A new genus and species of Tanaidacea are described from the manganese nodule province between the Clarion and the Clipperton Fracture Zone of the equatorial North Pacific Ocean collected during the French/German BIONOD expedition in 2012. The new genus, Cheliasetosatanais, can be diagnosed by the propodal and dactylus setation and the maxilliped endite armament. The male is also described and, while being a dimorphic swimming male, still shares the diagnostic characters and posseses a fully functional maxilliped.

Four valid species of the genus Gymnogonos are known at this point of investigations: G. crassicornis (northern Atlantic and the Arctic Seas); G. obvolutus (northern Atlantic and the Arctic Seas); G. ameriensis (circumantarctic distribution) and the new species G. pacificus (northern Pacific). Other species, such as Corymorpha antarctica (Pfeffer, 1889) and Tubularia cingulata (Vanhöffen, 1910) from the southern hemisphere are recognized as ‘species inquirendae’. New descriptions and taxonomic discussions of the known Gymnogonos species have been proposed. This genus has a typical bipolar distribution in the classical meaning of this term. This genus origin may rise from tropical Corymorphidae by neoteny in the period of glacial cooling.

In 1955, Kerkut recorded the spontaneous activities of a tube foot of Asterias rubens L. Such activity consisted of cyclical protraction and retraction phases, one complete cycle lasting on average some 6·5 min (S.D. 2·5). The duration of the protraction phase was on average 4·3 min. It is reasonable to assume that under the conditions of this experiment a similar level of hydrostatic pressure was attained as was found by Binyon (1964), namely 30 cm water. There then followed a fairly rapid retraction of the podium and a quiescent period of some 2·2 min duration. An individual podium would thus execute some 9·2 cycles/h.

A new species of Craniella from the Aleutian Islands is described. Craniella sputnika sp. nov. differ from all other species of Craniella in its habitus, absence of microscleres and size of spicules. The name refers to its resemblance to Earth's first artificial satellite, due to its spherical body with long spines. The new species was observed growing on another demosponge, Myxilla sp. We propose transferring two species currently in Craniella to Tetilla (Craniella ellipsoidea Hoshino, 1982 and Craniella laminaris (George & Wilson, 1919)) and two subspecies (Craniella globosa anamonaena Tanita, 1968 and Craniella laminaris symmetrica (Wilson, 1931)) from Craniella to Tetilla. As Craniella globosa anamonaena Tanita, 1968, is actually a species of Tetilla we suggest raising the subspecies to species rank as Tetilla anamonaena. Conversely we think that two species, Tetilla ovata (Thiele, 1898) and Tetilla hamatum Koltun, 1966 should be transferred to Craniella.

Numbers of naked amoebae (Gymnamoebae) inhabiting the lower intertidal zone of two sandy beaches were estimated using a novel enrichment cultivation method. Samples were collected between June and September, 1999. Beach sand at Kames Bay, Isle of Cumbrae, Scotland contained on average 2604 amoebae cm−3 while at Dania Beach, Florida, USA, sand harboured 4236 amoebae cm−3. This is the first study to focus on the abundance of naked amoebae inhabiting a sandy beach. These numbers are higher than densities generally reported for shallow subtidal sands and show that amoebae must be considered in future studies on the dynamics of sandy beach communities.

Ferritin crystals and calcium granules are reported from the ventral ceaca of Steleuthera ecoprophycea (Amphipoda: Stegocephalidae) collected from the Snake Pit hydrothermal vent, Mid-Atlantic Ridge (3520 m).

In a series of earlier papers (Moore & Rainbow, 1984, 1989, 1992; Moore et al., 1994), the authors described the widespread occurrence of intracellular, octahedral crystals of ferritin in the ventral caeca of a range of stegocephalid amphipod species from the continental shelf epibenthos and oceanic plankton. The discovery at 3500 m of a new Steleuthera species (S. ecoprophycea), from a hydrothermal vent on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge was announced recently by Bellan-Santini & Thurston (1996), and a complete description is provided therein.

