Nuclear and mitochondrial genome datasets for spiny lobsters genus Panulirus (Decapoda: Achelata: Palinuridae).

Spiny lobsters (Decapoda: Palinuridae) in the genus Panulirus are targets of lucrative fisheries globally and have relevant ecological functions in tropical and subtropical environments. Only a few, but increasing, number of genetic and genomic resources exist for them. Nuclear and mitochondrial genome assemblies can provide insights into their phylogenetic relationships and support fishery management strategies in species that are heavily exploited. Herein, using Illumina short reads whole genome sequencing, we assembled the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes of a total of 14 species. Genomic DNA was extracted from specimens deposited at Clemson University Crustacean Collection and sequenced in a HiSeq X Ten system. The number of paired-end (PE) reads generated for the different studied species varied between 219,917,346 in P. argus and 70,215,423 in P. cygnus. Nuclear and mitochondrial genomes were 'de novo' assembled. Nuclear genomes ranged between 1,624,400,357 bp in P. guttatus and 935,571,898 bp in P. cygnus with scaffold numbers varying between 466,583 in P. versicolor and 852,228 in P. longipes. Mitochondrial genomes varied between 15,613 bp and 15,768 bp in P. pascuensis and P. versicolor, respectively. The totality of the short reads, nuclear, and mitochondrial genome assemblies are available at NCBI's GenBank.

New records of non-indigenous species from the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Crustacea, Mollusca), with a revision of genus Isognomon (Mollusca: Bivalvia).

We report new data on non-indigenous invertebrates from the Mediterranean Sea (four ostracods and 20 molluscs), including five new records for the basin: the ostracods Neomonoceratina iniqua, Neomonoceratina aff. mediterranea, Neomonoceratina cf. entomon, Loxoconcha cf. gisellae (Arthropoda: Crustacea)-the first records of non-indigenous ostracods in the Mediterranean-and the bivalve Striarca aff. symmetrica (Mollusca). Additionally, we report for the first time Electroma vexillum from Israel, and Euthymella colzumensis, Joculator problematicus, Hemiliostraca clandestina, Pyrgulina nana, Pyrgulina microtuber, Turbonilla cangeyrani, Musculus aff. viridulus and Isognomon bicolor from Cyprus. We also report the second record of Fossarus sp. and of Cerithiopsis sp. cf. pulvis in the Mediterranean Sea, the first live collected specimens of Oscilla galilae from Cyprus and the northernmost record of Gari pallida in Israel (and the Mediterranean). Moreover, we report the earliest records of Rugalucina angela, Ervilia scaliola and Alveinus miliaceus in the Mediterranean Sea, backdating their first occurrence in the basin by 3, 5 and 7 years, respectively. We provide new data on the presence of Spondylus nicobaricus and Nudiscintilla aff. glabra in Israel. Finally, yet importantly, we use both morphological and molecular approaches to revise the systematics of the non-indigenous genus Isognomon in the Mediterranean Sea, showing that two species currently co-occur in the basin: the Caribbean I. bicolor, distributed in the central and eastern Mediterranean, and the Indo-Pacific I. aff. legumen, at present reported only from the eastern Mediterranean and whose identity requires a more in-depth taxonomic study. Our work shows the need of taxonomic expertise and investigation, the necessity to avoid the unfounded sense of confidence given by names in closed nomenclature when the NIS belong to taxa that have not enjoyed ample taxonomic work, and the necessity to continue collecting samples-rather than relying on visual censuses and bio-blitzes-to enable accurate detection of non-indigenous species.

Infestation of Lithodes santolla by Eremitione tuberculata: spatial and temporal variations in parasite prevalence and effect on host growth.

