LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPE OBSERVATIONS ON NEPHROSELMIS GAOAE SP.NOV.(PRASINOPHYCEAE)

Nephroselmis gaoae sp.nov.is described on the basis of light and electron microscope observations ofcultured material originally collected and isolated from seawater of Jiaozhou Bay,Qingdao,China.Theperiplasts on the cell body and flagella are covered by five types of scales,two types on the flagella andthree on the body.Among these,the morphology and the number of spines of large stellate body scalesdiffer remarkably from those of previously described species of Nephroselmis.Apart from these,the unusualfine structure of the eyespot(stigma)is very characteristic.As in the other species of Nephroselmis,theeyespot lies immediately under the two-membraned chloroplast envelope;unlike the others,however,it isnot composed of a number of osmiophilic globules,but consists of about 14 curved rod-shapedosmiophilic bodies arranged loosely and randomly.This feature distinguishes the present new species notonly from the other species of Nephroselmis but also from the other motile algal species,the eyespots struc-ture     

Light and electron microscope observations onNephroselmis gaoae sp. nov. (Prasinophyceae)

Nephroselmis gaoae sp. nov. is described on the basis of light and electron microscope observations of cultured material originally collected and isolated from seawater of Jiaozhou Bay, Qingdao, China. The periplasts on the cell body and flagella are covered by five types of scales, two types on the flagella and three on the body. Among these, the morphology and the number of spines of large stellate body scales differ remarkably from those of previously described species ofNephroselmis. Apart from these, the unusual fine structure of the eyespot (stigma) is very characteristic. As in the other species ofNephroselmis, the eyespot lies immediately under the two-membraned chloroplast envelope; unlike the others, however, it is not composed of a number of osmiophilic globules, but consists of about 14 curved rod-shaped osmiophilic bodies arranged loosely and randomly. This feature distinguishes the present new species not only from the other species ofNephroselmis but also from the other motile algal species, the eyespots structure of which had been previously described. Contribution No. 2316 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. This paper was presented at the XIVth International Seaweed Symposium held in Brittany, France, 1992.     

A new species of Cymbasoma Thompson, 1888(Copepoda: Monstrilloida) from the Fujian coast,China

A new monstrilloid copepod species,Cymbasoma cheni sp.nov.,from Meizhou Bay(an embayment in Fujian Province,southeastern China)is described and illustrated.The diagnostic character of the new species is the structure and armature of the fifth leg,which is represented by a single lobe armed with three naked setae subequal in length.The new species closely resembles Cymbasoma bowmani SuarezMorales and Gasca,1998 in the structure of the fifth legs,and the body proportions,including total body length,and relative lengths of the cephalothorax and the genital double somite.However,Cymbasoma cheni sp.nov.is distinguished by lack of cuticular ornamentation on the cephalothorax,the position of the oral papilla,and the structure of the fifth leg with three naked setae.Although the structure of the fifth legs is similar in Cymbasoma cheni sp.nov.and Cymbasoma quintanarooense(Suarez-Morales,1994),the new species can be easily distinguished from Cymbasoma quintanarooense by the relative length of the antennule,differences in the genital double-somite and the ovigerous spines,and the shape of ocelli.This is the sixth record of this genus from China seas.     

A new species of Macandrewia(Demospongiae,Tetractinellida,Macandrewiidae) from a seamount in the Western Pacific Ocean

A new species of Macandrewia Gray from a seamount near Yap Trench in the Western Pacific Ocean was described.Macandrewia yapensis sp.nov.is distinct from its congeners by possessing a foliate shape with contorted lamellae,tuberculiform terminations of desmas,and unique size of spicules.This is the third species of Macandrewia described from the Pacific Ocean.In addition a partial sequence of COI gene was obtained from the new specimen and then it submitted to GenBank.Phylogenetic tree constructed with the partial COI sequences appears to exhibit a more congruent relationship with morphological data of macandrewiid species compared to 28 S gene tree.     

