A new genus and species of Apseudidae, and a new species of Bunakenia (Crustacea: Tanaidacea: Apseudomorpha) from the Northwest Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

Examination of material from the Campeche region of the southern Gulf of Mexico revealed the presence of a new genus and species of Apseudidae that appears to be transitional between Bunakenia Guu and Apseudes Leach sensu lato. This new taxon, Pseudobunakenia anablesis n. gen., n. sp. is found throughout the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and Northwest Atlantic as far north as South Carolina. It is known in the literature under the designation Apseudes spinosa Sars sensu Dawson and Apseudes sp. A (Heard et al.). Also, Bunakenia hamata n. sp. is described from offshore Georgia and is distributed from the Florida Gulf Coast and the Northwest Atlantic as far north as South Carolina. It is known in the literature under the designation Bunakenia sp. A (Heard et al.) and is the only known species of that genus in the GOM/NW Atlantic. It can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characters such as the pereonites having posterolateral apophyses, the antennule first peduncle article denticulate, the antennule accessory flagellum having five articles, and the first pereopod having four ventral propodal spiniform setae. A key to the known species is presented.

Mexctenapseudes boeschi, a new tanaidacean genus and species (Crustacea: Peracarida: Apseudomorpha: Parapseudidae) from the Mexican coast of Campeche with the designation of a new related Australian genus to receive Longiflagrum caeruleus (Boesch, 1973).

Two new genera of parapseudid Tanaidacea belonging to the Discapseudes-Halmyrapseudes Complex sensu Heard et al. (=Complex) are designated from Mexican and Australian waters. Mexctenapseudes boeschi n. gen., n. sp. is described from Campeche Mexico and Pseudolongiflagrum n. gen. is designated from Australia. The new Mexican genus displays similarities to the West Pacific and Indian Ocean genera Ctenapseudes Bamber, Ariyananda Silva, 1997 and Longiflagrum Guu, 1995. The new related genus, Pseudolongiflagrum, having affinities with Ctenapseudes and Mexctenapseudes n. gen., is designated to receive Longiflagrum caeruleus (Boesch) known from Australia. A key to the genera within the parapseudid subfamily Parapseudinae Guu is presented and possible factors concerning the ecology, origins, and distribution of the members of the Complex considered.

Two new species of Unikaryon (Microsporidia) hyperparasitic in microphallid metacercariae (Digenea) from Florida intertidal crabs.

The genus Unikaryon (Microsporidia) holds exclusively hyperparasites of Platyhelminthes. Four species of Unikaryon are presently known from trematodes infecting mollusks and fish, and one from a cestode infecting a fish. Here we report two species of Unikaryon from microphallid trematode metacercariae parasitizing the brachyuran crabs, Panopeus herbstii and Pachygrapsus transversus, collected from intertidal habitats in Florida. The first microsporidium, which we assign here to a new species, Unikaryon panopei sp. n., was isolated from Microphallus sp. encysted in Panopeus herbstii from Tampa Bay. The specific designation for the second Unikaryon sp. (Unikaryon sp. 2), which occurred in metacercaria of Diacetabulum sp. found in P. transversus from the Florida Keys, is pending due to the lack of SSrDNA sequence data. Light and electron microscopy demonstrates that both species display characteristics of the genus Unikaryon including the arrangement of spores in sets of two, large posterior vacuole, and eccentric position of the polar filament. Spores of Unikaryon panopei sp. n., unlike those of Unikaryon sp. 2, assemble in large membrane-bound masses containing hundreds of organisms, and display a larger number of polar filament coils - 7-8, compared to 4-5 in Unikaryon sp. 2 The SSUrDNA-inferred phylogenetic analysis places Unikaryon panopei in one clade with Unikaryon legeri, the only other molecularly characterized member of the genus, with 94% of SSUrDNA similarity. These findings increase the number of species parasitizing trematodes and broaden the host range of Unikaryon spp.

Redescription of Deltamysis holmquistae Bowman amp; Orsi, 1992 (Crustacea: Mysida: Mysidae), a mysid species new to the Atlantic Ocean with observations on the taxonomic status of Kochimysis Panampunnayil amp; Biju, 2007.

