To assess and analyse accurately their geographical distributions, fiddler crabs (Uca) from the Atlantic coast of Brazil were studied using field collections, museum specimens and literature reports. More than 7000 specimens of ten Uca species were collected across five coastal biomes from 63 sites on the Atlantic coast of South America between the Brazilian States of Amapá and Santa Catarina in 2009 and 2010. Based on our analyses of mouthparts and habitat osmolality (=salinity), each species seems to prefer a particular niche defined by a specific array of physical factors. The species' distributions form four geographical patterns along the South Atlantic coast; however, the different species do not occur uniformly within each biome. Most common are U. (M.) rapax, U. (L.) leptodactyla, U. (B.) thayeri and U. (U.) maracoani with the relative abundance of each varying among the biomes according to habitat availability. Owing to their high constituent diversity, two geographical areas are candidates for biological conservation efforts. Considering fossil records, molecular clocks, oceanic hydrology and plate tectonics over the last 65 million years, the biogeographical patterns of the extant species can be used to reconstruct an evolutionary scenario for Uca in the tropical and temperate zones of the western Atlantic Ocean.

During an expedition along the Kola Peninsula coast in 2009, Alvania punctura was found in two localities. This is the first record of this species, which occurs from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, from the Russian Barents Sea. This finding may be caused by current climate change or by misidentification of earlier finds by previous authors.

Fleshy macroalgae are becoming a dominant benthic component on Caribbean coral reefs, with increased abundance and frequency across all reef zones. Over the past two decades, the brown alga Lobophora variegata has proliferated on shallow and deep reefs in Curaçao, former Netherlands Antilles. This alga provides a living substrate for a diverse epiphytic community. Here we report on Neosiphonia howei (Rhodomelaceae: Ceramiales), growing epiphytically on L. variegata over a broad depth gradient (6.5 to 40 m). Although N. howei has been reported as a typical epiphyte in shallow water, it was commonly found on L. variegata blades on the reef slope in all fertile stages. This epiphyte anchored deeply into the host tissue, suggesting hemiparasitic behaviour. The spread of L. variegata may have increased the depth-range of N. howei and the exact nature of the interaction between N. howei and its host deserves further research considering the importance of fleshy macroalgae on coral reefs.

A new deep-sea fish is reported for the tropical eastern Atlantic. The rare chiasmodontid Kali macrodon was caught for the first time in Cape Verdean waters during an oceanographic survey in September 2009. This record provides the fifth occurrence for the species in the north-eastern Atlantic and represents the third specimen ever caught in tropical waters.

This work provides the first information about the stomach contents of juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) on the coast of Rio de Janeiro State, south-eastern Brazil (22°50′S–23°00′S). Between June 2009 and May 2010, we obtained 49 stomach contents of specimens that were stranded, of which 37 contained food items. Among food items, macroalgae stood out with 83.7% frequency of occurrence in the stomachs analysed and 37 species were identified. The most representative macroalgae in the stomach contents were: Sargassum vulgare, Ulva lactuca, Gelidiella acerosa and Pterocladiella capillacea. Teleosts and molluscs were also recorded in the stomach contents of the species in the region; however, with low representativeness. Analysis of stomach contents confirmed herbivory as the preferred dietary pattern of C. mydas.

The Atlantic spotted dolphin, Stenella frontalis, presents two geographically isolated populations in the western South Atlantic. This note reports on a 350 km northward extension range of the southern population. The sighted group of 80 animals was in waters 66 m deep and 75 nautical miles distant from the coast. The record was observed during a dedicated cetacean survey in Brazilian waters in the spring of 2008 and supports a discontinuous distribution along the coast of Brazil.

A large specimen of a female large-eyed rabbitfish, Hydrolagus mirabilis, known previously only from the eastern and western Atlantic, was recorded for the first time in the eastern Mediterranean. Its morphometric and meristic characteristics are reported.

A specimen of bigscale jawfish, Opistognathus macrolepis (Perciformes: Opistognathidae) was collected from the travelling water screen of Madras Atomic Power Station pump house, located at Kalpakkam, south-east coast of India. Opistognathus macrolepis was previously known only from central west Pacific, from the Gulfs of Thailand and Carpentaria, Australia. The present study reports the first record of its occurrence in the Indian Ocean from the east coast of India and constitutes a new addition to the Indian coastal ichthyofauna.

Occurrence of killer whales in Norway is linked to the migration of the herring population with most sightings during wintertime. Here we describe the first record of North Atlantic killer whales feeding on Atlantic salmon inside a fjord in northern Norway during summertime, thus adding an important factor in understanding the feeding ecology of North Atlantic killer whales.

The longfin gunnel, Pholis clemensi, was previously reported to range as far south as Point Arena California in the Pacific Ocean. New observations are documented south to Point Lobos with geo-referenced photographs from remotely operated vehicles extending the known range to 304.5 km.

