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The ostracod genus Neonesidea is broadly distributed in shallow marine waters. The ontogeny of the N. schulzi (Bairdiidae) is described in detail by studying the development of the appendages and variations in carapace form, size and structure. Neonesidea schulzi has eight post-embryonic instars, and a gap in its ontogenetic development during instar A-6, where no new Anlage is added. The Anlagen of the copulatory organs and the forked terminal claw of second antenna appear in the seventh (A-1) instar, and the first thoracic legs of podocopid ostracods are shown to descend from the thoracic region. For the first time in ostracods, observations of moulting from sixth and seventh instars are presented.

The present study dealt with the description of the reproductive and gametogenic cycles and the embryonic development of the freshwater mussel Nitia teretiuscula from the River Nile. Macro and micro-anatomy showed that the present species is dioceous and gonadosomatic indices showed that the species is semiannual and had two gonadal growth periods, a short period of gonadal growth from January to March and a long period from April to August. Visceral indices revealed a reciprocal relationship with the gonadosomatic indices of both the two sexes. The recorded sex ratio of females to males was (1.5: 1). The oogenesis displayed five developmental stages; oogonia, previtellogenic oocytes, vitellogenic oocytes, late vitellogenic oocytes and mature ova. Also, spermatogenesis illustrated five developmental stages: spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, and secondary spermatocytes, spermatids; which clustered to form sperm morula and finally metamorphosed to spermatozoa. Within the gills of females (marsupia), brooding of embryos was occurred till the formation of glochidia larvae. The unfertilized eggs were released from the gonads with distinct germinal vesicle. The fertilized eggs had two polar bodies and a fertilization cone. Successive cleavages were observed. Spiral cleavage, non-ciliated blastula and D-shaped larvae were recorded.

The genus Berthellina Gardiner 1936 (Mollusca: Heterobranchia: Nudipleura) is a circumtropical group of pleurobranchid sea slugs including species with uniform coloration patterns, varying from yellow and orange to red. The systematics of Berthellina is in need of a revision for many areas of the world, particularly in the Indo-West Pacific region, where more than one species seem to occur. In this paper, we examined specimens of three color morphs collected from the Egyptian coast of the Red Sea. Based on sequence data from two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and 16S ribosomal RNA (16S), as well as the nuclear histone 3 (H3) gene, and using phylogenetic and species delimitation approaches, we determined that two species of Berthellina co-occur in the Egyptian coast of the Red Sea. Molecular phylogenies and a revision of the literature confirmed that B. citrina is the correct name for the orange and yellow color morphs, whereas the red color morph is most likely B. delicata. Morphological and anatomical data corroborated the molecular results. This paper constitutes the first record of B. delicata from the Red Sea. Further molecular phylogenetic studies are necessary to provide a comprehensive phylogeny for Berthellina and resolve outstanding questions on the identification and distribution of most species.

Acid secretion containing sulfuric and hydrochloric acids is a fascinating defensive phenomenon within many groups of marine organisms. This study aimed to investigate the mice spleen histology and immunotoxicity using skin acid secretion (SAS) of the sea slug Berthellina citrina after oral administration. The spleen showed atrophy in the white pulp, decrease in the splenocytes density, megakaryocytes cytoplasmic degeneration as well as inflammatory cells infiltrations. The white and red pulp splenocytes number decreased time-dependently in the treated spleens. Additionally, the size of the megakaryocytes increased as compared with the control. The administration with SAS increased the number of the IgA(+) cells aggregation in the splenic red pulp. Furthermore, after 7days of the administration, large number of dispersed IgA(+) cells were distributed in splenic parenchyma. The IgA(+) cells numbers increased time-dependently as compared with those in the control. The aggregation sizes and number of the F4/80(+) cell in the splenic red pulp were increased. Furthermore the F4/80(+) cells numbers increased time-dependently as compared with those in the control. The UEAI(+) cells were found as free cells but not in aggregations in the control splenic red pulp. Contradictory to the number of IgA(+) cells and F4/80(+) cells the number of the UEAI(+) cells decreased time-dependently after administration with SAS. Hematologically, abnormal numbers of WBCs different cells were observed after administration with SAS. This study provides new insight about the toxicity of a marine extract may be used in natural products industry or medical applications.

