Geophilomorpha from Alborz Mountains and a checklist of Chilopoda from Iran.

This study presents an updated checklist of centipedes (Chilopoda) from Iran based on a review of the literature and recently examined specimens of Geophilomorpha collected from many sites in the Alborz Mountains. The centipedes of Iran comprise 48 species, of which 17 species have so far only been reported from Iran. Many species are known from a single locality, and only from specimens of a single sex. Species of the geophilomorph genera Clinopodes and Strigamia are here reported from Iran for the first time. The checklist includes all published geographical distribution data from Iran and a comparison with the centipede fauna of neighboring countries using the Jaccard index. The Iranian centipede fauna is still scantily known and further investigations are expected to contribute substantially, especially because of the diverse physiography of the country.

A new species of the Spirobranchus kraussii-complex (Annelida, Serpulidae) from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

A recent study (Simon et al. 2019) confirmed that Spirobranchus kraussii is neither a widely distributed tropical species of Indo-Pacific origin nor a Lessepsian migrant to the Mediterranean, but a large complex of species, some of which might be indeed invasive. Thus, a common intertidal gregarious serpulid, previously attributed to S. kraussii in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, is described herein as Spirobranchus sinuspersicus sp. nov., using a combination of morphological and molecular data. The new species differs from S. kraussii by smaller size, fewer abdominal chaetigers, arrangement of abdominal chaetae and shape of opercular endplate talon. Results of phylogenetic analyses of a dataset combining 18S nucleotide and Cyt-b amino-acid sequences of S. sinuspersicus sp. nov. and Spirobranchus spp. available from GenBank supported monophyly of S. kraussii complex (including S. cariniferus) nested within Spirobranchus and thus, provided molecular support for synonymy of Pomatoleios with Spirobranchus proposed based on morphological criteria. The new species forms a well-supported clade with (S. kraussii (sp. 2 Hawaii + sp. 3 Australia)) clade, which in turn forms a clade with Spirobranchus sp.1 from temperate Japan, while S. cariniferus from New Zealand forms a basal grade. Evidence of substitution saturation of Cyt-b nucleotide sequences suggests that using translated amino-acid sequences to exclude non-informative substitutions should provide a better phylogenetic resolution for the genus Spirobranchus. Further studies are required to determine the invasive status of S. sinuspersicus sp. nov. as well as taxonomic and invasive status of S. cf. kraussii populations from the Mediterranean Sea, Suez Bay, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Singapore, and Panama.

Nereididae (Annelida: Phyllodocida) of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, including description of two new species and 11 new records.

Currently, only 31 nereidid species are known from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The present study was carried out in order to investigate the poorly known diversity of nereidid polychaetes from seas of the southern coasts of Iran. Specimens were collected from 23 locations along the intertidal zones of the two water bodies. Among the 26 species found: two are new, and are described here, including Simplisetia qeshmensis sp. nov. and Neanthes biparagnatha sp. nov.; 11 are new geographical records. Neanthes biparagnatha sp. nov. is most similar to N. deplanata (Mohammed, 1971), which is also found in the Persian Gulf, but can be most easily distinguished from it by the presence of bars in addition to cones in Area IV of the pharynx. Simplisetia qeshmensis sp. nov. may be distinguished from its closest congener, S. erythraeensis (Fauvel, 1918), also reported from the Persian Gulf, by having a greater number of paragnaths in Area I of the pharynx, an additional type of chaeta (homogomph spinigers) in the ventral neuropodial fascicle and having a reduced notopodial lobe in posterior chaetigers. The list of new records includes: one species from both areas, Neanthes glandicincta (Southern, 1921); eight species from the Persian Gulf, Leonnates decipiens Fauvel, 1929, Neanthes acuminata (Ehlers, 1868), Neanthes sp., Neanthes sp. cf. N. acuminata, Nereis sp. cf. N. pelagica Linnaeus, 1758, Perinereis cultrifera (Grube, 1840) species complex., Pseudonereis trimaculata (Horst, 1924), Pseudonereis sp. cf. P. variegata (Grube, 1857) and two from the Gulf of Oman, Leonnates persicus Wesenberg-Lund, 1949 and Perinereis kuwaitensis Mohammed, 1970. The present study brings to 40 the number of nereidid species currently known from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. A taxonomic key to nereidid species from the intertidal zones of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman is presented to facilitate future investigations.

Identifying Neogobius species from the southern Caspian Sea by otolith shape (Teleostei: Gobiidae).

