Boosting the effectiveness of UV filters and sunscreen formulations using photostable, non-toxic inorganic platelets.

We have studied the size-dependent optical scattering of aqueous suspensions containing Mg2Al-LDH platelets, which exhibit high total- and side-scatterings. By incorporating 3 wt% Mg2Al-LDH platelets (280 nm) in a commercial sunscreen formulation, we achieved a twofold Sun Protection Factor boost, providing a promising, high-efficient and non-toxic strategy to enhance sunscreen effectiveness.

A new species of the genus Lindaspio Blake & Maciolek, 1992 (Annelida, Spionidae) from a cold seep near Hainan Island, China.

A new species of the spionid genus Lindaspio Blake & Maciolek, 1992 was collected from a cold seep near the Hainan Island at a depth of 1758 m. Morphologically, Lindaspiopolybranchiatasp. nov. differs from the congeners in having a narrow, folded caruncle and more neuropodial branchiae (from chaetiger 20). The 18S, COI, and 16S sequences of the new species have been submitted to GenBank. It is the first record of the genus Lindaspio from Chinese waters. A key to all species of Lindaspio is given.

Community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates in native and introduced mangroves of northern Beibu Gulf, China: Implication for restoring mangrove ecosystems.

Introduced mangroves are widely used to restore mangrove ecosystems in South China. Results of potential impacts on indicative benthic macroinvertebrates are divergent. We explored the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates in the mangrove ecosystem of northern Beibu Gulf, China across four habitats: native Avicennia marina mangrove, introduced Laguncularia racemosa mangrove, native-introduced mixed mangrove, and unvegetated intertidal flat. Based on the Hill number, community structure was estimated from the dimensions of estimated species richness, diversity, evenness, and species composition similarity. Benthic macroinvertebrates in the unvegetated flat significantly differed from the other three assemblages in mangroves; introduced L. racemosa mangrove had relatively distinct benthic macroinvertebrate assemblage from the native A. marina and the mixed mangroves, with lower species richness and similarity but higher diversity and evenness. Considering the lack of unanimous conclusion of potential impact on benthic macroinvertebrates under complex species interactions, native mangroves should be of top priority in ecosystem restoration.

The first complete mitochondrial genome of the genus Dendronereis, represented by D. chipolini Hsueh, 2019 (Annelida, Nereididae) from Beibu Gluf, China.

The genus Dendronereis Peters, 1854 is characterized in the polychaete family Nereididae by its feather-shaped branchiae on the anterior segments. In this study, we present the first complete mitogenome of Dendronereis, represented by D. chipolini Hsueh, 2019, collected from Beibu Gulf, China. The nucleotide composition is biased toward A + T nucleotides, accounting 31.5% for A, 22.3% for C, 14.7% for G and 31.5% for T. The assembled mitogenome is 15,763 bp in length, with a typical set of 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA (tRNA), 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and 1 non-coding control region. All genes are encoded on H-strand. The control region is 1260 bp in length and located between tRNA-Gly and tRNA-Met. Phylogenetic study showed that D. chipolini is arranged with high support into the clade of Namanereidinae. The complete mitogenome provides important molecular data for investigating the phylogeny and evolution of the nereid animals.

Redescription of a rarely encountered species Travisachinensis Grube, 1869 (Annelida, Travisiidae), including a description of a new species of Travisa from Amoy, China.

The original description of Travisiachinensis Grube, 1869 was incomplete, leading to confusion with other species. To clarify the status of this species, we provide a redescription of, and remarks on, T.chinensis based on an examination of the type specimen. We also describe Travisiaamoyanus sp. nov., collected from Xiamen (Amoy), China, and originally identified as T.chinensis by Monro (1934). The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: the total number of segments (34 or 35) and chaetigers (33 or 34), parapodial lappets first from chaetiger 15, and a pygidium with a large ventral triangular cirrus and about six encircling lateral cirri. Genetic distances and phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial (16S rRNA) and nuclear (18S rRNA) genes support the identity of the new species.

Ultrastructure of Ediacaran cloudinids suggests diverse taphonomic histories and affinities with non-biomineralized annelids.

