Ten new species of Phyllodoce Lamarck, 1818 (Phyllodocidae, Annelida) from Brazil.

Herein we provide a taxonomic revision of Phyllodoce species from Brazil, describing 10 new species in addition to two new records, Phyllodoce longipes Kinberg, 1866 and Phyllodoce cf. madeirensis Langerhans, 1880. Phyllodoce sp. A. and Phyllodoce sp. B. are probably new but the number and condition of available specimens do not provide adequate and reliable diagnostic features for a formal description. These species have been collected in diverse marine and estuarine environments from shallow estuarine bottoms to continental shelf and slope sediments and submarine canyons from off southern and southeastern Brazil. A key to the fourteen species of Phyllodoce occurring in Brazil is also given.

Estructura de la comunidad de poliquetos en un manglar de la costa norte de Brasil / Structure of a polychaete community in a mangrove in the northern coast of brazil

ABSTRACT Polychaetes play an important role in the structure and functioning of benthic communities in mangroves; however, knowledge about these organisms in the Maranhão Amazon coast is scarcity. This study analyzed the ecological aspects of polychaete community in the Quebra Pote mangrove in Maranhão State. Four sampling campaigns were carried out during both rainy and dry periods between November 2013 and July 2014, using 100 meters long transects set perpendicular to the waterline at three zones 50 m between them. A total of 521 organisms were identified belonging to ten families and 15 species; Nephtys simoni, Notomastus sp., and Paraonis sp. represented 58.92 % of all samples. Mobile deposit-feeders polychaetes were dominant and abundant. The Quebra Pote mangrove showed high values of diversity and evenness. The spatial distribution indicated that several species such as Capitella sp., Heteromastus sp., N. simoni, Notomastus sp., Paradoneis sp., Paraonis sp., Scoloplos texana, Sigambra grubei, and Syllis gracilis magellanica were present in all mangrove zones. The diversity and abundance of polychaetes were greater in lower mesolittoral (Zone 1), with a dominance of Avicennia schaueriana. The abundance of polychaetes decreased along transects from the lower mesolittoral to upper mesolittoral areas, suggesting that the presence of domestic sewage effects supersedes the vegetation effect.

RESUMEN Los poliquetos desempeñan un importante papel en la estructura y funcionamiento de las comunidades bentónicas de manglares; sin embargo, el conocimiento sobre estos organismos permanece escaso en la costa amazónica de Maranhão, Brasil. Este estudio analizó los aspectos ecológicos de la comunidad de poliquetos del manglar Quebra Pote, Estado de Maranhão. Se realizaron cuatro recolectas durante el período de secas y lluvias, entre noviembre 2013 y julio 2014, se delimitó un transecto de 100 metros de longitud, perpendicular a la línea de agua, con tres zonas distantes entre sí de 50 m. Se cuantificaron 521 individuos distribuidos en diez familias y 15 especies; Nephtys simoni, Notomastus sp. y Paraonis sp., correspondieron al 58,92 % del total muestreado. Los poliquetos detritívoros móviles fueron dominantes y abundantes. El manglar Quebra Pote presentó elevados valores de diversidad y equidad. En la distribución espacial, se observó que varias especies estuvieron presentes en todas las zonas del manglar, por ejemplo Capitella sp., Heteromastus sp., N. simoni, Notomastus sp., Paradoneis sp., Paraonis sp., Scoloplos texana, Sigambra grubei y Syllis gracilis magellanica. La diversidad y abundancia de poliquetos fueron mayores en el mediolitoral inferior (Zona 1), con predominio de Avicennia schaueriana. A lo largo de las zonas se observó que la abundancia de poliquetos decrece del mediolitoral inferior hacia al mediolitoral superior, probablemente como consecuencia del desagüe doméstico, que suplantó el efecto de la vegetación.

Four new species of Paranaitis Southern, 1914 (Phyllodocidae, Annelida) from southern and southeastern Brazil.

