Volume 33

A new species belonging to the Fionidae (sensu Cella et al., 2016), Eubranchus flexus sp. nov. is described based on specimens collected in Nha Trang, Vietnam, South China Sea, Indo-West Pacific, from the upper sublittoral depth. An integrative analysis was conducted, including a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on three markers (COI, 16S, H3), and an analysis of the external and internal morphology using light and scanning electron microscopy. The distinctiveness of Eubranchus flexus sp. nov. is well established both morphologically and genetically. Phylogenetically Eubranchus flexus sp. nov. represents a derived branch in the phylogeny of Eubranchus, but its relationships with other Eubranchus species are unresolved likely due to low taxon sampling. Eubranchus flexus sp. nov. is the first representative of the genus Eubranchus for the nudibranch fauna of Vietnam and for now its range is restricted only to the type locality.

Using light and scanning electron microscopy the first data on morphology of mature glochidia of freshwater bivalve Beringiana beringiana from Dalneye Lake in Kamchatka were received. Based on literature data a comparison with glochidia from other populations of this species is given. Among the Russian Far East populations of the discussed species, glochidia from the Dalneye Lake were the smallest, with shell sizes up to 287 µm and with a hook that does not exceed 1/3 of the glochidium height. Microsculpture of the outer surface of glochidia was tight-looped all over the whole valves.

Chuatienpupa megacanalis gen. et sp. nov. is described from Hoa Binh province, northern Vietnam. Chuatienpupa gen. nov. is characterized by a small, pupoid-shaped, smooth, glossy shell. Peristome with two canals; anterior canal twisted funnel-shaped, appearing as a very wide groove, opening on the basal side; posterior canal continues vertically upward and forming a wide groove, which is divided by the upper palatal plica. The operculum bowl-shaped, strongly convex, its outer surface smooth, glossy, and covered by a glaze. Both shell and opercular characters distinguish this new genus from other Southeast Asian pupinid genera. General shell morphology of Chuatienpupa gen. nov. is most similar to Pupina Vignard, 1829. However, the new genus differs in having two palatal and basal plicae, a twisted anterior canal, opening on the basal side, and a solid, bowl-shaped operculum, with outer surface dome-shaped and completely smooth.

Here we present detailed morphological and molecular comparison of the Tonicia species and ecotypes along Southeastern Pacific coast. Several specimens were examined by scanning electron microscopy and based on plates morphology we propose a new taxonomic key for identification of species and ecotypes of Tonicia. A total of 566 specimens were measured to explore morphological differences between ecotypes and ecoregions by means of multivariate analyses. Genetic distances and a maximum likelihood (ML) phylogeny were estimated using Cytochrome Oxidase I (cox1) to compare species and ecotypes. Morphometry and multivariate analyses revealed morphological differences between ecotypes in each species. However, cox1 genetic distances were low between ecotypes in both species (T. calbucensis and T. chilensis) and the ML phylogeny revealed an absence of monophyletic relationships between ecotypes in each species clades. The new key will be useful to identify Tonicia species by morphology without molecular analysis.