A new species of Physiculus (Teleostei: Moridae) from the Cape Verde Islands (Eastern Central Atlantic).

A new species of Physiculus, P. caboverdensis n. sp., is described from the outer shelf and upper slope of the Cape Verde Islands. This species differs from all other congeners from the Atlantic Ocean by its peculiar dentition, composed of large fang-like teeth in both jaws, interspaced with smaller canine-like teeth, arranged in two series on upper jaw and one on lower. This is the tenth species of the genus to occur in the Atlantic Ocean and the third to be recorded from the Cape Verde Islands.

Perception of faunal circadian rhythms depends on sampling technique.

Ecologists aim at disentangling how species vary in abundance through spatial and temporal scales, using a range of sampling techniques. Here, we investigated the circadian rhythm of seagrass-associated decapod crustaceans through three sampling techniques. Specifically, we compared the abundance, biomass and structure of seagrass-associated decapod assemblages between the day and night using a hand net, an airlift pump and baited traps. At night, the hand-net consistently collected a larger total abundance and biomass of decapods, what resulted in significant diel differences, which were detected for the total biomass, but not for the total abundance, when decapods were sampled through an airlift pump. Traps, however, collected a larger total abundance, but not total biomass, of decapods during the night. In summary, our perception of faunal diel rhythms is notably influence by the way organisms are sampled.