The genus Conus is equipped with a unique venomous mixture of conopeptides which secreted for predation and defense purposes. This work is aiming to explore and determine the effect of the crude venom of Conus flavidus, a worm-hunting cone snail inhabiting the Red Sea, on the oxidant/ antioxidant system in mice using some oxidative stress biomarker assays. In addition to assess its histopathological effects on some treated organs. The LC50 were detected for the crude venom using the hemolytic assay (16.7 mg/ml) and male albino mice were injected intraperitoneally with ½ LC50 (8.3 mg/kg B.Wt). Biochemically, after 2, 4, 6, 12, 24 hours of injection the results revealed significant inhibition of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in blood and liver in almost all time intervals comparing with control one. However, it showed elevation in lipid peroxide content (LPC), protein carbonyl content (PCC), nitric oxide level (NO) reduced glutathione content (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) contents of both blood and liver in almost all time intervals. Histopathologicaly, liver and heart were dissected after 1, 3 and 7 days of injection. The treated liver showed vacuolar degeneration, karyolosis and pyknosis, mild blood sinusoidal congestion and centrilobular necrosis. The treated heart illustrated degenerated myofibrils, pyknosis, edema, blood vessel congestion, loss of striation normal construction and fascicular pattern in the myocardium. These results revealed that C. flavidus crude venom has distinct effects upon the oxidant/antioxidant cellular system and degenerative pathological effects in some tissues of treated animals, proving that this venom may contain bioactive peptides, which could be purified and used for further pharmacological and drug discovery investigations in the future.

One new cembrane diterpene, 2R,7R,8R-dihydroxydeepoxysarcophine (1), together with three known compounds, 7alpha,8beta-dihydroxydeepoxysarcophine (2), 7beta-acetoxy-8alpha-hydroxydeepoxysarcophine (3), and sarcophine (4), have been isolated from the Red Sea soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum. Their structures were determined using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. 7beta-Acetoxy-8alpha-hydroxydeepoxysarcophine (3) exhibits cytotoxic activity against HepG2, HCT-116, and HeLa cells with IC50 values of 3.6, 2.3, and 6.7 microg/mL, respectively.

One new cembrane diterpene, 2 R,7 R,8 R-dihydroxydeepoxysarcophine (1), together with three known compounds, 7α,8β-dihydroxy-deepoxysarcophine (2), 7β-acetoxy-8α-hydroxydeepoxysarcophine (3), and sarcophine (4), have been isolated from the Red Sea soft coral Sarcophyton glaucum. Their structures were determined using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. 7β-Acetoxy-8α-hydroxydeepoxysarcophine (3) exhibits cytotoxic activity against HepG2, HCT-116, and HeLa cells with IC50 values of 3.6, 2.3, and 6.7 μg/mL, respectively.

Octopus vulgaris is of great importance for humans as a food resource and in fishery. The present study gave the first new insight about the comparative histopathological and histochemical impacts of oral administration of a single dose (25 mg/kg) of the posterior salivary gland (PSG) and ink sac (IS) extracts of O. vulgaris in mice. Histopathologically, the changes in the liver of PSG and IS extracts administrated mice were lymphocyte aggregations, cytoplasmic vacuolar degeneration and enlargement and congestion of hepatic portal veins. The changes caused by the PSG extract were more than those of the IS extract. In the treated spleen, IS extract showed higher impacts more than the PSG extract and occurred as lymphocyte aggregations, red pulp infiltration, increase of megakaryocytes number and mild distortion in the follicle shape. PSG and IS extracts exerted similar impacts in the ileum which detected as villi hyperplasia, epithelial and lamina propria degeneration, epithelial detachment and lymphocytes infiltration. Histochemically, IS extract increased hepatic collagenous fibers more than PSG extract especially after 7 days of administration. Both extracts reduced the liver general carbohydrates and illeal mucopolysaccharide biosynthesis. PSG and IS extracts exerted significant elevation in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) enzymes. Hematological studies after PSG administration revealed a significant increase in leukocytic count, and platelets and a significant decrease in lymphocytes and granulocytes. However, IS extract caused a significant increase in platelets. The present data could introduce new information about the toxicity of these extracts especially in the countries which depend on O. vulgaris ink in their food.