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Abundance and spatial distribution of benthic foraminifera were used to evaluate the impacts of anthropogenic activities on sediment quality in a coastal lagoon in the Gulf of California. In 1985 and 2013, 27 samples of superficial sediments were collected. The foraminifera genera Ammonia , Cribroelphidium , Quinqueloculina and Peneroplis were dominant in both years. The abundance of Ammonia increased from 41% to 60%, while Peneroplis abundance decreased from a maximum of 50% in 1985 to 7% in 2013. The greater abundance of Ammonia and the greater spatial coverage of Ammonia and Cribroelphidium suggest a marked environmental deterioration in the quality of the sedimentary environment, which contrasts with studies of trace elements in the sediment of this lagoon. The Foram Stress Index indicates that sediment quality has deteriorated over time, likely due to the effects of anthropogenic activities around the lagoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic diversity, as revealed by eighteen Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) markers in thirty almond [P. dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb], twenty fresh-market peach [Prunus persica (L.), Basch], fifteen processing clingstone peach cultivars, and ten rootstocks, established the genetic relatedness among cultivars and characterized the variation within and between species. One accession each of the wild Prunus species, P. davidiana [(Carriere) Franch] and P. webbii [(Spach.) Vieh.], was included in the analysis. The number of presumed alleles revealed by the SSR analysis ranged from one to six in peach whereas almond cultivars showed a range of three to nine. Peach cultivars clustered into ten groups, which are in general agreement with documented origin. Most processing clingstone peach cultivars clustered separately from fresh-market freestone cultivars supporting a distinct origin. Two major clusters were observed in almond with one containing California cultivars and the other containing European cultivars and the important California cultivar Mission. Results establish the value of SSR markers for distinguishing different genetic lineages and characterize an extensive and largely unexploited inter-species gene pool available to peach and almond breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verongiid sponges inhabiting the La Paz region, Gulf of California are described herein as new species. Although morphological evidence was sufficient to determine the identity between species, we have confirmed their uniqueness and relationships with molecular (CO1 and ITS1 and 2), and ecological studies. An amended definition of family Aplysinidae and genus Aplysina is presented to highlight a novel skeletal trait for the latter, clearly described herein as a complex of dendritic fibers sustained by anastomosed fibers deep in the choanosome. This novel fiber arrangement combination is a constant trait of Aplysina encarnacionae sp. nov. and A. airapii sp. nov., which otherwise conform to our current concept of Aplysina. The former species has a long tubular morphology, reddish purple color, with the longest dendritic fibers; while A. airapii sp. nov. is a short tubular sponge, yellow with reddish tints, and smaller choanosomal dendritic fibers that depart from a uniplanar anastomosed skeleton. A third species, A. sinuscaliforniensis sp. nov., is characterized by a completely anastomosed skeleton, massive habit with short tubes superimposed one over the other, sympatric with the other new species. Comparisons with Suberea azteca verified that the same novel skeletal architecture described here occurs in the latter, while Aiolochroia thiona examined as well, proved to bear an anastomosed skeleton only, besides sharing more features with Aplysina than with any other genera in Verongiida. Moreover, molecular sequencing recovered "S." azteca nested in the Aplysina clade, prompting us to reallocate it in Aplysina, as originally proposed. The new species described herein are probably endemics within the Gulf of California since they have not been recorded elsewhere along the Mexican Pacific coast.