The southern king crab (SKC) Lithodes santolla is a crustacean parasitised by the bopyrid Eremitione tuberculata. This study aimed to analyse spatial and temporal variations in E. tuberculata prevalence in the juvenile SKC population of San Jorge Gulf (SJG) and adjacent waters (Argentine Patagonia), and evaluate the effects of the parasite on SKC juveniles to improve our understanding of its impact as a disease on SKC health condition. Moult increment and body weight were compared between parasitised and unparasitised individuals. The prevalence of E. tuberculata in SKC juveniles varied both spatially and temporally. In the south of SJG, the prevalence was 54.5% (n = 11). Temporal prevalence analysis revealed values lower than 17.4% in mid SJG during May and September 2015. No significant differences were observed in E. tuberculata prevalence between sexes or among seasons. Eremitione tuberculata had a negative effect on SKC growth (lower body dry mass, moult increment and relative increment rate) in parasitised individuals. We hypothesised that the higher prevalence of E. tuberculata in the south SJG could be attributed to the retention of parasite larvae and the presence of the frontal system in this part of the gulf. The temporal variations could reflect host mortality. Our results suggest that bopyrid infestation may have a more important role than previously believed in the dynamics of the SKC population in mid-Patagonia.

Ontogenetic Changes in Pigmentation Pattern in Mesanthura miyakoensis (Crustacea: Isopoda: Anthuridae).

Species in the anthurid isopod genus Mesanthura have specific, dorsal dark pigmentation patterning on the body. Though Mesanthura species have traditionally been distinguished mainly by differences in the dorsal pigmentation pattern in females, the stability of the pigmentation pattern within species had not been investigated, and information was lacking on ontogenetic variation in the pattern. Our study showed the following for M. miyakoensis. (1) Mancae begin to show dorsal pigmentation in the marsupium roughly 9 days before their release. (2) The pigmentation pattern in the first-instar mancae (first free-living stage) differs from that in later instars. (3) The pigmentation pattern in females is discrete and stable from putative second-instar mancae through females lacking oostegites, and distorted but recognizable in ovigerious females. (4) The pattern in males is different from and less discrete than that in females; it remains similar through the molt from subadult to adult male but changes markedly with age, leading to heavy pigmentation of the body. (5) The pigmentation pattern in mancae and females remains stable and observable after storage in ethanol for at least 13.7 months. Our results suggest that comparisons of pigmentation pattern across species in Mesanthura taxonomy should be restricted to females in the post-manca or later stages.

A new species of Mexicope Hooker, 1985 (Crustacea, Isopoda) - the first record of Acanthaspidiidae Menzies, 1962 from the Mediterranean Sea.

Background: The marine isopod family Acanthaspidiidae Menzies, 1962 (Asellota, Janiroidea) has global distribution from shelf to hadal depth. The majority of species has been recorded from relatively deep waters and the Southern Hemisphere. To date, 36 species have been described in the family belonging to three genera: Ianthopsis Beddard, 1886; Iolanthe Beddard, 1886; and Mexicope Hooker, 1985. New information: Here, a new species of Mexicope is described from Maltese waters, adding a fourth species to the genus. It is the first member of the family reported from the Mediterranean Sea. The new species can be recognised by the unique combination of the following characters: cephalothorax with pre-ocular spine large and pointed anterolaterally, rostral projection blunt, eyes reduced; pereonal sternites each with one ventral spine; pereonite two lateral margins with single projection; pleotelson posterior apex long, projecting to approximately half of the length of the uropod protopod; pleopods I distolateral lobes projecting beyond distomedial lobes, apices curved and pointed laterally; uropod exopod length approximately 0.5 endopod length. An identification key to the species of Mexicope is presented and the generic diagnoses of Ianthopsis and Mexicope are compared, discussed and revised.

Effects of molting on the expression of ecdysteroid responsive genes in the crustacean molting gland (Y-organ).

