Browsing Faculty of Natural Sciences by Subject "New species"
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Gershwin, Lisa-Ann; Gibbons, Mark J. (Magnolia Press, 2009)[more][less]
Abstract: A common and conspicuous member of the medusan fauna of South Africa has been the subject of repeated taxonomic confusion. After having been mistakenly identified by earlier workers as either Carybdea alata or Tamoya haplonema, this large and colourful carybdeid is described herein as Carybdea branchi, sp. nov. It is distinguished from its congeners on numerous characters: body to about 8cm in life, densely scattered with nematocyst warts over the whole body and abaxial keels of the pedalia; a bulge or lateral thorn on the pedalial canal bend; with 2 dendritic velarial canals per octant, highly diverticulated; with a long manubrium; with greatly bushy epaulette-like phacellae, comprising 20 or more roots tightly clustered; with well developed mesenteries; and with conspicuous brownish pigmented areas over the proximal and distal regions of the pedalia and over the phacellae. A comparative table of the primary diagnostic characters of species in the genus Carybdea is given. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/369 Files in this item: 1
GershwinCarybdeida2009.pdf (1.003Mb) -
Samaai, Toufiek; Gibbons, Mark J.; Kelly, Michelle (Cambridge University Press, 2009)[more][less]
Abstract: The sponge genus Strongylodesma is reviewed and redefined, and now accommodates eight closely related species. The type species of Strongylodesma Le´vi is redescribed and an additional two new species are described from the Indo-Pacific: S. novaecaledoniae sp. nov. and S. tongaensis sp. nov. Several specimens previously identified as species of Batzella (Poecilosclerida: Chondropsidae) have been re-assigned to Strongylodesma, as the new species S. purpureus sp. nov. and S. nigra sp. nov. With the description here of new species from the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Atlantic, the biogeographical distribution of Strongylodesma now appears to be generally tropical with a subtropical South African component, whereas previously it was only known from South Africa. Although species of Strongylodesma have not previously been recorded from the intermediate locations (Western Indian Ocean, South-east Asia, central west Pacific, and New Zealand), re-evaluation here will facilitate more readily the recognition of taxa in these intermediate regions, if they exist, in the future. The species are not widespread, except perhaps along the south-east coast of South Africa, and where they occur they are not abundant. Species occur over a wide depth range, from the intertidal in Tsitsikamma, South Africa, to 140 m in the Caribbean. URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10566/248 Files in this item: 1
SamaaiRevision2009.pdf (893.7Kb)
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