Three Neogobius species are common in the southern Caspian Sea. Identification of these species, especially from remains, is not fully understood. The present study compares the morphological characteristics of sagittal otoliths of N. caspius, N. pallasi and N. melanostomus. Furthermore, it also provides a dichotomous identification key based on otoliths morphology.

A new substance to relax polychaete worms (Annelida) prior to morphological study.

A variety of chemical substances have been used to relax and/or immobilize polychaete worms, and other invertebrates, prior to specimen preparation for morphological examination. To solve difficulties encountered during the study of nereidid polychaetes (Annelida: Phyllodocida), an experiment was designed and carried out to investigate a new relaxing agent to immobilize nereidid specimens and stimulate pharynx eversion. The new substance, Dentol® (Khoraman laboratory, Iran), a dental anesthetic and antiseptic medicine containing 10% Carvacrol as the effective ingredient, was used for the first time and compared with other substances that have been used traditionally in polychaete studies. Crosstab analysis showed significant differences between different treatment groups, with Dentol® providing much better results for all considered criteria.

Phylogenetic relationships of the gray-toad agama, Phrynocephalus scutellatus (Olivier, 1807), species complex from Iran.

The gray toad agama, Phrynocephalus scutellatus (Olivier, 1807) species complex is confined to the Iranian plateau, and forms one of the most widespread, but rarely studied species of the family Agamidae. It represents a complex with many local populations inhabiting a variety of habitats, and exhibiting considerable morphological, genetic and ecological variations. We analyzed sequences of the mitochondrial ND2 gene and tRNA-Trp and tRNA-Ala derived from 89 geographically distant populations. The sequences data strongly support a basal separation of the populations of southeastern-south--central Iran from those occurring in the North. The subsequent radiation, fragmentation, and evolution of these major assemblages have led to four discernible geographical lineages in Iran: southeastern--south-central, west-central, east-northeastern and Khaf. The southeastern--south-central radiation is the earliest lineage and Khaf lineage is probably related to the Afghan plateau. Separation of northern clades from each other can be explained by the presence of large deserts in central Iran. Due to the lack of sufficient geological information, the divergence between the northern and southern clades cannot be explained by the present data.

New species of Spauligodon Skrjabin, Schikhobalova & Lagodovskaja, 1960 and Thubunea Seurat, 1914 (Nematoda) from the gastro-intestinal tract of lizards in Iran.

As part of a faunistic study on helminth parasites of Iranian lizards collected from localities in the north of Isfahan province in Iran, two new nematode species belonging to two different families, Pharyngodonidae Travassos, 1919 and Physalopteroidae Railliet, 1893, were found and are, hereby, described. Spauligodon persiensis n. sp. from the large intestine of Cyrtopodion scabrum Heyden is characterised by its imperceptible lateral alae, lack of spicule, different shape of the genital curtain, position of last pair of papillae, aspinose tail in males, position of the vulva and excretory pore, and a tail filament with six to nine spines in females. Thubunea mobedii n. sp. from the stomach of Laudakia nupta nupta (De Filipi) differs from the other species in the genus by possessing a vulva at level of the posterior portion of the oesophageal-intestinal junction in females, lacking spicules, and having a different number of papillae in males. The present paper provides the results of detailed morphological examination of the two new nematode species, using both light and scanning electron microscopy. Taxonomically important characteristics for the members of the two nematode genera, Spauligodon Skrjabin, Schikhobalova & Lagodovskaja, 1960 and Thubunea Seurat, 1914, are also reviewed.

Contribution to the knowledge of cotylean flatworms (Turbellaria, Polycladida) from Iranian coasts: Introducing a new species, with remarks on new records.

Very little information is available regarding marine free-living flatworms not only from Iran, but throughout the countries surrounding the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The present study first introduces a new euryleptid species, and then reports four pseudocerotid polyclads which inhabit Iranian shallow rocky shores of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Maritigrella makranica sp. nov. is characterized dorsally by a medial cream or white reticulated appearance containing pale orange spots in a honeycomb pattern, a distinct orange submarginal band around the entire body margin and between the marginal tentacles, black spots scattered around mid-dorsal surface, becoming more sparse on raised median region and towards body margin, surrounded by a dark-grey halo around the body midline and orange-black halo towards margin. Three of the four pseudocerotids species belonging to the genera Pseudobiceros Faubel, 1984; Pseudoceros Lang, 1884; and Thysanozoon Grube, 1840, are new records for the studied areas, while the other has been reported in the Persian Gulf previously. Comments on Iranian species are provided and associations of flatworms with ascidians and sponges were observed. 

