Pycnogonida (Arthropoda) from Uruguayan waters (Southwest Atlantic): annotated checklist and biogeographic considerations.

Records of pycnogonids from Uruguayan waters (south-western Atlantic) include 26 species cited from precise locations, and at least five other species based on unconfirmed records. Nearly half of the species in that fauna belong to the genus Nymphon (12 spp.). Most species (22) come from deep-water and were recorded and described by C. A. Child. Of these, at least twelve species have an extended Antarctic and Subantarctic distribution, showing the influence of these cold waters in the area; three others have a wide deep-sea distribution pattern. Five species are known only from the lower slope and abyssal basin off La plata river: Mimipallene Atlantis and four species of Nymphon. Records from coastal and shelf areas (four species) are poorly documented and should be the focus of future research. Of these, Colossendeis geoffroyi is considered endemic in the Southwest Atlantic between 34ºS and 40ºS, but presents clear Antarctic affinities. A small-sized species living in shallow waters, Pycnogonum cessaci, is here considered as cryptogenic.

Marine fouling invasions in ports of Patagonia (Argentina) with implications for legislation and monitoring programs.

Ports are a key factor in the understanding and solving of most problems associated with marine invasive species across regional and global scales. Yet many regions with active ports remain understudied. The aim of this work was to (a) identify and quantify the marine fouling organisms in all Patagonian ports of Argentina classifying them as native, exotic or cryptogenic species through a rapid assessment survey and experimental studies, (b) survey the environmental and anthropogenic variables of these ports and (c) analyze and discuss these results in the light of the South America context for the study of marine invasive species, legislation and commerce. We found 247 fouling species, including 17 introduced, one of which is a new record for the region, and other 15 species currently considered cryptogenic species that will need further attention to clarify their status. The analysis of mobile and sessile taxa, together with the environmental variables measured in this study and the port movement, allow us to discuss individual ports' vulnerability to future introductions. This is the first large scale study performed for this region on this topic, and it will help in developing monitoring programs and early detection plans to minimize new species introductions along the marine coastline of southern South America.