Fauna de briozoários marinhos (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata) do litoral de\ud Maceió, Alagoas, Brasil

FAPES

Membraniporopsis tubigera (Osburn, 1940) (Bryozoa) on floating substrata: evidence of a dispersal mechanism in the western Atlantic

Membraniporosis tubigera (Osburn 1940) (Fig. 1a–f) was collected in 2008 in São Paulo and between August and september 2009 in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil in shrimp trawlnets or by hand in sand beaches. This species was originally described as being from Puerto Rico and the Gulf of Mexico (Florida and Texas), and since then it has been reported forming erect colonies in the Pacific (Japan, Australia, and New Zealand), south-southeastern Brazil, and Uruguay (Gordon et al. 2006; López Gappa et al. 2010). Encrusting colonies of M. tubigera were found on floating plastics, dead leaves, and algae with other pseudoplanktonic bryozoans [eg.\ud Jellyella tuberculata (Bosc, 1802) (Taylor and Monks 1997)]. Erect fronds were found stranding in sandy beaches. We have found young encrusting colonies of M. tubigera,\ud which are considered rare (Gordon et al. 2006). They are small, flat, rounded, forming unilaminar patches (Fig. 1a) entirely covering the substrata in late astogeny (Fig. 1b–d)\ud and often covering both surfaces of algae with bilaminar expansions at the edge (Fig. 1e). Erect fronds previously reported from New Zealand and Brazil may have a tapering\ud proximal portion that could facilitate the detachment of fronds from the encrusting colony (Gordon et al. 2006). Erect colonies of M. tubigera may also become free with the restruction of ephemeral substrata (Fig. 1f). The dispersal mechanisms of M. tubigera are poorly understood. The occurrence of living M. tubigera on floating plastics and algae with other pseudoplanktonic bryozoan species provides evidence for rafting as a dispersal mechanism,\ud and the characteristic shape of foliaceous colonies, which keep\ud alive when free, could also benefit dispersal. Dispersal by\ud rafting does not exclude the hypothesis of transoceanic transportation\ud in fouling communities of vessels or ballast water, as\ud suggested by Gordon et al. (2006). Although it is unclear\ud where M. tubigera is originally native, it has been considered\ud invasive in many places. Given the variety of possible dispersal\ud capabilities, it is expected that M. tubigera may reach\ud new localities in tropical to warm-temperate waters of the\ud Atlantic, Indo-Pacific, and eastern Pacific over relatively short\ud time periods.CAPES/PROCADFAPESP (Proc. 2012/24285-1)NP-BioMar, US

Ctenostomatous Bryozoa from São Paulo, Brazil, with descriptions of twelve new\ud species

This paper describes 21 ctenostomatous bryozoans from the state of São Paulo, Brazil, based on specimens observed in vivo. A new family, Jebramellidae n. fam., is erected for a newly described genus and species, Jebramella angusta n. gen. et sp. Eleven other species are described as new: Alcyonidium exiguum n. sp., Alcyonidium pulvinatum n. sp., Alcyonidium torquatum n. sp., Alcyonidium vitreum n. sp., Bowerbankia ernsti n. sp., Bowerbankia evelinae n. sp., Bowerbankia mobilis n. sp., Nolella elizae n. sp., Panolicella brasiliensis n. sp., Sundanella rosea n. sp., Victorella araceae n. sp. Taxonomic and ecological notes are also included for nine previously described species: Aeverrillia setigera (Hincks, 1887), Alcyonidium hauffi Marcus, 1939, Alcyonidium polypylum Marcus, 1941, Anguinella palmata van Beneden, 1845, Arachnoidella evelinae (Marcus, 1937), Bantariella firmata (Marcus, 1938) n. comb., Nolella sawayai Marcus, 1938, Nolella stipata Gosse, 1855 and Zoobotryon verticillatum (delle Chiaje, 1822).Natural History Museum, London (U.K.)São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) within the BIOTA/FAPESP─Virtual Institute of Biodiversity Program (www.biota.org.br) and BIOTA/FAPESP-Araça (grants # 1998/07090-3 and 2011/50317- 5 to A.C.Z. Amaral).CNPq (474605/2013-2)FAPESP (Proc.nº 2006/ 05141-8; 2008/10619-0; 2012/24285-1)CNPq (306568/2009-8)FAPESP (Proc.nº 2008/10624-3; 2012/10413-8)NP-BioMar, USPContribution No. 959 from the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierc

Nine New Species of Bugula Oken (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata) in Brazilian Shallow Waters

Background: Bugula is a speciose genus of marine bryozoans, represented by both endemic and cosmopolitan species distributed in tropical and temperate waters and important to marine biologists because of the occurrence of many species in harbor and fouling communities, therefore as potential invaders. The southeastern Brazilian coast in the southern Atlantic hosts the highest known diversity of the genus, a status intimately associated with the intensity of collecting efforts. Methodology: Morphological data based on the examination of living specimens, scanning electron and light microscopic images, and morphometric analyses were used to assess the diversity of Bugula along the coastal areas of southern, northeastern, and southeastern Brazil. In this study, morphological species boundaries were based mainly on avicularian characters. For two morphologically very similar species, boundaries are partially supported by 16 S rDNA molecular data. Results: Nine species are newly described from Brazil, as follows: Bugula bowiei n. sp. (= Bugula turrita sensu Marcus, 1937) from the southern, northeastern, and southeastern coasts; Bugula foliolata n. sp. (= Bugula flabellata sensu Marcus, 1938), Bugula guara n. sp., Bugula biota n. sp. and Bugula ingens n. sp from the southeastern coast; Bugula gnoma n. sp. and Bugula alba n. sp. from the northeastern coast; Bugula rochae n. sp. (= Bugula uniserialis sensu Marcus, 1937) from the southern coast; and Bugula migottoi n. sp., from the southeastern and southern coasts. Conclusion: The results contribute to the morphological characterization and the knowledge of the species richness of the genus in the southwestern Atlantic (i.e., Brazil), through the description of new species in poorly sampled areas and also on the southeastern coast of that country. Additionally, the taxonomic status of the Brazilian specimens attributed to B. flabellata, B. turrita and B. uniserialis are clarified by detailed studies on zooidal and avicularia morphology.Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) [2009/08941-3, 2006/05141-8, 2008/10619-0, 2009/08940-7]Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) [305608/2006-1, 564945/2010-2]National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq

