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Meadows of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica inhabit most infralittoral bottoms of the Mediterranean Sea and are considered one of the main climax stages of the infralittoral environment. This seagrass has its western distributional limit along the coast of the Alboran Sea. Taking into account the decline of P. oceanica meadows and the global scenario of ocean warming, it becomes essential to know the structure, temporal dynamics, sexual reproduction and conservation status of this seagrass, across its geographical distribution, including the distribution boundaries where the meadows withstand limiting environmental conditions. In the present work, we studied the structure, phenology and flowering events of four P. oceanica meadows located in the northwestern Alboran Sea (close to the Strait of Gibraltar). Results indicate a decreasing trend of patch size, bathymetric range and number of leaves per shoot towards the Strait (and the Atlantic Ocean), as well as an increasing trend of shoot density and leaf height. Phenological parameters of the northwestern Alboran Sea P. oceanica meadows presented temporal dynamics similar to meadows from other locations within the biogeographical distribution of this seagrass, with similar or even less annual variability in the former. Although most of the studied P. oceanica meadows seem to present a good health status (BiPo index ~0.6) with high shoot densities and some flowering events, some of them showed evidence of regression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate mounds clustering in three fields were characterized on the upper continental slope of the northern Alboran Sea by means of a detailed analysis of the morphosedimentary and structural features using high-resolution bathymetry and parametric profiles. The contemporary and past benthic and demersal species were studied using ROV underwater imagery and some samples. A total of 325 mounds, with heights between 1 and 18 m, and 204 buried mounds were detected between 155 to 401 m water depth. Transparent facies characterize the mounds, which root on at least six erosive surfaces, indicating different growth stages. At present, these mounds are covered with soft sediments and typical bathyal sedimentary habitat-forming species, such as sea-pens, cerianthids and sabellid polychaetes. Nevertheless, remains of colonial scleractinians, rhodoliths and bivalves were detected and their role as potential mound-forming species is discussed. We hypothesized that the formation of these mounds could be related to favorable climatic conditions for cold-water corals, possibly during the late Pleistocene. The occurrence on top of some mounds of abundant rhodoliths suggests that some mounds were in the photic zone during minimum sea level and boreal guest fauna (e.g., Modiolus modiolus), which declined in the western Mediterranean after the Termination 1a of the Last Glacial (Late Pleistocene). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chella Bank (also known as Seco de los Olivos seamount) is a volcanic submarine elevation (76–700 m deep) located ca. 16 km off the southern coast of Spain, within the Alboran Sea, in the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition zone. It represents a biodiversity hotspot for Europe, with more than 600 species listed to date, and contains several habitats included in the EU Habitats Directive. During three ship-based expeditions, several areas of Chella Bank were surveyed and sampled in a depth range of 95–729 m, resulting in new records that improve our knowledge on poorly studied phyla, such as bryozoans. In 14 of the 21 samples examined during this study, 43 bryozoan taxa could be identified. Among these, one species is described as new to science (Buskea medwaves sp. nov.) and three other ones are reported for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea, namely Terminoflustra barleei (Busk, 1860), Marguetta pulchra Jullien in Jullien & Calvet, 1903, and Schizomavella (Schizomavella) linearis profunda Harmelin & d’Hondt, 1992a. Some species were abundant in the samples, such as Adeonellopsis distoma (Busk, 1859), B. medwaves sp. nov., Entalophoroecia cf. deflexa, and Reteporella pelecanus López de la Cuadra & García-Gómez, 2001. The highest species richness was detected in rhodolith beds and on coral rubble bottoms (especially exposed above the sediments) compared with other bottom types and habitats such as sandy bottoms and muddy bottoms. The finding highlights the importance of these environments for bryozoans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitaria digitaria, a small astartid usually less than 10 mm in length, has a non-brooding behaviour in spite of its limited space for gonad development. This species lives in highly unstable environments with strong currents, which represent a challenge for fertilization and larval settlement. The studied population of D. digitaria from the Strait of Gibraltar area was dioecious, with significant predominance of females and sexual dimorphism, where females are larger than males. The reproductive cycle is asynchronous throughout the year, without a resting period, but with successive partial spawning events. The presence of stored sperm in the suprabranchial chamber and inside the gonad of some females, together with the release of eggs along the