Cloudinids have long been considered the earliest biomineralizing metazoans, but their affinities have remained contentious and undetermined. Based on well-preserved ultrastructures of two taxa, we here propose new interpretations regarding both their extent of original biomineralization and their phylogenetic affinity. One of these taxa is a new cloudinid from Mongolia, Zuunia chimidtsereni gen. et sp. nov., which exhibits key characteristics of submicrometric kerogenous lamellae, plastic tube-wall deformation, and tube-wall delamination. Multiple carbonaceous lamellae are also discovered in Cloudina from Namibia and Paraguay, which we interpret to have originated from chitinous or collagenous fabrics. We deduce that these cloudinids were predominantly originally organic (chitinous or collagenous), and postmortem decay and taphonomic mineralization resulted in the formation of aragonite and/or calcite. Further, based on our ultrastructural characterization and other morphological similarities, we suggest that the cloudinids should most parsimoniously be assigned to annelids with originally organic tubes.

Levensteiniella manusensis sp. nov., a new polychaete species (Annelida: Polynoidae) from deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Manus Back-Arc Basin, Western Pacific.

A new species belonging to the subfamily Macellicephalinae (Annelida: Polynoidae), Levensteiniella manusensis sp. nov., is described based on material collected from deep-sea hydrothermal vents in the Manus Back-Arc Basin. The new species is readily distinguished from the congeners by having two pairs of ventral papillae on segments 11 and 12, the first pair of which is distally dichotomous. Levensteiniella manusensis is also characterized by the combination of the notochaetae which are smooth or serrated on the curved side, and the elytra with micro- and macropapillae on the surface and thickened bulbous projections on the posterior border. Based on morphological comparisons of the main features, we provide two keys to six species of Levensteiniella described to date based on males and females respectively.

Reevaluation and New Species of Kainonereis Chamberlin, 1919 (Annelida: Polychaeta: Nereididae).

Víctor Manuel Conde-Vela, Xuwen Wu, and Sergio Ignacio Salazar-Vallejo (2018) Kainonereis Chamberlin, 1919 was proposed to include only one species, K. alata, based on epitokes provided with elytriform structures in chaetigers 5-7. The species was thoroughly described and illustrated, but its unique features were enigmatic and the genus is currently regarded as taxon inquirendum. In order to have a better understanding of its diagnostic features and determine how this genus differs from similar ones, type material of K. alata and two other species bearing elytriform structures-Nicon polaris Hartman, 1967 and Rullierinereis elytrocirra Sun and Wu, 1979, including additional material from Gulf of California and Caribbean Sea-were examined. Because the K. alata type material is in good condition and the presence of elytriform structures in chaetigers 5-7 is confirmed, this paper regards it as a valid genus. Given that the elytriform structures, or dorsal discs, together with a set of diagnostic features, are consistent in structure and position in all epitokes examined, they are regarded as homologous structures delineating Kainonereis. Consequently, K. alata is redescribed, the new combinations K. polaris comb. n. and K. elytrocirra comb. n. are proposed and redescribed, and two new species are described: K. chamberlini sp. n. from the Caribbean Sea, and K. peltifera sp. n. from the Gulf of California. Also, the discovery of an atoke on K. polaris comb. n. allowed us to better distinguish Kainonereis from the similar genera Nicon Kinberg, 1865 and Rullierinereis Pettibone, 1971. A key to identifying all known Kainonereis species is also included.

Diversity of Sternaspidae (Annelida: Terebellida) in the South China Sea, with descriptions of four new species.

Sternaspidae is one of the most common groups of polychaetes in the South China Sea, where however, the knowledge of its diversity and distribution is insufficiently understood and reports of the European species Sternaspis scutata are misidentifications. Based on the examination of material deposited in the Marine Biological Museum of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, we made a comprehensive investigation on the sternaspid polychaetes in the northern South China Sea. Five species belonging to two genera are described: Petersenaspis salazari sp. nov., Sternaspis radiata sp. nov., S. spinosa Sluiter, 1882, S. sunae sp. nov. and S. wui sp. nov. A taxonomic key to ten species of Sternaspidae found in the South China Sea is provided.

