Taxonomic distinctness and diversity patterns of a polychaete (Annelida) community on the continental shelf of the Southern Gulf of Mexico.

The spatial patterns of taxonomic diversity of annelid polychaete species from the continental shelf in the Southern Gulf of Mexico were examined in this study. We used taxonomic distinctness and its spatial variations to explore the diversity patterns and how they change between Southern Gulf of Mexico regions. In addition, using taxonomic distinctness as a dissimilarity measure and Ward's Clustering, we characterized three distinct faunal assemblages. We also investigated patterns of richness, taxonomic distinctness, and distance decay of similarity between sampling stations as a ß-diversity measure. Finally, we examined the spatial relationships between polychaete assemblages and environmental variables to test the relative importance of spatial and environmental components in annelid polychaete community structure from the Southern Gulf of Mexico. We used a combination of eigenvector-based multivariate analyses (dbMEMs) and distance-based redundancy analysis (dbRDA) to quantify the relative importance of these explanatory variables on the spatial variations of taxonomic distinctness. The significance level of spatial and environmental components to the distribution of polychaete species showed that the combined effect of spatial processes and sediment characteristics explained a higher percentage of the variance than those parameters could alone.

Morphometric and taxonomic approach to describe Heterospio variabilis (Annelida, Longosomatidae), a new species with three size-dependent morphotypes, from the Gulf of California, Eastern Pacific.

The Longosomatidae, a poorly known polychaete family, includes only 23 recognized species; in this study, based on morphometric and taxonomic analyses, we describe a new species with three morphotypes: Heterospio variabilis from the Gulf of California, Mexico. The specimens examined exhibit large morphological variations but were clearly separated from close species due to a unique combination of morphological characters: chaetiger 9 as the first elongated chaetiger, four to eight branchial pairs; chaetae from chaetiger 10 forming rings in two rows, posterior row with thin and robust capillaries, anterior row with subuluncini, aristate spines, acicular spines and thick acicular spines. With the discriminant analysis, carried out on 11 morphometric characters, the presence of three morphological groups were recognized (Wilks' lambda= 0.093, p = 0.0001). However, the variables selected to discriminate the specimens (partial Wilks' lambda > 0.57) were correlated to their size: number of branchiae, body width, prostomium width, rate length CH9/CH1-CH8, length CH1-CH8 and length CH9 (r > 0.5). So, we concluded that they belong to a single species with three morphotypes: morpho A with eight branchial pairs, morpho B with 5-6-7 pairs and morpho C with 4 pairs. No correlations between the distribution of the distinct morphotypes along the eastern gulf shelf and the environmental conditions where they settle were detected.

Notomastusbermejoi, a new species of Capitellidae (Annelida, Polychaeta) from the Gulf of California, with morphological remarks on species with hooks in thoracic chaetigers.

Notomastusbermejoi sp. nov. from the Gulf of California shelf is described, illustrated, and compared with its congeners bearing hooded hooks in thoracic chaetigers. This new species is characterized by the presence of a prostomial palpode, only notopodia in the first chaetiger, hooded hooks in neuropodia of chaetiger 11, and its distinct methyl green staining pattern consisting of: chaetigers 1-4 slightly stained, chaetigers 5-10 with green bands encircling the segments, and a darker, solid, green band encircling the body in chaetigers 11-12. It is mainly distributed in the central Gulf of California in fine sand bottoms (62-96%) at 32-106.4 m depth, tolerating a wide range of temperature (13.2-17.59 °C), dissolved oxygen (0.8-4.93 ml/L), and organic carbon (3.0-7.2%). The type material and original descriptions of Notomastus species with hooks in thoracic chaetigers were examined; an identification key and tables with morphological distinctive characteristics, methyl green staining patterns, and geographic distribution of these close species are provided.

Motile macrofauna associated with pelagic Sargassum in a Mexican reef lagoon.