Ecdysteroid molting hormones coordinate arthropod growth and development. Binding of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) to ecdysteroid receptor EcR/RXR activates a cascade of nuclear receptor transcription factors that mediate tissue responses to hormone. Insect ecdysteroid responsive and Forkhead box class O (FOXO) transcription factor gene sequences were used to extract orthologs from blackback land crab (Gecarcinus lateralis) Y-organ (YO) transcriptome: Gl-Ecdysone Receptor (EcR), Gl-Broad Complex (Br-C), Gl-E74, Gl-Hormone Receptor 3 (HR3), Gl-Hormone Receptor 4 (HR4), Gl-FOXO, and Gl-Fushi tarazu factor-1 (Ftz-f1). Quantitative polymerase chain reaction quantified mRNA levels in tissues from intermolt animals and in YO of animals induced to molt by multiple limb autotomy (MLA) or eyestalk ablation (ESA). Gl-EcR, Gl-Retinoid X Receptor (RXR), Gl-Br-C, Gl-HR3, Gl-HR4, Gl-E74, Gl-E75, Gl-Ftz-f1, and Gl-FOXO were expressed in all 10 tissues, with Gl-Br-C, Gl-E74, Gl-E75, and Gl-HR4 mRNA levels in the YO lower than those in most of the other tissues. In MLA animals, molting had no effect on Gl-Br-C, Gl-E74, and Gl-Ftz-f1 mRNA levels and little effect on Gl-EcR, Gl-E75, and Gl-HR4 mRNA levels. Gl-HR3 and Gl-FOXO mRNA levels were increased during premolt stages, while Gl-RXR mRNA level was highest during intermolt and premolt stages and lowest at postmolt stage. In ESA animals, YO mRNA levels were not correlated with hemolymph ecdysteroid titers. ESA had no effect on Gl-EcR, Gl-E74, Gl-HR3, Gl-HR4, Gl-Ftz-f1, and Gl-FOXO mRNA levels, while Gl-RXR, Gl-Br-C, and Gl-E75 mRNA levels were decreased at 3 days post-ESA. These data suggest that transcriptional up-regulation of Gl-FOXO and Gl-HR3 contributes to increased YO ecdysteroidogenesis during premolt. By contrast, transcriptional regulation of ecdysteroid responsive genes and ecdysteroidogenesis were uncoupled in the YO of ESA animals.

Phylogenetic and transcriptomic characterization of insulin and growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases in crustaceans.

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) mediate the actions of growth factors in metazoans. In decapod crustaceans, RTKs are implicated in various physiological processes, such molting and growth, limb regeneration, reproduction and sexual differentiation, and innate immunity. RTKs are organized into two main types: insulin receptors (InsRs) and growth factor receptors, which include epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR), and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR). The identities of crustacean RTK genes are incomplete. A phylogenetic analysis of the CrusTome transcriptome database, which included all major crustacean taxa, showed that RTK sequences segregated into receptor clades representing InsR (72 sequences), EGFR (228 sequences), FGFR (129 sequences), and PDGFR/VEGFR (PVR; 235 sequences). These four receptor families were distinguished by the domain organization of the extracellular N-terminal region and motif sequences in the protein kinase catalytic domain in the C-terminus or the ligand-binding domain in the N-terminus. EGFR1 formed a single monophyletic group, while the other RTK sequences were divided into subclades, designated InsR1-3, FGFR1-3, and PVR1-2. In decapods, isoforms within the RTK subclades were common. InsRs were characterized by leucine-rich repeat, furin-like cysteine-rich, and fibronectin type 3 domains in the N-terminus. EGFRs had leucine-rich repeat, furin-like cysteine-rich, and growth factor IV domains. N-terminal regions of FGFR1 had one to three immunoglobulin-like domains, whereas FGFR2 had a cadherin tandem repeat domain. PVRs had between two and five immunoglobulin-like domains. A classification nomenclature of the four RTK classes, based on phylogenetic analysis and multiple sequence alignments, is proposed.

An assessment of the potential health hazards associated with metal contamination in a variety of consumable species living along the industrialized coastline of East Java, Indonesia.

The massive industrial growth in Gresik, East Java, Indonesia has the potential to result in metal contamination in the nearby coastal waters. The purpose of this study was to analyze the metal concentrations in edible species from the Gresik coastal waters and evaluate the potential health risks linked to this metal contamination. Metal concentrations (Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn, As, Cd, Ni, Hg, and Cr) in fish and shrimp samples mostly met the maximum limits established by national and international regulatory organizations. The concentrations of As in Scatophagus argus exceed both the permissible limit established by Indonesia and the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). The As concentration in Arius bilineatus is equal to the PTWI. The target cancer risk (TCR) values for both As and Cr in all analyzed species exceed the threshold of 0.0001, suggesting that these two metals possess the potential to provide a cancer risk to humans.

