Vol. 36-35 (July 2003) AbstractsMarine biodiversity of Guam and the Marianas
A retrospective look at Guam's marine biodiversity L. G. Eldredge Abstract—For marine biodiversity studies at Guam, note is made of early discoverers to the 1900s and the beginning of scientific investigations through World War II. Specific activities surrounding Acanthaster planci are noted as they led to the development of the University of Guam Marine Laboratory with comments on the Marine Lab’s role in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas to the present. Former and current faculty, graduate students, and visiting researcher activities are reported. An annotated checklist of Foraminifera of Guam S.L. Richardson R.N. Clayshulte Abstract—This paper presents a checklist of 303 species of benthic and planktic Foraminifera from the marine waters off Guam, based on literature records and new collections. Notations on taxonomic synonymies and depositories of type and identified specimens are included in the list. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 38-53, 2003. Full text.
Illustrations of seaweed genera in the region, and dichotomous keys, can be found at www.university.uog.edu/botany/474.
 Acrosymphyton taylori (Rhodophyta), one of the recent records from Guam. Taxonomic inventory of the sponges (Porifera) of the Mariana Islands M. Kelly, J. Hooper, V. Paul, G. Paulay, R. van Soest,
W. de Weert
Abstract—We review the sponge fauna of the Mariana Islands based on new and existing collections, and literature records. 124 species of siliceous sponges (Class Demospongiae) and 4 species of calcareous sponges (Class Calcarea) have been identified to date, representing 73 genera, 44 families, within 16 orders. Several species are adventive. Approximately 30% (40) of the species encountered are undescribed, but not all are endemics, as the authors know them from other locations. Approximately 30% (38) of the species are known from diverse locations within the Indo West Pacific, but several well-known, widespread species are absent. The actual diversity of sponge fauna of the Marianas is considerably higher, as many species, especially cryptic and encrusting taxa, remain to be collected and studied. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 100-120, 2003. Full text.
An annotated checklist of hydrozoan and scleractinian corals collected from Guam and other Mariana Islands R.H. Randall Abstract—An annotated checklist of scleractinian and hydrozoan corals that have been collected from the Mariana Islands archipelago is presented for a special volume of Micronesica titled "The Marine Biodiversity of Guam and the Marianas." A total of 403 scleractinian and hydrozoan coral species representing 21 families and 108 genera are listed for the Mariana Islands. A total of 112 species are listed that have not been previously recorded from the Mariana Islands. Twelve of the new listings are azooxanthellate hydrozoan species, and of the 100 new scleractinians listed 25 are zooxanthellate species and 75 are azooxanthellate species. Each listed species is accompanied with a literature citation that provides a photographic illustration and a representative voucher specimen, or the authors field collection note citation and a representative voucher specimen when a published record was not available. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 121-137, 2003. Full text.
The non-scleractinian Anthozoa (Cnidaria) of the Mariana Islands G. Paulay, M. Puglesi, J.A. Starmer Abstract—The non-scleractinian Anthozoa of the Marianas are reviewed based on literature records and new surveys. Six zoanthids, 8 corallimorpharians, 26 actiniarians, 3 ceriantharians, 10 antipatharians, and 79 octocorals are recorded. The zoanthid, corallimorpharian, and shallow water gorgonian faunas of Guam are relatively well characterized, although many locally recognized forms remain to be identified to species. Soft corals are relatively well surveyed taxonomically, although information about many species remains limited, due to difficulty of field identification. While large-bodied actiniarians are well known, small species remain little studied. Ceriantharians remain poorly known, while antipatharian records are based on a single deep-water survey in the southern Marianas. A rich deep-water octocoral fauna has been collected, but remains to be studied. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 138-155, 2003. Full text.
Hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from Guam and the Commonwealth
of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) L. Kirkendale, D.R. Calder Abstract—This report provides the first general account of the marine hydroids (Leptolida), excluding Milleporidae and Stylasteridae, of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI). The siphonophore Physalia physalis is also recorded from the region. Seventeen families and 43 species, a majority of them (80%) leptothecates, are listed in our preliminary assay of the fauna. Of these species, 42 are from Guam and 17 from the CNMI. Of those from the CNMI, 16 were collected from Saipan in the Southern Marianas Islands and one from Maug in the Northern Marianas Islands. The diversity of hydroids from this area, as currently known, is briefly compared with that of several oceanic island systems elsewhere that have been more thoroughly surveyed. From this comparison, we conclude that the shallow-water hydroid fauna of Guam and vicinity is still inadequately known and likely comprises 100 species or more. Reported distributions of species identified here were examined in order to judge whether they might be introduced to the study area. Select species found on artificial substrata in the harbor are evidence of a possible anthropogenic introduction, however, we believe the majority are long-term inhabitants of the study area. We base this on their widespread distribution and their capacity for long-range transport, especially by rafting on phoretic substrata. No endemics were represented. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 159-188, 2003. Full text.
