Spatial variations on the macrobenthic composition and structure associated with artificial reefs (ARs) on the south-eastern Brazil coast were related to particle size and geochemical characteristics of the sediment and to bottom currents velocity in the vicinity of ARs and two control areas (CAs). The sampling periods were related to Paraiba do Sul River (PSR) flow, highest in summer months. The sediment was more heterogeneous near the ARs, composed mainly of mud and gravel and with greater abundance of shellfish compared to the CAs predominated by mud. The influence of the artificial structures on the hydrodynamics of the site was evident with significantly lower current velocity. Macrobenthos richness, abundance and diversity varied spatially, with higher mean values near the ARs in both sampling periods, reinforcing the influence of artificial structures on the associated infauna. Significant temporal differences in the concentrations of phosphorus, nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon only on the CAs suggest that the effect of the artificial structures surpasses the environmental seasonality related to the PSR flow. The artificial modules created a more heterogeneous grain size of the sediment that contributed to the enrichment of associated macrobenthos, with higher species richness and abundance due to a higher niche availability.

We report the first record of an elasmobranch (shark) with cyclopia and other abnormalities (albinism, absence of nostrils, a bump on the snout and a slight abnormality in the vertebral column). These malformations were found in an embryonic dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus caught near Cerralvo Island in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Tomographic images were taken to observe these deformities in detail. The causes of these deformities are uncertain but may be attributed to congenital malformation during embryonic development (holoprosencephaly).

The brittle stars Ophiactis savignyi and Ophiothela mirabilis are documented for the first time from French Guiana. The latter species was associated with colonies of a gorgonian, Leptogorgia miniata, growing on a rocky reef beneath a brackish layer of water and above an unstable mud bottom. Ophiothela mirabilis is a recently established alien introduction to the Atlantic. Ophiothela discovered in French Guiana were located approximately midway between populations of O. mirabilis in Brazil and at St Vincent, and individuals from all three countries may represent a single lineage of ophiuroids. Evidence is presented that O. savignyi and O. mirabilis could have been transported to the Amazon Barrier region by shipping and/or by coastal currents linking Brazil, French Guiana and St Vincent. If oceanic circulation is responsible for its dispersal, it is predicted that O. mirabilis will spread from the Windward Islands toward the southern Caribbean coast, whereas dispersal by shipping could follow a more northerly route.

The mandarin dogfish, Cirrhigaleus barbifer, is the only species in this genus found in Western Australia, and represents a significant range extension and first record in Australia. Most Cirrhigaleus sharks are clearly separable from other squalid sharks by the presence of conspicuous barbels on the anterior nasal flaps. Cirrhigaleus barbifer may be distinguished from its close relative C. australis by the structure of the CO1 gene and key measurements. In addition, this is only the second record of a gravid female of C. barbifer, with pups in an advanced stage of development. New data on the reproductive biology and range of C. barbifer are included.

Two sites in southern Portugal that had previously been surveyed in 1998 for the presence of the non-indigenous barnacle Austrominius modestus, were re-examined in March/April 2011 and 2012. Austrominius had increased in abundance at the site where it had previously been found, from being occasional to frequent. At the second site this species had been absent when surveyed in 1998 and in 2011, but a few individuals were found in 2012. At a third site, which was examined in April 2013 only, the species was found to be occasional. It would be worth examining more sites further along the southern Algarve coast, as well as in the Mediterranean, to establish whether this species has spread to other new locations.

Hormophysa cuneiformis, a brown macroalga in the family Sargassaceae, is now documented from Pohnpei based on a specimen collected in May 1957 and recently discovered in the Herbarium Pacificum of the Bishop Museum. Previously documented collections of H. cuneiformis in Micronesia were made from Palau in the western Pacific in July 1968 and January 1971, and Pagan Island in the Northern Mariana Islands in July 1975.

New records of five fish species from the Arabian Sea coasts of Oman are reported: arrowhead dogfish Deania profundorum (one specimen), Sloane's viperfish Chauliodus sloani (nine specimens), moustache grouper Epinephelus chabaudi (one specimen); sackfish Neoepinnula orientalis (12 specimens) and the Natal duckbil, Bembrops platyrhynchus (11 specimens). All specimens were obtained from the Arabian Sea coasts of Oman during surveys by the trawler ‘Al-Mustaquila’ between 2006 and 2008.

Halieutopsis stellifera was previously reported only from the northern Celebes to the Philippine archipelago and Okinawa Trough. The present study reports Halieutopsis stellifera from the eastern Indian Ocean based on three specimens from Andaman waters (depth range 480 to 580 m).

The occurrence of the opisthobranchs Diaphana globosa, Hermaeopsis variopicta, Doris bertheloti, Rostanga rubra, Janolus cristatus and Flabellina bulbosa in the Azores is reported for the first time. Our findings expand the known geographical distribution of these species in the north-east Atlantic Ocean and increase the known diversity of opisthobranchs in the archipelago to 150 species. These results provide further support for the well-documented affinity of the Azorean marine biota to the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.

Twenty-eight mollusc species were collected by Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research during a 2011 pollution monitoring survey of a deep waste-dumping site (1264–1325 m), in the Levantine Sea, 45 km off the coast of Israel. Three species, Odostomia silesui, Ledella marisnostri, and Katadesmia cuneata are new records to the Eastern Mediterranean. The depth records of the first two species considerably extend their known bathymetric ranges. Roxania monterosatoi and Alvania subsoluta are new records for the Levantine Basin and the additional two species are new records for the Israeli coast. The finding of additional specimens of Diaphana marshalli, recently reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea, confirms the presence of an established population of the rare species. The exploration and production of the extensive sub-salt natural gas fields recently discovered off the coast of Israel may all too soon impact this barely explored region.

