MOLECULAR PHYLOGENY OF THE LEECH GENUS PONTOBDELLA (HIRUDINIDA: PISCICOLIDAE) WITH NOTES ON PONTOBDELLA CALIFORNIANA AND PONTOBDELLA MACROTHELA.

Leech specimens of the genus Pontobdella (Hirudinida: Piscicolidae) were found off the coast of the state of Oaxaca (Pacific) as well as in Veracruz and Tabasco (Gulf of Mexico), Mexico. Based on the specimens collected in Oaxaca, a redescription of Pontobdella californiana is provided, with emphasis on the differences in the reproductive organs with the original description of the species. In addition, leech cocoons assigned to P. californiana were found attached to items hauled by gillnets and studied using scanning electron microscopy and molecular approaches. Samples of Pontobdella macrothela were found in both Pacific and Atlantic oceans, representing new geographic records. The phylogenetic position of P. californiana is investigated for the first time, and with the addition of Mexican samples of both species, the phylogenetic relationships within Pontobdella are reinvestigated. Parsimony and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis were based on mitochondrial (cytochrome oxidase subunit I [COI] and 12S rRNA) and nuclear (18S rRNA and 28S rRNA) DNA sequences. Based on our results, we confirm the monophyly of Pontobdella and the pantropical distribution of P. macrothela with a new record in the Tropical Eastern Pacific.

PERUANOCOTYLE PELAGICA N. SP. (MONOGENEA: MONOCOTYLIDAE), PARASITE OF THE PACIFIC COWNOSE RAY RHINOPTERA STEINDACHNERI EVERMANN AND JENKINS, 1891 (BATOIDEA: RHINOPTERIDAE) FROM THE SOUTHERN MEXICAN PACIFIC OCEAN.

Peruanocotyle pelagica n. sp. is described based on specimens collected from the wall of the pharyngeal cavity of the Pacific cownose ray Rhinoptera steindachneri offshore Oaxaca and Guerrero, Mexico. The new species is distinguished from Peruanocotyle chisholmae by its anchors, which include a slender guard that curves towards the tip of the blade and which lack an accessory piece, morphological differences of the seminal vesicle, the lack of a male copulatory organ accessory piece and a greater number of spines, and an unsclerotized vagina. Molecular data of Peruanocotyle pelagica were generated to place the phylogenetic position of the genus within Monocotylidae.

Narcinecotyle longifilamentus n. gen., n. sp. (Monogenea: Hexabothriidae), gill parasite of the numbfish Narcine entemedor (Torpediniformes: Narcinidae) from the Mexican Pacific coast.

A new genus and species of Hexabothriidae Price, 1942 is described from specimens infecting the gill of the numbfish Narcine entemedor Jordan and Starks from the Pacific coast of Mexico. In addition to the new taxon described here, species of 8 genera also display symmetrical haptors and have eggs with two polar filaments. However, they differ in the combination of the following features: distal portion of the male copulatory organ tubular, unarmed and proximally dilated confining an internal coiled duct, as well as dorsal origin of haptoral appendix. Based on molecular data derived from 3 loci, the mitochondrial Cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 as well as the nuclear ribosomal 18S and 28S, the new species was found nested within Hexabothriidae together with the other 4 genera with representatives in GenBank. This is the first species of Hexabothriidae reported from a species of Narcinidae.

Morphological and molecular differences between the Amphiamerican populations of Antillesoma (Sipuncula: Antillesomatidae), with the description of a new species

