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Marine worms of the genus Odontosyllis (Syllidae, Annelida) are well known for spectacular bioluminescent courtship rituals. During the reproductive period, the benthic marine worms leave the ocean floor and swim to the surface to spawn, using bioluminescent light for mate attraction. The behavioural aspects of the courtship ritual have been extensively investigated but little is known about the origin and evolution of light production in Odontosyllis that may be a key factor shaping the natural history of the group. To investigate the speciation patterns and evolutionary history of Odontosyllis, we inferred phylogenies following a gene concatenation approach using both maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference with a multilocus molecular dataset including nuclear (18S rRNA) and mitochondrial markers (16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) from 51 Odontosyllis specimens. We also used the resulting phylogenetic tree to perform an ancestral state reconstruction analysis to trace the origin of bioluminescence within the group. Our results reveal that the genus Odontosyllis as currently delineated is a paraphyletic group that needs to be taxonomically revised to reflect evolutionary relationships. Nevertheless, our analyses recover two supported clades with bioluminescent species and suggest that the most recent common ancestor of luminous syllids was not bioluminescent, providing evidence that bioluminescence has evolved independently twice in the group. We discuss possible scenarios for the origin and evolution of light production and the potential role of bioluminescence courtship as a driver of speciation. Our results shed light on the evolutionary history of luminous syllids and suggest that bioluminescence might represent a key factor shaping the evolution of these organisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new genus of ectoparasitic marine annelids living on ctenophores, Ctenophoricola gen. nov. , is described and its feeding behaviour, reproduction and developmental stages are discussed. Its unusual morphology challenged its placement within the known marine families. However, analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data showed the new genus as member of the Alciopini, a group of holopelagic annelids included within the Phyllodocidae. Ctenophoricola masanorii sp. nov. from Japan and Ctenophoricola rousei sp. nov. from the Canary Islands (Spain) are described. A third species from the Gulf of California is not formally described because the specimens are in poor condition. The new genus is characterized by having: 1) two distinctive body regions, the anterior with reduced parapodia lacking chaetae, and the posterior with long parapodia and chaetae and 2) a pair of large, elongate lensed eyes. These eyes are here described using histology and 3D reconstruction based on a Californian specimen. The two new species mainly differ in colour pattern, shape of parapodia, number of chaetae and body ciliation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stolonization in syllid annelids is a unique mode of reproduction among animals. During the breeding season, a structure resembling the adult but containing only gametes, called stolon, is formed generally at the posterior end of the animal. When stolons mature, they detach from the adult and gametes are released into the water column. The process is synchronized within each species, and it has been reported to be under environmental and endogenous control, probably via endocrine regulation. To further understand reproduction in syllids and to elucidate the molecular toolkit underlying stolonization, we generated Illumina RNA-seq data from different tissues of reproductive and nonreproductive individuals of Syllis magdalena and characterized gene expression during the stolonization process. Several genes involved in gametogenesis (ovochymase, vitellogenin, testis-specific serine/threonine-kinase), immune response (complement receptor 2), neuronal development (tyrosine-protein kinase Src42A), cell proliferation (alpha-1D adrenergic receptor), and steroid metabolism (hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2) were found differentially expressed in the different tissues and conditions analyzed. In addition, our findings suggest that several neurohormones, such as methyl farnesoate, dopamine, and serotonin, might trigger stolon formation, the correct maturation of gametes and the detachment of stolons when gametogenesis ends. The process seems to be under circadian control, as indicated by the expression patterns of r-opsins. Overall, our results shed light into the genes that orchestrate the onset of gamete formation and improve our understanding of how some hormones, previously reported to be involved in reproduction and metamorphosis processes in other invertebrates, seem to also regulate reproduction via stolonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syllid annelids from the so-called 'ribbon clade' are flattened, ribbon-shaped worms of the genera Parahaplosyllis Hartmann-Schröder, 1990, Eurysyllis Ehlers, 1864, Xenosyllis Marion & Bobretzky, 1875, Trypanosyllis Claparède, 1864, Ramisyllis Glasby, Schroeder & Aguado, 2012, Trypanobia Imajima & Hartman, 1964, Plakosyllis Hartmann-Schröder, 1956, Pseudosyllis Grube, 1863 and Trypanedenta Imajima & Hartman, 