Reassessment of the taxonomic position of Iranocypris typhlops Bruun & Kaiser, 1944 (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae).

The Iranian cave barb (Iranocypris typhlops Bruun & Kaiser, 1944) is a rare and endemic species of the family Cyprinidae known from a single locality in the Zagros Mountains, western Iran. This species is "Vulnerable" according to the IUCN Red List and is one of the top four threatened freshwater fish species in Iran. Yet, the taxonomic position of I. typhlops is uncertain. We examined phylogenetic relationships of this species with other species of the family Cyprinidae based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Our results show that I. typhlops is monophyletic and is sister taxon of a cluster formed by Garra rufa (Heckel, 1843) and Garra barreimiae (Fowler & Steinitz, 1956) within a clade that includes other species of the genus Garra. Based on previous molecular and morphological studies, as well as our new results, we recommend that I. typhlops should be transferred to the genus Garra Hamilton, 1822.

Description of two new Discocelis species (Polycladida: Acotylea: Discocelidae) from the Persian Gulf with a review of the genus.

Two new polyclad species, from northern intertidal zone and shallow rocky shores of the Persian Gulf, Discocelispersica sp. nov. and Discocelis hollemani sp. nov., are described. D. persica possesses a thick and broadly oval body tapering somewhat posteriorly, without any obvious color pattern; with marginal eyes extended around the anterior margin of the body; cerebral eyes forming two clusters, each further subdivided into anterior and posterior groups, about 100 eyespots at the anterior group and 55 eyespots at the posterior groups; mouth at the posterior end of the pharynx; male atrium with three to four distinct lobes, with numerous prostatoid organs of two distinct sizes, without villus-like projections; and with a horseshoe-shaped Lang's vesicle. D. hollemani characterized by a thick and broadly oval body, not tapering antro-posteriorly, without any obvious color pattern; marginal eyes extended to the vicinity of the posterior end of pharynx; the cerebral eyes forming two clusters, each further subdivided into anterior and posterior groups in relation to the cerebral organ, about 50 eyespots at the anterior group and 20 eyespots at the posterior groups; mouth at the posterior end of the pharynx; the male atrium with two distinct lobes, with numerous prostatoids of two distinct sizes and different contents; villus-like projections absent, and with a horseshoe-shaped Lang's vesicle.

Morphology of a neglected large-sized species of Geophilus from Iran (Chilopoda: Geophilidae).

Geophilus gigas was described briefly by Attems in 1951 from two sites in Iran, but neither reported nor cited subsequently. The original description is inadequate to understand the full morphology and the taxonomic position of the species. Thus it is here redescribed and figured in detail based on the examination of a syntype and newly collected specimens. Furthermore it is compared with the most similar species of the genus Geophilus. G. gigas can be reliably distinguished from other related species for the maximum body size (more than 6 cm), the arrangement and extent of the sternal pore-fields (with additional groups of pores), the coxal pores number and distribution (tens, scattered), and the size of the ultimate legs (swollen in both sexes).

Parasites of fingerling herring Clupea harengus L.: ecology and fine morphology.

The parasite fauna of young-of-the-year herring Clupea harengus L., off Gullmarsfjord and Brofjorden, west coast of Sweden, was studied between May and October for 4 years, from 1994 to 1997. Fifteen species of parasites were found: two Protozoa - Trichodina sp. and Ceratomyxa auerbachi; one species of uncertain affinity - Ichthyophonus hoferi; two Monogenea - Gyrodactylus harengi and Pseudanthocotyloides heterocotyle; five Digenea - Cryptocotyle lingua metacercariae, Cercaria pythionike metacercariae, Hemiurus luehei, Lecithaster confusus and Pseudobacciger harengulae; three Cestoda plerocercoids - Bothriocephalus sp., an acrobothriid and a tetraphyllid; one Nematoda - Hysterothylacium aduncum larva; and one Copepoda - Caligus elongatus. The number of species found in this study represents more than one-sixth of all parasites reported in herring worldwide and all parasites were acquired locally. The parasite fauna of herring from the west coast of Sweden is compared with that of herring from the Baltic Sea and other areas of the north-east Atlantic. The prevalence and intensity of parasites are presented and discussed. Morphological descriptions are based on both light and scanning electron microscopy and new features are described. Possible applications of this new information about the parasite fauna, in different areas of fisheries and fish biology studies, are discussed.