Morphological Alterations in the Early Developmental Stages of Zebrafish (Danio rerio; Hamilton 1822) Induced by Exposure to Polystyrene Microparticles.

Microplastics (MPs) are emerging pollutants of widespread concern in aquatic environments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the negative impact of pristine MPs of polystyrene of 100 µm on embryo and larvae of Danio rerio exposed to three environmentally relevant concentrations of polystyrene (3.84 × 10- 6, 3.84 × 10- 7, and 3.84 × 10- 8 g/mL). The exposure effect was evaluated through the general morphology score, biometrics, and integrated biomarker response version 2 index. No mortality was observed but the anatomical structure of fishes was affected showing pigmentation deficiency and alterations in the head region as the main affected endpoints. The general morphology score and the integrated biomarker response values were highly sensitive to address the effect of the three concentrations of MPs used here. Our results provide solid evidence of the negative impact of 100 µm pristine polystyrene MPs exposure on early stages of zebrafish.

Updated checklist and identification key of benthic tanaidaceans (Crustacea: Peracarida) of the sublittoral zone of the northern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico.

A taxonomic checklist of sublittoral tanaidaceans from the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, southern Gulf of Mexico, is presented in this study; it includes notes on geographic distribution, habitat, and an identification key. The genus Cacoheterotanais and the species Cacoheterotanais rogerbamberi, Mesokalliapseudes macsweenyi, Pagurotanais largoensis, Parakonarus juliae, and Psammokalliapseudes granulosus have their known distribution range within the Gulf of Mexico expanded, and are considered new records; this increases the number of tanaidacean species to 23 for the southeastern Gulf, and to 87 for the entire Gulf of Mexico.

Use of the SLW index to calculate growth function in the sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus.

Age and growth analysis is essential to fisheries management. Indirect methods to calculate growth are widely used; however, length frequency data analysis in sea cucumbers is complicated by high data variability caused by body wall elasticity. Here we calculated Isostichopus badionotus parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function. In order to address bias produced by body wall elasticity, we compared the performance of four measurements and one compound index that combines different biometric parameters: the square root of the length-width product (SLW). Results showed that variability in length data due to body wall elasticity was controlled by using body length (Le) from the SLW compound index. Growth in I. badionotus follows a negative allometric tendency. Slow or zero growth periods were observed during October and November, when weather conditions were adverse.

Dulichiella celestun, a new species of amphipod (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Melitidae) from the Gulf of Mexico, with a key and zoogeographic remarks for the genus in the western Atlantic.

The discovery of a new melitid amphipod in the Celestun Biosphere Reserve (northern Yucatan peninsula, SE Gulf of Mexico) is reported. Dulichiella celestun sp. nov. differs from its congeners by an unique set of characteristics: truncated lateral cephalic lobe, mandibular palp article 1 having inner margin produced distally, carpus longer than the propodus of gnathopod 1, gnathopod 2 propodus distolateral crown with four spines, pereopods 3-7 dactylar unguis anterior margin with two accessory spines, and urosomite 3 bearing four dorsal spines. A key to species and zoogeographical affinities among members of the genus in the western Atlantic are also provided.

Benthic amphipods (Amphipoda: Gammaridea and Corophiidea) from the Mexican southeast sector of the Gulf of Mexico: checklist, new records and zoogeographic comments.

The southeast region of the Gulf of Mexico is considered to be biologically important, because it is a connection and transition zone between the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, harboring great marine biodiversity. Nevertheless, benthic amphipods have been poorly studied in the Mexican southeast sector of the Gulf of Mexico with few studies listing species. The aim of this study is to provide an update checklist of species for the Mexican southeast sector (based on literature review and records from the present study) as well as a brief zoogeographical analysis for the Gulf of Mexico amphipod fauna, putting them in context with the fauna on the tropical western Atlantic. Fifty-five species were listed for the Mexican southeast sector; 36 of them showed a geographical extension to the Yucatan continental shelf representing 23 new records for the Mexican southeast sector, nine for the southeast region and four for the Gulf of Mexico. Based on the zoogeographical analysis, there is support of the application of Carolinian and Caribbean zoogeographic provinces to amphipods in the Gulf of Mexico.

Caribboecetes progreso, a new species of sand-dwelling amphipod (Amphipoda: Corophiidea: Ischyroceridae) from the Gulf of Mexico, with a key for the genus.

A new species of the genus Caribboecetes Just, 1983 is described and illustrated from specimens collected on sandy bottoms of the northern Yucatan Peninsula, southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Caribboecetes progreso sp. nov. differs from the closely related species Caribboecetes barbadensis Just, 1983 and Caribboecetes jenikarpae Just, 1984 by the inflated triangular anterolateral flange on basis of gnathopod 2, and from Caribboecetes justi Ortiz & Lemaitre, 1997 by the setose anterolateral surface of coxal plate 7 and basis of pereopod 7. Ecological notes for the new species, a morphological comparison, map of distribution and key for all members in the genus are also provided.