Four new species of Paranaitis are described from estuarine and continental shelf bottoms from southern and southeastern Brazil: Paranaitis chitinosa sp. nov., P. cirriformata sp. nov., P. assimetrica sp. nov., and P. cordiformata sp. nov. Paranaitis chitinosa sp. nov. is diagnosed by a proboscis with rows of conical and chitinous papillae alternating with dorsal chitinous bars, and the distal extremity covered with micropapillae, and dorsal cirri rounded and asymmetrical. Paranaitis cirriformata sp. nov. is similar to P. speciosa (Webster, 1879), previously recorded from Brazil, but differs by the presence of long and slender anal cirri. Paranaitis assimetrica sp. nov. differs from P. cordiformata sp. nov. by the presence of supra-acicular lobes that are considerably longer than the subacicular ones, and oval dorsal cirri. Paranaitis cordiformata sp. nov. has cordiform dorsal cirri and symmetrical supra- and sub-acicular lobes.

New species of Grubeulepis Pettibone, 1969 (Eulepethidae, Annelida) from northern Brazil.

Eulepethidae is one of the least diverse families of scale polychaetes, with only 23 species described thus far. In this study we describe an additional species of Grubeulepis from unconsolidated substrata from Maranhão, tropical Brazil (ca. 2°S). Grubeulepis serrata sp. nov. differs from other species of the family due to the presence of one pair of eyes, 14 pairs of branchiae, posterior lamellae beginning in the 27th segment, with hooked upper notochaetae and serrated outer edge acicular neurochaeta in the 3rd segment. The diagnosis of the genus formerly included species with 10-13 pairs of branchiae, and thus is modified to accommodate the 14 pairs of branchiae from the new species described here. Grubeulepis serrata sp. nov. shares with Grubeulepis mexicana (Berkeley Berkeley 1939) the number of lateral processes of the 12th elytra, the segment of the foliaceous lamellae and the presence of acicular neurochaeta in the 3rd segment, but they differ in the number of branchiae pairs, eyes and the notochaetae shape. Grubeulepis serrata sp. nov. shares with Grubeulepis geayi (Fauvel 1918) the spiny notochaetae with spoon-shaped distal end, but differ in the hooked upper notochaetae, amount of lateral processes, and elytra articulation.

Spatial distribution and seasonality of Biomphalaria spp. in São Luís (Maranhão, Brazil).

Two of the three vector species of Schistosoma mansoni Sambon, 1907 in Brazil occur in the state of Maranhão: Biomphalaria glabrata (Say, 1818) and Biomphalaria straminea (Dunker, 1848). For the implementation of effective measures to combat schistosomiasis, it is necessary to identify the spatial and seasonal dynamics of these snails. Therefore, this work brought together information from malacological survey carried out in São Luís (Maranhão, Brazil) to identify the spatial and seasonal distribution patterns of Biomphalaria spp. snails. We used data from malacological surveys of the Municipal Health Secretary of São Luís, conducted between 2006 and 2013 in 23 neighborhoods. We also used data from the mollusk surveys that we conducted for 2 years (2012-2014) in four of these neighborhoods. During the 8-year period (2006-2013), 15,990 specimens of Biomphalaria spp. were collected. There was a positive association between precipitation and the abundance of mollusks of the genus Biomphalaria. During 2012-2014, a total of 2487 snail specimens were obtained (B. glabrata: 1046 specimens; B. straminea: 1426 specimens). There was a positive correlation between precipitation and B. straminea abundance. High density of human occupation and high precipitation are two factors that affect the distribution and density of Biomphalaria spp.

Description of three new species of Eumida Malmgren, 1865 (Phyllodocidae, Annelida) from Southern and Southeastern Brazil.

We describe three new species of Eumida from shallow estuarine and shelf bottoms from south and southeastern Brazil as part of a regional survey of the family Phyllodocidae. Previous regional records of Eumida sanguinea (Örsted, 1843) are herein referred to Eumida dracodermica sp. nov. The two species differ in the size of the prostomium, the distribution of micropapillae on the proboscis, and the shape of the dorsal cirri. Eumida macrophthalma sp. nov. has much larger eyes than the other two species described herein. The dorsal cirri on anterior median segments are rounded and on median and posterior segments they are asymmetrical and cordiform, longer than the dorsal cirri in Eumida dracodermica sp. nov. The lanceolate median dorsal cirri in Eumida delicata sp. nov. are only shared with E. ockelmanni Eibye-Jacobsen, 1987. It is also possible to diagnose the three species by their dorsal whitish pigmentation patterns on the first segments of living or well conserved animals.