Recent events in world politics demonstrate that a part of society has lost faith in their institutions. The importance of facts and evidence in citizens’ decision making is weakened by opinions and belief systems. This post-fact or alternate facts era is a new challenge in the field of science communication as we urgently need to tackle global environmental challenges. Not only do scientists need to better communicate their work, they also need to explore alternative ways of transferring knowledge to help citizens reconnect with nature and actively take responsible decisions to protect it. The activity ‘I am the Ocean’ has been developed by an artist and a scientist with the goal to help students understand, connect and be equipped to take actions on marine global changes. The activity was a mix of field trips, open discussions and sensory immersion. It illustrates how art and metaphors can add an emotional and physical dimension to science communication, allowing a better understanding of otherwise invisible threats, and move from knowledge to passion.

The mole crab Emerita brasiliensis inhabits exposed sandy beaches, both reflective and dissipative, along the Atlantic coast of South America, where it usually attains high biomass and production. We assessed the effects of physical characteristics of beaches (mean grain size, beach width and slope) on production and turnover rate (P/B ratio) of E. brasiliensis. Six production and P/B ratio datasets, estimated with cohort-based and size-based methods, were gathered from studies carried out on subtropical (~25°S) and temperate beaches (~32°S). Based on the estimates available, general trends were identified. Production was positively related to the intermediate/dissipative conditions of wider beaches with finer sand grains and gentler slopes. P/B ratio was negatively related to grain size (mm) and positively related to beach width. These results suggest that P/B ratios also increase towards intermediate/dissipative features due to higher growth rate, as indicated by higher values of the curvature parameter of the von Bertalanffy growth function (K) in more benign conditions (wider beaches with finer grains). In addition, the recurrent pattern of size structure on intermediate/dissipative beaches, with high frequency of recruits, leads to higher P/B ratio estimates on these beaches than on reflective beaches. The relationship of production and P/B ratio with physical features, such as mean grain size, beach width and slope indicates that a ‘short-cut’ approach to estimate Emerita brasiliensis production is a promising prospect and, therefore, more data on the production of this species should be provided.

The common prawn (Palaemon serratus) supports a small-scale but economically important seasonal static-gear fishery in Cardigan Bay, Wales (UK). Due to a lack of statutory obligation and scientific evidence, the fishery has operated to date without any harvest-control rules that afford protection from overfishing. In response to fluctuations in landings and in pursuit of increased economic returns for their catch, some members of the fishing industry have adopted a size-selective harvesting regime, which we evaluate here using baseline data. Monthly samples were obtained from fishers operating out of five ports between October 2013 and May 2015 (N = 4233). All prawn were sexed, weighed and measured, whilst the fecundity of females was estimated for 273 (44%) individuals. Peak spawning occurred during the spring and females were estimated to undergo a ‘puberty moult’ at a carapace length (CL) of 7.7 mm, whilst functional maturity was estimated at a CL of 9.9 mm. The sampled population exhibited sexual dimorphism, with females attaining a greater size than males. The current harvesting regime results in a sex bias in landings as even large mature males remained under the recruitment size to the fishery, unlike the large mature females. The temporal trend in sex-ratio indicates a continual decrease in the catchability of female prawn through the fishing season; however, whether this is caused by depletion via fishing mortality or migratory behaviour is yet to be resolved. Here, we provide a comprehensive baseline evaluation of population biology and discuss the implications of our findings for fisheries management.

Sea turtles host a diverse array of epibionts, yet it is not well understood what factors influence epibiont community composition. To test whether epibiont communities of sea turtles are influenced by the hosts’ nesting or foraging habitats, we characterized the epibiota of leatherback, olive ridley and green turtles nesting at a single location on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. We also compared the epibiota of these turtles to conspecific populations nesting elsewhere in the East Pacific. If epibiont communities are influenced by nesting habitats, we predicted that sympatrically nesting turtles would have comparable epibiont taxa. Alternatively, if epibiont communities are influenced by foraging habitats, we predicted the diversity of epibiont taxa should reflect the type and diversity of the hosts’ foraging habitats. We identified 18 epibiont taxa from 18 leatherback, 19 olive ridley and six green turtles. Epibiont diversity was low on leatherbacks (four taxa), but higher for olive ridley and green turtles (12 and nine epibiont taxa respectively). The epibiont communities of olive ridley and green turtles were not statistically different, but both were different from leatherbacks. In addition, conspecific sea turtles from other nesting locations hosted more similar epibiont communities than sympatrically nesting, non-conspecifics. We conclude that epibiont diversity of nesting sea turtles is partially linked to the diversity of their foraging habitats. We also conclude that the surface properties of the skin and carapace of these turtles may contribute to the uniqueness of leatherback turtle epibiont communities and the similarities between olive ridley and green turtle epibiont communities.

