KAVIENG 2014

A checklist of the marine and estuarine fishes of New Ireland Province is presented, with special emphasis on Kavieng District, combining both previous and new records. After the recent KAVIENG 2014 expedition, a total of 1325 species in 153 families were recorded from the region. The largest families are the Gobiidae, Pomacentridae, Labridae, Serranidae, Apogonidae, Lutjanidae, Chaetodontidae, Blenniidae, Carangidae, Acanthuridae, Scaridae, Holocentridae, Syngnathidae, Lethrinidae and Scorpaenidae. A total of 810 fish species (61.1 % of the total marine and estuarine fish fauna) are recorded from New Ireland for the first time.

KAVIENG 2014, MADEEP

The monophyletic Dromiacea, including Sphaerodromia lamellata, Homolodromia kai, and Dynomene tanensis, here studied, have the following characters: (1) operculum perforate, but lacking the thoracotreme apical button; (2) opercular projections into the subopercular material, diagnostic of homolids, absent; (3) operculum discontinuous with the capsule, unlike raninoids; (4) operculum moderately thick, not extremely thin as in the cyclodorippoids Tymolus and Xeinostoma; (5) operculum not extremely wide, contrasting with the great width in cyclodorippoids; (6) periopercular rim and (7) accessory opercular ring absent, being variably present in eubrachyurans; (8) subopercular protuberance through operculum well developed (synapomorphy), weak in homolids; (9) true acrosome ray zone absent; (10) peripheral border of outer acrosome zone border not ragged, unlike some xanthoids; (11) anterolateral pale zone of acrosome contents present (autapomorphy); (12) xanthid ring absent; (13) subacrosomal chamber or perforatorium extending preequatorially, unlike Ranina ranina; (14) head of perforatorium bilateral (autapomorphy); (15) corrugations of the wall of the perforatorial chamber absent; (16) centrioles apparently absent; (17) posterior median process of the nucleus absent; (18) thickened ring (typical of Eubrachyura) absent; (19) concentric lamellae (typical of Thoracotremata) in the outer acrosome zone absent; (20) capsular chambers absent; and (21) capsular flange absent, unlike Ranina ranina and Raninoides sp. Spermatologically Sphaerodromia lamellata appears closer to the dynomenid Dynomene tanensis than it is to the mutually paraphyletic Dromidiopsis edwardsi and Stimdromia lateralis. The spermatozoon of Homolodromia kai (Homolodromiidae) shares a striking putative synapomorphy with Paradynomene tuberculata: a flange-like lateral extension of the lower acrosome zone; both species appear to lie within a dromiid clade. Neither the Dromiidae nor the Dynomenidae appear monophyletic spermatologically. The spermatozoal evidence is discussed in the light of a brief review of nonspermatozoal morphology. General morphology and spermatozoal ultrastructure both strongly endorse monophyly of the Dromiacea.

BATHUS 3

A combination of characters, not individually unique, possessed by the corystid, Corystes cassivelaunus, and the two cancrids, Platepistoma nanum and Cancer pagums, defines a corystoid-type of spermatozoon: the basally bulbous, anteriorly narrowing perforatorium, the extent of this almost to the plasma membrane through a widely perforate operculum, and the simple inner acrosome zone, lacking an acrosome ray zone. The sperm of the two cancrids are closely similar, that of the corystid differing, for instance, in the less pointed, and less tapered, form of the perforatorium. This relative uniformity of spermatozoal ultrastructure in the cancrid+corystid assemblage so far investigated supports inclusion of the two families in the superfamily Corystoidea by Guinot (1978). The combination of perforation of the operculum and absence of an acrosome ray zone (at least in a clearly recognizable form) are features of the Potamidae which possibly indicate that the latter family, modified for a freshwater existence, is related to the cancrid+corystid assemblage. Some elongation of the centrioles, apparent at least in Corystes, may be a further link with potamids in which they are greatly elongated. The coenospermial spermatophores of cancridoids are a notable difference from the cleistospermia of potamids; but the latter is probably an apomorphic modification for fertilization biology.