Buildup of decaying pelagic Sargassum on the beaches and coasts of the Mexican Caribbean during the massive arrivals of 2015 and 2018 had detrimental impacts on the environment and tourist industry. To avoid ecological and economic impacts from massive beaching of Sargassum, it would be better to remove the pelagic algal masses while still at sea. However, out at sea, pelagic Sargassum rafts constitute an ecosystem with a diversified associated fauna and their removal could impact this fauna. We conducted a survey on the motile macrofauna associated to pelagic Sargassum rafts in the Puerto Morelos reef lagoon, Mexican Caribbean. Pelagic Sargassum was sampled with nets at 2 m, 50 m and 500 m from shore, at four sites during the months of September, October and November 2018. The 108 samples contained 10,296 individuals belonging to 32 taxa distributed over eight Phyla. The main phyla were Arthropoda (48%), Annelida (41%) and Mollusca (15%). Fish abundance was low (10 individuals) with only five species, of which three are typically associated with Sargassum rafts and two are common in seagrass meadows and coral reefs. Species composition and abundance of motile macrofauna varied with month and zone; the nearshore zone had the lowest abundance but there was no difference in the abundance of the fauna associated with rafts 50 or 500 m offshore. Three of the four most abundant species (together accounting for 89% of the individuals) were species typically associated with pelagic Sargassum, and the fourth was an amphipod that was only registered once near shore. Although more studies over larger time and spatial scales are required, these results suggest that the removal of pelagic Sargassum within the reef lagoon may not have a significant effect on local populations of motile macrofauna.

Eunicida and Amphinomida polychaetes (Annelida) inhabiting dead coral fragments in the Chinchorro Bank Biosphere Reserve, Mexican Caribbean

Introduction: The polychaete fauna inhabiting Chinchorro Bank has been poorly studied and only 35 species have been previously reported. Objective: To examine the taxonomic composition of the Eunicida and Amphinomida associated to dead coral substrates from this coral reef atoll, a Biosphere Reserve located in the southern Mexican Caribbean. Methods: In April 2008, dead coral fragments of the genus Porites were manually collected by SCUBA diving at eight stations between 4-16.2 m depth. Results: A total of 714 individuals belonging to 17 genera and 48 species of the families Amphinomidae, Dorvilleidae, Eunicidae, Lumbrineridae, Oenonidae and Onuphidae were identified. Eunicidae was clearly the more diverse (29 species; 60.4 %) and abundant family (479 individuals; 67.1 %), while the Oenonidae and Onuphidae were represented by only one individual-species each. Thirty-eight species (79.2 %) were new records for Chinchorro Bank, of which 23 species (47.9 %) were newly reported for the Western Caribbean ecoregion. Conclusions: The polychaete fauna recorded showed that the Chinchorro Bank reef is a species-rich habitat that deserves further study; the 48 species from six families identified were similar or even greater than the number of species reported from dead coral environments of other Caribbean Sea regions.

Introducción: La fauna de poliquetos que habita en el Banco Chinchorro ha sido poco estudiada y solo se han registrado alrededor de 35 especies. Objetivo: Examinar la composición taxonómica de los Amphinomida y Eunicida asociados a sustratos de coral muerto en este atolón coralino, una Reserva de la Biosfera ubicada al sur del Caribe mexicano. Métodos: En abril de 2008 se recolectaron manualmente fragmentos de coral muerto por medio de buceo SCUBA en ocho estaciones entre 4-16.2 m de profundidad. Resultados: Se identificaron 714 individuos pertenecientes a 17 géneros y 48 especies de las familias Amphinomidae, Dorvilleidae, Eunicidae, Lumbrineridae, Oenonidae y Onuphidae. Eunicidae fue claramente la familia más diversa (29 especies, 60.4 %) y abundante (479 individuos, 67.1 %); en cambio Oenonidae y Onuphidae estuvieron representadas por solo un individuo de una especie. Treinta y ocho especies (79.2 %) fueron nuevos registros para el Banco Chinchorro, de las cuales 23 especies (47.9 %) fueron registradas por primera vez en la ecorregión del Caribe Occidental. Conclusiones: La fauna de poliquetos registrada mostró que el arrecife del Banco Chinchorro es un hábitat rico en especies que merece estudios adicionales; las 48 especies de seis familias identificadas fueron similares o incluso superiores al número de especies registradas en ambientes de coral muerto de otras regiones del Mar Caribe.

