The polychaete Scalibregma celticum was recorded for the first time along the western Italian coast (Mediterranean Sea). A survey was carried out in February 2009 off the Sardinia north-east coast. Six individuals of S. celticum were collected at 40 m depth on a sandy substratum. In the present study they are described, pointing out the difference between S. celticum and S. inflatum a species more common along the Italian coast.

We report new records and chorological data for seven French marine algae that make their distribution records more complete. Three species (Erythroglossum lusitanicum, Hildenbrandia occidentalis and Ulva bifrons) are new records for France, two species (Antithamnion hubbsii and Pterocladiella melanoidea) are new records for the French Atlantic coast and two species (Haraldiophyllum bonnemaisonii and Ptilothamnion sphaericum) are new records for the South Atlantic coast of France. Although the Atlantic marine algae of France are well studied, the new findings show that it is still necessary to carry out further floristic studies to complete our knowledge about the marine algae in this region. We describe for the first time mixed phases bearing both cystocarps and tetrasporangia in Lomentaria orcadensis.

To verify the movements of the rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) on the coast of Rio de Janeiro State, south-eastern Brazil, we performed a photo-identification comparison between the catalogued individuals of Rio de Janeiro City (22°54′10″S–43°12′27″W) (N = 30) during August and September 2011 and the Cabo Frio region (22°52′46″S–42°01′07″W) (N = 41) during March and August 2011. Two photo-identified individuals from Rio de Janeiro City were resighted in the Cabo Frio region, approximately 119.7 km east of the original Rio de Janeiro sighting and two other individuals identified in the Cabo Frio region were resighted in the Rio de Janeiro City area, approximately 117.0 km west of the original sighting. This study reports the first information about the movements of the species in Brazil within these coastal areas.

The spinetail devilray Mobula japanica was recorded for the first time in the south-eastern Pacific Ocean, from a single beach-washed specimen examined at Bahía Inglesa, Chile. The presence of this temperate-tropical species at about 27° south of its previously recorded range in the eastern Pacific Ocean may be explained by the absence of rigorous species-specific landing reports along the coasts of Peru and Chile. Alternatively, a strong warm phase of El Niño Southern Oscillation may have facilitated conditions allowing this epipelagic species to travel towards higher latitudes. This record increases the known range of M. japanica and the occurrence of mobulids in Chilean waters to three species. Photographs and morphometrics of the specimen are provided.

Groupers and reef octopus are economically and ecologically important predators on Indo-Pacific coral reefs and known as solitary hunters. Here we describe a highly unique and unusual observation of a behavioural non-random association between the highfin grouper (Epinephelus maculatus) and the reef octopus (Octopus cyanea) in the Great Barrier Reef. Such an observation is highly novel given that the association crosses both the phyla and the invertebrate to vertebrate divide. The present study hypothesizes that the association is non-random and potentially the result of cooperative hunting but as such this requires further evidence and testing.

Large whale strandings have always been intriguing to people through the centuries. The size and strangeness of these events always attracted popular attention and were, later on, a source for food, oil and other products. Our goal was to document species occurrence over time along the mainland coast of Portugal through the use of historical records as they can provide useful information on cetaceans’ species. A total of 38 historical records from the 16th to the 20th Centuries were collected from several Portuguese institutes and personal archives. Results show an increasing awareness of the scientific importance of strandings reflected throughout the years in number and in the detail of the strandings. The most common stranded species recorded was Physeter macrocephalus followed by Balaenoptera physalus. Even though historical stranding records are sparse for mainland Portugal, the information gathered indicates a high diversity of cetaceans. We also addressed the evolution of the historical records in aspects such as in number of records, description detail, pictures’ content and scientific accuracy. We were able to establish relationships linking strandings, local fishing communities, the general public, and particularly the contribution of early 20th Century zoologists. Results indicate that reports made by local fishing communities and the role of naturalists and science journals of the 19th and early 20th Centuries was of considerable relevance to the present knowledge about cetaceans, giving an important contribution to modern day cetacean studies.

The present contribution reports on a small collection of leucosiid crabs from Qatar. Four species are reported upon, three of which are new additions to the brachyuran fauna of the Persian Gulf, and one, the first record for the species from Qatar.

The western Atlantic pontoniine shrimp Ascidonia miserabilis is reported for the first time from Atol das Rocas, off Rio Grande do Norte, representing the first record of this species and the genus Ascidonia for Brazil and the south-western Atlantic. In addition, its geographical range in the Caribbean Sea is extended to Honduras and Panama. All specimens of A. miserabilis were collected from inside cryptic ascidians, Acidia spp., in very shallow water (1–2 m). Illustrations of the previously unknown colour pattern of A. miserabilis are provided for the first time.

The occurrence of the whip coral Viminella flagellum in Italian waters (Strait of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea), is reported for the first time. The specimens were photographed and sampled at locations situated from 130 to 250 m depth on the north-eastern coasts of Pantelleria Island, by means of a remotely operated vehicle, during a research cruise carried out by ISPRA in May 2010 on-board of the RV ‘Astrea’. A description of the living colonies and other taxonomic characteristics is given. Our finding extends the known geographical distribution of this species in the Mediterranean Sea to the Strait of Sicily.