SMIB 8

Four species of the callichirid ghost shrimp genus Corallianassa Manning, 1987 are recognised in Hawaii based on evidence from morphology and the CO1 gene. Corallianassa borradailei (De Man, 1928) is a widespread Indo-West Pacific species now confirmed for Hawaii. Corallianassa lanceolata Edmondson, 1944 is an endemic species similar to C. assimilis (De Man, 1928) from Indonesia and Guam. Corallianassa martensi (Miers, 1884) is also a widespread Indo-West Pacific species. Callianassa (Callichirus) winslowi Edmondson, 1944 (Hawaii), Callianassa (Callichirus) nakasonei Sakai, 1967 (Japan) and Callianassa haswelli Poore & Griffin, 1979 (Australia) are treated as junior subjective synonyms of C. martensi. Callianassa (Callichirus) oahuensis Edmondson, 1944, long treated as a junior synonym of C. borradailei, is revived as a valid species of Corallianassa. The four species differ in the shape and dorsal setae of the telson, the extent of the carina along the upper margin of the major cheliped palm, the attitude of the rostrum, and the shape of the maxilliped 3.

KAVIENG 2014

Four species of the callichirid ghost shrimp genus Corallianassa Manning, 1987 are recognised in Hawaii based on evidence from morphology and the CO1 gene. Corallianassa borradailei (De Man, 1928) is a widespread Indo-West Pacific species now confirmed for Hawaii. Corallianassa lanceolata Edmondson, 1944 is an endemic species similar to C. assimilis (De Man, 1928) from Indonesia and Guam. Corallianassa martensi (Miers, 1884) is also a widespread Indo-West Pacific species. Callianassa (Callichirus) winslowi Edmondson, 1944 (Hawaii), Callianassa (Callichirus) nakasonei Sakai, 1967 (Japan) and Callianassa haswelli Poore & Griffin, 1979 (Australia) are treated as junior subjective synonyms of C. martensi. Callianassa (Callichirus) oahuensis Edmondson, 1944, long treated as a junior synonym of C. borradailei, is revived as a valid species of Corallianassa. The four species differ in the shape and dorsal setae of the telson, the extent of the carina along the upper margin of the major cheliped palm, the attitude of the rostrum, and the shape of the maxilliped 3.

SANTO 2006

A pelagic record of a rare deep-water shark, the velvet dogfish Zameus squamulosus (Günther, 1877), is described from the southwestern Indian Ocean. This is the first pelagic record from the western Indian Ocean and the eleventh published record of this species from the entire basin. Together with non-published records from museums and online databases the number of verified Indian Ocean records of this species currently exceeds 50 individuals. Zameus squamulosus is a benthopelagic species usually occurring on the slopes of the continents and in mid-ocean oceanic ridges, between 400 and 1450 m depth, but it makes rare incursions in open water to the limits of the epipelagic zone.

KARUBAR

Members of the family Coralliidae, known as precious corals, are ecologically and economically important deep sea organisms. However, these organisms are currently threatened by commercial harvesting. In order to create and implement effective conservative strategies, taxonomic knowledge of conservative targets is necessary, but unfortunately the taxonomy of precious corals in this family is still ambiguous. This study provides a review of 15 Coralliidae species from the northern West Pacific region and a key to species identification. In addition, descriptions of two new species, Corallium carusrubrum n. sp. and C. taiwanicum n. sp., as well as a redescription of C. sulcatum Kishinouye, 1903 are included. Corallium carusrubrum n. sp. is distributed on seamounts off northeastern Taiwan. The autozooids of C. carusrubrum n. sp. are retractile and each can be fully withdrawn into the cortex thereby causing a mound on the surface which is short and cylindrical rather than typically hemispherical; additionally, there are no long spindles in their tentacles. Corallium taiwanicum n. sp. is distributed in an area off southwestern Taiwan. It has special unique 8-radiates with an oval shape and large projections. Corallium sulcatum is distributed from an area off southwestern Taiwan to western Japan. It has been harvested and traded for decades, but there were no illustrations in its original description, hence a redescription of this species is provided.

