• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.273-279
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• 2021

Branchinotogluma segonzaci (Miura and Desbruyères, 1995) occurs in hydrothermal vent fields of the southwestern Pacific Ocean. We morphologically compared B. segonzaci from the North Fiji Basin with the original description from the Lau Basin and a subsequent study of specimens from the Manus Basin. The main characteristics of all B. segonzaci populations were similar having 21 segments, 10 pairs of elytra, cylindrical-shaped anterior lobes, and ventral papillae on segment 12 and ventral lamellae on segments 13-17 in males. However, the specimens from the North Fiji Basin had rounded to sub-renifrom elytra rather than oval in the original description. Additionally, we newly obtained 11 cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) DNA barcodes from the North Fiji Basin and Tonga Arc populations and compared them with known COI DNA barcodes of Branchinotogluma species. Thirteen sequences of B. segonzaci showed 0.0-1.07% intraspecific variation and formed two clades in the COI neighbor-joining tree, whereas the interspecific variation among Branchinotogluma species was 8.19-22.4%. The results of this study contribute to biogeographic studies of B. segonzaci and the evolution of polynoid scale worms in chemosynthesis-based ecosystems.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.215-223
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• 2002

Symbiosis of chemoautrophic bacteria with the members of hydrothermal vent and cold seep communities in the deep-sea were examined by histology using transmission electron microscopy; Bathymodiolus spp. from Sagami Bay, the Iheya Ridge and the North Fiji Basin; and Ifremeria nautilei from the North Fiji Basin. Two species of Bathymodiolus, each from Sagami Bay and the Iheya Ridge harbored methane-oxidizing symbionts within their gill tissues. Vent gastropod Ifremeria nautilei from the hydrothermal vents of the North Fiji Basin housed two types of symbionts; one sulfur-oxidizing type and the other methane-oxidizing type. The occurrence of chemosynthetic symbionts in these organisms were expected before-hand based on the ecological observations of their habit. The other members of these groups from world oceans and the recent advances in the symbiosis of the vent and seep communities were reviewed.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2023

Thermopolynoe Miura, 1994 is a monotypic genus in Lepidonotopodinae that comprises species endemic to chemosynthesis-based ecosystems. Here, we examined T. branchiata collected from the hydrothermal vents in the North Fiji Basin. For the first time in Thermopolynoe, we report sexual dimorphism detecting nephridial papillae on segments 11-13 in males, additionally describe the morphology on elytra with round to conical microtubercles on the surface, and distinguish presence of small neuropodial lobes on segments 3-26. We also revised couple of errors and ambiguities in the original description: incongruence between the description and figure and existence of individual variation in ratio of tentacular cirri and palps. In addition, three COI sequences of T. branchiata specimens from the North Fiji Basin were newly obtained and sequences divergence with other Lepidonotopodinae species were determined. These results would contribute to the taxonomy of polynoids in a chemosynthesis-based ecosystem.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.30-32
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• 2019

The brachyuran crab Bythograeidae Williams, 1980 is common in hydrothermal vent fields worldwide and has recorded to sixteen species of six genera. In this study, we firstly determined the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) DNA barcodes for the fifth species of Austinograea, A. hourdezi, from hydrothermal vent regions of the North Fiji Basin in southwestern Pacific Ocean. All CO1 DNA barcodes of A. hourdezi were identical. The interspecies variations of three bythograeid genera were 10.9-13.3% for Austinograea, 6.6-15.7% for Bythograea, and 9.7% for Gandalfus. These results would be helpful to understand taxonomy of brachyuran crabs living in hydrothermal vent fields using CO1 DNA barcodes.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.182-184
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• 2020

Isaacsicalanus paucisetus Fleminger, 1983, a monotypic species of the family Spinocalanidae Vervoort, 1951, was first reported from a hydrothermal vent field in the East Pacific Rise off the mouth of the Gulf of California. The mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I(mtCOI) DNA barcodes are considered a useful tool to assist traditional taxonomy and species discrimination in calanoid copepods. However, the mtCOI DNA barcodes of I. paucisetus have not been reported due to the species rarity and the difficulty of sampling. In this study, we firstly determined the mtCOI DNA barcodes of the I. paucisetus newly collected from a hydrothermal vent in the North Fiji Basin of the southwestern Pacific. All mtCOI DNA barcodes of I. paucisetus were identical and intraspecies variations of spinocalanid species were 0.0-3.0%. Interspecies and intergeneric variations were 13.4-25.2% and 16.7-24.1%, respectively. The DNA barcodes of I. paucisetus obtained in the present study would be helpful for understanding taxonomic relationships of widespread spinocalanid species.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.179-187
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• 2014

Directly searching for undiscovered hydrothermal vent sites is inefficient due to the practical difficulty of comprehensively imaging vent fields. Thus, most searches for hydrothermal vent sites rely on the detection of hydrothermal plumes from water column observation. Detecting and measuring the hydrothermal plumes are the most efficient way to infer the presence and distribution of hydrothermal vents. Both the array of vertical casting and lateral towing are the most common methods to discover hydrothermal plumes. In this study, we compared results of cast and tow-yo operations along the same section of a spreading center with a distance of 20.5 km in the North Fiji Basin for mapping hydrothermal plumes. Operation of CTD tow-yo provides a detailed pattern of plumes which enable us to locate the hydrothermal vents. On the other hand, identification of hydrothermal activity can be determined effectively by CTD cast with additional analysis of geochemical tracers. Reduction in the operating time is another advantage of CTD cast operation, especially for regional-scale survey. Our results show that the combination of CTD cast and tow-yo would improve the efficiency of the hydrothermal plume survey to locate new hydrothermal vent sites.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2000

Chemoautotrophic symbiotic bacteria of organisms inhabiting the hydrothermal vent and cold seep communities in the deep-sea were histologically examined using a transmission electron microscopy on symbionts of Calyptogena sp. A from the site east off Miyako (water depth at 1,700m), Calyptogena sp. B from the Calyptogena Site, vestimentiferan tube worm Lamellibrachia sp. A from Sagami Bay Lamellibrachia sp. B from Calyptogena Site of the Iheya Ridge, pogonophoran tube worms from Sagami Bay and Calyptogena Site of the Iheya Ridge, Bathymodiolus spp. from Sagami Bay, the Iheya Ridge and the North Fiji Basin. Based on the morphological microscopic observations, two species of Calyptogena from Miyako and the Iheya Ridge, two species of vestimentiferan tube worms from Sagami Bay and the Iheya Ridge, and pogonophoran tube worms from Sagami Bay and the Iheya Ridge observed to host sulfur-oxidizing symbiotic bacteria. The occurrence of chemosynthetic symbionts in these organisms was expected beforehand based on the ecological observations of their habitats. Other members of these groups from the world oceans, and the recent advances in the symbiosis at vents and seeps were reviewed.