Three new species of sea star parasite Dendrogaster (Crustacea: Thecostraca) from Japan.

Three new species of ascothoracidan crustaceans, Dendrogaster danni sp. nov., Dendrogaster tanabensis sp.

Carcinoecium-Forming Sea Anemone sp. nov. (Cnidaria, Actiniaria, Actiniidae) from the Japanese Deep-Sea Floor: A Taxonomical Description with Its Ecological Observations.

Here we describe sp. nov. (Cnidaria, Actiniaria, Actiniidae), a new carcinoecium-forming sea anemone from the deep-sea floor of Japan.

Rare endoparasitic Asteriomyzostomum (Annelida: Asteriomyzostomidae) from Japan, including three new species descriptions and their phylogenetic position within Myzostomida.

The rare myzostomid genus Asteriomyzostomum Jägersten, 1940 consists of two species, both parasitizing sea stars. The phylogenetic position of this genus among Myzostomida has not been previously shown using molecular data. In this study, three species of Asteriomyzostomum were collected from the Kumano Sea, Japan, and are described as A.

Loss of the six3/6 controlling pathways might have resulted in pinhole-eye evolution in Nautilus.

Coleoid cephalopods have an elaborate camera eye whereas nautiloids have primitive pinhole eye without lens and cornea. The Nautilus pinhole eye provides a unique example to explore the module of lens formation and its evolutionary mechanism. Here, we conducted an RNA-seq study of developing eyes of Nautilus and pygmy squid.

Genome structure analysis of molluscs revealed whole genome duplication and lineage specific repeat variation.

Comparative genome structure analysis allows us to identify novel genes, repetitive sequences and gene duplications. To explore lineage-specific genomic changes of the molluscs that is good model for development of nervous system in invertebrate, we conducted comparative genome structure analyses of three molluscs, pygmy squid, nautilus and scallops using partial genome shotgun sequencing. Most effective elements on the genome structural changes are repetitive elements (REs) causing expansion of genome size and whole genome duplication producing large amount of novel functional genes.

Evolution of the cephalopod head complex by assembly of multiple molluscan body parts: Evidence from Nautilus embryonic development.

Cephalopod head parts are among the most complex occurring in all invertebrates. Hypotheses for the evolutionary process require a drastic body-plan transition in relation to the life-style changes from benthos to active nekton. Determining these transitions, however, has been elusive because of scarcity of fossil records of soft tissues and lack of some of the early developmental stages of the basal species.