A revision of the genus Muricea Lamouroux, 1821 (Anthozoa, Octocorallia) in the eastern Pacific. Part II

The species of the genus Muricea were mainly described from 1846 to 1870. After that very few contributions were published. Although the highest richness of Muricea species is in the eastern Pacific shallow waters, a comprehensive systematic study of the genus does not exist. Recently we started a taxonomic review of the genus in order to validate the status of four species previously included in the genus Eumuricea. Herein we present the second part of the Muricea revision dealing with the species-group characterised by shelf-like calyces instead of tubular-like calyces (the M. squarrosa-group). Original type material was morphologically analysed and illustrated using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Comparative character tables are provided for the genus. The taxonomic status of the species was analysed and established by designating lectotypes, alternatively by recognising a holotype by monotypy. We conclude that the genus Muricea comprises 20 valid species, including the previous four in the M. squarrosa-group. We propose 10 lectotypes, a new combination and three more species groups for the genus based on morphology: the M. fruticosa-group, M. plantaginea-group and M. austera-group.Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute/[]/STRI/PanamáUniversidad de Costa Rica/[808-A9072]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[808-B2142]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[810-B5159]/UCR/Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR

Black coral forests in the Guanacaste Conservation Area, Costa Rica: species and distribution

Introduction: Little is known about the antipatharians in Costa Rica, only three species are known from the Pacific and the occurrence of coral forests was previously reported only for Isla del Coco. Black coral forests were observed at several sites in the north Pacific of the country, within the Guanacaste Conservation Area (ACG), which are reported and characterized in this study. Objective: To determine the species of black corals present in the ACG Marine Sector and its surroundings, and geographically locate the sites where black coral forests grow. Methods: Visual censuses were made by diving, samples were taken and analyzed in the laboratory for identification. Results: These black coral forests are composed of two species: Myriopathes panamensis and Antipathes galapagensis, these species are described and illustrated. The coral forests were found within and outside ACG marine protected areas. Myriopathes panamensis was found between 15-35 m depth and A. galapagensis at 30-45 m. Associated macrofauna was observed among the branches of M. panamensis, their ecological impor-tance and status have not been determined. Conclusions: The species found did not have morphological variations with those described in other similar regions. Associated fauna was found (mainly the anemone Nemanthus californicus, the bivalve Pteria sternaand the longnose hawkfish Oxycirrhithestypus) and needs to be studied to determine its role on black corals. The importance of the ACG as a marine biodiversity conservation site is emphasized.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMIC)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Tropical (CIBET

Glosario tetralingüe de términos aplicados a la morfología y anatomía de Octocorallia (Coelenterata: Anthozoa)

Se crea un glosario tetralingue (español, inglés, francés y alemán) de la terminología que se aplica a Octocorallia, con el fin de estandarizar su uso y evitar confusiones a la hora de descibir especies. Las definiciones se dan en español, ya que el glosario está dirigido a los científicos y estudiosos que hablan este idioma. El glosario se divide en cuatro secciones: I. Términos generales de Alcyonacea, II. Forma de las colonias y patrones de ramificación, III. Forma y ornamentación de las escleritas, VI. Índice de referencia en inglés. Se define un total de 180 términos

A new cumacean (Crustacea) genus from beaches of Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica

Se describe a Coricuma nicoyensis gen. et sp. nov. (Crustacea, Cumacea) con base en material recolectado en 1984 en la playa fangosa (> 30% de limo + arcilla) de Punta Morales, Golfo de Nicoya (10° N, 85° W), Costa Rica. La clasificación exacta de este nuevo género es problemática y por el momento se le asigna a Bodotriillae. Este es el sexto cumáceo descrito de la costa Pacífica de las Américas entre California y la Tierra del Fuego.Coricuma nicoyensis gen.et sp. nov. (Crustacea, Cumacea) is described from material collected during 1984 at the Punta Morales intertidal mud flat (> 30% silt + clay), Gulf of Nicoya (10° N, 85° W), Costa Rica. The exact placement of the new genus is problematical and for the present time is assigned to the Bodotriinae. This is the sixth cumacean described from the Pacific coast of the Americas between California and Tierra del Fuego

