A new amphipod species of the bathyal genus Dautzenbergia Chevreux, 1900 (Amphipoda, Calliopioidea, Pontogeneiidae) associated with cold-water corals off Angola.

A new species of pontogeneiid amphipod, Dautzenbergia concavipalma sp. nov., is described from cold-water corals off Angola. This is only the second observation of this genus in the South Atlantic. Important morphological characters in combination, which define the new species from its congeners, occur especially in the shape and size of gnathopod 1-2 propodus, the smooth pereopod dactyls, the shape of the basis of pereopod 7 and the telson shape with narrow cleft. The taxon is fully described and figured and is compared with known species of the genus. A key to Dautzenbergia species is also given.

Two new species of the genus Microlysias (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Tryphosidae) from Korean Waters.

Two new species of the genus Microlysias Stebbing, 1918 belonging to the family Tryphosidae Lowry Stoddard, 1997 were collected from shallow Korean waters. The two new species are described as Microlysias rectangulatus and M. triangulus. The new species M. rectangulatus sp. nov. is similar to M. xenokeras, M. soela, and Orchomenella japonica. However, the new species can be distinguished from these species by having a subrectangular peduncular article 5 of antenna 2 and an elongated article 1 of the mandibular palp, nearly equal to palp article 3. M. triangulus sp. nov. is similar to M. xenokeras and M. soela. However, this species is characterized by the triangular shaped peduncular article 5 of antenna 2 and the slender propodus of gnathopod 1. These species are illustrated and compared to related species.

Amphipod family distributions around Iceland.

Amphipod crustaceans were collected at all 55 stations sampled with an epibenthic sledge during two IceAGE expeditions (Icelandic marine Animals: Genetics and Ecology) in 2011 and 2013. In total, 34 amphipod families and three superfamilies were recorded in the samples. Distribution maps are presented for each taxon along with a summary of the regional taxonomy for the group. Statistical analyses based on presence/absence data revealed a pattern of family distributions that correlated with sampling depth. Clustering according to the geographic location of the stations (northernmost North Atlantic Sea and Arctic Ocean) can also be observed. IceAGE data for the Amphilochidae and Oedicerotidae were analysed on species level; in case of the Amphilochidae they were compared to the findings from a previous Icelandic benthic survey, BIOICE (Benthic Invertebrates of Icelandic waters), which also identified a high abundance of amphipod fauna.

A genetic fingerprint of Amphipoda from Icelandic waters - the baseline for further biodiversity and biogeography studies.

Amphipods constitute an abundant part of Icelandic deep-sea zoobenthos yet knowledge of the diversity of this fauna, particularly at the molecular level, is scarce. The present work aims to use molecular methods to investigate genetic variation of the Amphipoda sampled during two IceAGE collecting expeditions. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) of 167 individuals originally assigned to 75 morphospecies was analysed. These targeted morhospecies were readily identifiable by experts using light microscopy and representative of families where there is current ongoing taxonomic research. The study resulted in 81 Barcode Identity Numbers (BINs) (of which >90% were published for the first time), while Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery revealed the existence of 78 to 83 Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs). Six nominal species (Rhachotropis helleri, Arrhis phyllonyx, Deflexilodes tenuirostratus, Paroediceros propinquus, Metopa boeckii, Astyra abyssi) appeared to have a molecular variation higher than the 0.03 threshold of both p-distance and K2P usually used for amphipod species delineation. Conversely, two Oedicerotidae regarded as separate morphospecies clustered together with divergences in the order of intraspecific variation. The incongruence between the BINs associated with presently identified species and the publicly available data of the same taxa was observed in case of Paramphithoe hystrix and Amphilochus manudens. The findings from this research project highlight the necessity of supporting molecular studies with thorough morphology species analyses.

The family Hyalidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Talitroidea) from Korean waters. 2. Genus Protohyale Bousfield & Hendrycks, 2002.