We report the first record of an elasmobranch (shark) with cyclopia and other abnormalities (albinism, absence of nostrils, a bump on the snout and a slight abnormality in the vertebral column). These malformations were found in an embryonic dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus caught near Cerralvo Island in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Tomographic images were taken to observe these deformities in detail. The causes of these deformities are uncertain but may be attributed to congenital malformation during embryonic development (holoprosencephaly).

Although sea cucumber is commercially important, its biology, ecology and dynamic of population have not been known yet in the Persian Gulf. With this respect, this study has been conducted to identify the species present around Hengam Island in the Persian Gulf. Six species of sea cucumber (four species belonging to the genus Holothuria and another two species belonging to the genus Stichopus) were collected on the sub-tidal zone of Hengam Island (Persian Gulf) via SCUBA diving at depths of 5–15 m in March–July 2012. The species identification was made using morphological keys and review of their ossicles.

The first specimen of Sladenia shaefersi captured in waters of the Gulf of Mexico is reported. This record along with two other specimens reported between 2007 and 2009 extend the species range to the Gulf of Mexico, the western North Atlantic and into the Corner Rise Seamount. A comparison of the morphometric characters from the available data and an illustration of the esca are provided. The distribution of the species is discussed.

A mimic octopus Thaumoctopus mimicus is documented for the first time in Australian waters off Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia during a low tide on 4 June 2012. One adult was found and this suggests that their geographical distribution is larger than currently documented.

The presence of the non-indigenous species, the black-pygmy mussel Limnoperna securis, was surveyed for the first time in the Rias of Pontevedra and Arousa, areas adjacent to the first location (Ria of Vigo) of this potential invader in Atlantic waters. Molecular identification of the mussels was conducted by polymerase chain reaction amplification and sequencing of nuclear and mitochondrial genes. This paper describes for the first time the species in the Ria of Pontevedra, confirming that this invader was absent in an intense shellfish farming area of the Ria of Arousa (Galicia, north-western Spain). Field sampling revealed that relatively high concentrations of this mytilid bivalve have colonized some localities of the inner part of the Ria of Pontevedra located in brackish waters. A comparison between population densities, size and substrate preference of L. securis in the Rias of Pontevedra and Vigo was conducted. Dispersion capacity of L. securis is discussed based on molecular detection of larval stages in the stomach contents of the copepod Centropages typicus coupled with physical oceanography of the southern Galician Rias. The invasive role of L. securis is also discussed in the context of the bissus secretion and attachment strength, ecological tolerance of the species, and the recent finding of settlements of this species on numerous colonies of the economically important blue mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis.

We collected 138 Kumamoto like oyster specimens in and around the Nakatsu tidal flat to monitor species diversity. The mitochondrial large subunit of ribosomal DNA (LSrDNA) and the nuclear ribosomal internally transcribed spacer-1 (ITS-1) region were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, leading to the discovery of the Kumamoto oyster Crassostrea sikamea in the Nakatsu tidal flat. A more accurate species identification using the nucleotide sequences for cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and ITS-1 confirmed the presence of the oysters. These results provide the first evidence of C. sikamea in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan.

Hormophysa cuneiformis, a brown macroalga in the family Sargassaceae, is now documented from Pohnpei based on a specimen collected in May 1957 and recently discovered in the Herbarium Pacificum of the Bishop Museum. Previously documented collections of H. cuneiformis in Micronesia were made from Palau in the western Pacific in July 1968 and January 1971, and Pagan Island in the Northern Mariana Islands in July 1975.

The wood boring isopod, Sphaeroma terebrans is reported for the first time from Brunei coastal waters. The species was found inhabiting fallen wood, jetty piles, wooden poles of water villages and mangrove trees along the Brunei River estuary. Threats to the integrity of such structures and plants through the boring activities of this isopod have the potential for major economic and social impact in Brunei.

Twenty-eight mollusc species were collected by Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research during a 2011 pollution monitoring survey of a deep waste-dumping site (1264–1325 m), in the Levantine Sea, 45 km off the coast of Israel. Three species, Odostomia silesui, Ledella marisnostri, and Katadesmia cuneata are new records to the Eastern Mediterranean. The depth records of the first two species considerably extend their known bathymetric ranges. Roxania monterosatoi and Alvania subsoluta are new records for the Levantine Basin and the additional two species are new records for the Israeli coast. The finding of additional specimens of Diaphana marshalli, recently reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea, confirms the presence of an established population of the rare species. The exploration and production of the extensive sub-salt natural gas fields recently discovered off the coast of Israel may all too soon impact this barely explored region.

Acanthurus monroviae is reported for the first time in European Atlantic waters. One adult specimen of this species was observed and photographed in the Arrábida Marine Park (Portugal, 38.43°N9.07°W) in December 2007. Short term temperature changes associated with warmer winters may favour the occurrence of vagrant individuals of tropical species in this temperate biogeographic transition zone. This area is considered an important ‘barometer' for studying the effects of climate change with possibly permanent expansions of the geographical ranges of these species.