Eight species of the genus Allophrys Förster are found to occur in South Africa: A. astafurovae sp. nov., A. broadi sp. nov., A. calculator sp. nov., A. dictator sp. nov., A. excavator sp. nov., A. granulata sp. nov., A. scitula sp. nov. and A. tractor sp. nov. All these species have body length 2.5–3.4 mm and fore wing length 1.7–2.3 mm, and along with members of the genus Aneuclis Förster are...

We studied interrelationships between initial egg size and biomass, duration of embryogenesis at different salinities, and initial larval biomass in an estuarine crab, Chasmagnathus granulata. Ovigerous females were maintained at three different salinities (15 per thousand, 20 per thousand and 32 per thousand); initial egg size (mean diameter), biomass (dry weight, carbon and nitrogen) as well ...

The neotropical freshwater family Potamotrygonidae appears to be the only stingray group that has radiated in a non-marine environment. To assess the affinities of potamotrygonids to other rays, a phylogenetic analysis was undertaken using 39 morphological characters from 18 stingray groups. The single tree produced (CI = 0.80, RI = 0.88) suggests that neotropical freshwater rays are a monophyl...

Anindobothrium n. gen. is proposed to accommodate Caulobothrium anacolum inhabiting Himantura schmardae from Colombia, and 2 new species, one inhabiting Potamotrygon orbigny in Brazil and the other inhabiting Paratrygon aereiba in Venezuela. Members of the new genus resemble members of Pararhinebothroides, Rhinebothroides, and Anthocephalum by having bothridia with poorly differentiated apical ...

Most batoids have a unique swimming mode in which thrust is generated by either oscillating or undulating expanded pectoral fins that form a disc. Only one previous study of the freshwater stingray has quantified three-dimensional motions of the wing, and no comparable data are available for marine batoid species that may differ considerably in their mode of locomotion. Here, we investigate thr...

Three new species of Monocotyle were found on the gills of the coachwhip stingray, Himantura uarnak (Rajiformes: Dasyatidae) collected at Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia (23 degrees 27' S, 151 degrees 55 'E). Monocotyle helicophallus new species, Monocotyle multiparous new species and Monocotyle spiremae new species all have a single testis and are distinguished from other described...