Deep-water species from the western Indian Ocean off the East African coast and Madagascar, belonging to the subfamily Photinae, are discussed and compared with species from the West Pacific. Phos elegantissimus Hayashi & Habe, 1965, P. hirasei Sowerby, 1913 and P. laevis Kuroda & Habe in Habe, 1961 are recorded from Mozambique and/or from Madagascar, hereby extending their known range considerably into the western Indian Ocean. The East African specimens formerly assigned to Phos roseatus Hinds, 1844 are found to differ from this West Pacific species. In total, five species are described as new: Phos ganii sp. nov., P. geminus sp. nov., P. ladoboides sp. nov., P. pulchritudus sp. nov. and P. testaceus sp. nov.

ATIMO VATAE, BIOMAGLO, ???msg.security.private???, ???msg.security.private???, INHACA 2011, MAINBAZA, MD32 (REUNION), MIRIKY, ???msg.security.private???

Extracting DNA from gastropods presents particular difficulties due to the capacity of the living animal to retract into the shell, resulting in poor penetration of the ethanol into the tissues. Because the shell is essential to establish the link between sequences and traditional taxonomic identity, cracking the shell to facilitate fixation is not ideal. Several methods are currently in routine use to overcome this difficulty, including chemical relaxation, drilling the shell and boiling. Most of these methods are time-consuming, may be safety hazards and constitute a bottleneck in the preparation of large numbers of specimens in the field. We have experimented with a method traditionally used to clean shells that involves placing the living gastropods in a microwave (MW) oven; the electromagnetic radiation very quickly heats both the animal and the water trapped inside the shell, resulting in separation of the muscles that anchor the animal to the shell. Done properly, the body can be removed intact from the shell and the shell voucher is preserved undamaged. To test the method, the bodies of live-collected specimens from two gastropod species were separated from their shell by microwaving and by anesthetizing/drilling. After identical extraction and PCR procedures, the gels showed no difference in DNA quantity or quality, and the resulting sequences are identical within species. The method was then implemented on a large scale during expeditions, resulting in higher percentage of DNA extraction success. The MWs are also effective for quickly and easily removing other molluscs from their shells, that is, bivalves and scaphopods. Workflows implementing the MW technique show a three- to fivefold increase in productivity compared with other methods.

ATIMO VATAE, AURORA 2007, KARUBENTHOS 2012, PANGLAO 2004, PANGLAO 2005, PAPUA NIUGINI, SANTO 2006, ???msg.security.private???

Nassariidae are a group of scavenging, predominantly marine, snails that are diversified on soft bottoms as well as on rocky shores, and are the subject of numerous research papers in ecology, ecotoxicology or paleontology. A weak and/or apparently continuous variation in shell characters has resulted in an intimidating taxonomy, with complex synonymy lists. Over 1320 extant nominal species have been described, of which 442 are currently regarded as valid. Above species level, the state of the art is equally hazy, with four subfamilies and twelve genera currently accepted, and many other names in the graveyard of synonymy. A molecular analysis based on three mitochondrial (COI, 16S, 12S) and two nuclear (28S, H3) markers was conducted. Our dataset includes 218 putative nassariid species, comprising 9 of the 12 valid genera, and 25 nominal genera represented by their type species. The monophyly of the Nassariidae as classically construed is not confirmed. Species of Antillophos, Engoniophos, Phos, Nassaria, Tomlinia and Anentome (formerly considered Buccinidae) are included inside the Nassariidae clade. Within the Nassariinae, the tree unexpectedly demonstrates that species from the Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific form different clades which represent several independent diversification events. Through an integrative approach, the reconstruction of ancestral states was addressed for eight characters supposedly informative for taxonomy. Using numerous fossil calibration points, Nassariidae appear to have originated 120 MYA ago in Atlantic temperate waters during the Lower Cretaceous. Our results have a profound impact on nassariid taxonomy, especially with regard to the validity of subfamily- and genus-level names.

