus almost 3 times longer than peduncle, 6 long robust setae along distal half of outer border, bearing 4 distal setae, inner border with 13 tip curved robust setae (Fig. 6 B). Pleopod 6 longer than wide, 4 robust setae on inner border, 1 long and 2 short distal robust setae, 3 robust setae on distal half, and 1 basally on outer border (Fig. 6 C). Pleonites: pleonites 2–5 increasing its length backward, rounded denticles along postero-dorsal border; pleonites 6–7 twice length of pleonite 5, denticles of pleonite 6 wider than denticles of pleonite 7 (Fig. 6 E). Telson and furca: anal scales not seen; telson is 1.1 times length of pleonite 7, quadrangular; furcal rami tapering distally, as long as telson + pleonite 7 combined, 12 setae along outer lateral margin and 14–17 along medial margin, distally each ramus with a very stout and long robust setae, one on right ramus 1 / 2 length, on left ramus 1 / 3 length (Fig. 6 D). longicornis. Male paratype. Similar to female but smaller; rostrum less depressed in lateral view; bearing less ommatidea which are placed only distally; antennule with a flagellum comprising 6 articles; flagellum of antenna bearing 4 articles. Etymology. The new species is named in honour of Dr. José Luis Villalobos Hiriart, researcher and friend at the Instituto de Biología, UNAM. Distribution. Veracruz Coral Reef System National Park, SW Gulf of Mexico, Mexico. Remarks. In comparing females of Gulf of Mexico Nebalia species, N. villalobosi n. sp. is most morphologically similar to N. longicornis, and N. lagartensis, but is easily distinguished from these two species by the following characteristics: The rostrum is ovoidal instead of bearing parallel borders backward as in N. lagartensis or tapering distally as in N. longicornis. The new species shows relatively large and distally expanded eyes with a small supraorbital plate, instead of a distally pointed eye and an upward supraorbital plate as in N. lagartensis or distally rounded eye and supraorbital plate surpassing half way the length of the eye as in N. longicornis. The mandible has the inner border of palp article 3 covered with setae, instead of a distal tuff as in N. lagartensis or a distal seta as in N. longicornis. The antennal flagellum of N. villalobosi n. sp. has almost 60 articles of which 40 are very short, instead of normally developed articles in the antennal flagella as seen in N. lagartensis and N. longicornis. In N. villalobosi n. sp. article 2 of the endopod on the second maxilla is shorter than the basal article, also seen in N. longicornis, but an exopod that does not reach the basal part of the endopod article 2, as in N. lagartensis and N. longicornis. In N. villalobosis n. sp. the epipod of thoracopod 1 does not reach the basal part of the exopod, as seen in N. lagartensis and N. longicornis. Pleopod 5 is expanded distally and armed with robust setae at both sides, instead of having tapering apex bearing robust setae only at one side as seen in N. lagartensis and N. longicornis. In N. villalobosi n. sp. pleopod 7 is ovoidal and covered all around with setae, instead of pleopod 7 being pointed distally and with fewer setae as in N. lagartensis and N. longicornis. Finally, N. villalobosi n. sp. is a sponge-inhabiting crustacean while N. lagartensis and N. longicornis are only recorded as free-leaving leptostracans associated with soft bottoms.Published as part of Ortiz, Manuel, Winfield, Ignacio & Cházaro-Olvera, Sergio, 2011, A new sponge-inhabiting leptostracan species of the genus Nebalia (Crustacea: Phyllocarida: Leptostraca) from the Veracruz Coral Reef System, Gulf of Mexico, pp. 52-62 in Zootaxa 3027 on pages 53-61, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20725

¿Controla la biomasa de pastos marinos la densidad de los peracáridos (Crustacea: Peracarida) en lagunas tropicales?

Se analizó la variación en tiempo y espacio de los crustáceos peracáridos que habitan las praderas de Ruppia maritima del sistema lagunar de Alvarado, Veracruz, Golfo de México. El muestreo de esta asociación de crustáceos se realizó de diciembre de 1992 a noviembre de 1994. Los organismos se obtuvieron de 108 muestras recolectadas en seis sitios con R. maritima. La asociación de crustáceos incluyó 11 especies. Ocho especies en Amphipoda (Hourstonius laguna, Cerapus benthophilus, Apocorophium louisianum, Grandidierella bonnieroides, Leptocheirus rhizophorae, Gammarus mucronatus, Melita longisetosa y Haustorius sp.), una en Isopoda (Cassidinidea ovalis) y dos en Tanaidacea (Discapseudes holthuisi and Leptochelia savignyi). La taxocenosis, la densidad y la biomasa de estos organismos mostraron pulsos estacionales relacionados positivamente con la variación de la biomasa de R. maritima, la salinidad, los afluentes epicontinentales y las bocas de comunicación. Las especies C. ovalis, G. mucronatus, A. louisianum y D. holthuisi fueron componentes dominantes en la asociación de peracáridos.<br>Does sea-grass biomass control the density of peracarids (Crustacea: Peracarida) in tropical lagoons? We analyzed the time-space variation of the peracarid crustaceans that inhabit seagrasses of the Alvarado Lagoon System, Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico. The organisms were collected from 108 samples in six sites with Ruppia maritima beds (December 1992 to November 1994). The assemblage was composed of 11 species. Eight species of Amphipoda (Hourstonius laguna, Cerapus benthophilus, Apocorophium louisianum, Grandidierella bonnieroides, Leptocheirus rhizophorae, Gammarus mucronatus, Melita longisetosa and Haustorius sp.), one of Isopoda (Cassidinidea ovalis) and two of Tanaidacea (Discapseudes holthuisi and Leptochelia savignyi) were identified. Taxocoenosis, density and biomass of peracarids showed seasonal pulses related to R. maritima biomass, salinity variation, epicontinental affluent and inlets. The species C. ovalis, G. mucronatus, A. louisianum and D. holthuisi were dominant. Rev. Biol. Trop. 55 (1): 43-53. Epub 2007 March. 31