TAIWAN 2000, TAIWAN 2001

BIOCAL, CALSUB, CONCALIS, EBISCO, EXBODI, MUSORSTOM 4, NORFOLK 1, SALOMON 1, SMIB 4, TERRASSES

The systematics of Coralliidae has been revised based on molecular phylogenetic analysis and detailed morphological studies. This revision has also revealed the existence of new species. In order to fully accomplish this revision, five new species including Hemicorallium aurantiacum sp. nov., Pleurocorallium bonsaiarborum sp. nov., P. clavatum sp. nov., and P. norfolkicum sp. nov. from New Caledonia, and H. guttatum sp. nov. from the Hawaiian Archipelago are described by integrating the phylogenetic inference and morphological comparisons. Moreover, the type specimens of Corallium tortuosum, H. reginae, H. halmaheirense, P. porcellanum and P. kishinouyei as well as non-type specimens of C. stylasteroides are redescribed. The sclerites of H. reginae, H. halmaheirense, P. porcellanum and C. stylasteroides were first depicted by scanning electron microcopy. A thorough comparison between P. porcellanum and P. kishinouyei indicated that they should be regarded as one species and the former was adopted as the senior synonym. The two new species of Hemicorallium can be separated by morphological features based on the result of multiple factor analysis. A key is proposed for the identification of all existing species of Coralliidae.

EXBODI, LITHIST, NORFOLK 1, NORFOLK 2, TERRASSES

Pylochelids, or the “symmetrical” hermit crabs are characterized by paired abdominal appendages (pleopods) on somites 2-6 of the calcified abdomen, in contrast to the asymmetrical pleopods, on an uncalcified abdomen, of the majority of hermit crabs in the superfamily Paguroidea. The spermatozoa of Pylocheles (Bathycheles) sp. are large cells (c. 14 μm wide) with a conspicuous depressed acrosome vesicle in the shape of a thick disk. A perforate (ring-like) operculum is positioned apically on the acrosome vesicle, and a wide, but shallow, perforatorial chamber penetrates the posterior end. Up to three short arms emanate from the cytoplasm of the sperm cell, but it is uncertain if these arms are icrotubular in nature. The spermatozoal morphology provides no evidence for close affinities with any extant hermit crab family and indicates an isolated position for the Pylochelidae, though not incompatible with an origin from an ancestor shared with the Anomura.

MUSORSTOM 10

CALSUB

Mitra (Mitra) deprofundis n.sp. is described from the Coral Sea, 210 to 260m deep, south of New Caledonia; it is compared with M.(M.) Mitra (Linnaeus 1758)- Mitra (Mitra) marrowi n. sp. is described from moderately deep water (120-480 m) off Bohol/Panglao (Central Phillipines), off Balut Island, Mindanao (Southern Philippines)n and from 80 m depth off Northern Transkei, south Africa; it is compared with M. (M.) hilly CERNOHORSKY 1976 and M. (M.) subflava (KURODA & HABE 1971) - Mitra (Mitra) salva n.sp. is described from sublittoral zones (36m-275m) off the central Phillipines (S.Bohol to S.E. Luzon); it is compared with M. (M.) hilli, M. (M.) marrowi n.sp. and M. (M.) sacerdotalis A.Adams 1853.- Mitra (Mitra) glaphyria n. sp. is described from 370-800m deep water if Indian Ocean 300 to 400 km northwest of Port Hedland, Western Australia, and from 140-240m deep water off the Central and Southern Phillipines; it is compared with M. (M.) triplicata MARTENS 1904

SMIB 4

MONTROUZIER

LIFOU 2000, MONTROUZIER

From various localities of the Indian and Pacific oceans ten new species of the family Costellariidae are described and compared to other species: Vexillum (Costellaria) asperum n. sp. (sublitoral to moderately deep water of the Philippine and Tonga Islands), V. (e.) ismene n. sp. (subtidal (3-15 m) of the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomons, New Caledonia, Fiji Islands, Western Samoa); V. (e.) torricella n. sp. (subtidal (l0- 30 m) of Indonesia, the Philippines and Solomon Islands), V. (e.) varicosum n. sp. (deep water off the Philippine Islands), Vexillum (Pusia) arabicum n. sp. ( beach at Salalah, southern Oman, Arabian Sea), V. (P) chocotinctum n. sp. (shallow water of Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia), V. (P) klytios n. sp. (intertidal to subtidal of lndonesia, W. & N.W. Australia, Vietnam, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Queensland), V. (P) sinuosum n. sp. ( subtidal of Western Australia), V. (P) stercopunctis n. sp. (litoral of the Philippines and Hainan), and Austromitra cernohorskyi n. sp. (deep water off South New Caledonia). Lectotypes are selected for Mitrafesta REEVE 1845 (= Vexillum (Pusia» and Turricula sansibarica THIELE 1925 (= Austromitra).

BATHUS 2, VAUBAN 1978-1979

CALYPSO 1961-62