Anomozamites (Bennettitales) from Middle Jurassic Haifanggou Formation,western Liaoning,China

The Middle Jurassic Hangfanggou Formation is well exposed in Shangsanjiao and Xiasanjiao villages area,Baimashi town of Huludao,western Liaoning,China.Recently,abundant fossil plants were collected from the Hangfanggou Formation.One new species,Anomozamites sanjiaocunensis sp.nov.(Bennettitales),is described in this study.This is the first report of the genus Anomozamites from the Haifanggou Formation based upon the leaf morphology and epidermal structures.The discovery of the new species extends significantly the stratigraphic and geographic distribution of Anomozamites in the Middle Jurassic.It also shows that Anomozamites was a common member of Bennettitales once lived in the Middle Jurassic warm temperate region.The new species also improves the knowledge on understanding the leaf morphology,epidermal features and the diversity of Anomozamites during the Middle Jurassic.The epidermal characters of the new species and its associated plants reveal that the plants grew in a warm and moderately humid environment in the warm temperate zone.The presence of some deciduous plants,such as ginkgoaleans,czekanowskialeans and conifers,indicate the climate with seasonal fluctuations in temperature.     

Morphology and phylogeny of Chrysogorgia pinniformis sp.nov.and C.varians sp.nov.,two golden corals from the Caroline seamounts in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean

Two new species of Chrysogorgia Duchassaing Michelotti,1864 collected from the Caroline seamounts in the tropical Western Pacific Ocean are described.Chrysogorgia pinniformis sp.nov.belongs to Versluys' group C(Squamosae typicae) with only scales in polyp body wall and tentacles.C.pinniformis sp.nov.is characterized by large branches pinnately branched and forming multiple fans with its small branches regularly and quasi-dichotomous branched,and scales and rods present in the polyp mouth area.It is most similar to C.pinnata Cairns,2007 by the pinnate trait,but differs from the latter by its group C pattern(vs.group A,Spiculosae) and having sclerites present in the polyp mouth area(vs.absent).Chrysogorgia varians sp.nov.belongs to the Chrysogorgia group A(Spiculosae) with rods distributed in the polyp body wall and tentacles.It is characterized by warty rods and elongated scales in the tentacles,many warts and ridges on the scales,conspicuously toothed margins at the rounded ends in the pinnules,and small rods with ridge-like warts in the polyp mouth area.This species was frequent and abundant in the Caroline seamounts during our cruises and its morphological variability in growth period was obvious.The phylogenetic analyses based on mtMutS and 28 S rDNA regions supported the assignment of the new species to the genus Chrysogorgia.However,the mtMutS marker showed very limited usefulness for species delimitation and inner relationship inference of Chrysogorgia.In contrast,the 28 S rDNA showed much higher level of genetic variation,and it may be a potential barcode for this genus.In the 28 S rDNA trees,the two new species clustered together.Additionally,compilation of our data showed that 42 of 78(ca.54%) Chrysogorgia species were found in the Indo-West Pacific convergent region,indicating that this area may be a hotspot of deep-water Chrysogorgia species.     

Morphological Studies on Four Brackish Water Ciliates of the Class Spirotrichea(Protista,Ciliophora)

We reinvestigate the morphology of two oligotrich and two hypotrich ciliates collected from the coasts of north and south China, viz., Parallelostrombidium obesum Liu et al., 2015, Spirostrombidium apourceolare Liu et al., 2013, Protogastrostyla pulchra(Pereyaslawzewa, 1886) Gong et al., 2007, and Uncinata bradburyae(Gong et al., 2001) Luo et al., 2015. All the populations match well with the original samples identified in previous studies. Supplemental taxonomic data were supplied for these four species of the new populations. The species Parallelostrombidium obesum is characterised by its dorsal-ventrally flattened body shape with anterior and posterior ends transversely truncating, as well as two thigmotactic membranelles and girdle kinety that spirals around the cell one and a half times. Spirostrombidium apourceolare is characterised by its elongate ellipsoidal and dorsal-ventrally flattened body shape, two thigmotactic membranelles, about 11-27 ovoid macronuclear nodules, and girdle kinety that spirals around the cell twice with two undulations. Protogastrostyla pulchra is characterised by its elongate body shape and unique, caudally located food vacuole. Based on the new populations, we described the smaller cortical granules, clustered around dorsal bristles for the first time. The new population of Uncinata bradburyae shares the diagnostic features with the type population, which include prominent beak-like projection in anterior region, the conspicuous gap of adoral zone, proximalmost adoral membranelles distinctly elongated, and infraciliature.     