A new species of isopod (Isopoda: Flabellifera: Sphaeromatidae) from Cuba, with an identification key for the species of Paraimene Una especie nueva de isópodo (Isopoda: Flabellifera: Sphaeromatidae) de Cuba, con una clave de identificación para las especies de Paraimene

A new species of isopod crustacean belonging to the genus Paraimene (Flabellifera, Sphaeromatidae) is described. The new species was collected from Cojimar Bay, La Habana Province, Cuba. Paraimene danieli new species differs from all other known species of the genus by the following characters: pereonites 2-3 smooth, pereonites 5-6 carínate, pereonite 7 and pleonite 1 raised at middle point, lacinia mobilis with 3 cusps. An identification key to species of Paraimene is provided.<br>Se describe una especie nueva de isópodo perteneciente al género Paraimene (Isopoda, Flabellifera, Sphaeromatidae). La especie nueva fue colectada de la Bahía de Cojimar, Provincia La Habana, Cuba. Paraimene danieli especie nueva difiere de las especies conocidas del género por los siguientes caracteres: lacinia mobilis con 3 cúspides; pereonites 2-3 lisos, pereonites 5-6 carinados, pereonite 7 y pleonite 1 elevados medialmente. Se presenta una clave de identificación para las especies de Paraimene

Lista actualizada y clave ilustrada para los géneros de misidáceos (Crustacea, Peracarida) del Mar Intra-Americano Updated checklist and illustrated key to mysid (Crustacea, Peracarida) genera from the Intra-American Sea

Se presenta una lista actualizada y una clave ilustrada para la identificación de los 38 géneros marinos, estuarinos y estigobios de los misidáceos que habitan en el Mar Intra-Americano. Estos crustáceos incluyen 6 familias, 5 subfamilias y 5 tribus dentro de los órdenes Lophogastrida y Mysida. El primero contiene 5 géneros y el segundo 33; de éstos, 35 habitan el ambiente marino y el salobre, 2 el cárstico y 1, Antromysis, vive en cualquiera de los 3 ambientes. Los géneros Anchialina, Siriella, Mysidopsis, Mysidium y Heteromysis se distribuyen ampliamente en todo el Mar Intra-Americano. Contrariamente a Chalaraspidum, Euchaetomera, Eucopia, Gironomysis, Metamblyops, Mysidella, Palaumysis, Platymysis, Pleurerythrops, Pseudomma y Synerythrops con una distribución geográfica restringida. El Mar Caribe y el Golfo de México representan las 2 regiones biogeográficas con mayor número de géneros de misidáceos.An updated checklist and an illustrated key for the identification of the 38 genera of marine, estuarine and stygobitic opossum shrimps recorded from the Intra-American Sea, are presented. These crustaceans were included in 6 families, 5 subfamilies, and 5 tribes, into the suborders Lophogastrida and Mysida. First order grouped 5 genera and the second 33. Of these genera, 35 live in marine and estuarine environments, 2 are stygobitic and another, Antromysis, is distributed in each one. The genera Anchialina, Siriella, Mysidopsis, Mysidium and Heteromysis have a wide distribution in overall Intra-American Sea, instead of Chalaraspidum, Euchaetomera, Eucopia, Gironomysis, Metamblyops, Mysidella, Palaumysis, Platymysis, Pleurerythrops, Pseudomma and Synerythrops with a restricted geographical distribution. The Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico constitute the regions with the biggest number of mysids genera

A new sponge-inhabiting leptostracan species of the genus Nebalia (Crustacea: Phyllocarida: Leptostraca) from the Veracruz Coral Reef System, Gulf of Mexico

Ortiz, Manuel, Winfield, Ignacio, Cházaro-Olvera, Sergio (2011): A new sponge-inhabiting leptostracan species of the genus Nebalia (Crustacea: Phyllocarida: Leptostraca) from the Veracruz Coral Reef System, Gulf of Mexico. Zootaxa 3027: 52-62, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20725