dorsal axis of both gills, points to internal oocyte fertilization. Bacteriocytes were found in the female and male follicle walls, but no bacteria were observed inside any of the gametes. Digitaria digitaria could represent a "missing link" between spermcast mating bivalves with brooded offspring and bivalves with broadcast release of eggs and sperm. The small size, limiting the oocyte production, together with the unstable environment could represent evolutionary pressures towards sperm uptake in D. digitaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bay of Málaga is located in a high biodiversity and productivity area that harbours a wide variety of commercial species exploited by different fishing fleets. Benthic and demersal fauna from circalittoral soft bottoms have been studied using a benthic dredge (BD) (8 sampling stations) and an otter trawl (OT) (8 sampling stations on a seasonal basis). Some sediment and water column variables, as well as the trawling activity, have also been studied and used for analysing their linkage with the fauna. A total of 287 species have been found in these bottoms and fish, molluscs and crustaceans represented the most diverse and abundant faunistic groups. A new record of the decapod Hippolyte leptometrae for Spanish waters is also included in this study. Some multivariate analyses using BD samples indicated the presence of three assemblages, but these seem to represent different facies of a single benthic community due to the absence of acute sediment changes and significant differences in the fauna. OT samples only displayed differences related to seasons but not to sediment types or depth. These seasonal differences seem to be linked to biological and ecological features of both dominant and/or commercial species. Mud and organic matter contents (%OM) in sediment, as well as the temperature, were the main variables linked to the spatial distribution of the benthic community identified with BD, whereas medium and coarse sand as well as gravel contents were the main variables linked to the changes of the epibenthic and demersal assemblage resulting from OT samples. The information of this study is of importance for improving the knowledge on the biodiversity of circalittoral soft bottoms of the Mediterranean and Alboran Sea as well as for the potential creation of a Marine Fisheries Reserve in the Bay of Málaga. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanized dredging impact on discards was assessed along the northern Alboran Sea (W Mediterranean Sea). Data from 101 dredging operations were analysed for contrasting spatial and seasonal variability of damage, with the use of a three-level damage scale. 4.5% of discarded individuals displayed intermediate damage, whereas 11.3% displayed severe damage. Echinoderms displayed the highest level of damage (~75% of total collected individuals) and Echinocardium cf. mediterraneum was the most susceptible discarded species (85% with severe damage), followed by bivalves (7.3%) and crustaceans (3.3%). The target Chamelea gallina showed a low proportion of damaged individuals, probably due to their thick protective shell, which promotes the survival of discarded undersized target individuals. Spatial differences in damage level on discards were linked to some gear characteristics, to the higher amount of gravels and to longer tow durations, whereas damage was generally higher in cold months and partly related to higher quantities of hard shelled molluscs, in both cases increasing the abrasion and damage to retained organisms. Data suggest that dredges with a lower number of narrower iron teeth and towed for a shorter time could decrease the damage rate in discards of this fishery. A spatial management plan based on the type of grounds would be useful in order to improve efficiency of these fisheries and minimize their impact to soft bottoms with different commercial catches and biological communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the influence of habitat heterogeneity, inter-habitat connectivity, and biogeograhical patterns in the context of a biodiversity hotspot in an Atlantic-Mediterranean marine transition area. We analyzed some biological and ecological aspects of molluscan assemblages inhabiting different habitats located in the northwestern Alboran Sea, in order to elucidate the inter-habitat connectivity among coastal habitats, and to understand the contribution of each habitat to the integrity of the infralittoral ecosystem. The assessment of molluscan assemblages was performed by combining information regarding (1) feeding guilds, to analyze trophic strategies; (2) microhabitat preference, to study the link between habitat heterogeneity with biodiversity; and (3) biogeographical affinities, to identify distributional patterns of molluscs. A total of 354 molluscs were identified, with vegetated habitats harbouring the highest number of species. A wide variety of trophic strategies were observed, with infaunal filter feeders, specialized carnivores living on sessile invertebrates and microalgal grazers dominating the assemblages. Most of the species have a wide distribution while few strictly Mediterranean species have been collected. The presence of subtropical species highlights the uniqueness of this area in European seas. The high β-diversity value obtained is indicative of high habitat heterogeneity and a high amount