Five species of the genus Protohyale belonging to the family Hyalidae were collected from shallow coastal waters of Korea. Prior to our study, only two species, P. (Boreohyale) pumila (Hiwatari & Kajihara, 1981) and P. (B.) triangulata (Hiwatari, 2003) had been reported from Korea. One of the collected species, Protohyale (B.) magnaocularis is identified as a new species. The morphology of the eyes, antenna 1, gnathopod 2, uropods and telson are the major characteristics which differentiate P. (B.) magnaocularis sp. nov. from its congeners. The remaining two species, P. (B.) kajiharai (Hiwatari, 2003) and P. (B.) latimana (Hiwatari, 2003) are recorded for the first time from Korea. Protohyale (B.) kajiharai, P. (B.) latimana and P. (B.) magnaocularis sp. nov. are fully described and illustrated. A key to the species of Protohyale (B.) from Korea is also provided.

Macrofaunal Patterns in and around du Couedic and Bonney Submarine Canyons, South Australia.

Two South Australian canyons, one shelf-incising (du Couedic) and one slope-limited (Bonney) were compared for macrofaunal patterns on the shelf and slope that spanned three water masses. It was hypothesized that community structure would (H1) significantly differ by water mass, (H2) show significant regional differences and (H3) differ significantly between interior and exterior of each canyon. Five hundred and thirty-one species of macrofauna ≥ 1 mm were captured at 27 stations situated in depth stratified transects inside and outside the canyons from 100 to 1500 m depth. The macrofauna showed a positive relationship to depth in abundance, biomass, species richness and community composition while taxonomic distinctness and evenness remained high at all depths. Biotic variation on the shelf was best defined by variation in bottom water primary production while sediment characteristics and bottom water oxygen, temperature and nutrients defined biotic variation at greater depth. Community structure differed significantly (p<0.01) among the three water masses (shelf-flowing South Australian current, upper slope Flinders current and lower slope Antarctic Intermediate Water) (H1). Although community differences between the du Couedic and Bonney regions were marginally above significance at p = 0.05 (H2), over half of the species captured were unique to each region. This supports the evidence from fish and megafaunal distributions that the du Couedic and Bonney areas are in different bioregions. Overall, the canyon interiors were not significantly different in community composition from the exterior (H3). However, both canyons had higher abundance and/or biomass, increased species dominance, different species composition and coarser sediments near the canyon heads compared to outside the canyons at the same depth (500 m), suggestive of heightened currents within the canyons that influence community composition there. At 1000-1500 m, the canyon interiors were depauperate, typical of V-shaped canyons elsewhere. The large number of species captured, given the relatively low sampling effort and focus on the larger macrofauna, support previous studies that identify the South Australian coast as a high biodiversity area.

The family Hyalidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Talitroidea) from Korean waters. 1. Genus Ptilohyale Bousfield & Hendrycks, 2002.

Two species of the genus Ptilohyale were collected from shallow coastal waters of Korea. One species is identified as a new species: Ptilohyale brevicrus sp. nov. The morphology of gnathopod 2, pereopods, uropods and mandible are the major characteristics which differentiate the new species from its congeners. The remaining species, P. barbicornis (Hiwatari & Kajihara, 1981) is recorded for the first time from Korea. Both species are fully described and illustrated. A key to the family Hyalidae and species of Ptilohyale from Korea is also provided.

A new species of Socarnes Boeck, 1871 (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Lysianassidae) from Korean waters.

A new species of lysianassid amphipod belonging to the genus Socarnes Boeck was collected from Korean coastal waters. This is the first record of the genus Socarnes from Korea. The new species is fully illustrated and extensively compared with related species. A key to Socarnes speciesis provided.

A new species of Liropus (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Caprellidae) from California, U.S.A., with an illustrated key of the genus.

A new species of the genus Liropus (Crustacea, Amphipoda, Caprellidae) is described based on specimens collected from a small cave of Santa Catalina Island, California. The new species, Liropus minusculus, can be distinguished from all its congeners mainly by the presence of anterolateral projections on pereonites 2, 3, and 4 (males), pereopod 5 one-articulate (although with a second article incompletely tabicated), basis of gnathopod 2 very elongate (males), and abdomen with two pairs of one-articulate appendages (males), one of them rudimentary. Up-to-date morphological comparisons among the world Liropus species are provided, together with an illustrated key to species. This is the first record of Liropus from the north-east Pacific.