The false killer whale Pseudorca crassidens is currently documented from only six eastern tropical Atlantic (ETA) range states, five of which are evidenced by strandings, by-catch or skeletal remains rather than at-sea sightings and consequently provide no information on habitat or behaviour. Here we report six false killer whale records from cetacean surveys carried out off Gabon (four records) and Côte d'Ivoire (two records) between 2002 and 2012, providing the first at-sea sightings in those two existing range states. All six sightings were located in continental shelf waters (≤103 m depth) and in relatively nearshore (mean = 13.9 km) habitat. Forty-three false killer whales were photo-identified during three encounters on the Gabonese shelf; seven individuals were matched between 2002 and 2006, including two individuals that were present during all three sightings. Observations included predation of Atlantic sailfish Istiophoms albicans and two occurrences in proximity to humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae. Whistles recorded during one sighting had simple structure, short duration and a mean fundamental frequency of 7.8 kHz. These are the first verified records of false killer whales using continental shelf waters in the ETA, indicating that the species occupies neritic habitat in the region in addition to its previously-documented oceanic habitat. The re-sightings of marked individuals between sightings and years suggest that at least some individuals exhibit a degree of site fidelity to Gabonese shelf waters. Further information on distribution, abundance, movements, population structure and mortality rates are required for effective management of the species in the ETA.

We present here the most updated list of sea urchins for Puerto Rico. We report, for the first time, the occurrence of the irregular echinoids Paraster floridiensis and Clypeaster subdepressus for the island. These reports increase the number of shallow water echinoid species for Puerto Ricoto to 19 and expand the known regional distribution range for both species.

Several morphotypes of the relatively large bacterium, Epulopiscium sp. were collected from the intestines of three species of surgeonfish (genus: Acanthurus) from shallow waters around the island of St Thomas, in the eastern Caribbean Ocean. This was the first comprehensive study of any of these bacteria from the Atlantic Ocean. They were chemically fixed at the University on St Thomas Island, Virgin Islands and sent to the first author (J.N.G.). Each sample was examined under phase-contrast microscopy with a light microscope. Most cells contained two daughter cells that were very phase-bright; hence, were likely true endospores. They varied from very small, at the ends of the cell, to one-third the length of the cell length to overlapping at the centre. A few contained only one daughter cell or endospore. Based on their sizes, shape, and number of daughter cells, they best fit two of the morphotypes described previously.

A video clip from the Galápagos Archipelago confirms the first recording of the smalltooth sandtiger shark, Odontaspis ferox, in these islands. Further sightings of this species in the eastern Pacific will likely follow, considering that other, relatively nearby islands lay within reach of the Equatorial Counter Current and North Equatorial Current, which connect some already reported sightings.

Mesozooplankton was studied during 2008 in coastal waters of the İskenderun Bay in order to determine seasonal changes in abundance, biomass, community structure and their relationship with environmental factors. Samples were collected seasonally at five stations using WP-2 net of 200 µ mesh size by vertical hauls. A total of 23 planktonic groups including 30 copepod species, 4 cladocerans and 4 chaetognaths were identified. Copepods were the most important group during the whole period of survey. Penilia avirostris was found to be dominant in spring, while Paracalanus parvus in summer and winter, and Acrocalanus gibber in autumn. Mesozooplankton abundance varied from 438 ind m−3 (autumn) to 7163 ind m−3 (spring), while biomass varied between 2.2 mg m−3 (summer) and 52.9 mg m−3 (autumn). Differences in abundance and biomass between seasons were statistically significant (P < 0.01). Clear seasonal distribution patterns were observed in the area. Two peaks in abundance were defined: a major peak in spring and a second minor one in autumn. It seems that the trophic element was the main factor affecting the density distribution of zooplankton populations, whereas species distributions were more affected by hydrographical parameters, namely: seawater temperature and salinity.