1964. Some species possess a remarkable reproductive strategy using multiple stolons that has been recently suggested to be ancestral to the group. Here, to evaluate the evolution of reproductive modes in the group, we assess, for the first time, the phylogenetic relationships within the ribbon clade and related genera. We collected new material of Trypanobia and Trypanosyllis from Japan, Spain, Philippines and Indonesia and sequenced it for the nuclear markers 18S rRNA and the mitochondrial markers 16S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase I for phylogenetic inference and also performed ancestral character reconstruction for the reproductive strategy in the entire group. Formal taxonomic descriptions of a new genus and six new species are provided. The new genus, Trypanospina, gen. nov., is characterised by the spines that cover its surface. Most genera within the 'ribbon clade' are monophyletic and the relationships appeared well supported in most cases. However, our phylogenetic hypotheses are not conclusive in regard to the relationships of the genera Trypanedenta and Trypanobia, nor to the status of those to genera as distinctive, since they seem to be paraphyletic and they appear in low-supported clades. In contrast, our results shed light on the evolution of the reproductive modes within the group, showing that scissiparity (development of a single stolon each time) is the ancestral character for the entire group and gemmiparity (development of more than one stolon at the same time) then appeared twice in two independent clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of syllid polychaetes inhabiting holdfasts of the brown algaeLessonia spicatain Central Chile was investigated. We found 12 species, belonging to the generaSyllis,Amblyosyllis,ProceraeaandSalvatoriawithin the internal cavities of 14 holdfasts collected from the intertidal and subtidal zones of exposed rocky shores. This is the first record of syllid polychaetes living in association with the kelpL. spicata. In addition, we provide the descriptions of three new species,Syllis albaesp. nov.,Syllis tamaraesp. nov. andSyllis tripantusp. nov. discovered from the holdfast faunal assemblage. We describe their phylogenetic position and evolutionary relationships with other species within the genusSyllis, which were evaluated by phylogenetic analyses. Additionally, we provide new biogeographic information and ecological data, including updated distribution limits and habitat preferences for all identified species. This study highlights the importance of kelp holdfasts as hotspots of syllid diversity and suggests the potential use of associated Syllidae assemblages as tools for monitoring changes in the marine ecosystem that affect species distribution. http://zoobank.org/References/EE82D79E-1C24-4807-BBC7-C3BCBE343A47http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:93832177-4F4D-4BF1-925D-AC6DD7EE72CDhttp://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:74E5DCF6-6D4E-4B00-ABF9-EA4E82408A26http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7CAB9F72-7577-4C8F-AE03-093874603F67 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Syllis gracilis is an emblematic member of the subfamily Syllinae (Syllidae, Annelida), which inhabits shallow, temperate coastal waters and can be found on algae, coral rubble, and sponges. Their distinctive ypsiloid chaetae, usually found in specimens from populations all around the world, led to the consideration of the species as cosmopolitan, even though four other species have similar chaetae: Syllis magellanica , S. picta , S. mayeri and S. ypsiloides . The discovery of deeply divergent lineages in the Mediterranean Sea, that were morphologically similar, questioned the cosmopolitanism of S. gracilis and suggested the possibility of it being a species complex. In order to assess the speciation patterns within the putative S. gracilis complex, we undertook species delimitation and phylogenetic analyses on 61 specimens morphologically ascribed to Syllis gracilis and closely related species using a multilocus molecular dataset (two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers) . Our results suggest high levels of genetic differentiation between the S. gracilis populations analyzed , some of which have morphologically distinctive features . Five to eight distinct lineages (depending on the analysis) were identified, all with geographically restricted distributions. Although the presence of ypsiloid chaetae has been traditionally considered the main character to identify S. gracilis , we conclude that this feature is homoplastic. Instead, we propose that characters such as the degree of fusion of blades and shafts in chaetae, the morphology of the posterior chaetae or the animal color pattern should be considered to differentiate lineages within the S. gracilis species complex. Our study does not support the cosmopolitanism of S. gracilis , and instead provides morphological and molecular evidence of the existence of a complex of pseudo-cryptic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All members of the syllid genus Trypanosyllis show distinctive flattened, ribbon-like bodies and a pharynx armed with a trepan; however, the phylogenetic relationships within this genus remain unsettled, especially with respect to the genera Eurysyllis and Xenosyllis (morphologically similar). To resolve this systematic uncertainty