Isópodos (Crustacea: Peracarida) de un arrecife del Caribe de Costa Rica

Marine isopods from Cahuita, Limón, Costa Rica were collected in artificiai habitats placed in three areas of a coral reef between November 1983 and December 1985: Cirolana parva. Paracersis caudata. Excorallana tricomis. Mesanthura paucidens. Colanthura sp., Gnathia sp., and Bagatus serricaudus. Illustrations are included as a guide for identification.Marine isopods from Cahuita, Limón, Costa Rica were collected in artificiai habitats placed in three areas of a coral reef between November 1983 and December 1985: Cirolana parva. Paracersis caudata. Excorallana tricomis. Mesanthura paucidens. Colanthura sp., Gnathia sp., and Bagatus serricaudus. Illustrations are included as a guide for identification

Shallow water Gorgonians (Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae) from the North Pacific of Costa Rica

Los octocorales son componentes abundantes y característicos de las aguas someras sobre promontorios rocosos y arrecifes de coral. Se ha informado sobre la riqueza de especies de octocorales de Pacífico de Costa Rica en diversas publicaciones taxonómicos. Sin embargo, no han sido estudiados en cuanto a su ecología, especialmente por los problemas que representa el reconocimiento de las especies, especialmente en el campo y el difícil acceso a las localidades para este tipo de investigación. En 2012 como parte del proyecto Estudios científicos en el área costera del Pacífico Norte, Costa Rica para evaluar el estado de las comunidades coralinas de las aguas someras tuvimos la oportunidad de explorar algunos sitios (menos de 35 m de profundidad) y evaluar la fauna de Octocorallia. Se registró la presencia y la riqueza de especies. Se encontraron cuatro especies en el género Eugorgia, nueve en Leptogorgia y 10 en Pacifigorgia. El objetivo de este trabajo es registrar las especies de octocorales encontradas y facilitar la identificación de esta fauna por medio de la elaboración de una clave para futuros estudios. Las especies se identificaron y caracterizaron morfológicamente, se ilustran con fotografías submarinas, de especímenes preservados y de sus escleritas (estructuras esqueléticas que forman la colonia, que se utilizan en su diferenciación taxonómica). Octocorals are characteristic and abundant components of shallow waters, rocky walls, and coral reef. Octocoral species richness of the Costa Rican Pacific has been addressed in several taxonomic publications. However, they have not been studied in terms of ecology, due to the problematic identification, especially in the field and the difficult access to specific localities for this type of research. In 2012 we explored some localities (less than 35 m deep) and evaluated the octocorallian fauna, recording species richness and occurrence. Our objective was to record octocoral species and to facilitate their identification by providing a taxonomic key for future studies We identified 10 species of Pacifigorgia, nine of Leptogorgia and four of Eugorgia. Here we include photographs of sclerites and of preserved and live octocorals. Rev. Biol. Trop. 62 (Suppl. 4): 43-62. Epub 2014 Diciembre 01

A revision of the genus Muricea Lamouroux, 1821 (Anthozoa, Octocorallia) in the eastern Pacific. Part I: Eumuricea Verrill, 1869 revisited

Muricea is an amphi-American genus. Verrill proposed dividing the species from the Pacific Ocean into three genera and established the genus Eumuricea for five eastern Pacific species with tubular calyces. Eumuricea is basically characterized by colonies with elongate, cylindrical calyces with truncate margins and star-like opercula, and the occurrence of unilateral spinous spindles. According to these characteristics, Eumuricea does not show enough difference from Muricea to be treated as a separate genus. Original type material of Eumuricea was morphologically analysed and illustrated using optical and scanning electron microscopy. We conclude that the eastern Pacific species should be placed in the genus Muricea and form a group characterised by tubular calyces that comprises four species at present, M. acervata, M. hispida, M. squarrosa, and M. tubigera and a dubious species M. horrida. Lectotypes were designated for M. squarrosa and M. hispida to establish their taxonomic status. The genus Eumuricea has also been misunderstood by former authors who erroneously assigned species to it. For these species we propose new combinations: Swiftia pusilla, Astrogorgia splendens and A. ramosa.Universidad de Costa Rica/[808-A9-072]/UCR/Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR

A New Species of Gorgonian Octocoral from the Mesophotic Zone off the Central Coast of California, Eastern Pacific with a Key to Related Regional Taxa (Anthozoa, Octocorallia, Alcyonacea)

Recent offshore benthic surveys utilizing Remotely Operated Vehicles in the National Marine Sanctuaries along the California coastline under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Ocean Exploration Trust, have yielded newly collected material and imagery of octocoral cnidarians from mesophotic and deep-sea habitats. As part of this effort, a new species of gorgonian coral is here described that was first observed at Cordell Bank, approximately 112 km WNW of San Francisco. The species is allocated to the gorgonian genus Chromoplexaura based on morphological considerations, and has since been collected or observed from four localities in central and southern California, 86-107 m in depth.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR

Composición de especies y distribución batimétrica de gorgonios (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) en la costa sur del Pacífico mexicano

Gorgonians are important components of coastal ecosystems, as they provide niches, natural compounds with medical applications and are used as bioindicators. Species composition and assemblage structure of gorgonians (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) were studied along a bathymetric profile in the Southern Mexican Pacific coast. Species composition was based on specimens collected within a depth range of 0-70m in 15 sites. The relative abundance of species was determined in six sites at four depths (5, 10, 20 and 25m) using three 10m2 transects at each depth level. Twenty-seven species of gorgonians belonging to six genera and three families were registered. The species composition varied with depth: 11 species were distributed between 0-25m depth, while 17 species were found between 40-70m depth interval. The shallow zone is characterized by a relatively large abundance of gorgonians, dominated by colonies of Leptogorgia cuspidata and L. ena. In contrast, the deepest zone was characterized by relatively low abundance of gorgonians, dominated by L. alba, the only species observed in both depth intervals. The similarity analysis showed differences in the composition and abundance of species by depth and site, suggesting that the main factor in determining the assemblage structure is depth. Results of this study suggest that the highest richness of gorgonian species in the study area may be located at depths of 40-70m, whereas the highest abundances are found between 5 and 10m depth. This study represents a contribution to the poorly known eastern Pacific gorgonian biota.La composición de especies y estructura de la comunidad de gorgonáceos se determinó a lo largo de un perfil batimétrico en la costa suroeste del Pacífico Mexicano. La composición de especies se realizó a través de una revisión y recolecta de especímenes entre 0 y 70m de profundidad en 15 sitios de muestreo. La caracterización de la estructura de la comunidad se realizó en seis sitios, en los cuales se colocaron tres transectos de 10m2 cada uno a 5, 10, 20 y 25m de profundidad. Se encontraron 27 especies de gorgonáceos pertenecientes a seis géneros y tres familias; aunque seis especies requieren ser confirmadas. La mayor riqueza de especies se registró entre 40 y 70m. La estructura de la comunidad entre 5 y 25m de profundidad mostró la existencia de dos zonas con la misma composición de especies pero con diferente abundancia relativa: una somera entre 5 y 10m de profundidad, caracterizada por una mayor abundancia de gorgonáceos y dominado por colonias de Leptogorgia cuspidata y Leptogorgia ena y una zona profunda entre 20 y 25m de profundidad, caracterizada por una baja abundancia de gorgonáceos y dominada por colonias de Leptogorgia alba

A new alcyonacean octocoral (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Octocorallia) from Chilean fjords

A new species, Swiftia comauensis, is described from Chile. It occurs in shallow waters from 18 to 59 m in the Patagonian fjord region and seems to be endemic to the northern part of the region. The species is characterized by having straggly colonies with sparse branching and long drooping branches, prominent polyp mounds, and long, thin spindles; the colonies are bright orange with pale yellow polyp mounds. A sharp decline in colony abundance was observed between 2003 and 2013, and in January 2014 a proposal was submitted to the IUCN for the addition of this taxon to the Red List of Threatened Species.PADI Foundation/[]//Estados UnidosUniversidad de Costa Rica/[]/UCR/Costa RicaFondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico/[1131039]/Fondecyt/ChileUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Estructuras Microscópicas (CIEMIC