Ice algae have successfully adapted to the extreme environmental conditions in the Antarctic, however the underlying mechanisms involved in the regulation and response of thylakoid membranes and chloroplast to low-temperature stress are still not well understood. In this study, changes in pigment concentrations, lipids, fatty acids and pigment protein complexes in thylakoid membranes and chloroplast after exposure to low temperature conditions were investigated using the Antarctic ice algae Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L. Results showed that the chloroplasts of Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L are distributed throughout the cell except in the nuclear region in the form of thylakoid lamellas which exists in the gap between organelles and the starch granules. Also, the structure of mitochondria has no obvious change after cold stress. Concentrations of Chl a, Chl b, monogalactosyl diacylglycerol, digalactosyl diacylglycerol and fatty acids were also observed to exhibit changes with temperature, suggesting possible adaptations to cold environments. The light harvesting complex, lutein and β-carotene played an important role for adaptation of ICE-L, and increasing of monogalactosyl diacylglycerol and digalactosyl diacylglycerol improved the overall degree of unsaturation of thylakoid membranes, thereby maintaining liquidity of thylakoid membranes. The pigments, lipids, fatty acids and pigment-protein complexes maintained the stability of the thylakoid membranes and the normal physiological function of Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L.

It has been proposed that the feeding habit of cyclopoids is different from that of calanoid copepods in that they feed mainly on microalgae during early development but become carnivorous later. However, a different view also exists, believing that microalgae are the prime food for some cyclopoid copepods. In the present study, microalgae from various taxonomic groups, including a dinoflagellate (Prorocentrum micans), three diatoms (Chaetoceros muelleri, Skeletonema costatum and Nitzschia closterium f. minutissima), and a prymnesiod (Isochrysis galbana), were offered at different concentrations to the cyclopoid copepod, Apocyclops borneoensis, with survival, development and reproduction of the copepod closely monitored. The results showed that A. borneoensis is capable of utilizing any of the microalgae species tested for development and reproduction, but significant differences in survival, development rates of both nauplii and copepodites, and fecundity were detected among species. The results also showed that within a same algal species, food concentration also significantly affected various biological parameters measured. Overall, C. muelleri and I. galbana were the better diets for A. borneoensis and their optimal food concentration ranged from 8.50 to 17.00 µg C ml−1. The optimal food concentration of P. micans was also found to be 8.50–17.00 µg C ml−1, however for the other two algae, S. costatum and N. closterium f. minutissima, it was lower at 1.70–8.50 µg C ml−1. The present study provides novel information on the feeding habit of A. borneoensis and the effects of both quality and quantity of microalgae diets on a range of biological parameters are described.

Specimens of Fissidentalium candidum collected at Campos Basin, south-eastern Brazil, had their diet investigated in order to assess its feeding habits. Benthic prey exceeded the planktonic ones as expected and Foraminifera constituted the most frequent prey taxa, comprising about 99.5% of the scaphopod diet; the remaining components included a few molluscs (gastropods, bivalves and scaphopods), a nematode, an ostracod crustacean, fish otoliths, unknown partial organisms and inorganic material (e.g. sediment grains and polymetallic nodules). Amongst the species previously studied, F. candidum stood out by presenting the highest dietary diversity (H = 3.35) and species richness (N = 118). Predator and prey dimensions were not correlated and no spatial variation was observed in the diet amongst the three collection sites in the mid-slope of Campos Basin. Generalism, high rate of rare or unimportant species and high contribution of within-phenotype component to the niche width were important features of the trophic ecology of F. candidum. Inhabiting the deep water of Campos Basin, this dentaliid obtained most of its energy from the benthic microfauna, being a specialized foram predator with moderate preference for, and moderate selection against, several species.