we analysed the phylogenetic relationships of a worldwide sampling of specimens of Trypanosyllis and three related genera using multiple molecular markers. We show that Trypanosyllis as presently construed is paraphyletic, and identify a clade of striped species that were previously all considered to be Trypanosyllis zebra (Grube, 1860). We outline the case to consider Trypanosyllis krohnii Claparède, 1864 as the type species of the genus, instead of Trypanosyllis zebra. Trypanosyllis krohnii (interpreted as Trypanosyllis zebra by recent authors) was previously believed to be cosmopolitan, but we show that it includes at least seven cryptic and pseudocryptic species, five of which are described herein: Trypanosyllis kalkin sp. nov., Trypanosyllis californiensis sp. nov., Trypanosyllis luquei sp. nov., Trypanosyllis leivai sp. nov., and Trypanosyllis taboadai sp. nov. In addition, Trypanedenta gemmipara (Johnson, 1901) comb. nov. and Trypanedenta gigantea (McIntosh, 1885) comb. nov., previously included in Trypanosyllis, are here transferred to Trypanedenta Imajima & Hartman, 1964, and Pseudosyllis brevipennis Grube, 1863 [previously named Trypanosyllis coeliaca (Claparède, 1868)] is transferred to the resurrected genus Pseudosyllis Grube, 1863. Overall our results show a complex scenario of speciation, with cases of pseudocryptic species that correspond to geographically restricted lineages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of peritrich ciliate epibionts Rhabdostyla sp. and Cothurnia sp. on Syllidae polychaetes is reported here for the first time, including the description of three new species of epibiont ciliates. The protozoans were mainly found at intersegmental furrows, close to parapodial bases of newly collected specimens of Syllis magdalena Wesenberg-Lund, 1962, Syllis sp., Salvatoria sp., and S alvatoria concinna (Westheide, 1974) comb. nov. from Chile, Syllis prolifera Krohn, 1852 from Spain, and Prosphaerosyllis magnoculata (Hartmann-Schröder, 1986) from New Zealand. In addition, epibiont protozoans were found on the dorsal surface, nuchal organs, mouth opening, and anterior cirri of Syllis elongata Day, 1949 from Peru, and the ventral surface of Typosyllis macropectinans Hartmann-Schröder, 1982 from Australia. The discovery of protozoan epibionts on syllid polychaetes has important taxonomic implications that are discussed here. The presence of papillae that are in fact misinterpreted ciliate epibionts has been considered a valid character to distinguish among species or to erect new species of Syllidae, and thus the real origin of papillae-like structures in polychaetes should be carefully assessed. © 2014 The Linnean Society of London [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syllis prolifera (Syllidae, Syllinae) is an abundant species of marine annelids commonly found in warm to temperate waters worldwide. Although morphological variability occurs among populations, S. prolifera has long been considered a cosmopolitan species, widely distributed in coastal environments, including acidified and polluted areas. However, the increasing number of cases of cryptic and pseudocryptic speciation in several polychaete families in recent years has led us to question whether S. prolifera represents a single globally distributed taxon or is a species complex. To address this question, we conducted an integrative study, combining morphological, ecological and molecular data of 52 S. prolifera specimens collected in different localities across the western Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Cadiz. Our phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses that included two mitochondrial DNA markers (COI and 16S rRNA) were congruent in not considering S. prolifera a unique entity. Five distinct lineages that can also be recognised by certain morphological and ecological traits were identified from these analyses instead. Overall, our study does not support the homogeneity of S. prolifera across the Mediterranean Sea, providing a new example of pseudocrypticism in marine invertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of new technologies including personal mobile devices has become an indispensable tool in our daily lives, and thus its presence in education is becoming ever more ubiquitous. In the current scenario imposed by the COVID‐19 pandemic, in which in‐person presence in classrooms has been enormously reduced at all educational levels, the use of mobile learning and cutting‐edge methods can greatly improve the way students learn and enhance their online‐learning experience. Mobile applications, combined with extended reality technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), are powerful tools that connect real and virtual environments and allow higher interaction for the user. We have leveraged the advantages of mobile learning and extended reality technologies to develop a series of mobile applications and associated educational activities for university‐level courses involving invertebrate zoology field work. In particular, we have developed (a) a VR SCUBA diving video to explore the diversity of a marine protected area; (b) an AR mobile app to visualize 3D models of marine invertebrates; and (c) a mobile‐based catalogue to explore the terrestrial biodiversity of one of the most diverse regions of Spain. Here we provide detailed information describing the design and creation