The first occurrences of the estuarine mysid Deltamysis holmquistae Bowman Orsi from the Atlantic Ocean are documented from sites on the eastern Florida and northwest Gulf of Mexico (Texas) coasts of North America. Based on examination of type material and specimens from Florida and Texas, considerable morphological variability and additional characters were observed necessitating a rediagnosis of the monotypic genus Deltamysis and a redescription of D. holmquistae. As a result of these new taxonomic criteria, the Indian Ocean species, Kochimysis pillaii Panampunnayil Biju, described from southwest coastal India, is subsumed as a junior synonym of D. holmquistae. The current distribution of this apparently invasive species is probably due to maritime commerce. The geographical location of the endemic or source populations of D. holmquistae remains undetermined; however, its co-occurrence in California with three introduced Asian mysids suggests a northern Indian Ocean or northwest Pacific origin.

Two new apseudomorphan species (Crustacea: Tanaidacea: Metapseudidae) from Mo'orea Island (Society Islands, French Polynesia) with taxonomic keys.

Previous information on the taxonomy and distribution of the crustacean order Tanaidacea occurring within the widely-dispersed Polynesian Archipelago has been limited to four nominal species, Apseudes rikiteanus Nobili, Apseudes seurati Nobili, Zeuxo seurati (Nobili) and Tanzanapseudes polynesiensis Müller. Based on specimens collected between 2009 and 2011 from coastal waters of Mo'orea Island (Society Islands, French Polynesia), two new metapseudid tanaidaceans, Apseudomorpha drummi and Cryptapseudes mamua, are described. Keys to the identification of species currently placed within the genera Apseudomorpha Gutu and Cryptapseudes Bacescu are provided.

Systematic and taxonomic observations on the subfamily Synapseudinae Gutu, 1972 and related metapseudid taxa (Crustacea: Tanaidacea: Apseudomorpha), with the erection of a new genus and descriptions of three new species.

The tanaidacean metapseudid subfamily Synapseudinae Gutu is reviewed, partially revised and the type species, Synapseudes minutus Miller, redescribed. As rediagnosed and defined here, the Synapseudinae is restricted to the genera Synapseudes Miller, Vicinisyndes Gutu, and Creefs Stepien Blazewicz-Paszkowycz. The genera Curtipleon Bacescu and Cryptapseudes Bacescu are excluded from this subfamily. Three new species, S. caleyi, S. singularis, and S. hansknechti are described, bringing the number of putative species within the genus to 26. An identification key and table of selected specific characters for the species of Synapseudes are provided. A new monotypic genus, Ronabus, which is placed within the subfamily Metapseudinae Lang, is erected to receive Synapseudes idios Gardiner. The present taxonomic status of subfamilies within the Metapseudidae is briefly assessed.

Two new paratanaid Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Peracarida) from the Hawaiian Islands, with illustrated taxonomic keys.

Two new tanaidomorphan tanaidaceans, Aparatanais hawaiensis, sp. nov. and Metatanais spinipropodus, sp. nov. represent the first members of the Family Paratanaidae to be described from the Hawaiian Islands. Aparatanais hawaiensis is distinguished from the other species of the genus by the setation of the antenna, maxilliped, chela, and pereopods. Metatanais spinipropodus is distinguished from the other three members of its genus by its chela having a strongly developed, chisel-like, spiniform seta on the inner face of propodus near the sub-distal margin of the fixed finger. The Hawaiian occurrence of M. spinipropodus extends the range for the genus Metatanais well-eastward into the mid-Pacific Ocean. This study presents the first description of a male attributable to the genus Aparatanais.

Cacoheterotanais rogerbamberi, a new genus and species of leptocheliid Tanaidacea (Crustacea: Peracarida) from shelf-waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

A new leptocheliid tanaidacean, Cacoheterotanais rogerbamberi gen. et sp. n., is described from the Continental Shelf of the eastern Gulf of Mexico at depths ranging from 10 to 30 m. The new monotypic genus and species is distinguished from the other genera within the Pseudonototanais complex, or genus-group, (Cocotanais, Heterotanais, Makassaritanais, Ogleus, and Pseudonototanais) by a combination of characters, including the (1) male antennule with three peduncular and three flagella articles, (2) male and female both having three articles in the uropodal endopod, (3) basis of the female maxilliped with three pairs of long distal setae, and (4) differences in the morphology, setation and shape of the male cheliped. A key and table are presented to further distinguish C. rogerbamberi from the genera and species within the Pseudonototanais complex.

Cyathura odaliscae, a new species of anthurid isopod (Crustacea: Peracarida) from a brackish habitat on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.