We report the first record of the sea anemone Anthopleura nigrescens on the Pacific coast of Central America. Five specimens from Mata Limón (Costa Rica) were collected from rocks of a man-made breakwater at sub-tidal level. Images of live specimens are presented. A map with its worldwide distribution is included and we concluded that this actiniarian can be considered widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific.

In Iran, the sandfish, Holothuria scabra is the most exploited sea cucumber species which is harvested at Qeshm Island because of the high demand from Indian and Bangladeshi traders. Some specimens of the sea cucumber were collected by snorkellers diving at depth of 5 m at Qeshm Island in the Persian Gulf. An examination identified the sea cucumbers as H. scabra. Previous research has not found this species in the Persian Gulf. This report is the first to document the highly valued commercial sea cucumber in the Persian Gulf region.

On 29 February 2011 a strap-toothed beaked whale Mesoplodon layardii stranded in the mouth of the Pyin Sa Lu and Thaung Du rivers bordering the northern Indian Ocean in Myanmar at approximately 16°N of the equator. This stranding occurred more than 5000 km from the normal distribution of the species in cold temperate waters below 35°S. Mesoplodonts are the most poorly known of all cetaceans; however, due to the large number of documented strandings and the species' distinctive appearance, the distribution of strap-toothed beaked whales is probably the best known of the genus. For these reasons, the Myanmar stranding is believed to be an anomalous extra-limital occurrence rather than an extension of the species' normal distribution.

The Japanese skeleton shrimp Caprella mutica, originally from the north-west Pacific, artificially introduced to many parts of the world, is recorded in Sweden for the first time. The new record is from Eastern Skagerrak, slightly north of the border between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. A detailed morphological description of the specimens from Swedish waters with notes on habitat is presented. In comparison with the specimens from the native range, the large males of C. mutica from Sweden, and material earlier reported from elsewhere in Europe, are characterized by rather long pereonites 1 and 2, which are longer than the combined length of pereonites 3 and 4; and long segments of antenna 1 peduncle; among them segment 3 is longer than flagellum.

For the first time, we report the occurrence of the irregular echinoid Cassidulus caribaearum (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) in Puerto Rico. This is also the first record of this species in the Greater Antilles. Until then it had only been observed in Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Belize, San Marteen and the US Virgin Islands. This novel information increases its previously known distribution range and represents the sixteenth shallow water echinoid occurring in Puerto Rico.

A dead dolphin found on Bonaire in August 2011 is identified as adult Fraser's dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei, a new species for the Dutch Caribbean. A first closer examination showed a collapsed lung, stomach parasite infection and abundant mouth ulceration as indications of its health status. The animal was relatively fresh and did not die very long before it was found. Like more often with stranded deep diving cetacean species within the area, remnants of crustacean were found in its beak indicating recent foraging.

Occurrence of abnormal rays reported in Indian waters was stumbled upon in the late 19th Century, but it was revised in the early 20th Century and in the past two decades. Reported morphological abnormalities for elasmobranchs in the Indian waters are restricted to pectorals that fail to unite with the sides of the head and fins that developed thick muscular segments. The occurrence of the malformed or adapted specimen Gymnura poecilura suggested reasons for adaptations or malformations.

Even though Ecuador is one of the twelve mega-diverse countries in the world, the polychaetes are still poorly known. Twelve polychaete species, namely Hemipodia pustatula (Glyceridae); Microphthalmus arenarius (Hesionidae); Scoletoma zonata (Lumbrineridae); Nereis riisei, Pseudonereis gallapagensis (Nereididae); Armandia salvadoriana, Euzonus mucronata (Opheliidae); Phyllodoce multiseriata (Phyllodocidae); Pisione longispinulata (Pisionidae); Malacoceros indicus, Scolelepis (Scolelepis) acuta (Spionidae) and Opisthosyllis arboricola (Syllidae) are newly reported in the intertidal sandy beaches of Bunche (0°39′01.98″N 80°03′55.01″W) and Cabo San Francisco (0°38′16.35″N 80°03′14.07″W), Esmeraldas Province (Ecuador). Furthermore, an amended diagnosis of Pisione longispinulata is presented.

Here we present the first documentation of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Pitcairn Island region. Land-based surveys were conducted from Pitcairn Island from June 2007 to August 2007 in order to monitor the presence of humpback whales in the surrounding near-shore waters. The highest sighting frequencies occurred in late August, with mother and calf pairs also becoming more prevalent during this period. Observation effort lasted 80.56 hours, totalling 35 sightings of 49 whales. There is no anecdotal history of humpback whales at Pitcairn Island previous to 1990 which may suggest a recent geographical shift in the easterly range of Oceania humpbacks. Our findings extend the known easterly range of humpbacks within Oceania (western South Pacific Ocean).

The cardinal fish, Apogonichthyoides sialis, previously known from the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific, is reported from the south-west coast of India (Kerala coast). The specimens are described and figured.