of uncommon species, some of them displaying their sole European populations. The different assemblages enrich the global taxocoenosis through complementarity, with an important inter-habitat connectivity reflected by the different temporal ordination of samples according to both micro-habitat affinities and feeding guilds. This work highlights the balanced contribution of soft and vegetated bottoms as reservoirs of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The decapod assemblage associated with a Posidonia oceanica meadow located near its western limit of biogeographic distribution was studied over an annual cycle. Fauna samples were taken seasonally over a year (five replicates per season) in two sites located 7 km apart, using a non-destructive sampling method (airlift sampler) for the seagrass. The dominant species of the assemblage, Pisidia longimana, Pilumnus hirtellus and Athanas nitescens, were associated with the protective rhizome stratum, which is mainly used as a nursery. The correlations between decapod assemblage structure and some phenological parameters of the seagrass shoots and wave height were negative or null, which reflects that species associated with the rhizome had a higher importance than those associated with the leaf stratum. The abundance and composition of the decapod assemblage as well as the ecological indexes displayed a seasonality trend with maximum values in summer-autumn and minimum in winter-spring, which were related to the seawater temperature and the recruitment periods of the dominant species. The spatial differences found in the structure and dynamics of the assemblages may be due to variations in the recruitment of the dominant species, probably as a result of the influence of local factors ( e.g. temperature, currents) and the high dispersal ability of decapods, together with the patchy configuration and the surrounding habitats. The studied meadows are fragmented and are integrated within a mosaic of habitats ( Cymodocea nodosa patches, algal meadows, rocky and sandy bottoms), which promotes the movement of individuals and species among them, maintaining a high species richness and evenness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition and structure of sublittoral faunal assemblages inhabiting soft bottoms (15–72 m depth) within the Marine Protected Area ‘Acantilados y Fondos Marinos de Calahonda-Castell de Ferro’ in southern Spain (North Alboran Sea, Mediterranean) have been studied in relation to sediment and water column variables. Three assemblages were identified and corresponded to mixed bottom, unstable bottom and coastal detritic bottom assemblages, based on Pérès & Picard's (1964) benthic classification. A total of 14,318 individuals were collected and 218 species identified, molluscs being the best represented group (141 species). Species richness displayed significant differences with depth and transect, with the highest values observed in the medium to very fine sand and muddy bottoms with bioclasts located at the shallowest sampling stations. The presence of some rare and poorly known invertebrates that are scarce in other areas of the Mediterranean Sea is remarkable, such as the crustacean decapods Bythocaris cosmetops and Pagurus mbizi, Atlantic species with no records in the Mediterranean Sea, and the bathyal molluscs Poromya granulata and Alvania testae, collected at shallow depths. The spatial distribution of faunal assemblages was mainly related to depth and percentage of gravel and clay according to the canonical correspondence analysis. The geographic location of the area, the heterogeneity of soft bottoms and the presence of upwellings in the area may favour the high biodiversity found in the studied soft bottoms. This study increases the scarce knowledge of the circalittoral fauna of sedimentary habitats of the Alboran Sea, providing a baseline for the management of this interesting SCI and for the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Dopamine is a catecholamine with multiple physiological functions, playing a key role in nervous system; however its participation in reproductive processes and sperm physiology is controversial. High dopamine concentrations have been reported in different portions of the feminine and masculine reproductive tract, although the role fulfilled by this catecholamine in reproductive physiology is as yet unknown. We have previously shown that dopamine type 2 receptor is functional in boar sperm, suggesting that dopamine acts as a physiological modulator of sperm viability, capacitation and motility. In the present study, using immunodetection methods, we revealed the presence of several proteins important for the dopamine uptake and signalling in mammalian sperm, specifically monoamine transporters as dopamine (DAT), serotonin (SERT) and norepinephrine (NET) transporters in equine sperm. We also demonstrated for the first time in equine sperm a functional dopamine transporter using 4-[4-(Dimethylamino)styryl]-N-methylpyridinium iodide (ASP+), as substrate. In addition, we also showed that dopamine (1 mM) treatment in vitro, does not affect sperm viability but decreases total and progressive sperm motility. This effect is reversed by blocking the dopamine transporter with the selective inhibitor vanoxerine (GBR12909) and non-selective inhibitors of dopamine reuptake such as nomifensine and bupropion. The effect