An early and massive settlement of Lepas australis and Lepas pectinata attached to pumice from a recent volcanic eruption is described for the first time. The last 2010 earthquake of central Chile generated stress changes on the magma pathway and this reaction induced the Cordón-Caulle Volcanic Complex eruption on 4 June 2011. Only four months later, a great amount of pumice showing a massive settlement of goose barnacles (Lepas spp.) was drift-carried to the Chilean coast. Our results suggest that the larval attachment structures of Lepas australis and L. pectinata have a high capacity for adhering to the pumice surface, using it as an important dispersion vector.

A new record on the occurrence of Neobythites multistriatus which hitherto had not been recorded from the Bay of Bengal is reported. Two specimens measuring 160 and 180 mm standard length were collected from the landings of a deep-sea trawler by-catch at depths of 200–250 m off the Tuticorin coast in the Gulf of Mannar (part of the Bay of Bengal) during March 2010. This is the first record of Neobythites multistriatus from the Bay of Bengal. The specimen is described and figured.

The occurrence of noctilucoid dinoflagellates Abedinium dasypus and Scaphodinium mirabile is reported for the first time from the Indian Ocean (Kuwait's waters, north-western Arabian Gulf). The morphology of live cells is described on the basis of light microscopic examination and photographically documented for both species. The world distribution of these dinoflagellates is reviewed.

Twelve parasitic copepod species representing two families were opportunistically recorded from the skin of 13 elasmobranch species captured in the coastal waters of Oman. New host records include Alebion carchariae, Pandarus smithii and Pandarus cranchii on Carcharhinus amboinensis; Echthrogaleus denticulatus on Alopias superciliosus and Sphyrna lewini; Pandarus carcharhini on Carcharhinus altimus; Pseudopandarus longus on Carcharhinus sorrah; Caligus dasyaticus on Glaucostegas halavi. Previous records of Pseudopandarus australis are limited to the Pacific Ocean, and its occurrence in the northern Indian Ocean represents a large range extension.

The warm-water nemertean species Paradrepanophorus crassus, described from Mediterranean shores, was first recorded in Lough Hyne, County Cork, Ireland in 1931 by Renouf. This large nemertean that forms membranous tubes under low intertidal to shallow subtidal rocks has increased in frequency, particularly from 2009 to 2012 with peak values of 0.26 specimens per metre of shoreline. Eggs were noted within the membranous tube of one specimen collected in June 2012. Furthermore, based on digital photographs of specimens, the striped nemertean species Punnettia splendida was also noted in September 2011; this is a new species record for Lough Hyne.

The crocodile shark, Pseudocarcharias kamoharai previously unknown from the Arabian Sea of India is reported from the south-western coast (Kerala). The specimen is described and figured.

The porcellanid crab, Polyonyx boucheti, previously known only from the Loyalty Islands in the south-western Pacific, is reported from the south-western Indian Ocean based on two specimens collected from Mayotte, Comoro Islands. The present material agrees well with the original description of the species in every diagnostic aspect. Polyonyx boucheti is widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific as is its closest congener P. utinomii, although the records of the two species are very limited.

The cetacean fauna inhabiting the poorly-studied waters of the eastern tropical Atlantic (ETA), along the west coast of Africa, is still being described. Information on the cetacean species occurring in specific ETA range states is important for understanding their geographical distribution ranges and for implementing conservation and management measures. Here we provide photographically-verified records for the occurrence of pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata) off Côte d'Ivoire and of Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) off Gabon. These records represent new range state records for both species, and are also the first verified at-sea sightings in the ETA and the Gulf of Guinea respectively.

The twin-island state of Trinidad and Tobago has a thriving yachting industry with numbers of leisure craft having increased 10-fold from 1980 to 2000. Being geographically outside of the hurricane belt, the islands offer a prime hurricane Caribbean shelter with excellent boating and repair facilities. The Chaguaramas coastline (on the north-west peninsula) has seven (7) anchorages. One of these (the Chaguaramas Bay) was the study site for a survey of hull foulers on recreational boats. In that survey, twenty-seven (27) recreational vessels were sampled for biofoulers, one group being the Tunicates (Ascidiacea). In Trinidad and Tobago little is known about these organisms. Of the eighteen species (18) collected, eight (8) were solitary species and ten (10) were colonial species. Their distribution (all species collected) is wide and they can be found throughout the western Atlantic, the eastern Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. This survey is a preliminary one in terms of the ascidian fauna of Trinidad and represents only one (1) sampled habitat (boat hulls). There has however been a previous survey of the Tobago fauna. For completeness, there should be a full survey of the ascidians along Trinidad's coastline including their various habitats (rocky shores, mangroves, seagrass beds, etc.). These new data could be used to determine those species which occur in natural communities in Trinidad as compared with this survey (fouling community). In this paper these preliminary results are however used for comparison with the Tobago fauna.

A grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), representative of the North Atlantic species, has been recorded in the north-east Black Sea. It is the first documented case of successful long-term survival of an exotic pinniped. We have been receiving data about regular sightings of the seal identified as the observed individual since 2001. It is a 160–170 cm long adult female. The seal used an underwater cave as a shelter. The most likely way of introduction of the grey seal to the Black Sea is escape from captivity. According to available data (body size and moulting seasonality), we tentatively identify it as a representative of the Baltic subspecies. The biotope requirements of the grey seal and monk seal are similar: both species use coastal karst caves and grottos. In addition, the seal's presence in this region is a marker of the lack of anthropogenic disturbance. Thus, the survival of a seal in this region indicates the possibility of successful re-colonization of the Black Sea by monk seals.