Brachiopods from China seas

A collection of brachiopods by the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica (Qingdao), contains eight species from seven genera. Six of the species have been recorded previously from China seas—Lingula adamsi, L. anatina, Discinisca stella, Pelagodiscus atlanticus, Campages mariae, Terebratalia coreanica. Two species (Terebratulina hataiana andFrenulina sanguinolenta) have been described from other parts of the Pacific area. The apparent absence of any endemic species is a noteworthy feature of Chinese in comparison with Japanese faunas.     

Paramonohystera weihaiensis sp.nov.(Xyalidae,Nematoda) from the intertidal beach of the Yellow Sea,China

A new species of free-living marine nematode of the genus Paramonohystera was described from the intertidal beach,Weihai.Paramonohystera weihaiensis sp.nov.is characterized by cervical region with a circle of long setae;tail sexual dimorphism,male tail angled dorsally with sharp narrowed of the body at the cloaca,female tail ordinary conico-cylindrical; spicules slender,2.5 abd long; gubemaculum plate,enlarged distal end with two teeth,without apophysis; precloacal supplements absent;Four caudal gland cells obviously extended to tail.The new species differs from the other fourteen known valid congeners by the combination of its characteristics:a circle of long cervical setae,tail sexual dimorphism,spicules slender,2.5 abd long,gubernaculum plate with a distal pair of teeth.     

A NEW“TETRASPORANGIAL”SPECIES OF LIAGORA(RHODOPHYTA,NEMALIALES)FROM HAWAIT

A new species of Liagora,L.perennis sp.nov.from Hawai’i,is described.Unlike dpecies of this genus in China,it is carpotetrasporangial,and at the place of expected carposporangia bears cruciately di-vided tetrasporangia,a detail which differentiates it from the usual species of Liagora without tetraspores that have been reported in China.Notes are provided on other Liagora species that have an impact on the taxonomy of species found in China.     

Family Thraciidae (Mollusca,Bivalvia) from Chinese waters

Species,Thracia granubsa of the Family Thraciidae from the China Seas was first reported and described as new to science by Adams et Reeve (1850). No other species was found there for more than 100 years until the author (1980) in his studies on Chinese bivalvia, discovered the second new species,Trigonothracia jinxingae, described in this article. This paper deals with 6 species, three of which are new to science, collected from the littoral and sublittoral zones of the China Seas. Type specimens are deposited in the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica, Qingdao. Contribution No. 1471 from the Institute of Oceanology, Academia Sinica.     

First record of Paraonella platybranchia （Hartman, 1961） （Polychaeta： Paraonidae） from the Yellow Sea

This paper reports for the first time a species of polychaetous family Paraonidae, Paraonella platybranchia (Hartman, 1961), a rare species found previously only in the coast near the boundary between the United States and Mexico, and it was recently discovered in the samples collected in 1982 from Chinese side of the Yellow Sea. This is the first record of the species in China as well as in the Northwest Pacific.     

Laetmonice iocasica sp.nov.,a new polychaete species(Annelida:Aphroditidae) from seamounts in the tropical Western Pacific,with remarks on L.producta Grube,1877

Laetmonice Kinberg,1856 is a remarkable genus characterized by having harpoon notochaetae in the polychaete family Aphroditidae.We describe a new species of Laetmonice,Laetmonice iocasica sp.nov.,found from seamounts on the Caroline Ridge in the tropical Western Pacific.The new species is readily distinguished from congeners,particularly those distributed in the Indo-Pacific Ocean by possessing45 segments with 18 pairs of elytra,and the tuberculated harpoon notochaetae in the elytrigerous segments,which are replaced by tuberculated notochaetae without recurved fangs on segments 4 and 5.Laetmonice iocasica sp.nov.is closely related to L.producta Grube,1877,but differs in both morphology and the genetic distance of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I(COI) sequences.Laetmonice producta Grube,1877 contained five varieties reported in various marine areas,which have been raised to species level.However,the records of L.producta from the Sagami B ay and Suruga B ay in Japan and in the south-eastern Australia remain obscure and probably represent a different species.The data indicate that L.producta,which was originally described from Kerguelen Islands in the Southern Ocean and later commonly found on the Antarctic shelf,is probably distributed only at high latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere.     