Transcriptomic evidence of a fourth mininucleovirus (Mininucleoviridae): A rapidly growing family among the Nucleo-Cytoplasmic Large DNA viruses (NCLDVs).

The Mininucleoviridae are crustacean-infecting viruses thought to drive mortality across aquatic biomes. Three have been characterised from Carcinus maenas, Panulirus argus, and Dikerogammarus haemobaphes. We screened 202 SRA datasets (NCBI) for novel mininucleoviruses from 44 amphipod species. Three metatranscriptome datasets from Gammarus lacustris contained sequences with similarity to Dikerogammarus haemobaphes mininucleovirus. Assembly resulted in 19 transcripts, 16 were putatively polycistronic. The putative Gammarus lacustris mininucleovirus shares 46 homologues with other mininucleoviruses (similarity range: 24.07 - 78.2 %). The transcripts from this putative virus highlight its likely association with the Mininucleoviridae.

Regulation of early spermatogenesis in the giant prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii by a GCL homolog†.

The germ cell-less gene is crucial for gonad development in various organisms. Early interventions in its expression suggested a regulatory role at the mitotic stages of spermatogenesis, and its early knockout resulted in complete sterility in Drosophila. Genomic and transcriptomic data available for the catadromous giant prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii enabled the identification of a germ cell-less homolog for this species, which we termed MroGCL (mRNA accession number OQ533056). An open reading frame containing 494 amino acids and a typical evolutionarily conserved BTB/POZ domain suggests possible protein-protein interaction functions in keeping with the Drosophila germ cell-less protein. Genomic mapping of MroGCL showed a full length of 120 896 bases. Analysis of the temporal expression of MroGCL showed constant expression in early prawn embryonic and larval stages, but a significant increase 10 days after metamorphosis when crucial sexual differentiation processes occur in prawns. In adult animals, high expression was detected in the gonads compared to the somatic tissues. RNAi-based knock-down experiments showed that both the silenced and control groups reached advanced spermatogenic stages, but that there was a significant decrease in the yield of spermatozoa in about half of the silenced animals. This finding supports our hypothesis that MroGCL is crucial for mitosis during early stage spermatogenesis. In conclusion, this study contributes to the understanding of crustacean gonad development and provides a stepping stone in the development of environmentally valuable sterile crustacean populations.

Metagenomic analysis of gut microbiome illuminates the mechanisms and evolution of lignocellulose degradation in mangrove herbivorous crabs.

BACKGROUND: Sesarmid crabs dominate mangrove habitats as the major primary consumers, which facilitates the trophic link and nutrient recycling in the ecosystem. Therefore, the adaptations and mechanisms of sesarmid crabs to herbivory are not only crucial to terrestrialization and its evolutionary success, but also to the healthy functioning of mangrove ecosystems. Although endogenous cellulase expressions were reported in crabs, it remains unknown if endogenous enzymes alone can complete the whole lignocellulolytic pathway, or if they also depend on the contribution from the intestinal microbiome. We attempt to investigate the role of gut symbiotic microbes of mangrove-feeding sesarmid crabs in plant digestion using a comparative metagenomic approach. RESULTS: Metagenomics analyses on 43 crab gut samples from 23 species of mangrove crabs with different dietary preferences revealed a wide coverage of 127 CAZy families and nine KOs targeting lignocellulose and their derivatives in all species analyzed, including predominantly carnivorous species, suggesting the crab gut microbiomes have lignocellulolytic capacity regardless of dietary preference. Microbial cellulase, hemicellulase and pectinase genes in herbivorous and detritivorous crabs were differentially more abundant when compared to omnivorous and carnivorous crabs, indicating the importance of gut symbionts in lignocellulose degradation and the enrichment of lignocellulolytic microbes in response to diet with higher lignocellulose content. Herbivorous and detritivorous crabs showed highly similar CAZyme composition despite dissimilarities in taxonomic profiles observed in both groups, suggesting a stronger selection force on gut microbiota by functional capacity than by taxonomy. The gut microbiota in herbivorous sesarmid crabs were also enriched with nitrogen reduction and fixation genes, implying possible roles of gut microbiota in supplementing nitrogen that is deficient in plant diet. CONCLUSIONS: Endosymbiotic microbes play an important role in lignocellulose degradation in most crab species. Their abundance is strongly correlated with dietary preference, and they are highly enriched in herbivorous sesarmids, thus enhancing their capacity in digesting mangrove leaves. Dietary preference is a stronger driver in determining the microbial CAZyme composition and taxonomic profile in the crab microbiome, resulting in functional redundancy of endosymbiotic microbes. Our results showed that crabs implement a mixed mode of digestion utilizing both endogenous and microbial enzymes in lignocellulose degradation, as observed in most of the more advanced herbivorous invertebrates.

