Redescriptions of Notomastus hemipodus and N. tenuis are provided based on the examination of type specimens and supplemental material. Details of important morphological characters such as epithelial texture, lateral organs, genital pores, shape of the hooded hooks, and methyl green stain pattern are provided for both species. The two species, widely reported along the east, west, and Gulf coasts of North America, the Caribbean, and even Nigeria, have been confused since the 1960s. Notomastus americanus is newly synonymized with N. hemipodus due to the similarity in the characters of epithelial texture, first uniramous chaetiger, presence of an anterior palpode, and hooded hooks as well as identical methyl green stain patterns.

Two new species of Potamothrix (Oligochaeta: Tubificinae), P. rhytipeniatus, new species and P. aductus, new species, are described from Fuxian Lake and Xingyun Lake of Yunnan Province, southwest China. Potamothrix rhytipeniatus differs from congeners by its wrinkled penis surface and vasa deferentia entering the atrium subapically. Potamothrix aductus is distinguishable from all congeners by lacking a spermathecal duct. Hitherto, 31 species of freshwater oligochaetes have been recorded from Yunnan Province, including seven endemic species from plateau lakes.

This paper summarizes the taxonomic findings of the three cruises on board of Florida Institute of Oceanography research vessels Bellows and Suncoaster conducted between 2000 and 2005 as well as to discuss the unique regional oceanographic settings that were found to be essential in supporting the diverse and unique bathyal molluscan fauna encountered in the depths of the eastern Straits of Florida. Approximately 30 stations were sampled, from South Cat Cay (25°42.085′N) through Victory Cay (25°28.355′N), at depths ranging from 120–600 meters and averaging 400 m depth. A total of 74 molluscan taxa belonging to 34 families were identified from over 400 individual mollusk specimens. The gastropods Architectonica sunderlandi Petuch 1987, Bursa finlayi McGinty 1962, and Exilia meekiana (Dall, 1889a) were collected from the eastern side of the Straits of Florida for the first time. The Ranellid Pisanianura grimaldii (Dautzenberg, 1889) is reported from the western Atlantic Ocean for the first time. Two new taxa are described, including a new species of eratoid, Hespererato pallida, new species, and a new species of volute, Scaphella (Scaphella) biminiensis, new species. Additionally, a number of rare or otherwise poorly known molluscan taxa are illustrated, described, and discussed in context of the oceanographic settings from which they were collected. The presence of a diverse and unique deep-water molluscan community is attributed to the distinctive current structure and temperature asymmetry that has been observed between the western and eastern slopes of the Straits of Florida.

A new species of tardigrade, Minibiotus acadianus, is described from a moss sample collected in June 2009 from a rainforest palm tree on the island of Dominica, West Indies. The new species has a buccal tube with a single anterior curvature, two macroplacoids, and a microplacoid. The cuticle is smooth with small, evenly-distributed circular or elliptical pores. Eggs have a reticulated shell surface and short inverted goblet egg process; a dentate margin on the distal dish of the processes bears 10–12 short teeth. The new species is most similar to Minibiotus acadianus Meyer & Domingue, 2011; both have wider buccal tubes than other species in the genus. The new species is easily distinguished from M. acadianus in lacking cuticular gibbosities and in some characters of the egg.

Three species of Rogadius Jordan & Richardson, 1908, with antrorse preopercular spines have been previously known from the western Indian Ocean (WIO). A new species, Rogadius fehlmanni, is described from eight specimens taken at three localities off Somalia. It is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: lower edge of preopercle developed as a stout antrorse spine; preocular spines 2–4, usually with accessory spines on base of the largest; 5–6 diagonal scale rows between second dorsal fin and lateral line; pelvic fins blackish, lacking individual dark spots. A key separating the four species is provided.

We provide a detailed description of the caudal skeleton of the smallest specimen of a three-tooth puffer on record, a 20 mm standard length Triodon macropterus. The compound centrum supports the parhypural and five hypurals. Hypural five, which has a cartilaginous core, was interpreted erroneously by Tyler (1970, 1980) as uroneural 2, a structure that is not preformed in cartilage in acanthomorphs. We also found a second epural in Triodon, which was not reported by Tyler (1970, 1980). Both hypural 5 and epural 2 are also present in the two larger specimens of Triodon we studied. We discuss previous descriptions of the caudal-fin skeleton of Triodon and conclude by re-emphasizing the unexpectedly large number of putatively plesiomorphic characters of Triodon compared to all other plectognaths.

Rotuma, the northern-most Fijian island, reportedly has two resident species of treeskinks of the Emoia samoensis species group. One species is a member of the Emoia concolor species subgroup and was last reported from Rotuma in the 1890s. The other species is a member of the Emoia samoensis subgroup. Members of the latter subgroup are robust-bodied skinks in contrast to the more slender-bodied concolor. The abundant treeskink on Rotuma is more slender-bodied than other samoensis subgroup members but clearly belongs to this subgroup. It possesses other differences, particularly in scalation, that demonstrate its differentiation and speciation in the remote and isolated Rotuma Islands. It is recognized herein as a new species Emoia oriva. A key to the members of the Emoia samoensis species group provides a current summary of phenetic relationships in this group although on-going studies suggest at least a half-dozen species remain undescribed in the samoensis species group.

Pipilo naufragus, new species, is described from Middle and Late Pleistocene to Holocene cave and pond deposits on the island of Bermuda. It is most similar to the Eastern Towhee P. erythrophthalmus but differs in having a heavier bill, more robust hindlimbs, and reduced wing and pectoral girdle, with the sternum in particular being shorter, wider, and with a much smaller carina. At least one early historical account (1610) contains a description of a large bunting-like bird that almost certainly refers to this species, which would have been exterminated by introduced pigs, rats, and cats following human settlement of Bermuda in 1612.