Cryptic species in time and space: an assessment of cryptic diversity within eight nominal species of Hydrozoa (Cnidaria).

Sampling in multiple localities, coupled with molecular barcoding, has shown that nominal species with wide geographical distribution often harbour local cryptic species in allopatry. Cryptic species in sympatry, however, can be easily missed if they have different seasonality, because they can be identified only through long-term frequent sampling (i.e.

Demystifying Cassiopea species identity in the Florida Keys: Cassiopea xamachana and Cassiopea andromeda coexist in shallow waters.

The phylogeny of the Upside-Down Jellyfish (Cassiopea spp.) has been revised multiple times in its history. This is especially true in the Florida Keys, where much of the Cassiopea stock for research and aquarium trade in the United States are collected.

Cellular Reprogramming and Immortality: Expression Profiling Reveals Putative Genes Involved in Turritopsis dohrnii's Life Cycle Reversal.

To gather insight on the genetic network of cell reprogramming and reverse development in a nonmodel cnidarian system, we produced and annotated a transcriptome of the hydrozoan Turritopsis dohrnii, whose medusae respond to damage or senescence by metamorphosing into a juvenile stage (the polyp), briefly passing through an intermediate and uncharacterized stage (the cyst), where cellular transdifferentiation occurs. We conducted sequential and pairwise differential gene expression (DGE) analyses of the major life cycle stages involved in the ontogenetic reversal of T. dohrnii.

Planktonic associations between medusae (classes Scyphozoa and Hydrozoa) and epifaunal crustaceans.

Jellyfish are known to carry various epibionts, including many of the subphylum Crustacea. However, the associations between gelatinous zooplankton and other invertebrates have been chronically overlooked. Crustacea, a massive clade of economically, ecologically, and culturally important species, includes many taxa that utilize gelatinous zooplankton for food, transport, and protection as both adults and juveniles.

Transcriptome Characterization of Reverse Development in (Hydrozoa, Cnidaria).

Medusae of undergo reverse development in response to physical damage, adverse environmental conditions, or aging. Senescent, weakened or damaged medusae transform into a cluster of poorly differentiated cells (known as the cyst stage), which metamorphose back into a preceding life cycle stage, the polyp. During the metamorphosis, cell transdifferentiation occurs.

Fluctuation and diversity of Hydromedusae (Hydrozoa, Cnidaria) in a highly productive region of the Gulf of Mexico inferred from high frequency plankton sampling.

Hydrozoa medusae undergo blooms and seasonal fluctuations; however the drivers of such fluctuations are unknown. To understand how medusa populations fluctuate in response to seasonal factors such as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and chlorophyll a, and to enhance our taxonomic knowledge of Hydrozoa in Galveston Bay (TX), we performed frequent plankton sampling from September 2015 to September 2016. We collected 1,321 medusae in 190 sampling days.

TaxaGloss - A Glossary and Translation Tool for Biodiversity Studies.

Background: Correctly identifying organisms is key to most biological research, and is especially critical in areas of biodiversity and conservation. Yet it remains one of the greatest challenges when studying all but the few well-established model systems. The challenge is in part due to the fact that most species have yet to be described, vanishing taxonomic expertise and the relative inaccessibility of taxonomic information.

Turritopsis fascicularis Fraser, 1943 (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa): redescription and discussion of its phylogenetic position within the genus.

Turritopsis fascicularis Fraser, 1943 was first described off Alligator Reef, Florida, USA, at a depth of 216 m. Presumably a deep-sea species, its validity has often been questioned due to the scarcity of available records. In this paper, T.

Barcoding Techniques Help Tracking the Evolutionary History of the Introduced Species Pennaria disticha (Hydrozoa, Cnidaria).

The Christmas tree hydroid Pennaria disticha is listed as one of the most common introduced species in Hawaii. Firstly reported in Kaneohe Bay (Oahu) in 1928, it is now established throughout the entire archipelago, including the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, a U.S.

Podocoryna loyola, n. sp. (Hydrozoa, Hydractiniidae): a probably introduced species on artificial substrate from southern Brazil.

Podocoryna loyola, a new hydractiniid species, has been found on artificial substrates in Baía de Paranaguá, southern coast of Brazil, since April 2007. Its main morphological characteristics are: (1) polymorphic colonies with reticular stolons or encrusting hydrorhiza not covered by periderm and smooth chitinous spines; (2) newly-released medusae with eight tentacles and small interradial gonads; (3) mature medusae with eight tentacles and unbranched oral lips; gastric peduncle absent. Molecular data show that P.

Evolution of life cycle, colony morphology, and host specificity in the family Hydractiniidae (Hydrozoa, Cnidaria).

Biased transitions are common throughout the tree of life. The class hydrozoa is no exception, having lost the feeding medusa stage at least 70 times. The family hydractiniidae includes one lineage with pelagic medusae (Podocoryna) and several without (e.

Speciation in the sea: overview of the symposium and discussion of future directions.

Speciation remains one of the most controversial and least understood topics in evolution. About 75% of the earth's surface is covered by oceans. However, most of what we currently know about speciation is strongly biased toward terrestrial and freshwater organisms.

Evolution of calcium-carbonate skeletons in the Hydractiniidae.

Biomineralization has mostly been studied in the class Anthozoa (Phylum Cnidaria), but very little is known about the evolution of the calcified skeleton in the class Hydrozoa or about the processes leading to its formation. The evolution of the calcified skeleton is here investigated in the hydrozoan family Hydractiniidae. A phylogenetic analysis of ribosomal, mitochondrial, and nuclear-protein-coding DNA sequences supported two independent origins of the calcified skeleton within the Hydractiniidae and indicates a case of parallel evolution, as suspected in the Anthozoa.

Reversing opinions on Dollo's Law.

Dollo's Law, the idea that the loss of complex features in evolution is irreversible, is a popular concept in evolutionary biology. Here we review how application of recent phylogenetic methods, genomics and evo-devo approaches is changing our view of Dollo's Law and its underlying mechanisms. Phylogenetic studies have recently demonstrated cases where seemingly complex features such as digits and wings have been reacquired.