New occurrence of Cirolana capricornica (Isopoda: Cirolanidae) from Epinepheluschlorostigma in Suez Governorate, Egypt.

Background and Aim: The isopods of the Crustacea are noteworthy. All marine, fresh, and brackish waterways at all depths are home to aquatic organisms. This order also includes species that live on land. This study aimed to report a new occurrence of the isopod Cirolana capricornica on the operculum, mouth, and body cavities of Epinephilus chlorostigma in the Suez Governorate, Egypt. Materials and Methods: With the help of fishermen, 50 live E. chlorostigma (Linnaeus, 1758) were randomly gathered along the Red Sea coast of the Suez Governorate during November and December 2019 for the current investigation. Isopods were isolated from the fish samples and captured using light and electron microscopy for morphological identification. Results: Some fish were emaciated, and minute white isopods were attached externally to the skin near the gills and mouth cavity, and internally to the mouth cavity. No correlation was observed between body cavity attachment and gross lesions. The prevalence of infestation was 16%. Conclusion: C. capricornica was identified using optical and electron microscopy to analyze the isopod specimens' morphology. This scavenging isopod species is newly discovered in Egypt.

Variation in Paramarteilia canceri infections in velvet crab Necora puber.

Sustainable management of crustacean populations requires an understanding of the range of factors affecting different crustacean species. Recently, a high prevalence of a paramyxid parasite, Paramarteilia canceri, was reported in velvet crabs Necora puber in Ireland. Similar parasites have been known to cause mass mortalities in bivalves and, as velvet crabs are an important commercial species, these parasite infections are cause for concern. The main objective of this study was to examine variation in P. canceri infections in relation to host biology and season over a 2 yr period. In addition, we tested a range of host tissues and organs to gain more information on the host-parasite interaction. The parasite was present in all tissues and organs investigated, including the gonad and eggs of a berried female. Parasite prevalence was highest in the cuticular epithelium and hepatopancreas. Both annual and seasonal variation was found in parasite prevalence and parasite load. No difference was found in parasite prevalence or parasite load with either crab size or crab sex. Granulomas as a response to infection were significantly more abundant in infected velvet crab individuals. The results of this study provide important information on the host-parasite interaction between P. canceri and the velvet crab and highlight the importance of including parasite monitoring in the management of crustacean fisheries.

CrustyBase v.2.0: new features and enhanced utilities to support open science.

BACKGROUND: Transcriptomes present a rich, multi-dimensional subset of genomics data. They provide broad insights into genetic sequence, and more significantly gene expression, across biological samples. This technology is frequently employed for describing the genetic response to experimental conditions and has created vast libraries of datasets which shed light on gene function across different tissues, diseases, diets and developmental stages in many species. However, public accessibility of these data is impeded by a lack of suitable software interfaces and databases with which to locate and analyse them. BODY: Here we present an update on the status of CrustyBase.org, an online resource for analysing and sharing crustacean transcriptome datasets. Since its release in October 2020, the resource has provided many thousands of transcriptome sequences and expression profiles to its users and received 19 new dataset imports from researchers across the globe. In this article we discuss user analytics which point towards the utilization of this resource. The architecture of the application has proven robust with over 99.5% uptime and effective reporting of bugs through both user engagement and the error logging mechanism. We also introduce several new features that have been developed as part of a new release of CrustyBase.org. Two significant features are described in detail, which allow users to navigate through transcripts directly by submission of transcript identifiers, and then more broadly by searching for encoded protein domains by keyword. The latter is a novel and experimental feature, and grants users the ability to curate gene families from any dataset hosted on CrustyBase in a matter of minutes. We present case studies to demonstrate the utility of these features. CONCLUSION: Community engagement with this resource has been very positive, and we hope that improvements to the service will further enable the research of users of the platform. Web-based platforms such as CrustyBase have many potential applications across life science domains, including the health sector, which are yet to be realised. This leads to a wider discussion around the role of web-based resources in facilitating an open and collaborative research community.