A new member of Sphenopsida,Neolobatannularia gen. nov. from Late Triassic of western Liaoning,China

A new genus Neolobatannularia Sun et Li gen. nov. with the type species Neolobatannularia liaoningensis Sun et Li sp. nov. from the Upper Triassic Yangcaogou Formation of Beipiao, Liaoning, China, is described in this paper. The new taxon is attributed to Equisetales of Sphenopsida based on its branch with internodes, node and leaves borne in whorls on nodes. It is a new member of the Mesozoic Sphenopsida. Although the new taxon shares some morphological characters with the genus Lobatannularia Kawasaki, a genus widely distributed in the Permian Cathaysia flora in East Asia, and the genus Lobatannulariopsis Yang from the Late Triassic of southwestern China, its unique branching pattern is markedly distinguished from the two known genera. Some Triassic known species of Lobatannularia may belong to the present new genus Neolobatannularia.     

A new species of Eunice (Polychaeta: Eunicidae) from Hainan Island, South China Sea

Ataxonomic survey of benthic marine animals from coastal regions of Hainan Island, South China Sea, revealed specimens of a new species of Eunice (Polychaeta: Eunicida: Eunicidae), Eunice uschakovi n. sp., collected from the intertidal zone. The species belongs to the group of Eunice that has yellow tridentate subacicular hooks and branchiae scattered over an extensive region of the body. It resembles E. miurai and E. havaica in having both bidentate and tridentate falcigers, but can be readily distinguished by branchial features. Comparisons between E. uschakovi and the two related species are presented.     

Two new species of the genus Munidopsis Whiteaves,1874(Crustacea:Anomura:Munidopsidae) from the Caroline Ridge,South of the Mariana Trench

The genus Munidopsis has high biodiversity in seamount habitats.In this study,two new Munidopsis species,Munidopsis ahyongi sp.nov.and Munidopsis carolinensis sp.nov.from the Caroline Ridge in the tropical western Pacific Ocean were described.M.ahyongi sp.nov.is very similar to a group of species in the M.serricornis complex,but can be readily distinguished from the related species in having the oblique posterior orbital margins,2 spines on the lateral carapace margin,and a relatively longer rostral median spine.M.carolinensis sp.nov.is different from two related species primarily in having oblique frontal margins,blunt outer orbital angles,straight lateral margins of the rostrum,scale-like rugae on sternites 5-7,and less spinose pereopod 1(chelipeds,P1) merus and carpus.Aside from the morphological comparisons,DNA barcode analysis and phylogenetic analysis based on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene(COI) were employed for the identification of these new species.     

Tritonia iocasica sp.nov.,a new tritoniid species from a seamount in the tropical Western Pacific(Heterobranchia:Nudibranchia)

During an expedition to a seamount at Caroline Plate in the tropical Western Pacific,a new species of Tritonia was sampled from the upper bathyal zone at depth of 970-1 262 m.This new species,Tritonia iocasica sp.nov.,represents the first tritoniid nudibranch known to feed on octocoral of the family Melithaeidae.The species is up to 120 mm in length,pinkish in color;with the rhinophoral sheath divided into several petaliform extensions;veil with,about 18 elongate digitiform processes;notal margin with17-19 pairs of secondary gills;anus located below the 5~(th) and 6~(th) secondary gills,and the genitalia below the 3~(rd) secondary gill on the right side of the body.Based on these external features,T.iocasica sp.nov.can be dearly distinguished from all previously described members of the genus.Phylogenetic analyses of two mitochondrial(COI,16 S rRNA) and a nuclear(H3) genes using Bayesian inference,maximum likelihood,and species delimitation analysis also support the separation of T.iocasica sp.nov.from its congeners.