The sea star Anasterias minuta broods the embryos in the oral region; embryos then block the mouth and prevent the parent from taking up nutrients during the brooding period. Here, we analysed content of carbohydrates in different organs as well as in eggs, embryos and juveniles of A. minuta. We found that these biochemical components are used mainly by the pyloric caeca and the body wall as reserve substances to endure the periods of reduced consumption rates of non-brooding females and males and the long-term starvation of brooding females. The ability to translocate carbohydrates from females to embryos and juveniles observed in other species of sea stars was not confirmed.

Four multidisciplinary oceanographic surveys were conducted in November and December from 2007 to 2010, along the Mauritanian coast (NW Africa). A total of 10,514 brachyuran crabs belonging to 33 species were captured in 316 hauls at depths between 79 and 1867 m. The most specious family was Inachidae represented by nine species; the remaining 24 species belonged to 16 other brachyuran families. Monodaeus cristulatus is reported for the first time since its original description. Seven other species, Ethusa rugulosa, Pseudomyra mbizi, Inachus grallator, Macropodia gilsoni, Macropodia hesperiae, Solenolambrus noordendei and Spinolambrus notialis extend their range of distribution northwards and, together with Goneplax barnardi, are reported here for the first time in Mauritanian waters. New data about depth ranges are reported for Acanthocarpus brevispinis, Ethusa rugulosa, Inachus aguiarii, Inachus grallator, Inachus nanus, Macropodia macrocheles, Solenolambrus noordendei, Spinolambrus notialis, Liocarcinus corrugatus and Monodaeus cristulatus. New data relating to the spawning period for most of the species are also included, as are some biogeographic and bathymetric considerations about brachyurans studied in the area.

In India 14 seagrass species can be found with monospecific genera (Enhalus, Thalassia and Syringodium), Cymodocea with two species and Halophila and Halodule represented by more than two taxonomically complex species. Considering this, the present study was made to understand the level and pattern of genetic variability among these species collected from Tamilnadu coast, India. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was used to evaluate the level of polymorphism existing between the species. Out of the 12 primers tested, 10 primers amplified 415 DNA fragments with an average of 41.5 fragments per primer. Of the total 415 amplified fragments only 123 (29.7%) were monomorphic and the remaining 292 (70.3%) were polymorphic for Indian seagrass species. Among the 10 primers used four are identified as the key primers capable of distinguishing all the Indian seagrasses with a high degree of polymorphism and bringing representative polymorphic alleles in all the tested seagrasses. From the present investigation, this study shows that the RAPD marker technique can be used not only as a tool to analyse genetic diversity but also to resolve the taxonomic uncertainties existing in the Indian seagrasses. The efficiency of these primers in bringing out the genetic polymorphism or homogeneity among different populations of the Halophila and Halodule complex still has to be tested before recommending these primers as an identification tool for Indian seagrasses.

The urohyal is incorporated within the hyoid and branchial arches and performs a significant role in the mouth opening-closing mechanism of fishes, and is considered a synapomorphy of teleostean fishes. Morphological variation of the urohyal, in terms of size and shape parameters, can allow species identification. Morphology of the urohyal in 49 species belonging to 43 genera and 29 families from the Persian Gulf and from the Oman Sea were compared using size and shape measurements. The results examine the suitability of using the urohyal morphology in differentiating fish species from this region; highlighting the taxonomic value of the urohyal, which until now, had been studied little in terms of use as a diagnostic feature in the classification of teleosts.

Spirobolbolaimus undulatus sp. nov. is described in intertidal sandy sediment from the East China Sea. The new species is characterized by six jointed outer labial setae much thicker and longer than the four slender cephalic setae, anterior and posterior pharynx bulbs, sclerotized multispiral amphid fovea, eight longitudinal rows of postamphideal setae, gubernaculum apophysis and many precloacal supplements. The new species differs distinctly from the type species Spirobolbolaimus bathyalis in the presence (vs absence) of jointed outer labial setae, eight additional small teeth, gubernaculum apophysis and many precloacal supplements and eight (vs six) rows of postamphideal setae. It differs from the other known congener Spirobolbolaimus boucherorum in the jointed outer labial setae (vs setae with smooth outline), three main teeth with eight additional small teeth (vs only three main teeth) and many distinct precloacal supplements (vs seven tiny papillate ones). We emend the diagnosis of the genus Spirobolbolaimus based on the description. Microlaimus pecticauda and Microlaimus spirifer possess two opposed reflexed ovaries, and thus are transferred from the family Microlaimidae to Molgolaimus of the family Desmodoridae: Molgolaimus pecticauda comb. nov. and Molgolaimus spirifer comb. nov.