DNA barcoding and morphology revealed the existence of seven new species of squat lobsters in the family Munididae (Decapoda, Galatheoidea) in the southwestern Pacific.

Specimens of squat lobsters belonging to the family MunididaeAhyong et al., 2010, representing the genera Garymunida Macpherson & Baba, 2022, Trapezionida Macpherson & Baba, 2022 and Typhlonida Macpherson & Baba, 2022, were collected during several cruises around New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea, Southwest Pacific. The integrative study of these specimens revealed the presence of one new species in Garymunida, five in Trapezionida and one in Typhlonida. We describe and illustrate these new species, providing some new data on the taxonomy of several rare or scarcely studied species of Trapezionida. Molecular data from different markers (mitochondrial and nuclear) was also included, based on data availability, to support the taxonomic status of different species. Finally, a key to species for each genus is also provided.

Genome assemblies of two species of porcelain crab, Petrolisthes cinctipes and Petrolisthes manimaculis (Anomura: Porcellanidae).

Crabs are a large subtaxon of the Arthropoda, the most diverse and species-rich metazoan group. Several outstanding questions remain regarding crab diversification, including about the genomic capacitors of physiological and morphological adaptation, that cannot be answered with available genomic resources. Physiologically and ecologically diverse Anomuran porcelain crabs offer a valuable model for investigating these questions and hence genomic resources of these crabs would be particularly useful. Here, we present the first two genome assemblies of congeneric and sympatric Anomuran porcelain crabs, Petrolisthes cinctipes and Petrolisthes manimaculis from different microhabitats. Pacific Biosciences high-fidelity sequencing led to genome assemblies of 1.5 and 0.9 Gb, with N50s of 706.7 and 218.9 Kb, respectively. Their assembly length difference can largely be attributed to the different levels of interspersed repeats in their assemblies: The larger genome of P. cinctipes has more repeats (1.12 Gb) than the smaller genome of P. manimaculis (0.54 Gb). For obtaining high-quality annotations of 44,543 and 40,315 protein-coding genes in P. cinctipes and P. manimaculis, respectively, we used RNA-seq as part of a larger annotation pipeline. Contrarily to the large-scale differences in repeat content, divergence levels between the two species as estimated from orthologous protein-coding genes are moderate. These two high-quality genome assemblies allow future studies to examine the role of environmental regulation of gene expression in the two focal species to better understand physiological response to climate change, and provide the foundation for studies in fine-scale genome evolution and diversification of crabs.

Pathology caused by introduced Neoergasilus japonicus (Copepoda: Ergasilidae) to the skin of indigenous Tilapia sparrmanii in South Africa and scanning electron microscopy study of wound-inflicting structures.

Neoergasilus japonicus, a fish ectoparasite indigenous to eastern and southern Asia, has been introduced to various regions, including Europe and North and South America, where it spreads at an alarming rate. The parasite is not host-specific. It was also collected from the Vaal-Orange and Limpopo river systems in South Africa. This report describes the morphology of the wound-inflecting structures in N. japonicus and relates their morphology to the pathological effect on Tilapia sparrmanii. Host tissue with parasites attached was imbedded in resin for histological sectioning and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Additional specimens were prepared for scanning electron microscopy. Adult female parasites attach by inserting the hooked tips of the antennae into the epidermis. The maxillulae are minute but have sharp tips. The maxillae have sharp tips on the endopod and brush-like setae on the exopod. The mandibles are armed with sharp tips. These structures are used to remove the epidermis of the host and brush it into the buccal cavity. Host tissue in the intestine confirms that adult females consume host tissue leaving the dermis exposed to opportunistic diseases. The microscopic size of the parasite prevents casual observation, and its occurrence in Africa is, therefore, probably underreported.