of dopamine in sperm physiology was evaluated and we demonstrated that acrosome integrity and thyrosine phosphorylation in equine sperm is significantly reduced at high concentrations of this catecholamine. In summary, our results revealed the presence of monoamine transporter DAT, NET and SERT in equine sperm, and that the dopamine uptake by DAT can regulate sperm function, specifically acrosomal integrity and sperm motility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molluscan assemblages inhabiting subtidal soft bottoms in the northwestern Alboran Sea were studied to analyse temporal changes in structure and composition. A total of 117 samples were collected seasonally using a small rock dredge at 10 sampling stations, yielding 210 mollucan species. The assemblages occurring on the different soft bottoms were well-sorted fine sands assemblage (SFBC), mixed coarse sands assemblage (MX), muddy bioclastic sands assemblage (DE) and coastal bioclastic sands assemblage (DC), and all displayed high species richness values throughout the year. Different seasonal dynamics were observed and ecological indices were influenced by dominant species, especially the bivalveSpisula subtruncataat the shallow stations and the gastropodsCalyptraea chinensisandNassarius reticulatusat the deeper stations. SFBC displayed maximum abundance (N), species richness (S) and Shannon–Wiener diversity (H′) in autumn, DE and MX displayed maximum N and S in spring but maximum H′ in autumn (DE) and winter (MX), and finally DC displayed stable values of ecological indices throughout the year with minima in spring. Seasonal changes in the deep assemblages (25 m) were not significant and therefore less acute than those of shallower ones (5, 15 m), probably due to a lower influence of the environmental conditions and a higher habitat complexity. Seasonal patterns were somewhat different from those observed in more northern areas of Europe, where maximum abundance and species richness is usually concentrated at the end of summer. This original information will provide a baseline to understand the dynamics of benthic communities in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The molluscan taxocoenosis associated with a Cymodocea nodosa seagrass bed was studied throughout 1 year in Genoveses Bay, in the MPA 'Parque Natural Cabo de Gata-Níjar' (south-eastern Spain). A total of 64,824 individuals were collected and 54 species identified. The molluscan fauna was mainly composed of gastropods (99.56% of individuals, 43 spp.). The families Rissoidae (72.98%, 11 spp.) and Trochidae (16.93%, 7 spp.) were the most abundant and diversified in terms of number of species. Rissoa monodonta (47.1% dominance), Rissoa membranacea (25.1%) and Gibbula leucophaea (11.6%) proved the top dominant species in both diurnal and nocturnal samples. Bivalves (0.41%, 10 species) and cephalopods (0.03%, 1 species) represented only a low percentage of the molluscan taxocoenosis. The molluscan assemblage was mainly composed of species with a wide geographical distribution in Europe, followed by strictly Mediterranean species. The abundance was significantly higher in the cold (December, March) than in the warm months (June, July). Species richness ( S) was higher in nocturnal than in diurnal samples, reaching maximal values in diurnal samples of March and June. Shannon-Wiener diversity ( H′) values were generally higher in nocturnal samples than in diurnal ones, displaying minimum values in December and June, respectively. Evenness was similar in diurnal and nocturnal samples, with maximum values in July in both groups. S and H′ were also significantly different between diurnal and nocturnal samples. Multivariate analyses based on both qualitative and quantitative data showed a significant seasonal and diel variation. Diel changes revealed to be more distinct than seasonal ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition and structure of a molluscan assemblage inhabiting an outcrop with a coralligenous community was studied in southern Spain. A total of 117 molluscan species were identified, with gastropods as the dominant group. Calyptraea chinensis was the dominant species and the family Conidae presented the highest number of species. The Shannon–Wiener diversity index and the Evenness showed non-significant changes between cold and warm months, displaying high values (~4 bits and ~0.8 bits respectively). Some of the dominant and/or frequent species are strictly associated with coralligenous-building organisms, such as Neosimnia spelta with gorgonians. Regarding trophic guilds, carnivores are the dominant group, followed by filter feeders due to the high abundance of C. chinensis. Regarding biogeographical distributions, most of these species (<95%) are widely distributed in European waters, the number of strictly Mediterranean species being very low. The Alboran Sea represents the distributional limit towards the Mediterranean for some species found in this bottom, such as the Atlantic Bela powisiana. Rocky–coralligenous bottoms are scarce in the western Alboran Sea but support a high species richness molluscan assemblage, displaying higher diversity values than the surrounding soft bottoms and increasing the biodiversity at local scale. This high biodiversity is partly explained by the coexistence of different taxa with contrasting biogeographical affinities promoted by the geographical location of the area. Due to this, conservation efforts should be required to protect this stretch of coastline where one of the most biodiverse invertebrate assemblages along the European coasts can be found. