Mimobdella japonica Blanchard, 1897, the type species of the genus Mimobdella Blanchard, 1897, is redescribed based on the holotype. This species is characterized by the following characteristics: mid-body somites novem-annulate, two post-anal annuli, male gonopore in XI/XII, female gonopore in XII/XIII, 9 annuli (one full somite) between gonopores, strepsilaematous pharynx and three myognaths ...

A new sexannulate species of the genus Orobdella Oka, 1895, Orobdella mononokesp. n., is described on the basis of five specimens collected from Yakushima Island, Japan. Orobdella mononokesp. n. differs from other sexannulate Orobdella species in its possessing the following combination of characters: dorsal surface bicolor in life, I-XIII, XXVII and caudal sucker grayish purple, XIV-XXVI amber...

A new quadrannulate species of Orobdella, Orobdella ketagalansp. n., from Taipei, Taiwan, is described. This is the first record of Orobdella and the family Orobdellidae from Taiwan. This new species possesses small, paired sperm duct bulbs in the male reproductive system. In addition to these bulbs, the following combination of characters distinguishes this new species from other quadrannulate...

Many echinoderms spawn large numbers of eggs in rapid spawning bouts directly into the water column. During spawning, the eggs pass from the gonad along a narrow oviduct and through a rigid gonopore before reaching the water. As the eggs traverse this pathway, they are exposed to shear stress induced by the development of a velocity gradient within the fluid formed by the eggs. In some species,...

The occurrence of acanthocephalans of the genus Neoechinorhynchus Stiles and Hassall, 1905 in Vietnamese waters is reported for the first time. Six new species are described from seven species of marine fish of the families Belonidae, Clupeidae, Megalopidae, Mugilidae, and Sciaenidae, collected in Halong Bay of the eastern seaboard of Vietnam in 2008 and 2009. These are Neoechinorhynchus (Neoec...

Adults of Bromeliacaruscardoso gen. n., sp. n. are described from phytotelmata of Quesneliaarvensis (Vellozo) Mez. (Bromeliaceae) in the subtropical area of the Atlantic rainforest, São Paulo State, Brazil. The new genus Bromeliacarus is proposed and diagnosed, based primarily on the autapomorphic presence of 7-9 pairs of acetabula flanking the gonopore. A possible relationship between Bromelia...

Stygarctus ayatori sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Stygarctidae), is described from a sandy beach located at Okinoshima, Tateyama Bay, Boso Peninsula, Honshu, Japan. The most prominent characters were observed in the female genital structure, with the seminal receptacle ducts forming a three-dimensional entanglement near the exterior opening, and internal thickening situated peripheral to the gonop...

A new quadrannulate Orobdella Oka, 1895 species, Orobdella koikeisp. n., is described on the basis of six specimens collected from Hokkaido, Japan. In addition, an emended description of quadrannulate Orobdella kawakatsuorum Richardson, 1975 is also provided. Orobdella koikei differs from other quadrannulate species of Orobdella in possessing the following combination of characters: color dorsa...

Abstract The reproduction of bopyrid isopod parasites is thought to occur immediately following host ecdysis, but direct observations supporting this hypothesis are limited. aim study was describe the reproductive behaviour Bopyrus crangorum relative ecdysis based on video recordings. Several hours after biphasic moulting female observed. cuticle posterior body shed before that anterior at an i...

a new species of cassiduloid echinoids, pygaulus baghinensis is reported for the first time from aptian sediments of baghin area, west of kerman, iran. the diagnostic features of the species are centrally positioned of the apical disc and approximately low profile of the test. variation in gonopore size in different individuals allows to conclude that p. baghinensis is sexually dimorphic. speci...