Traditional Taxonomic Groupings Mask Evolutionary History: A Molecular Phylogeny and New Classification of the Chromodorid Nudibranchs

Chromodorid nudibranchs (16 genera, 300+ species) are beautiful, brightly colored sea slugs found primarily in tropical coral reef habitats and subtropical coastal waters. The chromodorids are the most speciose family of opisthobranchs and one of the most diverse heterobranch clades. Chromodorids have the potential to be a model group with which to study diversification, color pattern evolution, are important source organisms in natural products chemistry and represent a stunning and widely compelling example of marine biodiversity. Here, we present the most complete molecular phylogeny of the chromodorid nudibranchs to date, with a broad sample of 244 specimens (142 new), representing 157 (106 new) chromodorid species, four actinocylcid species and four additional dorid species utilizing two mitochondrial markers (16s and COI). We confirmed the monophyly of the Chromodorididae and its sister group relationship with the Actinocyclidae. We were also able to, for the first time, test generic monophyly by including more than one member of all 14 of the non-monotypic chromodorid genera. Every one of these 14 traditional chromodorid genera are either non-monophyletic, or render another genus paraphyletic. Additionally, both the monotypic genera Verconia and Diversidoris are nested within clades. Based on data shown here, there are three individual species and five clades limited to the eastern Pacific and Atlantic Oceans (or just one of these ocean regions), while the majority of chromodorid clades and species are strictly Indo-Pacific in distribution. We present a new classification of the chromodorid nudibranchs. We use molecular data to untangle evolutionary relationships and retain a historical connection to traditional systematics by using generic names attached to type species as clade names

The bubble snails (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia) of Mozambique: an overlooked biodiversity hotspot

This first account, dedicated to the shallow water marine heterobranch gastropods of Mozambique is presented with a focus on the clades Acteonoidea and Cephalaspidea. Specimens were obtained as a result of sporadic sampling and two dedicated field campaigns between the years of 2012 and 2015, conducted along the northern and southern coasts of Mozambique. Specimens were collected by hand in the intertidal and subtidal reefs by snorkelling or SCUBA diving down to a depth of 33 m. Thirty-two species were found, of which 22 are new records to Mozambique and five are new for the Western Indian Ocean. This account raises the total number of shallow water Acteonoidea and Cephalaspidea known in Mozambique to 39 species, which represents approximately 50 % of the Indian Ocean diversity and 83 % of the diversity of these molluscs found in the Red Sea. A gap in sampling was identified in the central swamp/mangrove bio-region of Mozambique, and therefore, we suggest that future research efforts concentrate on or at least consider this region.publishedVersio

NEW RECORDS OF 2 RARE AEOLID NUDIBRANCHS FROM THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA

Volume: 33Start Page: 321End Page: 32

REDESCRIPTION AND SYSTEMATIC POSITION OF PLEUROBRANCHAEA-OBESA (VERRILL, 1882) (OPISTHOBRANCHIA, PLEUROBRANCHAEIDAE)

Volume: 28Start Page: 109End Page: 11

REVISION OF THE GASTROPTERIDAE (OPISTHOBRANCHIA, CEPHALASPIDEA) WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF A NEW GENUS AND 6 NEW SPECIES

Volume: 32Start Page: 333End Page: 38

A REVIEW OF THE GENERIC DIVISIONS WITHIN THE PHYLLIDIIDAE WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SPECIES OF PHYLLIDIOPSIS (NUDIBRANCHIA, PHYLLIDIIDAE) FROM THE PACIFIC COAST OF NORTH-AMERICA

Volume: 30Start Page: 305End Page: 31

A REVIEW OF THE GENUS BERTHELLA (OPISTHOBRANCHIA, NOTASPIDEA) FROM THE PACIFIC COAST OF NORTH-AMERICA

Volume: 31Start Page: 46End Page: 6

A NEW SPECIES OF GASTROPTERON FROM FLORIDA (GASTROPODA, OPISTHOBRANCHIA)

Volume: 27Start Page: 54End Page: 6

A NEW SPECIES OF MEXICHROMIS (NUDIBRANCHIA, CHROMODORIDIDAE) FROM THE EASTERN PACIFIC

Volume: 31Start Page: 127End Page: 13