Introduction: The sipunculans are a group of marine invertebrates that have been little studied in the tropical eastern Pacific (TEP). Antillesoma antillarum is a species belonging to the monospecific family Antillesomatidae, considered widely distributed in tropical and subtropical localities across the globe. Objective: The main objective of this work was to examine the morphological and molecular differences between specimens from both coasts of tropical America to clarify the taxonomy of this species. Methods: We examined the morphology with material from the Mexican Caribbean and southern Mexican Pacific. To perform molecular analyses, two sequences of the COI molecular marker were obtained from specimens collected in Panteón Beach, Oaxaca, southern Mexican Pacific, and compared with four sequences identified as A. antillarum in GenBank, all of them from different localities. A phylogenetic reconstruction was performed with the maximum likelihood method and genetic distances were calculated with the Kimura 2P model and compared to reference values. Results: The phylogenetic analysis revealed three different lineages of Antillesoma that are well supported by bootstrap values: Antillesoma antillarum sensu stricto from the Caribbean Sea and Florida; a sister group to the one represented by our samples from the Mexican Pacific; and a third group from Thailand. Conclusion: Based on morphological traits and molecular data, Antillesoma mexicanum sp. nov. is described from the Mexican Pacific, differing from A. antillarum in the trunk papillae, color patterns and, additionally, the specimens from the Caribbean attain significantly bigger trunk sizes than the ones Pacific.

Introducción: Los sipúnculos son un grupo de gusanos marinos sin segmentación poco estudiados en el Pacífico oriental tropical (POT). Antillesoma antillarum es una especie perteneciente a la familia monoespecífica Antillesomatidae la cual se consideraba que se distribuía ampliamente en distintas localidades tropicales y subtropicales del mundo. Objetivo: El objetivo principal del trabajo fue examinar las diferencias morfológicas y moleculares entre ejemplares de ambas costas de América. Métodos: Para el análisis morfológico se revisó material del Caribe mexicano y del Pacífico sur de México. Para los análisis moleculares se obtuvieron secuencias del marcador mitocondrial COI de ejemplares de A. mexicanum sp. nov. de la playa de Panteón en Puerto Ángel, Oaxaca del Pacífico sur de México; también se incluyeron cuatro secuencias de GenBank de A. antillarum de diferentes localidades para la comparación filogenética con el método de Máxima Verosimilitud. Se calcularon las distancias genéticas con el modelo Kimura 2P y fueron comparadas con valores de referencia. Resultados: El análisis filogenético evidenció tres linajes diferentes: Antillesoma antillarum sensu stricto del Mar Caribe y Florida, el grupo hermano representado por nuestra recolecta en el Pacífico mexicano y un tercer grupo de Tailandia. Conclusión: Basados en datos morfológicos y moleculares, Antillesoma mexicanum sp. nov. fue descrita para el Pacífico mexicano, que difiere de A. antillarum en las papilas del tronco, el patrón de coloración y, adicionalmente, los ejemplares del Caribe fueron significativamente más grandes que los del Pacífico mexicano.

A new species of Branchellion Savigny, 1822 (Hirudinida: Piscicolidae), a marine leech parasitic on the giant electric ray Narcine entemedor Jordan & Starks (Batoidea: Narcinidae) off Oaxaca, Mexico.

Branchellion spindolaorum n. sp. (Hirudinida: Piscicolidae) is described based on specimens found parasitising the giant electric ray Narcine entemedor Jordan & Starks off the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico. The new species can be clearly distinguished from the other species of Branchellion Savigny, 1822 by the presence of 30 pairs of lateral branchiae and 10 pairs of pulsatile vesicles. The definition of the genus Branchellion is expanded to include species with either 30, 31 or 33 pairs of foliaceous (plate-like) lateral branchiae in the urosome. In addition, we provide for the first time for the genus, scanning electron micrographs of the secondary suckers located on the ventral surface of the posterior sucker. Additionally, partial DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) were generated and compared with homologous sequences of other species of the genus. Branchellion spindolaorum n. sp. represents the fourth species of the genus known in the Eastern Pacific and the first record of a leech parasitising N. entemedor.

Ctenophores from the Oaxaca coast, including a checklist of species from the Pacific coast of Mexico.

Ctenophores are poorly known in the tropical eastern Pacific, including the southern coast of Mexico. Previous records of ctenophores along the Pacific coast have been provided mainly from northern waters. For the coast of Oaxaca state, their occurrence has only been mentioned before at phylum level. In this paper, we provide the first three records of ctenophores for the Oaxacan coast, which represent new records of Beroe forskalii and Bolinopsis vitrea as well as the first record of Ocyropsis maculata in the tropical eastern Pacific. Descriptions of these three species, as well as a checklist of the ctenophores from the west coast of Mexico are provided.