Experimental evidence of pollination in marine flowers by invertebrate fauna.

Pollen transport by water-flow (hydrophily) is a typical, and almost exclusive, adaptation of plants to life in the marine environment. It is thought that, unlike terrestrial environments, animals are not involved in pollination in the sea. The male flowers of the tropical marine angiosperm Thalassia testudinum open-up and release pollen in mucilage at night when invertebrate fauna is active. Here we present experimental evidence that, in the absence of water-flow, these invertebrates visit the flowers, carry and transfer mucilage mass with embedded pollen from the male flowers to the stigmas of the female flowers. Pollen tubes are formed on the stigmas, indicating that pollination is successful. Thus, T. testudinum has mixed abiotic-biotic pollination. We propose a zoobenthophilous pollination syndrome (pollen transfer in the benthic zone by invertebrate animals) which shares many characteristics with hydrophily, but flowers are expected to open-up during the night.

Eusyllinae, Exogoninae and Autolytinae (Syllidae: Polychaeta) from the Southern Mexican Pacific, with the description of three new species.

Previous studies have dealt recently with syllid polychaetes in soft sediments from Acapulco Bay (Southern Mexican Pacific) with new species and new records of the subfamily Syllinae published, but the remaining subfamilies found in the area had not been included. This study deals with syllids belonging to those subfamilies: Eusyllinae, Exogoninae and Autolytinae, since the Anoplosyllinae were not found. Three species are described as new: Odontosyllis septemdentata n. sp., characterized by having bidentate falcigers and a trepan with 7 teeth alternating in size; Sphaerosyllis tetralobata n. sp., which is characterized by having unidentate compound chaetae and segments divided in four annuli, and Prosphaerosyllis sotoi n. sp., characterized by having compound chaetae with short and hooked unidentate blades, and by being the only species of the genus that lacks dorsal cirri in the second parapodia. Additionally, Westheidesyllis gesae (Perkins 1981) is newly recorded for the Pacific Ocean, while Odontosyllis fulgurans (Audouin & Milne Edwards 1834), Erinaceusyllis bidentata (Hartmann-Schröder 1974) and Myrianida dentalia (Imajima 1966) are recorded for the first time from the Mexican Pacific coasts.

Nereis alacranensis, a new species of polychaete (Annelida, Nereididae) from Alacranes Reef, southern Gulf of Mexico, with a key to Nereis from the Grand Caribbean.

A new species of polychaete, Nereis alacranensis n. sp., was found in dead coral rocks in the intertidal zone of Alacranes reef, southern Gulf of Mexico. N. alacranensis n. sp. can be included in a group of nereidids characterized by the absence of paragnaths in areas I and V of the pharynx, the presence of cones in a single row or absent in areas VII-VIII, and short blades in notopodial homogomph falcigers. The new species can be separated from the other species of the group by the presence of 3-7 cones in area VI and 7 cones arranged in a row in areas VII-VIII, finely dentate blades in notopodial homogomph falcigers, but most of all, by the presence of an unusual brown coarse arc shaped plate on the external ventral region of the peristomium. This structure has not yet been reported, at least in this genus. A taxonomic key of the species of Nereis recorded from the Grand Caribbean region is included.

Description of two new species of Pisione (Polychaeta: Sigalionidae) and first record of Pisione galapagoensis Westheide in the Southern Mexican Pacific.