A new species of Leptostraca, Nebalia cambodiana sp. nov. (Crustacea: Malacostraca), is described from Cambodia. The specimen was collected by light traps on a diving deck where the bottom consisted of fine sand and gravel. The new species is distinguished from all other known species of Nebalia by the following characteristics: rostrum very long, length nearly 3.5 times width; a compound eye with one distinct dorsal papilla and four small lobes on distal margin; an antennular flagellum with nine articles; the fourth article of the antennular peduncle with only one distal thick seta; the antennular scale is elliptical, with a length that is 2 times the width; exopod of the second maxilla is the same length as first article of its endopod; pleonites 5 to 7 with rounded denticles along their posterior dorsal margins; the protopod of pleopod 4 lacks serration along the posterior margin; and anal plates with distinct lateral ‘shoulder’.

The new species is the first species of Leptostraca found in South-east Asia. In this paper, we provide illustrations and a detailed description of the diagnostic characteristics of N. cambodiana sp. nov.

All polymastiid sponges displaying ornamented exotyles are reviewed and their morphological affinities are reconsidered. The study embraces all known species of Proteleia, Sphaerotylus, Trachyteleia and Tylexocladus as well as several species of Polymastia. A new genus, Koltunia, is established for the Antarctic species Proteleia burtoni based on the unique shape of distal ornamentations of its giant exotyles and on the absence of a spicule palisade in its cortex, a rare feature among the polymastiids. Three new species of Sphaerotylus are described – S. renoufi from the British Isles, S. strobilis from South Africa and S. tjalfei from West Greenland. Transfer of one New Zealand species from Polymastia to Proteleia and of one Chilean species from Polymastia to Sphaerotylus is proposed. The present study provides a background for future integrative phylogenetic analyses based on comprehensive molecular and morphological datasets which should reveal the natural relationships between the polymastiid taxa.

A new species of porcelain crab, Megalobrachium lemaitrei n. sp., is described and illustrated from the Pacific coasts of Panama and Colombia. The new species is similar to its northern counterpart M. erosum (Glassell, 1936) in the general eroded appearance of the carapace and chelipeds, but is distinguished by the details of the carapace and cheliped ornamentation and pereopod setation. For comparison, Megalobrachium erosum is re-described on the basis of the type and other material.

Mangroves create unique ecological environments, furnishing a habitat opportunity for many species. The majority of published information on mangrove sponges comes from the Caribbean while few data are available from Indo-Pacific mangrove sponges. In general, species diversity of sponges in mangroves is lower than adjacent subtidal habitats in both the Caribbean and Indo-Pacific. The aim of this study is to report the first data about sponge species diversity of two mangrove forests from Bangka Island (North Sulawesi, Indonesia) and to describe a new sponge species associated with the mangroves. The survey found 19 species, belonging to 11 families and 15 genera; the samples were collected on mangrove trunks, on the roots or on the surrounding bottom. The majority of the species are typical of coral reef but two of them have been previously found only in lagoons or in mangrove habitats. These new data enlarge our knowledge about Indonesian sponges diversity and suggest the urgency to consider Indonesian mangroves as an important but underestimated element in coral reef ecological dynamics.

Frog crabs (Family Raninidae) are cryptic, burying marine brachyuran crabs adapted for inhabiting soft and sandy bottoms across a wide bathymetric range of tropical to low-latitude temperate regions. The present account encompasses re-description of Lysirude channeri from a depth range of 614–655 m in Bay of Bengal, India. Morphological examination of 76 specimens agreed with earlier type descriptions in having two antero-lateral spines, but this contradicts with the specimens from the South China Sea and off the Philippines. In addition, some specimens from the present study revealed the presence of two carpal spines instead of one described before. However, the genetic congruency of the collected specimens were inferred by developing molecular marker viz. mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene sequences, representing the first molecular data for Lysirude channeri. Phylogram and genetic distance data (up to 0.60%) justified the genetic congruency of Lysirude channeri as well as the interspecific divergence (up to 15.2%) between Lysirude channeri and Lyreidus brevifrons. Hence, the present study provides complete morphological and molecular data for re-describing the frog crab Lysirude channeri and also delineates its speciation from other related brachyuran crabs.