We monitored the long-term residency of reef-associated ballan wrasse and sand-dwelling rays captured at the site of a potential future Marine Protected Area (MPA: Portelet Bay, Jersey) by implanting them with small transmitters and deploying underwater receivers inside the bay. Individual fish were detected at Portelet Bay for up to 618 days, but there were species-specific differences in residency and detection patterns. Ballan wrasse were year-round residents at the study site where they exhibited distinct, rhythmic, diel, tidal and seasonal patterns of behaviour, whereas rays were occasional visitors to Portelet Bay with no discernible pattern to their visits. Results indicate relatively small MPAs (<0.5 km2) that with suitable habitat could provide effective, long-term protection for ballan wrasse, but would likely be of little conservation benefit for rays. Our findings emphasize the importance of quantifying fish movements when planning MPAs which intend to protect multi-species assemblages of coastal fishes.

The aim of this study was to apply indicators for monitoring the impacts of harvest in a recreational surf clam fishery. We investigated trends in abundance, biomass and size structure and proportion of sexual maturity for the pipi (Donax deltoides) in Venus Bay, Australia. The surf clam stock was sampled during the peak harvesting season in the Australian summer (November to February) at four sites exposed to varying degrees of recreational harvest. Sampling was based on three transects at each site; with 0.027 m3 (0.3 m × 0.3 m × 0.3 m) quadrats stratified within transects by tidal position. Restricted maximum likelihood mixed model analyses were used to examine fixed effect combinations after including a priori random effect for transect within site. Results demonstrated that relative abundance varied significantly (P = 0.0090) among sampling months but not among sites. Relative abundance declined across the peak summer harvest season. The proportion of maturity varied significantly (P = 0.00026) among sites whereas relative biomass varied significantly (P = 0.0043) among months by sites. Relative biomass and the proportion of maturity were considerably higher at the site exposed to minimal harvest compared to other sites. This study demonstrates that a suite of indictors including biomass, size–frequency and proportion of maturity are likely to provide a more accurate assessment of stock status in recreationally fished surf clam populations, than relative abundance. This highlights the need to develop methods to estimate relative biomass in surf clam populations that are not exploited commercially.

Carpet shell clam populations on the Tunisian coastline are susceptible to several microbial pathogen challenges. In this study we report the results of five years' surveillance, conducted from January 2004 till June 2009, for detection of Perkinsosis and brown ring disease (BRD). The survey covered three sites of natural populations of Ruditapes decussatus in a Tunisian lagoon, the North Lake of Tunis. Perkinsosis was detected preferentially in winter periods from the external and marine site, BRD was detected more frequently in the summer periods in a more proximal collection site (in the lake) and was positively correlated with concentrations of heterotrophic Vibrio sp. Our results suggest that several factors other than temperature and salinity might explain spatial distribution variability and natural intensities for these infections in carpet shell clam populations.

Serpulid polychaetes are often important components of marine communities, yet current knowledge of serpulid reproduction, development and settlement is largely based on the study of only a few species. This study examined whether spawning and sexual development of the mid-intertidal serpulid Spirobranchus cariniferus are typical of patterns observed in other serpulids, and also examined the effect of diet on larval development and identified cues that induce metamorphosis. Populations of S. cariniferus on the east and west coasts of New Zealand's North Island had an extended spawning season with a high proportion (75–100%) of individuals carrying ripe gametes at any given time from the late spring to early autumn, consistent with other serpulid species. However, contrary to proposed patterns of sexual development in serpulids, sex-ratios and average male and female body masses suggest S. cariniferus are not protandric hermaphrodites. A diet experiment revealed that larval growth was fastest when provided with a mixed diet of three algal species. Solutions of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine at a concentration of 10−4 M were potent inducers of metamorphosis in S. cariniferus larvae, revealing that competence is reached by 13–15 days after fertilization. When exposed to surfaces coated with conspecific tube or tissue homogenates, 6% of competent larvae settled and metamorphosed on surfaces coated with tube homogenate whereas none settled on tissue homogenate or in the controls, suggesting specific cues are required for settlement and the likely presence of a settlement cue in the tubes of adult worms, consistent with the highly gregarious distribution of the species.

