Integrative taxonomy of a new Redudasys species (Gastrotricha: Macrodasyida) sheds light on the invasion of fresh water habitats by macrodasyids

The order Macrodasyida (Gastrotricha) includes over 350 marine species, and only 3 freshwater species (Marinellina flagellata, Redudasys fornerise, R. neotemperatus). Herein we describe a new freshwater species of Macrodasyida, Redudasys brasiliensis sp. nov., from Brazil through an integrative taxonomic approach. The external morphology and internal anatomy were investigated using differential interference contrast microscopy, confocal microscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The systematization of the new taxon was inferred by nuclear (18S and 28S) and mitochondrial (COI) genes, and its intra-order relationships were assessed using data from most of available macrodasyids. Phylogenetic analyses yielded congruent trees, in which the new taxon is nested within the family Redudasyidae, but it was genetically distinct from the other species of the genus Redudasys. The new species shares the gross morphology and reproductive traits with other Redudasyidae and the presence of only 1 anterior adhesive tube per side with Redudasys neotemperatus, but it has a specific pattern of ventral ciliation and muscle organization. Results support the hypothesis that dispersion into fresh water habitats by Macrodasyida and Chaetonotida taxa occurred independently and that within Macrodasyida a single lineage invaded the freshwater environment only once. Furthermore, the Neotropical region seems to be peculiar for the evolution of the freshwater macrodasyid clade9CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAIS - FAPEMIGFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP478825/2013ETC-00017-132014/23856-

Photography-based taxonomy is inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences

The question whether taxonomic descriptions naming new animal species without type specimen(s) deposited in collections should be accepted for publication by scientific journals and allowed by the Code has already been discussed in Zootaxa (Dubois & Nemésio 2007; Donegan 2008, 2009; Nemésio 2009a–b; Dubois 2009; Gentile & Snell 2009; Minelli 2009; Cianferoni & Bartolozzi 2016; Amorim et al. 2016). This question was again raised in a letter supported by 35 signatories published in the journal Nature (Pape et al. 2016) on 15 September 2016. On 25 September 2016, the following rebuttal (strictly limited to 300 words as per the editorial rules of Nature) was submitted to Nature, which on 18 October 2016 refused to publish it. As we think this problem is a very important one for zoological taxonomy, this text is published here exactly as submitted to Nature, followed by the list of the 493 taxonomists and collection-based researchers who signed it in the short time span from 20 September to 6 October 2016

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Are freshwater Macrodasyida as rare as previously thought? Integrative taxonomy identifies a new taxon of Gastrotricha Macrodasyida

Macrodasyida are worm-like, hermaphroditic and marine gastrotrichs with about 350 species. Among all known Macrodasyida only Marinellina flagellata, Redudasys fornerise and Redudasys sp. (Kånneby & Wicksten, 2014), were found in fresh waters respectively from an Austrian stream, a Brazilian artificial reservoir and a USA aquifer. Herein we describe a new freshwater taxon of Macrodasyida from different streams in Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil. The external morphology and internal anatomy were investigated using Differential Interference Contrast (DIC), Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The systematization of the new taxon within Macrodasyida was inferred by 18S rRNA gene, and the relationships with the other freshwater Macrodasyida species were investigated by COI mtDNA. The adult has a body length from 193 to 376 m and 1+1 anterior adhesive tubes, 2 pairs of posterior adhesive tubes of unequal length, numerouscephalic cilia arranged into irregular bands, short around the mouth and longer on the anterolateral head margins, 6 pairs of lateral tactile bristles. Pharynx surrounded dorsally, laterally and ventrally by 10–12 longitudinal muscles which are inserted on the mouth rim and lie externally to circular muscles; the pair of main ventrolateral longitudinal muscles is inserted at the level of the anterior adhesive tubes. Intestine circular musculature external to the splanchnic longitudinal one and not surrounding dorsal and ventrolateral somatic longitudinal muscles. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses yielded topologies congruent with each other and the new taxon nested within the family Redudasyidae, but COI mtDNA analyses showed clear distances between Redudasys fornerise, Redudasys sp. and the new taxon. Results suggest that Macrodasyida invaded freshwater environment only once and the Neotropical region seems to be a peculiar place for the evolution of the freshwater macrodasyidan clade

AN ENIGMATIC FRESHWATER CHAETONOTIDA (GASTROTRICHA) FROM BRAZIL: A NEW SPECIES IN A NEW GENUS

The phylum Gastrotricha includes over 800 free-living species of worm-like, actively moving microinvertebrates that represent an important component of the meiobenthic fauna of marine, brackish-water and fresh-water habitats. Global diversity of Gastrotricha from inland waters is less known than that of marine forms, and available information is extremely heterogeneous: in particular South America has been poorly studied. A new freshwater psammic species of Gastrotricha Chaetonotida was collected from sediments of high altitude streams in the Minas Gerais State, Brazil. A set of peculiar morphological features clearly distinguishes this taxon from all the other Chaetonotida: very large and closely juxtaposed cephalic plates wholly cover the head region both dorsally and ventrally; cuticular large, spineless, hexagonal scales partially overlapping and similar to each other coat the anterior and central trunk region both dorsally and ventrally; posterior trunk region coated by extremely large dorsal and ventral scales; two pairs of terminal ventral keeled scales, the external ones exceptionally large and double in size than the medial ones; long, thin caudal adhesive tubes composed of three sections. The taxonomic position of the new species within Chaetonotida and in particular into the family Chaetonotidae is discussed on morphological bases, and the reasons for its possible assignment to a new genus are advanced. Preliminary molecular data obtained from 18S rDNA analysis of the new taxon are presented within a phylogenetic tree of Chaetonotida, and its phylogenetic relationships are discussed