The occurrence of the pod weed, Halidrys siliquosa, is recorded for the first time on the Portuguese coast. Several specimens of this brown algae were observed attached to the rocky surface in tide pools at 41º44′10″N 8º52′34″W, extending southward its previously known geographical distribution. The observed shift is inconsistent with general predictions of species migrations under warming climate conditions, which anticipate poleward shifts rather than southern expansions. Although more data will be required to undoubtedly uncover its cause, the recently observed range expansion raises important questions about the generalization of the previously stated biogeographic rules.

This paper presents the first recording of a rare dinoflagellate species, Ceratoperidinium yeye, in the Gulf of Trieste, northern Adriatic, in the summer of 2003, which coincided chronologically with its first finding along the eastern Adriatic coast. The northward spread of C. yeye is discussed in relation to the exceptional meteorological conditions during the summer of 2003.

Six species of Eudistoma are known on the Brazilian coast, most of them from the tropical part of the country. Here we describe a new species found in shallow waters at 24–27°S, which hang from vertical surfaces or ledges. The colony is formed by clavate lobes connected by the base. The main diagnostic characteristic is the shape of the colony and the larvae which have small projections at the base of the ectodermal ampullae. Other characteristics are: zooid 5–7 mm long with abdomen 3.5 times longer than the thorax, not organized in systems, up to 20 longitudinal and 23 transverse muscle bands on the thorax, decreasing number of stigmata from the first (21–24 stigmata per side) to the third row (13–19 stigmata per side), 16 oral tentacles of two sizes arranged in one circle, 8–13 testis follicles, 2–4 embryos developing in a wide atrial cavity, larva 0.5 mm long with four pairs of long ampullae and tail winding 3/4 of the way around the trunk.

The Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) is distributed in tropical and subtropical pelagic waters worldwide between 30°N and 30°S. The first report of this species in Brazilian waters occurred only in 1997. The northernmost report, up to now, occurred in Ceará State in 2001. The purpose of this work is to report a live stranding of Lagenodelphis hosei in Caburé city situated in Maranhão State (01°31′S 45°07′W), northern Brazilian coast. This stranding was reported through four photographs donated by a fisherman in August 2006. The specimen had an estimated length of 250 cm and was apparently emaciated, indicating that the dolphin could have presented some pathology. Despite the conservation activities, the meat of the stranded specimen was used as a food source by local fishermen and the carcass was left in the sea before the arrival of the researchers. This is the first confirmed report of a specimen of L. hosei for the northern Brazilian coast.

The vertical distribution of fouling communities in Kudankulam coastal waters was studied for a period of one year (January to December 2005) by suspending wooden test panels at 1 m, 4 m and 7 m depths. Panels were submerged on short-term duration (15 days) and long-term basis (cumulative). The fouling organisms observed were barnacles, mussels, ascidians, polychaetes, amphipods and seaweeds. Recruitment was observed on the panels throughout the year with a considerable variation in relation to time and depth. On the short-term series, the fouling biomass varied from 0.218 to 1.23 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 1 m, 0.23 to 4.72 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 4 m and 0.241 to 5.66 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 7 m depths. The biomass of the fouling community that colonized on the long-term panels ranged between 0.79 and 35 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 1 m, 3.72 and 58.2 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 4 m and 0.241 and 55.9 g.dm−2 (dry wt) at 7 m depths. At 1 m depth, macro-algae, ascidians (Botryllus tuberatus and Diplosoma sp.) and amphipods were the dominant species. Barnacles, tube worms and ascidians (Didemnum spp.) were abundant on the 4 m and 7 m depth panels. In general, the fouling community recruitment was higher at 4 m than 1 m and 7 m depths.

Commercial harvest of the California market squid, Doryteuthis opalescens, formerly Loligo opalescens, has caused this species to become the largest fishery in the state in the last dozen years, in terms of both tonnage and economic value. All harvest occurs on spawning aggregations. Mating behaviour of Doryteuthis opalescens squid was observed on the egg beds in Monterey, CA during daytime, in La Jolla, CA during the night, and in the laboratory. Small males appeared to insert spermatophores into the mantles of females that were being held in a mating embrace by larger males on several occasions. These ‘sneaker mating’ interactions took 1–15 seconds. After egg deposition females jetted rapidly to disengage themselves from males, and then swam up into the water column. In Monterey, mating groups involved 10–20 individuals and had a sex ratio of one to two males for each female. No larger schools of squid were detected in the vicinity. Monterey observations occurred during a period of decreasing commercial landings and decreasing observations of egg beds on a spawning ground that had been productive since 1863.

Significant differences were found between males and females in the fragmocone, external cone and widths of the cuttlebone in Sepia officinalis caught in the small-scale trap fishery off Gran Canaria Island (Spain). It is suggested that: (a) differences may depend on morphological adaptations of females for egg laying; (b) cuttlebones represent over 50% of the total cuttlefish caught (which is unrecorded in the fishery); and (c) the relationships between several morphometric measures of the cuttlebone and the mantle length and wet weight may allow more accurate biomass estimations of this species in the fishery.

Changes in the composition of fish assemblages collected on two closely located power stations' intake screens over nearly four decades in the middle Forth Estuary, Scotland were examined. There were no significant differences in fish assemblages from Kincardine in 1979 and 1961–1962 or between Longannet in 1979 and 1994. Otherwise, the 1979 assemblages from both locations were significantly different from the 1999 and 2000 Longannet assemblages and from each other. The long-term differences may have reflected local environmental changes, notably a considerable increase in smelt (Osmerus eperlanus) abundance due to improved water quality, and declines in some species (eelpout (Zoarces viviparous) and cod (Gadus morhua)) because of regional environmental influences such as increases in water temperature and overfishing.