of these tools, as well as their application in class, to facilitate and encourage their use in higher education. Despite the relatively recent application of these technologies in education, they have an enormous potential: they improve student motivation and learning, can be adapted to different learning styles, reduce social inequalities, and facilitate inclusiveness and diversity practices in the classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Syllinae is the largest and the most diverse subfamily in Syllidae and usually a dominant group in many marine habitats, both in terms of numbers of species and individuals. However, the lack of morphological synapomorphies for many genera and the non-monophyly of most of these suggested by molecular studies, have stressed taxonomic and systematic problems within this subfamily. Although several studies have revised some genera in the Indo-Pacific area, important gaps of knowledge remain for this biogeographic region. Thus, in this study we undertook detailed morphological examination of Syllis and Megasyllis specimens from the Philippine Islands and provide a phylogenetic analysis of Indo-Pacific Syllinae in order to evaluate the position of newly described species. We provide line drawings, light microscopy observations and electron microscopy micrographs for eight species, including five new to science. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of four molecular markers (28S rRNA, 18S rRNA, 16S rRNA, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) from 85 specimens are presented, showing the non-monophyletic status of Syllis and Megasyllis. Overall, our study increases the biodiversity of syllids in this poorly known Indo-Pacific area, highlighting the importance of examining both morphological and molecular data to expand our knowledge of the subfamily Syllinae and to further resolve the taxonomic issues that remain in this group. The following new taxa are described: Megasyllis kurui sp. nov. Moreno-Martínez, San Martín & Álvarez-Campos, Syllis ireneae sp. nov. Moreno-Martínez, San Martín & Álvarez-Campos, Syllis santii sp. nov. Moreno-Martínez, San Martín & Álvarez-Campos, Syllis tini sp. nov. Moreno-Martínez, Syllis walong sp. nov. Moreno-Martínez, San Martín & Álvarez-Campos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During a study on the Syllidae (Annelida) inhabiting artificial panels in the Red Sea, five species have appeared as the first colonizers in the first sampling carried out after three months: Syllis crassicirrata (Treadwell, 1925); Syllis gerlachi (Hartmann-Schröder, 1960); Syllis picta (Kinberg, 1866); Syllis schulzi (Hartmann-Schröder, 1960); and Syllis warrnamboolensis (Hartmann-Schröder, 1987). Syllis gerlachi and S. schulzi, already known from the Red Sea, are re-described on the basis of the collected material and type-specimens. The other three species, S. picta, S. warrnamboolensis and S. crassicirrata, recently re-described from Australia, are new for the Red Sea. The most abundant species, S. crassicirrata, shows an interesting variation of colour pattern, which may indicate the presence of a complex of pseudo-cryptic species. A molecular phylogeny was also performed in order to investigate the evolutionary relationships of the Red-Sea species within the genus Syllis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symbiotic associations between polynoid scale worms and other marine invertebrates are common, but sometimes poorly understood. Compounding this problem is the fact that polynoid systematics is largely unresolved. Here, we transfer the species originally described as Nemidia antillicola chondrocladiae Fauvel (1943), and currently synonymized with Neopolynoe acanellae (Verrill, 1881), to the species Neopolynoe chondrocladiae n. comb. This species is characterized by living in association with the carnivorous sponges Chondrocladia robertballardi Cristobo, Ríos, Pomponi & Xavier, 2015 and Chondrocladia virgata Thompson, 1873. The existence of specialized chaetae in N. chondrocladiae n. comb. and the occurrence of open galleries in the sponge, derived from a gradual overgrowth of the sponge to accommodate the worm, suggest an obligate symbiotic relationship between worm and sponge. The presence of a gravid female with relatively small oocytes (maximum diameter 56.94 ± 14.89 μm) suggests that N. chondrocladiae n. comb. is a gonochoristic broadcaster with a planktotrophic larva, a means of reproduction that would maximize the chances of this species finding new suitable hosts to colonize. We also provide a phylogenetic placement, using four genetic markers (18S, 28S, 16S and COI), for N. chondrocladiae n. comb. and N. acanellae , which confirms they are two different species. In addition, we also report here the occurrence of another deep-water polynoid species in association with the carnivorous sponge Chondrocladia verticillata Topsent, 1920, from the Gulf of Mexico, and place it in a phylogeny. • Two polynoid species reported to live with two Chondrocladia carnivorous sponges. • A new combination of a species of the genus Neopolynoe (Annelida, Polynoidae). • We provide an updated phylogenetic framework for symbiotic polynoids. • Morphological adaptations on both carnivorous sponge and polynoids are highlighted. • We suggest Neopolynoe chondrocladiae n. comb. is gonochoristic and broadcaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]