A new species of Opecarcinus Kropp and Manning, 1987 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Cryptochiridae) associated with the stony corals Pavona clavus (Dana, 1846) and P. bipartita Nemenzo, 1980 (Scleractinia: Agariciidae).

A new species of Opecarcinus Kropp and Manning, 1987, is described from Indonesia and Malaysia. Opecarcinus cathyae sp. nov. is associated with the scleractinian corals Pavona clavus (Dana, 1846) and P. bipartita Nemenzo, 1980, inhabiting crescent-shaped cavities or tunnels on the coral surface. The new species is the ninth assigned to the genus. It can be separated from congeners by the anterolateral orientation of the cornea, the carapace with shallow transverse depressions, lacking longitudinal depressions, and the smooth dorsal margin of the fifth female pereiopod carpus. The distinctive colour pattern can be used as a diagnostic character in live specimens

The types of Osteoglossum formosum Muller and Schlegel, 1840 (Teleostei, Osteoglossidae)

The designation of a neotype for Scleropages formosus (Müller and Schlegel, 1840) by Pouyaud et al. (2003) triggered a search for the type specimens of the species, which were found in the collections of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden (RMNH) and the Natural History Museum, London (BM(NH)). The publication date of the species is corrected. Moreover, detailed data on the day of capture and the type locality were uncovered. An English translation of the major part of the original Dutch description is provided, and a number of neglected colour descriptions and figures of S.formosus are discussed. Lastly, a lectotype is designated

The types of Osteoglossum formosum Muller and Schlegel, 1840 (Teleostei, Osteoglossidae)

The designation of a neotype for Scleropages formosus (Müller and Schlegel, 1840) by Pouyaud et al. (2003) triggered a search for the type specimens of the species, which were found in the collections of the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden (RMNH) and the Natural History Museum, London (BM(NH)). The publication date of the species is corrected. Moreover, detailed data on the day of capture and the type locality were uncovered. An English translation of the major part of the original Dutch description is provided, and a number of neglected colour descriptions and figures of S.formosus are discussed. Lastly, a lectotype is designated

Occurrence patterns of coral-dwelling gall crabs (Cryptochiridae) over depth intervals in the Caribbean.

Coral-associated invertebrates form a major part of the diversity on reefs, but their distribution and occurrence patterns are virtually unstudied. For associated taxa data are lacking on their distribution across shelves and environmental gradients, but also over various depths. Off Curaçao we studied the prevalence and density of coral-dwelling gall crabs (Cryptochiridae), obligate symbionts of stony corals. Belt transects (10 × 0.5m(2)) were laid out at 6, 12 and 18 m depth intervals at 27 localities. Twenty-one known host coral species were surveyed, measured, and the number of crab dwellings was recorded to study the influence of host occurrence, depth distribution, and colony size on the occurrence rates of three Atlantic gall crab species: Opecarcinus hypostegus, Troglocarcinus corallicola and Kroppcarcinus siderastreicola. The overall gall crab prevalence rate was 20.3% across all available host corals at all depths. The agariciid-associated species O. hypostegus was found to mostly inhabit Agaricia lamarcki and its prevalence was highest at deeper depths, following the depth distribution of its host. Kroppcarcinus siderastreicola, associated with Siderastrea and Stephanocoenia, inhabited shallower depths despite higher host availability at deeper depths. The generalist species T. corallicola showed no clear host or depth specialisation. These results show that the primary factors affecting the distribution and occurrence rates over depth intervals differed between each of the three Atlantic cryptochirid species, which in turn influences their vulnerability to reef degradation

Occurrence patterns of coral-dwelling gall crabs (Cryptochiridae) over depth intervals in the Caribbean.

Coral-associated invertebrates form a major part of the diversity on reefs, but their distribution and occurrence patterns are virtually unstudied. For associated taxa data are lacking on their distribution across shelves and environmental gradients, but also over various depths. Off Curaçao we studied the prevalence and density of coral-dwelling gall crabs (Cryptochiridae), obligate symbionts of stony corals. Belt transects (10 × 0.5m(2)) were laid out at 6, 12 and 18 m depth intervals at 27 localities. Twenty-one known host coral species were surveyed, measured, and the number of crab dwellings was recorded to study the influence of host occurrence, depth distribution, and colony size on the occurrence rates of three Atlantic gall crab species: Opecarcinus hypostegus, Troglocarcinus corallicola and Kroppcarcinus siderastreicola. The overall gall crab prevalence rate was 20.3% across all available host corals at all depths. The agariciid-associated species O. hypostegus was found to mostly inhabit Agaricia lamarcki and its prevalence was highest at deeper depths, following the depth distribution of its host. Kroppcarcinus siderastreicola, associated with Siderastrea and Stephanocoenia, inhabited shallower depths despite higher host availability at deeper depths. The generalist species T. corallicola showed no clear host or depth specialisation. These results show that the primary factors affecting the distribution and occurrence rates over depth intervals differed between each of the three Atlantic cryptochirid species, which in turn influences their vulnerability to reef degradation

Long-term changes in coral assemblages under natural and anthropogenic stress in Jakarta Bay (1920-2005)

Coral reefs in Jakarta Bay have been subjected to scientific studies since the 1920s. Also from that time on biological collections were made. The reefs in the Jakarta Bay have been under long-term natural and anthropogenic stress. With the biological collections and historical documents the coral species richness in Jakarta Bay around 1920 was reconstructed. New data from this bay and the adjacent offshore Thousand Islands archipelago were obtained during a 2005 research expedition. A comparison of the coral assemblages between 1920 and 2005 reveals a clear decline in species numbers. The most prominent results include the near-shore disappearance of species belonging to the families Acroporidae, Milleporidae, and to a lesser extent Poritidae. The overall coral species composition of the reefs has changed considerably, which is partly reflected in a strong decline in coral species richness. About half the number of species recorded in 1920 was found again in 2005

Long-term changes in coral assemblages under natural and anthropogenic stress in Jakarta Bay (1920-2005)

Coral reefs in Jakarta Bay have been subjected to scientific studies since the 1920s. Also from that time on biological collections were made. The reefs in the Jakarta Bay have been under long-term natural and anthropogenic stress. With the biological collections and historical documents the coral species richness in Jakarta Bay around 1920 was reconstructed. New data from this bay and the adjacent offshore Thousand Islands archipelago were obtained during a 2005 research expedition. A comparison of the coral assemblages between 1920 and 2005 reveals a clear decline in species numbers. The most prominent results include the near-shore disappearance of species belonging to the families Acroporidae, Milleporidae, and to a lesser extent Poritidae. The overall coral species composition of the reefs has changed considerably, which is partly reflected in a strong decline in coral species richness. About half the number of species recorded in 1920 was found again in 2005

Decline of the Jakarta Bay molluscan fauna linked to human impact

In 1937/38 representative mollusc collections were made in Jakarta Bay (West Java, Indonesia). New data from here and the adjacent offshore Thousand Islands archipelago (Kepulauan Seribu) became available in 2005. Although collecting efforts and sampling methods differed, a comparison of the molluscan fauna of Jakarta Bay between 1937/38 and 2005 reveals a distinct deterioration. From 1937 to 2005, Jakarta Bay received increasing amounts of sewage from the greater Jakarta area, as well as increased sediment input from the deforested West Java hinterland. Predatory gastropods and numerous mollusc species associated with carbonate (reef) substrate have vanished from Jakarta Bay, among which many edible species