Checklist of polyclad flatworms (Platyhelminthes) from Micronesian coral reefs L.J. Newman, G. Paulay, R. Ritson-Williams Abstract .We record 68 species of polyclad flatworms from new material (all photo-documented) and 28 species from literature records, for a total diversity of 88 species for Micronesia. Up to 60% of the encountered species may be undescribed. Guam has the largest recorded fauna with 59 species, followed by 28 species known from Palau. Pseudocerotidae comprise 58% of documented species, and more than 3 times as many cotyleans than acotyleans are documented. This study shows that the polyclad fauna of Micronesia is diverse yet poorly known, and highlights the need for further work. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 189-199, 2003. Full text.
Coral reef polychaetes of Guam and Saipan, Mariana Islands J.H. Bailey-Brock Abstract – Polychaetes are important food resources of reef fishes and invertebrates. Some are indicators of environmental perturbation and reef condition. Species inventory recognizing native and alien species is important to regulatory agencies. Polychaetes collected from coastal habitats of Guam and Saipan, with published records, raise the known number of species from Guam to 104 and from Saipan to 51. The number from Saipan is an underestimate based on collections in many shallow reef habitats identified by Hartman, two short visits by the author and a few specimens sent by a resident. Infaunal polychaetes in sand, rock crevices, and those removed from the digestive tracts of gastropods (Conus spp.), belong to 30 families, 25 known from Guam, 20 from Saipan with five of these only recorded from Saipan. Polychaetes are listed by family with collection site(s). Authors of published records are given for each species. Comparisons of community structure based on species richness, common taxa, and trophic guilds with those of West Pacific, Hawai‘ian and East Indian Ocean locations are made. Using published records and quantitative data available only for some islands, reef polychaete communities of Guam are similar to those of Hawai‘i, Enewetak, and Indonesia in species composition and density. More collections and taxonomic studies would add more species to presently under-represented families in Guam e.g. the Spionidae, Phyllodocidae, Eunicidae and Polynoidae. Families common on Guam reefs and in the Indo-West Pacific are the Syllidae, Serpulidae and Spirorbidae. Recently introduced polychaetes include, Oenone fulgida, Timarete caribous, Thelepus setosus and Sabellastarte spectabilis collected from the floating dry dock facility ‘Machinist’ one week after arriving in Apra Harbor from Hawai‘i. The serpulid, Salmacina dysteri, was also on the dry dock, but had been recorded earlier from Guam. This species most likely reached Guam on the hull of a vessel in transit across the Pacific Ocean. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 200-217, 2003. Full text.
Marine Bivalvia (Mollusca) of Guam G. Paulay Abstract --.The marine bivalves of Guam are documented from new collections and 339 species recorded. Nevertheless Guam’s fauna remains imperfectly known and is estimated to be considerably more diverse. Such high diversity on a local scale in the west-central Pacific suggests that bivalve diversity in the Indo-west Pacific is much higher than previously recorded. Pteriomorphs and heterodonts dominate Guam’s fauna, while protobranchs and anomalodesmatans comprise only four species. Galeommatids represent the most species rich family, even though they are uncommon in samples.
The opisthobranchs of the Mariana Islands C. Carlson, P.J. Hoff Abstract—The opisthobranch fauna of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas (CNMI) is listed based on existing collections and literature records. 485 species have been identified with approximately half of these being undescribed. The actual diversity of the opisthobranchs for the Marianas is likely considerably higher, due to limited collecting in several areas of Guam and few collections made in the CNMI. That the documented opisthobranch fauna is nevertheless one of the most diverse known, implies that the opisthobranch species richness in truly megadiverse locations like Indonesia, the Philippines, and Papua New Guinea, will be found to be several times as high as currently documented. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 271-293, 2003. Full text.
An annotated checklist of the shallow water Cirripedia of Guam G. Paulay, A. Ross Abstract—Twenty-four species of barnacles are recorded from Guam and two additional species from neighboring Saipan in the Mariana Islands. Shore barnacles (12 species) and coral barnacles (9 species) dominate the known fauna. Numerous species remain to be documented, especially subtidally.