Evidence for Polyphyly of the Genus Scrupocellaria (Bryozoa: Candidae) Based on a phylogenetic Analysis of Morphological Characters

The bryozoan genus Scrupocellaria comprises about 80 species in the family Candidae. We propose a hypothesis for the phylogenetic relationships among species assigned to Scrupocellaria to serve as framework for a phylogenetic classification using 35 morphological characters. Our results suggest that the genus Scrupocellaria is polyphyletic. Scrupocellaria s. str. is redefined according to four morphological features: vibracular chamber with a curved setal groove, ooecium with a single ectooecial fenestra, two axillary vibracula, and a membranous operculum with a distinct distal rim. Thus, the genus includes\ud only 11 species: Scrupocellaria aegeensis, Scrupocellaria delilii, Scrupocellaria harmeri, Scrupocellaria incurvata, Scrupocellaria inermis, Scrupocellaria intermedia, Scrupocellaria jullieni, Scrupocellaria minuta, Scrupocellaria puelcha, Scrupocellaria scrupea,\ud and Scrupocellaria scruposa. The monophyly of Cradoscrupocellaria is supported and five new genera are erected: Aquiloniella n. gen., Aspiscellaria n. gen., Paralicornia n. gen., Pomocellaria n. gen. and Scrupocaberea n. gen. Two other new genera, Bathycellaria n. gen. and Sinocellaria n. gen., are erected to accommodate two poorly known species, Scrupocellaria profundis Osburn and Scrupocellaria uniseriata Liu, respectively. Scrupocellaria congesta is tentatively assigned to Tricellaria. Fifteen species are reassigned to Licornia: Licornia cookie n. comb., Licornia micheli n. comb., Licornia milneri n. comb.,\ud Licornia curvata n. comb., Licornia diegensis n. comb., Licornia drachi n. comb., Licornia mexicana n. comb., Licornia pugnax n. comb., Licornia raigadensis n. comb., Licornia regularis n. comb., Licornia resseri n. comb., Licornia securifera n. comb., Licornia\ud spinigera n. comb., Licornia tridentata n. comb., and Licornia wasinensis n. comb. Notoplites americanus n. name is proposed as a replacement name for Scrupocellaria clausa Canu & Bassler. Three fossil species are reassigned to Canda: Canda rathbuni\ud n. comb., Canda triangulata n. comb. and Canda williardi n. comb. A species is reassigned to Notoplites, Notoplites elegantissima n. comb. The generic assignment of eleven species of Scrupocellaria, including Scrupocellaria macandrei, remains uncertain.NP-BioMar, US

Rapid assessment survey for exotic benthic species in the São Sebastião Channel, Brazil

The study of biological invasions can be roughly divided into three parts: detection, monitoring, mitigation. Here, our objectives were to describe the marine fauna of the area of the port of São Sebastião (on the northern coast of the state of São Paulo, in the São Sebastião Channel, SSC) to detect introduced species. Descriptions of the faunal community of the SSC with respect to native and allochthonous (invasive or potentially so) diversity are lacking for all invertebrate groups. Sampling was carried out by specialists within each taxonomic group, in December 2009, following the protocol of the Rapid Assessment Survey (RAS) in three areas with artificial structures as substrates. A total of 142 species were identified (61 native, 15 introduced, 62 cryptogenic, 4 not classified), of which 17 were Polychaeta (12, 1, 1, 3), 24 Ascidiacea (3, 6, 15, 0), 36 Bryozoa (17, 0, 18, 1), 27 Cmdana (2, 1, 24, 0), 20 Crustacea (11, 4, 5, 0), 2 Entoprocta (native), 16 Mollusca (13, 3, 0, 0). Twelve species are new occurrences for the SSC. Among the introduced taxa, two are new for coastal Brazil. Estimates of introduced taxa are conservative as the results of molecular studies suggest that some species previously considered cryptogenic are indeed introduced. We emphasize that the large number of cryptogenic species illustrates the need for a long-term monitoring program, especially in areas most susceptible to bioinvasion. We conclude that rapid assessment studies, even in relatively well-known regions, can be very useful for the detection of introduced species and we recommend that they be carried out on a larger scale in all ports with heavy ship traffic.Center of Marine Biology of the University of São Paulolhabela Yacht ClubCAPES-PROCAD 2007/150FAPESP (2004/09961-4; 2006/58226-0; 2010/06927-0)CAPES (Pró-Equipamentos and Prodoc projects)Boticário FoundationCNPqCAPESFAPESP (2008/10619-0)PNPD/CAPESFACEPE (BCT 0039-1.08/10)NP-BioMar, USPSpecial Issue: “Proceedings of the 3rd Brazilian Congress of Marine Biology”. A.C. Marques, L.V.C. Lotufo, P.C. Paiva, P.T.C. Chaves & S.N. Leitão (Guest Editors