Larvae of the Holarctic marine chironomid, Halocladius variabilis (Staeger), have strong fidelity to the tuft-forming brown alga, Elachista fucicola (Velley) Areschoug, an abundant epiphyte on intertidal fucoids of the North Atlantic. We show that larvae are sufficiently motile to select an algal host in a Petri dish within 3–4 cm, and that larvae show differential behaviour with respect to host selection in the presence or absence of a predator. In the absence of predators 53% of larvae found an algal host within 1 hour; however, after 24 hours, there was no significant difference in host selection. When an isopod predator (Idotea sp.) was present, more larvae found a host within 1 hour (81%) and Elachista was chosen over three of the four other hosts. Furthermore, when larvae were present in Elachista, predator (Carcinus maenus) success was significantly reduced relative to two other algal hosts. The adaptive significance of Elachista as a refuge from predation was confirmed by experiments demonstrating that larval growth with other algal hosts was greater than with Elachista. These experiments suggest that microhabitat selection by larvae of H. variabilis reveals important tradeoffs for growth and predator avoidance.

The genus Histodermella grows to four species with the addition of H. kagigunensis sp. nov. from the North Pacific. The new species is described and compared with all congeners. Histodermella kagigunensis shows affinities to H. ingolfi Lundbeck 1910 as it has the same spicule types but differs clearly in size, habitus and the dimensions of two occurring spicule types. The discovery of H. kagigunensis represents the first record of the genus Histodermella in the North Pacific Ocean.

Killer whale (Orcinus orca) is frequently encountered in coastal and high productive pelagic waters, near the shelf break. In the south-western Atlantic Ocean, spatial and temporal occurrence patterns are poorly known. However, the monitoring of the interaction between killer whales and longline fishery suggests that the species is frequent in this region. We analysed the killer whale presence within the Uruguayan pelagic longline fishing zone. Data were collected from 1996 to 2007, during 2189 fishing events, by vessel skippers and on-board observers. We estimated the sighting rate (SR = sightings days/fishing days * 100) for different time scales and in 1 × 1 degree grids. Generalized linear models were used to evaluate the effect of spatial, temporal, environmental and operational variables on the species presence. Killer whales were sighted in 100 fishing days (SR = 4.5%), this occurrence being explained by distance from shore and sea surface temperature, varying among months and fishing boats. Although sightings occurred year round, they were more frequent in autumn and winter, at 150–400 nautical miles (nm) from shore (mean = 250 nm) and in waters with temperatures ranging from 19 to 24°C (mean = 22°C). Sets took place between 19°–40°S and 21°–54°W, while killer whales occurred mostly from 34°–37°S and 48°–53°W. In this region, the high productive Brazil—Malvinas Confluence Zone is located, and concentrates fishing effort and also killer whales.

A new species of deep water Epimeria is described based on material collected in 1526–1586 m depth during the TALUD X expedition in the central Gulf of California, Mexico. It is the sixth species of this genus reported for the East Pacific. Epimeria morronei sp. nov. is morphologically similar to E. norfanzi Lörz, 2011 (New Zealand, 1268 m depth) and E. cora J.L. Barnard, 1971 (off Oregon, USA, 2086 m depth). Epimeria morronei sp. nov., however, differs from these two species by a combination of several characters, including: vestigial eyes; multidentate mandibular lacinia mobilis; a distinct setae arrangement in palm and dactylus of gnathopods 1–2; the shape and relative size of coxae 1–5; and the shape of the telson.

The mud shrimps of Iran are not well known. Material for the present study was collected from 21 out of 51 intertidal localities from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, Iran. In total, 11 species were found along the Iranian coast. These were belonging to three families, including Upogebiidae (Upogebia carinicauda, U. darwinii and U. pseudochelata), Callianassidae (Neocallichirus jousseaumei, N. calmani, Callichirus masoomi, Corallianassa coutierei, Michaelcallianassa indica, Paratrypaea bouvieri and Gourretia coolibah) and Callianideidae (Callianidea typa). Geographical distributions of the species were considered and the results show that each species is totally dependent on a special type of habitat. Comparing different types of habitat, sandy and muddy substrates of the intertidal and shallow subtidal zone are found as the dominant habitat type for all species, but some species have a preference for boulder dominated coasts or occupy already existing holes and crevices in the boulder and bedrocks. In addition, the world distribution of each species was considered, and according to their present recorded localities, these are grouped into two distributional categories including the Indo-West Pacific region and one in a broader area of the Indo-Pacific.