Oceanic ridge sites are notable for their tectonic activity and the presence of a diversity of trace metals at high concentrations is to be expected in hydrothermal plumes emanating from such regions (German & Angel, 1995). The detoxification of accumulated trace metals in the ventral ceaca of stegocephalid amphipods from uncontaminated environments is now relatively well known (see above), so it was of interest to investigate whether a vent stegocephalid showed an atypical presence of trace metals in detoxified form in cells of the ventral caeca. The results following from an opportunity to investigate this are reported herein.

Material was derived from a dive made by the submersible ‘Alvin’ at Snake Pit hydrothermal field, Mid-Atlantic Ridge (23°23′N 44°56′W), 3520 m, on 16 June 1993 (see Bellan-Santini & Thurston, 1996). Steleuthera ecoprophycea was preserved in 70% alcohol. Subsequently to dissection, the single pair of ventral caeca from each of the four damaged amphipods investigated were post-fixed in 4% glutaraldehyde. For electron microscopy and x-ray microanalysis in STEM mode, ventral caecal tissues were then dehydrated through 95% and absolute ethanol, cleared in propylene oxide, embedded in TAAB resin, sectioned at 0·5 μm (semi-thin sections) on a Reichert OmU2 ultramicrotome and examined without staining in a JEOL 100C electron microscope equipped with LINK system EDX energy dispersive x-ray microanalyser.

Juvenile anemonefish Amphiprion ocellaris were tested in two behavioural laboratory set-ups for their ability to visually or chemically recognize conspecifics. Individuals of two other species of anemonefish, A. clarkii and Dascyllus aruanus, were also used as test specimens for recognition. The results indicate that juvenile A. ocellaris recognize conspecifics visually rather than by olfaction. This is contrary to their finding mechanism of their host anemone. However, the results also indicate that the juvenile A. ocellaris are neither attracted nor deterred by the presence of conspecifics. This is contrary to the settling mechanisms of the damselfish D. aruanus and D. reticulatus, and of the temperate herring Clupea harengus. Hence the results emphasize the variation of sensory abilities and behaviours in fish larvae and juveniles. It is not an area prone for generalizations.

The Council have great pleasure in reporting that Prof. A. V. Hill, C.H., O.B.E., F.R.S., was elected President of the Association in June in place of Prof. Sir James Gray, Kt., C.B.E., M.C., F.R.S., who had served for the preceding ten years.

The Council wish to record their deep appreciation of the many services rendered to the Association by Sir James Gray during his long term of office as President, and are glad to report that he will continue to serve on the Council as Governor representing the Royal Society. Sir James Gray has been elected a Vice-President of the Association.

Giemsa-stained blood smears were examined from 70 deep demersal fish of 27 species in 20 genera, trawled from depths of 747–4143 m in the region of the Porcupine Seabight, north-east Atlantic. Infections were found in four species of teleosts in three families: 1/3 Alepocephalus rostratus and 1/3 Narcetes stomias (Alepocephalidae); 2/3 Antimora rostrata (Moridae); and 1/1 Cataetyx laticeps (Bythitidae). Blood films from C. laticeps and Antimora rostrata were well preserved but those from the other two species were less satisfactory. The blood parasites included two types of haemogregarines, Haemohormidium-like and viral erythrocytic necrosis (VEN)-like infections. Haemogregarina (sensu lato) johnstoni sp. nov. was described from C. laticeps captured at 1541 m. This haemogregarine was unusual in apparently having dimorphic gamonts, some with prominent caps. A second, but monomorphic, haemogregarine found in Alepocephalus rostratus captured from 985 m, was named as Desseria sp. since only extracellular stages were observed. Haemohormidium-like organisms were found in Antimora rostrata taken from 2441 m, and were similar to those described previously from this deep-sea fish. A VEN-like infection from one N. stomias captured from 2567 m was reported. No marked effects on host cells were evident in any of these blood infections.

