Predator control of marine communities increases with temperature across 115 degrees of latitude.

Early naturalists suggested that predation intensity increases toward the tropics, affecting fundamental ecological and evolutionary processes by latitude, but empirical support is still limited. Several studies have measured consumption rates across latitude at large scales, with variable results. Moreover, how predation affects prey community composition at such geographic scales remains unknown. Using standardized experiments that spanned 115° of latitude, at 36 nearshore sites along both coasts of the Americas, we found that marine predators have both higher consumption rates and consistently stronger impacts on biomass and species composition of marine invertebrate communities in warmer tropical waters, likely owing to fish predators. Our results provide robust support for a temperature-dependent gradient in interaction strength and have potential implications for how marine ecosystems will respond to ocean warming.

Serpula and spiraserpula (polychaeta, serpulidae) from the tropical Western atlantic and gulf of Guinea.

Six species of Serpula and Spiraserpula were identified, mainly, from the material of the expeditions of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, including two new species of Serpula. Serpula madrigalaesp. n. from the Turks and Caicos has a tube with five longitudinal ridges, four rows of alveoli and a medium-sized shallow symmetrical opercular funnel with 17 radii, and an inner surface with opercular tubercles. Serpula vossaesp. n. from the Western Caribbean and Bahamas has a tube with 6-8 longitudinal ridges, and a large, deep symmetrical opercular funnel, with 21-33 radii, and a smooth inner surface. Serpula cf. vermicularis, recorded from the Gulf of Guinea (tropical eastern Atlantic), is distinguished from the nominal species in possessing fewer opercular radii (33-39) and the lack of a proximal rasp in the bayonet chaetae; tubes are missing. The distribution range is extended for the three known Spiraserpula species found in the collections, Spiraserpula caribensis, Spiraserpula karpatensis and Spiraserpula ypsilon.

First record in the Tropical Eastern Pacific of the exotic species Ficopomatus uschakovi (Polychaeta, Serpulidae).

The exotic Indo-West-Pacific species, Ficopomatus uschakovi (Polychaeta, Serpulidae) is recorded for the first time in the Tropical Eastern Pacific from two sites in La Encrucijada Biosphere Reserve, Chiapas, a coastal lagoon in the Pacific south of Mexico. The means of dispersal of this serpulid species still remains unclear, as the nearest port (Puerto Chiapas) is 70 km to the south, and there are no port installations or shrimp cultures in the lagoon. The record of this serpulid species, apparently widely distributed in this coastal lagoon, has implications regarding possible effects on the brackish-water ecosystem, since the invasion event very well may have occurred several years ago. It is recommended that an exhaustive study be carried out in the coastal lagoons of Chiapas to evaluate the real distribution and the effects of this invasive species on the ecosystem. A complete description, including photographs and drawings, is provided.