ATIMO VATAE, AURORA 2007, BIOPAPUA, CONCALIS, EBISCO, EXBODI, INHACA 2011, KARUBENTHOS 2012, LIFOU 2000, MAINBAZA, MIRIKY, PAKAIHI I TE MOANA, PANGLAO 2004, PANGLAO 2005, SALOMON 2, SALOMONBOA 3, SANTO 2006, TARASOC, TERRASSES

ATIMO VATAE, BATHUS 1, BORDAU 2, CHALCAL 1, CORAIL 2, INHACA 2011, LAGON, MUSORSTOM 10, MUSORSTOM 4, PAKAIHI I TE MOANA, PALEO-SURPRISE, PANGLAO 2004, PAPUA NIUGINI, SALOMON 2, SALOMONBOA 3, SANTO 2006, SMIB 5, ???msg.security.private???

Six new species of the genus Nassarius Duméril, 1805 are described, based on material collected from the Coral Triangle and the South Pacific. We combine traditional morphology-based descriptions with the molecular (Cytochrome c oxidase I - COI) signature of the new species. New species are: Nassarius ocellatus sp. Nov. (Philippines to Vanuatu), Nassarius houbricki sp. Nov. (Solomon Islands to Queensland and Tonga), Nassarius radians sp. Nov. (Philippines to Vanuatu), Nassarius vanuatuensis sp. Nov. (Vanuatu), Nassarius velvetosus sp. Nov. (Western Australia to Fiji) and Nassarius martinezi sp. Nov. (Solomon Islands to Tonga).

AURORA 2007, BATHUS 1, BATHUS 2, BOA1, BORDAU 1, BORDAU 2, CHALCAL 1, CONCALIS, CORAIL 2, EBISCO, EXBODI, KARUBAR, LAGON, MONTROUZIER, MUSORSTOM 10, MUSORSTOM 4, MUSORSTOM 5, MUSORSTOM 6, NORFOLK 2, PALEO-SURPRISE, PANGLAO 2004, PANGLAO 2005, SALOMON 1, SALOMONBOA 3, SANTO 2006, SMIB 6, ???msg.security.private???, TERRASSES, VAUBAN 1978-1979

BIOPAPUA, CHALCAL 1, EXBODI, KARUBENTHOS 2012

The genus Clea from SE Asia is from one of only two unrelated families among the megadiverse predatory marine Neogastropoda to have successfully conquered continental waters. While little is known about their anatomy, life history and ecology, interest has grown exponentially in recent years owing to their increasing popularity as aquarium pets. However, the systematic affinities of the genus and the validity of the included species have not been robustly explored. Differences in shell, operculum and radula characters support separation of Clea as presently defined into two distinct genera: Clea, for the type species Clea nigricans and its allies, and Anentome for Clea helena and allies. A five-gene mitochondrial (COI, 16S, 12S) and nuclear (H3, 28S) gene dataset confirms the placement of Anentome as a somewhat isolated offshoot of the family Nassariidae and sister to the estuarine Nassodonta. Anatomical data corroborate this grouping and, in conjunction with their phylogenetic placement, support their recognition as a new subfamily, the Anentominae. The assassin snail Anentome helena, a popular import through the aquarium trade so named for their voracious appetite for other snails, is found to comprise a complex of at least four species. None of these likely represents true Anentome helena described from Java, including a specimen purchased through the aquarium trade under this name in the US and one that was recently found introduced in Singapore, both of which were supported as conspecific with a species from Thailand. The introduction of Anentome “helena” through the aquarium trade constitutes a significant threat to native aquatic snail faunas which are often already highly imperiled. Comprehensive systematic revision of this previously unrecognized species complex is urgently needed to facilitate communication and manage this emerging threat.

ATIMO VATAE, BIOPAPUA, EXBODI, INHACA 2011, KARUBENTHOS 2012, MAINBAZA, PANGLAO 2004, ???msg.security.private???, SANTO 2006