A taxonomic revision of the freshwater crab genus Parvuspotamon Dai & Bo, 1994 (Decapoda, Brachyura, Potamidae), with descriptions of a new genus and two new species.

The taxonomy of the potamid crab genus Parvuspotamon Dai & Bo, 1994, with two species native to Yunnan province of southwest China, is revised based on morphological and molecular data. In order to stabilise the taxonomy of these species (and the genus), two separate genera are hereby designated: Parvuspotamon and Songpotamongen. nov. While Parvuspotamon is restricted to P.yuxiense Dai & Bo, 1994, as a monotypic genus, P.dixuense Naruse, Chia & Zhou, 2018, is transferred to a new genus, Songpotamongen. nov. In addition, two new species of Songpotamongen. nov. are described herein: S.funingensesp. nov. and S.malipoensesp. nov.Songpotamongen. nov. morphologically most resembles Parvuspotamon and Chinapotamon Dai & Naiyanetr, 1994, but can be distinguished by the combination of characters in the carapace, third maxilliped, thoracic sternites, and male first gonopod. The genetic data derived from the mitochondrial 16S rDNA also supports the monophyly of these new taxa.

Evidence of Considerable Shifts in Catch Composition in the Artisanal Spiny Lobster Fishery in Kenya.

The artisanal lobster fishery in Kenya is small in world terms but important locally both in terms of supporting local fishing communities and generating revenue for the government. Despite its socioeconomic importance, detailed knowledge of many aspects of the fishery is lacking. The study reported herein aimed to investigate and provide information on the population structure and catch composition of spiny lobsters caught by artisanal fishers off six major landing sites along the coastline. A total of 2711 lobsters representing five palinurid species were collected during the study period (November 2000-March 2001). Among the five species, Panulirus longipes dominated the catches in Msambweni (75%) and Shimoni (58%), P. homarus in Mambrui (70%) and Kipini (72%), P. ornatus in Lamu (49%), and P. penicillatus in Kilifi (39%). P. versicolor was the rarest species observed in the catches across the six sites. The overall catch consisted of 33% P. ornatus, 32% P. homarus, 28% P. longipes, 6% P. penicillatus and 2% P. versicolor. Sitewise, Lamu contributed 31% of the overall catch, Kipini 23%, Shimoni 20%, Mambrui 13%, Msambweni 7%, and Kilifi 6%. A comparison of the results of this study and lobster abundance data from 1970s surveys revealed considerable shifts in the catch composition of artisanal landings over time. Future work on this fishery should concentrate on the lobster populations in the decades-old marine protected areas to obtain unfished reference data to assess the fishery and establish the underlying cause(s) of the observed shifts in catch composition.

Toxic Relationships: Prediction of TBT's Affinity to the Ecdysteroid Receptor of Triops longicaudatus.

Tributyltin (TBT) is a biocide introduced in the 1960s in antifouling paints. Despite legislation banning its use, its persistence in the environment still causes significant harm to organisms. Tributyltin is a ligand of retinoid X receptors (RXR) and ecdysteroid receptors (EcRs), which in arthropods act as homologs of RXR. Focusing on Metazoan species, this study used genomic and proteomic information from different sources to compare their three-dimensional structure, phylogenetic distribution, and amino acid sequence alterations. The objective was to identify possible patterns that relate organisms' sensitivity to TBT using the species Triops longicaudatus as the basis for the comparisons. The results showed great conservation of this protein across several species when comparing the interaction amino acids described to RXR (an EcR analog) in Homo sapiens. The three-dimensional comparison of RXR showed little conformational variation between different sequences by maintaining the interaction pocket. As for the Species Sensitivity Distribution (SSD) curve, an HC05 = 0.2649 [0.0789-0.7082] µg/L was obtained with no specific distribution between the different taxa. Protein-ligand docking analysis was then used to confirm the SSD curve ranking of species. Still, the results showed an opposite trend that may be related, for example, to differences in the LC50 values used in the calculations. This study serves as the first step for applying bioinformatics techniques to produce information that can be used as an alternative to animal or cellular experimentation. These techniques could be adapted to various chemicals and proteins, allowing for observations in a shorter timeframe and providing information on a broader spectrum.