Haliclona indistincta has in some respects, a typical reproductive cycle for a marine haplosclerid sponge. We suggest that oocytes originate from archaeocytes and that spermatozoa originate from choanocytes. Oocytes were first seen in November and matured as eggs by May and June. Immature spermatic cysts were identified from February and mature cysts were present in May and June only. Of the individuals surveyed that had reproductive elements present (150/200), reproductive elements from a single sex were reported in over half of the specimens (59%) but there were also many hermaphrodites (41%). Embryos were first seen in June. Larvae were distributed throughout the mesohyl and were released from the end of June to the end of July. Three mobile larval stages and fusing of sibling larvae were observed. Post-settlement stages from early settlement to the development of oscula and excurrent canals are also shown. However, some elements of the larvae (uniform ciliation and no spicules at posterior pole) are not consistent with larvae from this genus.

The north-eastern Atlantic gobiid genus Lebetus Winther, 1877, was formerly believed to contain two species, Lebetus scorpioides (Collett, 1874) and L. orca (Collett, 1874). These have been subsequently shown to represent females (and immature fish) and males respectively of a single, sexually dimorphic species whose valid name is L. scorpioides. The discovery of two forms of Lebetus postlarvae, differing in meristic characters, fin growth, and pigmentation, is shown not to affect this conclusion but to suggest provisional recognition of another species, L. guilleti (Le Danois, 1913), with fewer anal fin-rays (A I/5–6) and vertebrae (25–26) than L. scorpioides (A I/7–8; vertebrae 27-29). A key and limited synonymy for the species is provided. As a possible alternative view it is suggested that relatively high summer sea-temperatures during early development of L. scorpioides in certain areas may produce the lower meristic features of L. guilleti.

Study of living colonies of Salacia tetracythara Lamouroux, 1816, led to an accurate description of the hydranths and adjoining tissues. A mantle is reported for the first time for this species, lining stem, hydrocladia and hydrotheca. An adcauline nematocyst clump located in the median part of the column, composed of large microbasic mastigophores, is also reported as a new structure for sertulariids. The hypothetical modified tentacles noted by Billard (1925) are confirmed and re-described. Among the 22–28 tentacles of the hydranth in a circlet, two exhibit nematocyst-bearing organs connected at base. These organs are massive, racket-shaped, refringent, and composed of large microbasic mastigophores. They do not affect the tentacles in respect of their general shape and behaviour. One nematocyst-bearing organ can sometimes be linked to more than one tentacle depending on its size. The abcauline position of the two modified tentacles imparts a strong bilateral symmetry to the hydranth. This location explains why only one modified tentacle was previously described from preserved material, the second being hidden by the first when hydranths are retracted inside the hydrotheca. The modified tentacles of S. tetracythara are compared with the nematodactyls of the genus Nemalecium, with the ligula found in several sertulariid species, and with nematophores described in other thecate families. Beside remarks on species taxonomy and distribution, incitation is given to the study, with emphasis especially on hydranths.

Before the Laboratory of the Association was built, it had often been observed in other aquaria that female conger after living for some time in captivity, feeding regularly and voraciously, and growing with considerable rapidity, passed into a swollen and apparently gravid condition and then died. Such conger when dissected after death were invariably found to contain enormously developed ovaries or roes, which entirely filled up and distended the abdominal cavity, and pressed the intestine and other abdominal organs into as small a space as possible. The following are the principal records of cases in which this has been observed.

Eophliantidae are poorly studied marine algal-dwelling amphipods with a wide distribution. A new species was found to excavate burrows across the main stem of Carpophyllum maschalocarpum (Turner) Grev. in the New Zealand subtidal, and a detailed morphological description of this amphipod is given. Bircenna macayai sp. nov. can be distinguished from other Bircenna species by a combination of the following characters: bilobed coxa 1, merus and carpus of pereopods 5–7 strongly extended posteriorly, crenulate basis of pereopod 7 and smooth posterior margin of epimeron 3, pereopod 7 basis longer than wide. A key to the fourteen world species of Eophliantidae is provided. Taxonomy, evolutionary sequences, functional morphology and biogeography of the Eophliantidae are briefly discussed. New Zealand and Australian shallow waters show the highest species diversity of Eophliantidae, containing both species bearing plesiomorphic and highly derived characters, suggesting that Australasia is an evolutionary centre for this amphipod family.