Shrimps of the family Atyidae from Guam, Mariana Islands T. Leberer, Y. Cai Abstract—There are at least 6 species of atyid shrimp found on the island of Guam, including one undescribed species. Probably only two species have previously been recorded correctly from the island. Specimens were collected from a wide range of locations and habitat types, including inland freshwater, brackish and anchialine. Most of them are widespread in the Indo-Pacific region. Atyoida pilipes was the most common atyid in collections. Guam’s stream atyids are considered amphidromous, developing in the marine environment as larvae and living in freshwater as adults. Reproduction for the hypogeal species is less well understood. Although some of the species mentioned in this paper are new records for the island, all recorded species are considered native to Guam. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 353-358, 2003. Full text.
The Parthenopinae of Guam (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Parthenopidae)
S.H. Tan, P.K.L. Ng Abstract—Eight species of parthenopid crabs of the subfamily Parthenopinae are recorded from Guam. A new species of Aulacolambrus Paul’son 1875, is described. Two other species, Aulacolambrus hoplonotus (Adams & White 1849) and Rhinolambrus rudis (Rathbun 1916) are new records. The poorly known Lambrus pugilator A. Milne-Edwards 1873, not found since its original description is now reported from Guam and is referred to a new genus, Certolambrus. Heterocrypta petrosa Klunzinger 1906, a new record for Guam, is shown to be generically distinct from Heterocrypta Stimpson 1871b, and placed in a new genus, Furtipodia, together with a new species, F. gemma. Cryptopodia investigatoris Alcock 1895, and Heterocrypta bivallata Flipse 1930, are synonyms of Cryptopodia contracta Stimpson 1857; Cryptopodia angusta Rathbun 1916, is a junior synonym of Heterocrypta transitans Ortmann 1893; and Heterocrypta transitans is transferred to Cryptopodia. A new genus and new species, Neikolambrus polemistes, which shares characteristics of both Rhinolambrus and Pseudolambrus, is also described.
Micronesica 35-36: pp. 385-416, 2003. Full text.
 Conleyus defodio. (Photo: G. Paulay) The trapeziid crabs (Brachyura) of Guam and Northern MarianaIslands, P. Castro Abstract—Twenty species of trapeziid crabs symbiotic with hermatypic corals are recorded from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands. Of these, fourteen belong to Trapezia (one of which is new to science), four to Tetralia, and two to Tetraloides. Five previously described species are new records for the region. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 440-455, 2003. Full text.
The crustaceans and pycnogonids of the Mariana Islands G. Paulay, R. Kropp, P.K.L. Ng, L.G. Eldredge Abstract—The crustacean and pycnogonid fauna of the Mariana Islands is reviewed, and 839 crustacean and 15 pycnogonid species are documented from the archipelago based on literature records and new collections, including 272 new records. Voucher specimens are listed for 615 and photographic records (see http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/reefs) for 358 species. The bulk of the fauna is marine, including 12 terrestrial and 12 freshwater decapods with marine larvae. Three copepods and 6 cladocerans comprise the known freshwater fauna, and 25 peracarids are currently documented on land. Coverage reflects a taxonomically uneven effort, and is strongly biased toward macrocrustaceans, with decapods accounting for 84% and crabs for 50% of the recorded marine crustacean diversity. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 456-513, 2003. Full text.
Marine insects of Guam: Heteroptera and Diptera L. Cheng, W.N. Mathis Abstract—A list of marine Heteroptera and Diptera currently known from Guam is given. Some notes on biology and distribution are also included. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 514-522, 2003. Full text.
An annotated checklist and key to the Crinoidea of Guam and the L. Kirkendale, C.G. Messing Abstract—Twenty-one species of crinoids in six families are now known from the Marianas Islands, 17 species from Guam and 10 from the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI). This paper adds nine previously unreported crinoid species each to Guam and the CNMI. The nomenclature of all 21 species is reviewed and updated following Rowe et al. (1986), Hoggett and Rowe (1986) and Messing (1995, 1998a). One apparently juvenile comasterid does not fit comfortably in any known genus and may represent a new taxon. A simple key to the shallow-water species of Guam is included. Crinoid faunal diversity on Guam is compared with that known elsewhere in the Indo-West Pacific. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 523-546, 2003. Full text.