The Nile soft-shelled turtle, Trionyx triunguis is known from the riverine and coastal environments of eastern Mediterranean countries (Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Israel) and most of Africa, except for the waterways of the southern, north-western, and northern part of the continent. Trionyx triunguis is a mainly freshwater species adapted to moderately deep to shallow streams, rivers, estuarine systems and lakes with sandy muddy bottoms. The data on the presence of this species from the marine environment are rather recent and considerably scattered. Here, we present seven marine records of T. triunguis obtained from scientific and commercial fisheries operations, coastal bone remainders and the observations of a SCUBA diver. The records were collected from eastern and western parts of the Turkish Mediterranean coasts at depths from 5 to 55 metres. A specimen with 108.4 cm straight carapace length (SCL) caught at ~55 m depth with a bottom trawl in Iskenderun Bay is likely to be the biggest recorded to date. Furthermore, behavioural observations and an underwater photograph were given for another specimen observed by a SCUBA diver at 15 m depth. The results may suggest that the Nile soft-shells are well adapted to the marine environment.

Aspects of the habitat, size structure, and interactions of Voluta ebraea in the wild are provided here for the first time from underwater observations on coastal reefs at Cabo Branco, north-eastern Brazil. Seventeen different sized individuals of V. ebraea were observed, with the largest individual reaching 15 cm in shell length. This species inhabits mainly sandy bottoms, but is also found on rocks, on the sand among algae, and on gravel bottoms. Voluta ebraea feeds on the bivalve Trachycardium muricatum during the day, apparently detecting its prey through chemoreception. When hunting, V. ebraea moved forward towards T. muricatum and then raised the front edge of its muscular foot in an attempt to cover the bivalve and capture it. The data presented can be used in the implementation of conservation measures to help conserve natural populations of this endemic Brazilian gastropod.

The opening of the sea level Suez Canal in 1869 and the increase in commercial shipping routes have led to the colonization of the Mediterranean Sea by Indo-Pacific species. These populations established first along the Levantine coasts and then spread into the central Mediterranean, at least in part by shipping transport of larvae, juveniles or adult specimens. One of these species is Haminoea cyanomarginata, a cephalaspidean belonging to the Haminoeidae, and until now never reported from the Italian seas. In addition, egg-masses of this species have been recorded for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea.

In this note we contribute new evidence of epimeletic behaviour in Steno bredanensis in Brazilian waters. On 2 April 2007 we received information from lifeguards about a dead stranded rough-toothed dolphin at Prainha, Arraial do Cabo, east coast of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. The dolphin was a male juvenile, 187 cm in total body length from the tip of the upper jaw to the caudal notch, and it was in a moderate state of decomposition. The results presented here, in addition to previous studies, indicate that rough-toothed dolphins display a highly complex social structure.

A record length of 475 mm for yellowfin mojarra (Gerres cinereus) was recorded, a 65 mm increase over the previous record for all the members of the Gerreidae family, worldwide.

A single male specimen of Thysanoteuthis rhombus was caught using a hand squid jig just after dusk on 26 December 2006, 15 metres offshore Dolfin Islet (44°41′N 14°41′E) at a depth of 10 m in the eastern part of the northern Adriatic Sea. This is the first record of this species in the Adriatic Sea and the northernmost capture in the Mediterranean Sea.

We document two recent beach strandings of whale sharks on both the east and west coasts of Australia and compare them to strandings of other species of shark and cetaceans. Historically, whale shark stranding is an unusual phenomenon in Australia. Although the reasons for whale shark strandings are speculative, their low frequency suggests they are unlikely to pose any considerable threat to the population viability of this species in Australia.

New distribution information is given for three asteroid and one holothuroid species found in the eastern Pacific.

The occurrence of the gorgonian Leptogorgia sarmentosa in the Aegean Sea (Naxos Island) is confirmed for the first time. It is illustrated and its distribution in the Mediterranean Sea is presented. This finding extends the known geographical distribution of this species in the eastern Mediterranean (east of 21°).

This work announces the occurrence of the stolidobranch ascidian Polycarpa kornogi in the central Mediterranean in Sidi Raïs in the north of Tunisia. A description of the specimens is included as well as some environmental parameters.

The swash zone interstitial water (SZIW) which occupies interstices, or spaces between sand grains at the shoreline is suspected of accumulating microbes and thus of posing a health risk for beach users. In this study we examined the presence and concentrations of filamentous fungi and yeasts in SZIW and compared the results with the fungal densities found in the beach sand at three sampling locations along a Mediterranean beach (Sturla Beach, Genoa City, Italy). Unexpectedly SZIW had the highest counts of total filamentous fungi and yeasts while sand samples always displayed lower counts. The SZIW also harboured a high fungal diversity with ten genera and 74 different strains isolated from this matrix while only eight genera and 47 different strains were isolated from the beach sand samples. Overall data from this study suggest that SZIW may constitute an important reservoir of fungal micro-organisms in the beach environment.

Additional reports of the presence of Alopias superciliosus in Italian and Turkish waters confirm the presence of the species in the central and eastern Mediterranean Sea.