During a preliminary survey of a brackish mangrove habitat in the Terraba River delta on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, several adult and subadult specimens of a new anthurid isopod, Cyathura odaliscae n. sp. were discovered. The specimens were collected from decaying wood in low salinity conditions (<5‰). The unique shape and complexity of the male copulatory stylet of C. odaliscae distinguishes it from the other 22 species for which males have been described. A combination of other characters (e.g., morphology of the mouth parts, body setation, shape of telson and first pereopod) is used to distinguish the female from the others within the genus. Illustrations of the known male copulatory stylets for the genus and a table listing diagnostic information, depth ranges, and general distribution for the 32 currently recognized species of Cyathura are provided. 

A new species of Paratanais Dana, 1852 (Crustacea, Peracarida, Tanaidacea, Paratanaidae) from Puerto Rico, northwestern Atlantic.

Paratanais rosadi sp. n. described from Puerto Rican coastal waters represents the first species of the genus from the northwestern Atlantic. It is distinguished from the other Paratanais species by a combination of characters, including article-2 of the maxilliped palp with a geniculate, finely-serrulate seta on inner margin; chela with stiff, geniculate, seta arising from propodus between fixed finger and dactylus and with short, stout, finely serrulate, seta on inner distal face of propodus adjacent to base of dactylus; carpus of pereopods 4-6 having three, instead of four stout modified spiniform setae distally, uropodal exopod distinctly shorter than endopodal article-1; and uropodal endopod with articles of about of equal in length. A key for the separation of Paratanais species from the Atlantic Ocean is presented.

A new species of Pseudoleptochelia Lang, 1973 (Crustacea: Peracarida: Tanaidacea: Leptocheliidae) from the Northwest Atlantic with observations on the status of the genus.

Pseudoleptocheliajuliae n. sp. is described from Puerto Rican waters in depths from 1 to 28 m. The new species and P. fairgo from western Australia are the only members of the genus as defined in this revision that have a distinct process on the posterior margin of the cheliped carpus. The male of P. juliae is distinguished from that of P. fairgo by this process being sub-acute and having a distinctly narrower propodus. Lang's generic diagnosis for the female of Pseudoleptochelia is incorrect, which has led to confusion. Based in examination of Mediterranean specimens attributed to the type species P. anomala (Sars), Pseudoleptochelia is rediagnosed to contain seven species; P. anomala; P. fairgo; . juliae; P. magna; P. mortenseni; P. occiporta; and P. straddi., The genus is reviewed and discussed and the taxonomic status for the remaining nine species previously assigned to the genus is re-evaluated. Pseudoleptochelia shares similarities with the more recently described Pacific genera Konarus and Parakonarus and to a lesser extent to the highly derived genus Makraleptochelia.

Ogleus pilarae, a new genus and species of leptocheliid tanaidacean (Crustacea: Peracarida: Tanaidomorpha) from the tropical Northwest Atlantic with observations on the genus Pseudonototanais Lang, 1973.

Ogleus pilarae n. gen., n. sp. (Leptocheliidae) is described from specimens collected at a depth of 28 m off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. Morphologically the new genus appears to have its closest affinities with the type species of Heterotanais and those of the two subgenera belonging to Pseudonototanais sensu Gutu. Ogleus is distinguished from these and other leptocheliids by a combination of characters including a male antennule having three unfused peduncular articles, five aesthetasc-bearing flagellar articles with the first being greatly reduced and bearing a single cluster of aesthetascs, the shape of the male cheliped, and uropods of both sexes having an elongate endopod with five articles or incipient articles, the distalmost being distinctly longer than the first. The genus Pseudonototanais is rediagnosed to contain P. werthi, P. modestus (female holotype), and with reservations P. bransfieldensis. The Pseudonototanais subgenus Makassaritanais is elevated to full generic rank to contain M. angustus and M. bamberi. The male originally attributed to P. (M.) modestus, does not appear to be a leptocheliid since it has a short uropodal endopod appearing to have just two articles. The taxonomic status of some of the other taxa previously assigned to Pseudonototanais sensu lato or that are superficially similar to it is discussed. Overall, based on the females, the genera Ogleus and Makassaritanais may be more closely allied with genus Leptochelia Dana, 1849 than to Pseudonototanais and Heterotanais. A key to the male leptocheliid taxa having truncated or superficially subchelate-appearing chelae is presented.

Usefulness of international normalized ratio to predict bleeding complications in patients with end-stage liver disease who undergo cardiac catheterization.