The genus Pisione Grube 1857 was composed up to now of 40 species and 4 subspecies. Although distributed worldwide, in the Mexican Pacific little is known about its taxonomy and distribution, and only two species of this genus have been recorded: Pisione longispinulata Aguado & San Martín, 2004 and Pisione remota (Southern, 1914), but the records of the latter remain questionable. For this study, 406 pisionids from soft sediments of Acapulco Bay, Southern Mexican Pacific, were examined. Two new species are described: Pisione hippocampus n. sp. characterized by having protruding notoaciculae in posterior chaetigers, the second dorsal cirrus elongated and copulatory organs resembling the body shape of a seahorse and Pisione sanmartini n. sp. characterized by having protruding notoaciculae from the first chaetiger, buccal aciculae with a distal crenulate plate resembling the edge of a shell, and prechaetal bifurcated lobes along the body. Pisione galapagoensis Westheide, 1974 is newly recorded for the Mexican Pacific, its known distribution being extended northward from the Galapagos Islands and Panama. A comparative table with the main diagnostic characters and the distribution of all the species so far described in the genus Pisione is included, as well as a key to the species of the Eastern Pacific.

Labrorostratus caribensis, a new oenonid polychaete from the Grand Caribbean living in the body cavity of a nereidid, with emendation of the genus.

Endoparasitic relationships among polychaetes are uncommon and mostly restricted to about 20 species of the family Oenonidae. We herein describe Labrorostratus caribensis, a new oenonid species living in the body cavity of a nereidid polychaete in Chinchorro Bank (Mexican Caribbean). This is the first report of a parasitic relationship between oenonids and nereidids in the Grand Caribbean region. The new species is diagnosed by the jaw apparatus reduced to only maxillary carriers fused, one simple modified ventral chaeta from midbody and lack of acicular spines. The generic diagnosis is emended to include species without maxillary plates. A synopsis of parasitism among polychaetes worldwide is presented.

Hyalella cenotensis, a new species of Hyalellidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico.

In this study the first blind species of Hyalella for Mexico is described; it is the second in the genus to be recorded there. The new species is closer to the eyeless species: H. anophthalma Ruffo, 1957, H. muerta Baldinger, Shepard & Threloff, 2000, H. caeca Pereira, 1989, H. spelaea Bueno & Cardoso, 2011 in Cardoso et al. 2011, H. imbya Rodrigues & Bueno, 2012 in Rodrigues et al. 2012, but with no curved seta at the inner ramus of uropod 1, antennae 1 shorter than antennae 2, no apical setae on the telson and a characteristic dorsoposterior carina and three pappose setae on the inner plate of maxilla 1. The morphological intraspecific variations that can be found in this genus are discussed.

Description and distribution of two new species of Paraonidae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from a lagoon-estuarine ecosystem in the Southern Gulf of Mexico.

The aim of this study was to analyze the taxonomy and distribution of the polychaetes of the family Paraonidae from a lagoon-estuarine ecosystem in the Gulf of Mexico. The samples come from 20 soft bottom stations in the Términos Lagoon during the dry and rainy seasons, of which eight included paraonids. In all, 1183 specimens belonging to two new species were identified: Aricidea (Acmira) hirsuta (1125 specimens) and Paradoneis carmelitensis (58 specimens). A. (A.) hirsuta is clearly distinguished from other members of the genus by the presence of unidentate curved spines with a dense pubescence along their medium and distal margins, and because the median antenna is short. P carmelitensis is mainly characterized by the absence of eyes, by the presence of triangular shaped postchaetal prebranchial lobes, and the presence of branchiae and lyriform chaetae from chaetiger 4. The paraonids occurrence was mainly associated with salinities close to marine conditions (31.71 to 35.85 psu). They were almost totally collected during the rainy season (1178 specimens from both species) in the central and southern areas; during the dry season only five specimens of P. carmelitensis were recorded.