This paper reviews the alien polychaete species in the world's oceans and their impacts on the marine ecosystems and humans. A total of 292 polychaete species belonging to 164 genera and 39 families have been transported around the world's oceans with human-mediated assistance. Almost 15% of total number of known polychaete genera and 3.4% of total number of species are included in this phenomenon. A total of 180 species have become established in the world's oceans and 31 species (casual species) have a potential to establish viable populations in a new location. The most speciose genera are Hydroides (16 species) and Polydora (16 species), both accounting for 10% of the total number of alien species. The families Spionidae (53 species) and Serpulidae (46 species) have the highest number of alien species. The Mediterranean Sea (134 species), and the coasts of the Hawaii Islands (47 species) and the USA Pacific (34 species) have been intensively invaded by alien polychaetes. The origins of alien species vary among regions. Alien polychaete species in the Mediterranean Sea mostly originated from the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific areas. Benthic habitats of the areas between 40°N and 40°S were colonized by polychaetes mostly originating from other tropical and subtropical regions. The Suez Canal and shipping are the major vectors for species introductions. Some species imported and exported as fishing baits have become established at non-native localities. The invasive polychaete species have greatly altered habitat structures in some areas, restructured the food webs, and created important economic problems.

Acceleration data loggers can be used to construct time–energy budgets or identify specific behaviours in free living animals. Within a marine context such devices have been largely deployed on vertebrates with comparatively little attention paid to commercially important invertebrates such as cephalopod molluscs. Here we tested the utility of tri-axial accelerometers to tease apart six discrete behaviours in the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. By considering depth profiles in conjunction with body pitch and roll and overall dynamic body acceleration we were able to make distinctions between resting at the seabed, active swimming, mating, post-coital panting and active manoeuvring along the seabed.

In this work, we evaluated the influence of long rocky jetties (~5 km) on fish abundance and diversity between sheltered and exposed marine sandy beaches. We also described and compared the fish community structure and investigated the relationships between environmental variables and fish assemblages. Fish were collected monthly with a beach seine net from May 2001 to May 2002 at the Cassino and Mar Grosso beaches. Twenty-nine taxa were caught and the fish assemblage showed similar composition between beaches (Sj = 62.1%; %Min = 52.3%), with 18 species in common. Most of the fish were juveniles, mainly young-of-the-year with sizes ≤60 mm total length. Eight species (Trachinotus marginatus, Mugil liza, Brevoortia pectinata, Menticirrhus littoralis, Menticirrhus americanus, Odontesthes argentinensis and Oncopterus darwinii) were the most abundant, accounting for 95.6% of the total catch. At both beaches, only T. marginatus, M. liza and M. littoralis were frequent and abundant, but with some differences in their relative abundance. The canonical correspondence analysis results showed that temperature had the highest correlation with fish abundance. Seasonal changes in fish assemblage structure were evident, with a greater species diversity and abundance in the spring and summer. The overall results indicate that the presence of jetties had no effect on fish assemblages of adjacent sandy beaches. Moreover, differences between beaches were related to some species abundance and not to differences in the number and composition of species between beaches.

The presence of a diverse range of epibionts was found on Pagurus bernhardus from the west coast of Scotland. The invertebrate species found on the shell inhabited by the crab were the hydrozoans Hydractinia echinata and Dycorine conferta, the cirripeds Balanus balanus and Balanus crenatus, the polychaetes Hydroides norvegica, Pomatoceros triqueter and Circeis armoricana, and the molluscs Hiatella arctica and Anomia ephippium. On the crab were observed the polychaete Circeis armoricana and the amphipod Podoceropsis nitida. In addition, on the gastropod shells occupied by P. bernhardus, ciliate protozoan species were found attached to the hydrozoan Dycorine conferta, this being hyperepibiosis. These ciliates were 6 suctorian (Conchacineta constricta, Corynophrya anisostyla, Actinocyathula homari, Actinocyathula crenata, Acineta sulcata and Acineta corophii), and one peritrich species (Zoothamnium sp.). This is the first time that this hyperepibiosis was observed. In contrast to the epibiont communities observed in previous surveys in the same sampling area, basibiont specimens without D. conferta did not show ciliate epibionts. The ciliate epibionts also were not present on the surface of the shell and crab in specimens with D. conferta; they only appeared in hyperepibiosis on the surface of the hydrozoan. The spatial distribution and abundance of the invertebrate epibiont species were analysed, as well as the morphology, taxonomy and distribution of the ciliate hyperepibionts.