The objectives of this study were to assess population biology and dynamics of the squat lobster Galathea intermedia. On the basis of nearly regular monthly samples taken with a 2-m beam trawl in the Helgoland trench (HTR) during the period of 1985 until 1992, sex ratio, length composition, relative growth and reproduction were studied. The overall sex ratio deviates significantly from 1:1 with 1[male ]:1·8[female] (P[les ]0·001). On average, sexes are equally large, but adult females attain a slightly larger size than adult males. No sex-specific differences in the length–weight relationship were found. Relative growth of the first abdominal segment is clearly of sexual-dimorphic character. On the basis of the length–frequency distributions, the life cycle of the HTR population lasts between one and two years. According to the appearance of ovigerous females and juveniles, reproduction and recruitment are clearly seasonal. Recruitment takes place between July and December. The main reproduction begins in April and ends in September, with a peak between June and August. A significant increase of specimens showing both male and female morphological characters, referred to as morphological hermaphrodites (P[les ]0·001), and males (P[les ]0·05) respectively, was detected.

The cirral activity of the whale barnacle Cryptolepas rhachianechi was studied in a flow tank at different flow regimes. In still water, unidirectional flow, and oscillating flow, the cirral fans of adult animals always beat in the direction of the rostrum. Adults did not respond to water current from the carinal direction by facing the cirral fan into the current; however, during copulation they could turn the cirral fan so it faces the carina. Newly settled animals responded to flow from the carinal direction and to oscillating flow by facing their cirral fans towards the oncoming current, but there is no synchronization between changes in water flow direction and the change in cirral direction. Since these barnacles are normally exposed only to unidirectional currents, with no need to respond to flow from the carinal direction or to oscillating flow, it seems likely that they have lost the ability to change the direction of their cirral beats. This loss of the ability to respond to changes in current direction is a specialization of C. rhachianechi related to its epizoic mode of life.

Marine fouling is a commercially important problem affecting abiotic and biotic surfaces. In this study we investigated the surface fouling on a colonial reef-building invertebrate, the bryozoan Pentapora fascialis, from the Welsh coast. We captured 300 scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of 5 colonies of the bryozoan P. fascialis in order to quantify the level of fouling on the exterior surfaces. Evidence for differential fouling was found to occur at several spatial scales, including between older and newer zooids, between proximal and distal regions of the same zooids and between colonies. The current year's growing zooids were found to have a higher level of fouling than older zooids. The difference in the mean level of fouling of proximal regions of zooids compared to distal regions was found to be significant in P. fascialis. In agreement with the differential fouling previously observed by other authors in the laminar bryozoan Flustra foliacea where the proximal region of a zooid was observed to have a higher level of fouling, the fouling coverage in P. fascialis was higher in the proximal region of zooids. A reduction of fouling on some bryozoan surfaces may be caused by production of antimicrobial compounds. Further studies of microbial fouling of a similar quantitative scale in other bryozoans could aid in the identification of novel antimicrobial agents useful for preventing microbial fouling on abiotic surfaces in the marine environment.

Age and growth of the little Indian squid Loliolus hardwickei (Gray, 1849) were studied using samples collected in the coastal waters of Arabian Sea. Statolith increment counts demonstrated that L. hardwickei has a fast growth rate (dorsal mantle length: 0.31–0.73 mm day−1 in females and 0.27–0.56 mm day−1 in males) and a short lifespan of less than 6 months. Females are the larger sex and their daily growth rates were higher than in males. The oldest male and female were 110 and 130 days old; the youngest mature female and male were 62 and 52 days old respectively. The oviducal fecundity ranged from 104–480 eggs, mean = 360 eggs (14–23 eggs g−1 body weight).

A description is given of Siboglinum holmei sp.nov., a shallow-water Atlantic species. It is compared with S. caulleryi, a related species from the Pacific.