Category Archives: species identification

Slipper lobster

I just photographed some specimens from the family Scyllaridae, and they are such funny looking critters that I decide to share them on the blog. The Scyllaridae are found in all warm oceans and seas, and typically live from shallow water and down to depths of about 500 m (according to Wikipedia).

Scyllarus carpati from Mauritania

Pictured is a Scyllarus carpati from Mauritania, collected by sledge at 100 meters.

If you click here, you can se the distribution of the species, as well as its IUCN Red List status. We will take tissue samples from this specimen and send it for COI DNA barcoding, which will be incorporated in the BOLD database. There are records of specimens from the same genus recorded in BOLD already, but none of this particular species, as you can see if you search for Scyllarus carpati here.

Workshop summary of Crustacea

The crustacea work-group focused particularly on crabs and shrimps. Some of the hermit crabs, a particularly difficult group, were also identified to species. A few species of squat lobsters, slipper lobsters, and five species of mantis shrimp were also identified. Three 95 sample plates were prepared for DNA-barcoding.

Workshop summary of gastropods

The mollusca work-group identified more than 200 species of snails (Gastropoda) in the material. They took 1763 digital images and prepared 606 lots for the catalogued museum collection. At present, one sample plate has been prepared for DNA-barcoding.

Summing up the polychaete work

A species of bristle worms (Polychaeta) in a genus that has not previously been found in West Africa.

The workshop identified about 140 species of Polychaeta.At least 12 of the species are clearly new to science. Five genera that have not been recoded from African waters were also identified. 385 specimens were selected for DNA-barcoding.

Snapshots

We’re nearing the end of our two weeks here at the research station, but work is still continuing at full speed. Below are some snapshots from life in the lab.

Science in action

Portrait of a crab

Sakaila africana was recognized as a new species by Raymond B. Manning and L.B. Holthuis in 1981. Their publication in The Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology is an important source to the identification of West African crabs. An electronic version of the publication is available on this link. Our workshop found Sakaila africana in samples from Guinea Conakry.

Sakaila africana

Tools of the trade – Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)

On Wednesday, the group working on the Polychaeta (bristle worms) went to the city for a practical demonstation of one of the tools we are fortunate enough to have available here in Bergen; the ZEISS Supra 55VP scanning electron microscope at the Laboratory for Electron Microscopy.

The use of SEM gives us a unique possibility to examine details that are too small to be seen (or at least to be seen clearly) in a light microscope. It is possible to take high resolution photographs through the SEM, which can be used both for personal reference, and as illustrations in scientific publications.

The anterior region of a Hyalinoecia sp. (family Onuphidae)

The different kinds of bristles and their distribution along the animal’s body are important characteristics in polychaete taxonomy.

First day of the workshop

Here are some snapshots from the first day our two-week long workshop – despite long travels, people got right into lab-mode, and we’re alredy beginning to find interesting things!

We have 16 participants from no less than nine countries attending, working on the Echinodermata (Echinoidea and Ophiuroidea), Mollusca (mainly Gastropoda), the Polychaeta (various families), and on Crustaceans (mainly the Decapoda).

Busy, happy biologists

Sorting the snails

Mollusca sorted for species identification

When samples are sorted to main groups of taxa, individuals can also be separated into “morphotypes” based on their general appearence, Morphotypes may or may not correspond to species and this has to be decided by more thorough examination for species identification.

Marine Invertebrates of Western Africa

– an ongoing survey