An annotated checklist of ophiuroids (Echinodermata) from Guam J.A. Starmer Abstract—Forty-seven ophiuroid species are recorded from the island of Guam. One species, Ophiarthum pictum, is known only from the literature. Ophiuroids identified as Ophiolepis cf. cincta may represent an undescribed species. Specimens of Ophiocoma cf. erinaceus and Ophionereis cf. fusca, respectively, display previously unrecorded structural and color characters. Amphiura duncani was found only in Apra Harbor and may be introduced. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 547-562, 2003. Full text.
The Asteroidea, Echinoidea, and Holothuroidea (Echinodermata) of the Mariana Islands G. Paulay Abstract— The asteroid, echinoid, and holothuroid faunas of the Mariana Islands are reviewed and 35, 53, and 47 species recorded, respectively. Four asteroids, 28 echinoids, and 9 holothuroids are newly recorded for the archipelago. Together with 21 crinoids (Kirkendale &Messing 2003) and 47 ophiuroids (Starmer 2003), the echinoderm fauna of the archipelago now stands at 202 species, with 196 of these known from Guam. That 41% of the echinoderms of the Marianas were hitherto undocumented demonstrates how poorly known even these large, popular, and much-studied marine invertebrates are in the tropical Pacific, even at extensively surveyed locations such as Guam. Holothuria guamensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1833 is placed in synonymy of Actinopyga mauritiana (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833). Micronesica 35-36: pp. 563-583, 2003. Full text.
Marine biodiversity of Guam: the Ascidiacea G. Lambert Abstract—Between 1998 and 2000 the first comprehensive collections ever made of ascidians in Guam were carried out, mainly by snorkeling and SCUBA; a few deeper samples were collected by dredging. Artificial substrates in harbors, such as buoys, wharf pilings and marina floats, were sampled in addition to numerous natural coral reef sites. Approximately 117 species in 32 genera have been catalogued, though some of the species are not yet fully identified. The collection includes 87 colonial species and 30 solitary species. Eighty-six species are considered indigenous or probably indigenous. Thirty-one species, 16 colonial and 15 solitary, are considered introduced or cryptogenic; all were collected from artificial substrates and a few of these were also collected from natural substrates. Seventy-eight species were collected only from natural sites; this group was predominantly colonial (69 species). The collection includes at least 4 new, undescribed species. Manuscripts are in preparation that will include descriptions of all the species. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 584-593, 2003. Full text.
The fishes of the Mariana Islands R.F. Myers, T.J. Donaldson Abstract—This paper lists 1,106 species of fishes known from the Mariana Islands and adjacent territorial waters. Of these 1,020 may be characterized as inshore or epipelagic species, the vast majority of which inhabit coral reefs. Species entries are annotated to include the initial Mariana Islands record, subsequent regional works, synonyms used in major regional works, and justification for synonyms not published previously. A biogeographic analysis is given for the inshore and epipelagic component of the fauna. Benthic and mesopelagic habitats below 200m are poorly known, and existing information is scattered. This paper attempts to include all species of inshore and epipelagic fishes from the region known to date based upon published information and collections known to the authors. No attempt is made to review the literature on species found below 200m. Further, because of logistical constraints no databases of major museum’s holdings were consulted for additional material. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 594-648, 2003. Full text.
Records of freshwater turtles on Guam, Mariana Islands T. Leberer Abstract—Seven species of freshwater turtles have been introduced into Guam in the past 30 years. While most have likely been the result of accidental pet releases, at least one was brought in for aquaculture. At least three species have established breeding populations, but the status of other species is uncertain. Studies to address the impacts of these introductions on native species are needed. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 649-652, 2003. Full text.
A checklist of birds recorded in Guam’s marine habitats G.J. Wiles Abstract—Seventy-seven species of birds, plus five hypothetical species, are listed for various marine habitats on Guam, Mariana Islands. Visiting shorebirds and seabirds predominate the list. Predation, over-development of important sites, and human disturbance are key conservation concerns. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 61-675, 2003. Full text.
Miscellaneous marine invertebrates and protists from the Mariana Islands G. Paulay Abstract .Of the 32 or so animal phyla, eight (Porifera, Cnidaria, Platyhelminthes, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, Chordata) are documented in other papers in this volume, together with one protist phylum and several algal divisions. This paper brings together the few records from the Marianas of groups not covered elsewhere. Forty-two species are documented among the Ciliophora, Placozoa, Ctenophora, Nemertea, Sipuncula, Echiura, Mollusca (smaller classes), Brachiopoda, Bryozoa, and Hemichordata. Micronesica 35-36: pp. 676-682, 2002. Full text.
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