Patients with end-stage liver disease frequently require invasive cardiac procedures in preparation for liver transplantation. Because of the impaired hepatic function, these patients often have a prolonged prothrombin time and elevated international normalized ratio (INR). To determine whether an abnormal prothrombin time/INR is predictive of bleeding complications from invasive cardiac procedures, we retrospectively reviewed, for bleeding complications, the databases and case records of our series of patients with advanced cirrhosis who underwent cardiac catheterization. A total of 157 patients underwent isolated right-sided heart catheterization, and 83 underwent left-sided heart catheterization or combined left- and right-sided heart catheterization. The INR ranged from 0.93 to 2.35. No major procedure-related complications occurred. Several patients in each group required a blood transfusion for gastrointestinal bleeding but not for procedure-related bleeding. No significant change was found in the hemoglobin after right-sided or left-sided heart catheterization, and no correlation was found between the preprocedure INR and the change in postprocedure hemoglobin. When comparing patients with a normal (≤1.5) and elevated (>1.5) INR, no significant difference in hemoglobin after the procedure was found in either group. In conclusion, despite an elevated INR, patients with end-stage liver disease can safely undergo invasive cardiac procedures. An elevated INR does not predict catheterization-related bleeding complications in this patient population.

Characterization of patients with low baseline impedance on multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH reflux testing.

GOALS: We aim to look at the prevalence of multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) studies, which are difficult to interpret secondary to low distal baseline impedance (DBI), and characterize them by their respective diagnosis and DBI. BACKGROUND: Some patients exhibit low DBI because of fluid retention in the esophagus or acute or chronic mucosal changes. Low DBI can make MII-pH difficult to interpret. STUDY: We reviewed MII-pH reports from patients studied from January 2002 to December 2009. We conducted a computerized search of the final interpretation for the terms "low," "low baseline," "difficult," and "unable." Reflux reports stating difficult or unable to interpret were analyzed. The associated manometry studies were reviewed to obtain the DBI (mean value at 5 and 10 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter in the pretest esophageal resting state). RESULTS: Of 2809 MII-pH tracings, 38 (1.4%) were classified as difficult to interpret because of low DBI. The most common underlying manometric diagnosis was ineffective esophageal motility at 36.8%, followed by 28.9% with achalasia, and 10.5% with scleroderma esophagus. An additional 15.8% of patients had increased gastroesophageal reflux on MII-pH. In only 7.9% of patients was no obvious reason for the low DBI identified. Of the 38 patients, 92% had a DBI <1000 Ω, and 58% had a DBI <500 Ω. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that difficulty in interpreting MII-pH due to low baseline is very infrequent, and they suggest that it is unadvisable to perform MII-pH testing on patients with a DBI <500 Ω on prior MII-esophageal manometry. If needed, pH only testing off acid-suppressing therapy may be more advisable in these patients.

Acanthocephalans from crabs in the southeastern U.S., with the first intermediate hosts known for Arhythmorhynchus frassoni and Hexaglandula corynosoma.

Cystacanths of Hexaglandula corynosoma were discovered in the fiddler crabs Uca spinicarpa and Uca rapax collected in Mississippi and Florida. Adults were present in yellow-crowned night herons, Nyctanassa violacea, collected in Florida. Cystacanths are very similar to adults, varying only in size and state of development. This is the first record of H. corynosoma from the United States and the first record of an intermediate host for any species of the genus. Cystacanths of Arhythmorhynchus frassoni were present in U. rapax from Florida. The proboscis size, shape, and armature of the cystacanths are identical to those of adults from clapper rails (Rallus longirostris) collected in several southeastern states. This is the first report of an intermediate host for A. frassoni. Profilicollis altmani cystacanths were collected from mole crabs (Emerita talpoida) at Atlantic Beach, North Carolina. These specimens, together with adults obtained from shore birds in Louisiana and Mississippi, are consistent with the view that P. altmani, Profilicollis kenti, and Profilicollis texensis are synonyms, with P. altmani having nomenclatural priority.

Microphallus fonti sp. n. (Digenea: Microphaliidae) from the red swamp crawfish in southern United States

A new species of digenean, Microphallus fonti, is described from the red swamp crawfish in Lousiania, U.S.A. It has a small pharynx and a rudimentary gut like M. opacus and a possibly related species from crayfishes, but it differs from them by its relatively large male copulatory papilla and a conspicuous metraterm