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Flowering events of Posidonia oceanica (over two consecutive years) are reported for the first time in meadows located close to its westernmost distribution limit (Málaga, southern Spain). Shoots with inflorescences were found in fragmented meadows (patches between 1-130 m2) at a mean depth of 2.5 m. In March 2009, flowering was only observed in Calaburras (0-28 inflorescences m-2) and not in Calahonda. In November 2009, massive flowering events were observed in both Calaburras (4-144 inflorescences m-2) and Calahonda (8-184 inflorescences m-2). On this occasion, developing fruits were also observed. From 2003 to 2009, mean annual water temperatures increased in this area, with maximum values in late summer and autumn of 2007 and 2008, and these warm waters may have induced the massive flowering events. Flowering in these P. oceanica meadows located close to the Atlantic Ocean may imply favourable environmental conditions and a good health status, which should be considered in improving conservational strategies for these meadows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of the molluscan assemblages inhabiting the subtidal bottoms off the west coast of Malaga province (southern Spain) and their relation to sediment characteristics were analysed with both univariate and multivariate parameters. Five significantly different molluscan assemblages were identified and assigned to ‘sables fins bien calibrés’ (SFBC, well sorted fine sands); ‘détritique côtier’ (DC, coastal bioclastic sands); ‘détritique envasé’ (DE, muddy bioclastic sands); and ‘coralligène’ (CO, coralligenous) biocoenoses of Pérès and Picard classification. A total of 234 molluscan species were identified, with gastropods as the dominant group (135 species). An increase of diversity and evenness with depth has been observed, with the highest values for both indexes on a rocky outcrop, and the lowest in the shallower fine sand assemblage dominated by few species. The different molluscan assemblages inhabiting these sublittoral bottoms were conditioned by depth, percentage of gravel and percentage of clay. A large proportion of tropical West African species is found in the area, some of them reaching their distributional limit towards the Mediterranean Sea. The southern Iberian coasts, in the confluence of Atlantic and Mediterranean waters and between Africa and Europe, are therefore highlighted as one of the areas with highest molluscan species richness in Europe, and require a conservation policy in order to preserve this unique European biodiversity heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of 703 Spanish psychologists completed an online survey containing 114 behaviors related to professional practice in different areas. The aim of the study was to learn which professional behaviors create ethical dilemmas most often for psychologists and how they respond to these issues. Findings suggest that psychologists who have actually faced a particular dilemma are less strict on judging the inappropriateness of a possible ethical transgression than those psychologists who have not experienced it. Also, four clusters can be identified according to the attitude of respondents toward the dilemmas, namely 'rejection,' 'aprioristic,' 'utilitarian,' and 'no conflict.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition and structure of a molluscan assemblage was studied in a deep subtidal eelgrass bed located in southern Spain before and after the eelgrass decline experienced during 2005 and 2006 due to illegal trawling by fishermen. Sampling was undertaken in summer 2004 (with eelgrass) and summer 2007 (without eelgrass) in an extensive eelgrass bed located in Cañuelo Bay (12–14 m depth) and in the same area once the eelgrass bed disappeared. Eelgrass was completely absent in those samples of summer 2007 and an increase of the organic content and mud was registered in the sediment between 2004 and 2007. The density and the richness of molluscan species decreased significantly in summer 2007, especially for epifaunal gastropods associated with the leaf and sediment stratum. Some species disappeared completely in summer 2007 such as the dominant periphyton grazers Jujubinus striatus and Rissoa spp., the egg feeder Mitrella minor and the seagrass feeder Smaragdia viridis as well as the infaunal bivalve Solemya togata. Other species increased their densities such as the carnivores Cylichna crossei or C. cylindracea as well as the bivalve Nucula nitidosa. Some dominant infaunal species, such as Chamelea gallina, Spisula subtruncata or Tellina fabula did not significantly change their densities. The composition and structure of the assemblages in summer 2004 and summer 2007 was significantly different according to the Bray–Curtis similarity index using qualitative and quantitative data and considering the entire assemblage (epifaunal and infaunal species) or only the infaunal species. The registered changes in the molluscan assemblage may have produced cascade effects in higher trophic levels because molluscs generally represent an important food source for some decapods and fish. Urgent conservation measures are needed for protecting the remaining fragmented eelgrass beds of southern Spain from further illegal fisheries activities and other types of human impacts (e.g. sand extraction and coastal infrastructures), because they support the most diverse faunistic communities for eelgrass beds in Europe due to their bathymetry and geographical location. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Extracellular pH, especially in relatively inaccessible microdomains between cells, affects transport membrane protein activity and might have an intercellular signaling role. We have developed a genetically encoded extracellular pH sensor capable of detecting pH changes in basolateral spaces of epithelial cells. It consists of a chimerical membrane protein displaying concatenated enhanced variants of cyan fluorescence protein (ECFP) and yellow fluorescence protein (EYFP) at the external aspect of the cell surface. The construct, termed pHCECSensor01, was targeted to basolateral membranes of Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells by means of a sequence derived from the aquaporin AQP4. The fusion of pH-sensitive EYFP with pH-insensitive ECFP allows ratiometric pH measurements. The titration curve of pHCECSensor01 in vivo had a p K a value of 6.5 ± 0.04. Only minor effects of extracellular chloride on pHCECSensor01 were observed around the physiological concentrations of this anion. In MDCK cells, the sensor was able to detect changes in pH secondary to H+ efflux into the basolateral spaces elicited by an ammonium prepulse or lactate load. This genetically encoded sensor has the potential to serve as a noninvasive tool for monitoring changes in extracellular pH microdomains in epithelial and other tissues in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Anemonia sulcata (Pennant, 1777) is a common shallow water cnidarian from rocky platform and boulder beaches in southern Spain, where it is a popular seafood item with an increasing fishery. To aid in the management of a sustainable fishery, a study on the reproduction of A. sulcata in the littoral of Malaga (southern Spain) was performed from November 2014 to September 2015, using histological methods. A total of 123 specimens were examined, with a size range (as diameter of the pedal disc) from 1.1 to 48.2 mm. The sex ratio was significantly biased to females, with 1.7 females: 1 male (χ2 = 4.45, p < 0.01). The spermatozoids and oocytes arise from the endodermal cells. The mature oocytes receive nutritive filaments (trophonema) from the endoderm cells. There were zooxanthellae in the mesenteries, tentacles and also inside the oocytes. A gastrula was observed in one individual, as well as several planula larvae in different degree of development in others. Asexual reproduction by internal budding was observed in some individuals. The studied population showed an extended reproductive cycle with a peak of spawning in April. The size and weight of sexual maturity of the studied population were 21.5 mm and 16.5 g, respectively. A positive significant correlation was observed between size and weight of individuals. We suggest that the diameter of the pedal disc should be used as the legal parameter for the management of this fishery, as this measurement is easier to take by fishermen at sea than the weight, the current legal parameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tagoro, the youngest submarine volcano of the Canary Islands, erupted in 2011 South of El Hierro Island. Pre-existing sea floor and inhabiting biological communities were buried by the newly erupted material, promoting the appearance of new habitats. The present study pursues to describe the first metazoans colonizing different new habitats formed during the eruption and to create precedent on this field. Through dredge and remote operated vehicle samplings, five main habitat types have been detected based on the substrate type and burial status after the eruption. Inside the Tagoro volcanic complex (TVC), two new habitats are located in and around the summit and main craters—hydrothermal vents with bacterial mats and sulfurous-like fields mainly colonized by small hydrozoan colonies. Two other habitats are located downslope the TVC; new hard substrate and new mixed substrate, holding the highest biodiversity of the TVC, especially at the mixed bottoms with annelids (Chloeia cf. venusta), arthropods (Monodaeus couchii and Alpheus sp.), cnidarians (Sertularella cf. tenella), and molluscs (Neopycnodonte cochlear) as the first colonizers. An impact evaluation was done comparing the communities of those habitats with the complex and well-established community described at the stable hard substrate outside the TVC, which is constituted of highly abundant hydrozoans (Aglaophenia sp.), antipatharians (Stichopates setacea and Antipathes furcata), and colonizing epibionts (e.g., Neopycnodonte cochlear). Three years after the eruption, species numbers at Tagoro were still low compared to those occurring at similar depths outside the TVC. The first dominant species at the TVC included a large proportion of common suspension feeders of the circalittoral and bathyal hard bottoms of the area, which could have exploited the uncolonized hard bottoms and the post eruptive fertilization of water masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se presenta un obituario del psicólogo jurídico Juan Romero Rodriguez.