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Eighteen new species of Oecetis are described, diagnosed, and illustrated from New Caledonia: Oecetis amphora sp. nov., Oecetis ovula sp. nov., Oecetis ramosa sp. nov., Oecetis loyolaensi sp. nov., Oecetis millei sp. nov., Oecetis christinae sp. nov., Oecetis rostrata sp. nov., Oecetis alicae sp. nov., Oecetis oxybelis sp. nov., Oecetis dorsospina sp. nov., Oecetis multidentata sp. nov., Oecetis gracilis sp. nov., Oecetis rostra sp. nov., Oecetis triramosa sp. nov., Oecetis flucta sp. nov., Oecetis nouvellecaledoniensis sp. nov., Oecetis variabilis sp. nov., and Oecetis ovata sp. nov. A diagnostic key is provided for males of Oecetis species of New Caledonia. The species display similarities in genitalic characteristics but also a high diversity of apomorphic features. The new species were collected from lotic habitats across most of Grande Terre.

Crude extracts of 52 marine bacteria associated with sponges, which were collected from the sea near San Juan Island, Washington, USA, were screened using diatom attachment assays against Amphora sp., Nitzschia closterium, Sellaphora sp. and Stauroneis sp. to investigate their antidiatom activities. Among these samples, five expressed strong anti-adhesion effects on all four tested diatoms. There was no negative effect observed from those five active samples on the growth of Amphora sp. Those five active samples were prepared from respective isolates, which all belonged to the genus Bacillus based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The results of present study indicate that Bacillus may play important roles for sponges' chemical defence against biofouling of diatoms and that the metabolites of Bacillus may be a potential source of natural antifouling compounds.

The antifouling efficacy of a series of 18 textured (0.2-1000 μm) and non-textured (0 μm) polydimethylsiloxane surfaces with the profiles of round- and square-wave linear grating was tested by recording the settlement of fouling organisms in the laboratory and in the field by monitoring the recruitment of a multi-species fouling community. In laboratory assays, the diatoms Nitzschia closterium and Amphora sp. were deterred by all surface topographies regardless of texture type. Settlement of propagules of Ulva sp. was lower on texture sizes less than the propagule size, and settlement of larvae of Saccostrea glomerata and Bugula neritina was lower on texture sizes closest to, but less than, the sizes of larvae. After a six month field trial, all textured surfaces lost their deterrent effect; however, the foul-release capabilities of textures were still present. High initial attachment was correlated with most fouling remaining after removal trials, indicating that fouling organisms recruited in higher numbers to surfaces upon which they attached most strongly.

In spite of the high abundance and species diversity of diatoms, only a few bioactive compounds from them have been described. The present study reveals a high number of mammalian cell death inducing substances in biofilm-associated diatoms sampled from the intertidal zone. Extracts from the genera Melosira, Amphora, Phaeodactylum and Nitzschia were all found to induce leukemia cell death, with either classical apoptotic or autophagic features. Several extracts also contained inhibitors of thrombin-induced blood platelet activation. Some of this activity was caused by a high content of adenosine in the diatoms, ranging from 0.07 to 0.31 μg/mg dry weight. However, most of the bioactivity was adenosine deaminase-resistant. An adenosine deaminase-resistant active fraction from one of the extracts was partially purified and shown to induce apoptosis with a istinct phenotype. The results show that benthic diatoms typically found in the intertidal zone may represent a richer source of interesting bioactive compounds than hitherto recognized. publishedVersion

The ant-mimiking spider genus Myrmecium Latreille, 1824 is revised, including 38 species, all herein diagnosed, described and illustrated. The following synonymies are proposed: Myrmecium aurantiacum Mello-Leitao, 1941 syn. nov. with M. camponotoides Mello-Leitao, 1932; M. gounellei Simon, 1896 syn. nov. and M. obscurum Keyserling, 1891 syn. nov. with M . latreillei Lucas, 1857; M. itatiaiae Mello-Leitao, 1932 syn. nov. and M. vertebratum Walckenaer, 1837 syn. nov. with M. rufum Latreille, 1824. Myrmecium bonaerense Holmberg, 1881 is considered as species inquirenda . Males of M. dacetoniforme , Mello-Leitao, 1932, M. fuscum Dahl, 1907, M. latreillei Lucas, 1857, M. trifasciatum Caporiacco, 1947 and adults of M. viehmeyeri Dahl, 1907 and M. reticulatum Dahl, 1907 are described for the first time. Myrmecium bifasciatum Taczanowski, 1874, M. monacanthum Simon, 1897 and M. rufum Latreille, 1824 are also redescribed and illustrated. The following 28 new species are described, diagnosed and illustrated: M. amphora sp. nov. (female from Chichiriviche, Venezuela); M. bolivari sp. nov. (male and female from Caracas and Sucre, Venezuela and Colombia); M. carajas sp. nov. (male from Para, Brazil); M. carvalhoi sp. nov. (female from Piaui, Tocantins and Goias, Brazil); M. catuxy sp. nov. (female from Amazonas, Brazil and Puerto Lopez, Colombia); M. chikish sp. nov. (female from Huanuco, Peru); M. cizauskasi sp. nov. (male and female from Amazonas, Brazil); M. oliveirai sp. nov. (male from Amazonas, Brazil); M. deladanta sp. nov. (male from Sucumbios, Ecuador); M. diasi sp. nov. (male and female from Amazonas, Brazil); M. erici sp. nov. (female from British Guiana); M. ferro sp. nov. (female from Paraiba, Brazil); M. indicatti sp. nov. (male and female from Para, Brazil); M. nogueirai sp. nov. (female from Amazonas, Brazil and Madre de Dios, Peru); M. lomanhungae sp. nov. (male and female from Amazonas and Para, Brazil); M. machetero sp. nov. (female from Beni, Bolivia); M. malleum sp. nov. (male and female from Aragua and Lara, Venezuela and Caldas, Colombia); M. oompaloompa sp. nov. (male and female from Bahia, Brazil and Kurupukari, Guyana); M. otti sp. nov. (male and female from Para, Amazonas and Mato Grosso, Brazil and Madre de Dios in Peru); M. pakpaka sp. nov. (male and female from Huanuco, Peru); M. raveni sp. nov. (male and female from Amazonas and Para, Brazil); M. ricettii sp. nov. (male and female from the states of Para, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia, Goias and Mato Grosso, Brazil and Puerto Lopez, Colombia); M. luepa sp. nov. (male from Bolivar, Venezuela); M. souzai sp. nov. (male from Amazonas, Brazil); M. tanguro sp. nov. (male and female from Rondonia, Mato Grosso, Brazil); M. tikuna sp. nov. (male from Amazonas, Brazil); M. urucu sp. nov. (female from Amazonas, Brazil); M. yamamotoi sp. nov. (male and female from Amapa, Amazonas and Para, Brazil and Marowijne, Suriname).