Two new species of Sternaspis Otto, 1821 (Polychaeta: Sternaspidae) from China seas.

Two species of Sternaspidae, Sternaspis chinensis sp. nov. and S. liui sp. nov., are described based on historic material and recently collected specimens in the sea areas of China. Sternaspis chinensis is abundantly distributed from the Bohai Sea southwards to the East China Sea. It has been frequently misidentified as the nominally cosmopolitan species S. scutata (Ranzani, 1817) in China since the 1950s. However, S. chinensis differs from the latter by possessing concentric bands on the shield (vs. absent) and crenulated posterior margin reaching or slightly expanded beyond the posterolateral corners (vs. posterior margin smooth and markedly expanded beyond the posterolateral corners). Sternaspis chinensis most resembles the NE Pacific species S. affinis Stimpson, 1864, but differs distinctly by its markedly concentric bands decorated from margin to center (vs. mainly restricted in the marginal area). Sternaspis liui is characterized within the genus by its slightly soft shield with firmly adhered sediment particles, which gives it a superficial resemblance to species of Caulleryaspis Sendall & Salazar-Vallejo, 2013. However, the shields of the latter are remarkably soft and poorly developed, without ribs and concentric lines, while in Sternaspis liui both the ribs and concentric lines are well defined. Variations of both species with remarks on juvenile shield development are provided.

Direct biodiesel production from wet microalgae biomass of Chlorella pyrenoidosa through in situ transesterification.

A one-step process was applied to directly converting wet oil-bearing microalgae biomass of Chlorella pyrenoidosa containing about 90% of water into biodiesel. In order to investigate the effects of water content on biodiesel production, distilled water was added to dried microalgae biomass to form wet biomass used to produce biodiesel. The results showed that at lower temperature of 90°C, water had a negative effect on biodiesel production. The biodiesel yield decreased from 91.4% to 10.3% as water content increased from 0% to 90%. Higher temperature could compensate the negative effect. When temperature reached 150°C, there was no negative effect, and biodiesel yield was over 100%. Based on the above research, wet microalgae biomass was directly applied to biodiesel production, and the optimal conditions were investigated. Under the optimal conditions of 100 mg dry weight equivalent wet microalgae biomass, 4 mL methanol, 8 mL n-hexane, 0.5 M H2SO4, 120°C, and 180 min reaction time, the biodiesel yield reached as high as 92.5% and the FAME content was 93.2%. The results suggested that biodiesel could be effectively produced directly from wet microalgae biomass and this effort may offer the benefits of energy requirements for biodiesel production.

Two new species of Eunice Cuvier, 1817 (Polychaeta, Eunicidae) from the coral reefs of Hainan Island with a key to 16 species of Eunice from China seas.

A taxonomic study of Eunice species based on material deposited in the Marine Biological Museum of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (MBMCAS) including recently collected specimens from coastal regions of Hainan Island, yielded two new species: Eunice hainanensis n. sp. and E. carrerai n. sp. Both species were collected from dead coral rocks in the reefs of the coastal region of Hainan Island, northern South China Sea. Eunice hainanensis has translucent bidentate subacicular hooks and branchiae present over an extensive region of the body. Within the Eunice group possessing these characters, the new species highly resembles E. schizobranchia Claparède, 1870 in having a numerous chaetigers and a very late start of branchiae (348-570 chaetigers with branchiae from chaetigers 69-72 vs. 731 chaetigers with branchiae from chaetiger 67). However, the two species differ by the presence of the maxillary plate VI (MxVI) in the new species (vs. absent in the latter). Besides, E. hainanensis is much smaller (1.7-1.9 mm vs. 5 mm in maximal width). Eunice carrerai belongs to the Eunice group that has dark bidentate subacicular hooks and branchiae present over an extensive region of the body. It can be distinguished from similar congeners that have the branchiae starting from chaetigers 3-4 and prostomial appendages with moniliform articulations by a combination of characters such as the presence of MxVI, notopodial articulations limited to anterior chaetigers, peristomial cirri articulated and extending to anterior edge of first peristomial ring. A key to 16 species of Eunice identified from China seas in the material examined with notes on their distribution is provided. The major characters of these species are briefly summarized.