Aricidea (Allia) belgicae (Fauvel, 1936) is redescribed from material collected near the type locality in deep waters of Antarctica. Although no complete specimens were collected, all specimens displayed anatomical features characteristic of the subgenus. The species is characterized by the absence of a prostomial antenna, the very long posterior lip indenting setiger 2, the presence of interramal processes on both branchial and postbranchial setigers, neuropodial capillaries distinctly thicker than notopodial capillaries on postbranchial segments, and the presence of short acicular-modified neurosetae on far posterior setigers. The complex taxonomic history of the species is reviewed and discussed in relation to new anatomical findings.

Paraprionospio pinnata (Ehlers, 1901), a poorly known and potentially cosmopolitan polychaete, was examined from museum specimens and from collections in Jiaozhou Bay, the Yellow Sea. New observations indicate that previous Chinese records of P. pinnata are doubtful, and that Chinese waters contain at least three valid species of Paraprionospio, two are known and one is new. Paraprionospio inaequibranchia (Caullery, 1914) and Paraprionospio coora Wilson, 1990, previously misidentified as P. pinnata, are reported from Chinese waters for the first time. Paraprionospio cristata, new species, is characterized by having brown pigment patches on the prostomium, ventral crests on chaetigers 9 and 10, dorsal crests on the middle part of the body (from chaetigers 21–23, not beyond chaetiger 29), thin filaments on chaetiger 3, and bifoliate branchial lamellae.

Piguetiella denticulata Liang & Xie, 1997 is redescribed based on the type series collected from the type locality, Songtao River, and streams of the Zhangjiajie Mountain in southwestern China, and specimens from several tributaries of the Yangtze River. This species is characterized by a large body size, the absence of eyespots and dorsal hair chaetae, the same size and shape of dorsal and ventral chaetae, the presence of 3–4 intermediate teeth on both ventral and dorsal chaetae, and an intestinal dilation in IX–X segments. The essential characteristics used to diagnose the genus are discussed and a key to the genus is provided.

The euphausiid ectoparasitic isopod, Heterophryxus appendiculatus G. O. Sars, 1885, is recorded for the first time from the Pacific Ocean, based on specimens collected from off the Nansei Islands, Japan. This species is distinguished from other congeners by the nearly straight frontal margin of the cephalon. This study provides additional information on this species, including a new host, description, coloration, and scanning electron micrographs.

Three juvenile instars (A-3, A-2, A-1) of Deeveya spiralis from caves in Cottage Pond, North Caicos Island, and Conch Bar Cave, Conch Bar, Middle Caicos Island, are described and illustrated. The ontogeny of the species is compared with that of Deeveya bransoni Kornicker & Palmer, 1987. The changes that take place during the ontogeny of members of the genus are described.

In 2005, the EBISCO oceanographic campaign collected numerous large ostracods in the Coral Sea, off southwest New Caledonia. These ostracods belong to a new species, Azygocypridina brynmawria, and differ from the morphologically similar Azygocypridina lowryi in the color of the soft parts and details of the morphology of the second antenna, furca, and terminal tooth of the seventh limb, as determined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Included is a discussion of the unique color and locality of these organisms.

During a survey of the biodiversity of the southeastern part of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu Archipelago, specimens of a tiny but distinctive new hermit crab species, referable to a new genus, were discovered in the shallow waters off the island. Herein, Pumilopagurus tuberculomanus new genus, new species, is described and illustrated. The genus is characterized by the development of a massive right cheliped, more than 0.7 total body length; male with a short left sexual tube directed from left to right across the ventral body surface and very short right sexual tube; and female with single left gonopore. Its relationship to other pagurid genera of comparable small body size is discussed.

A new crayfish, Orconectes (Gremicambarus) quinebaugensis, is described from southern New England. This species is similar in morphology to its sister species, O. (G.) virilis (Hagen), which also occurs in New England. Orconectes quinebaugensis is found in small streams with rocky or gravel substrate, with or without O. virilis or other crayfish species. Orconectes quinebaugensis differs from other members of the O. virilis species complex in the morphology of the first pleopods of adult males; in O. quinebaugensis, both rami of the first pleopod are clearly and equally recurved, and the central projection comprises 30.2–34.0% of the total length of the pleopod. In addition, it can be distinguished from all known members of the complex by the shape of the dactyl of the chelipeds.

We describe a new species of cave adapted Anelpistina from Yextla cave, Guerrero, México. The species has evolved a highly modified troglobitic morphology, despite being derived from a group that was previously blind and depigmented.

A reevaluation of the morphometric and color pattern differences within the Asiatic box turtle, Cuora flavomarginata sensu latu, was conducted in view of determining the taxonomic position of the three currently recognized subspecies: C. f. flavomarginata (Taiwan), C. f. sinensis (southern mainland China), and C. f. evelynae (Ryukyu Islands, Japan). Recent analyses indicate that the allopatric population of C. f. evelynae is the most divergent of the three taxa and shares little possibility for gene exchange with the other two populations. In contrast, the populations of C. f. flavomarginata and C. f. sinensis share many characters. We recommend the recognition of the Ryukyu population as a full species, C. evelynae.

Remains of at least 26 individuals of a Calonectris shearwater were recovered from a Pleistocene beach deposit on Bermuda that formed when sea-level was more than 21 m above present level during an interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage 11) 400,000 yr ago. Two prefledging juveniles in the sample indicate breeding on the island. This shearwater was the general size of C. d. diomedea of the Mediterranean but differs in proportions and in qualitative characters and is described as Calonectris wingatei, new species. The species appears to have become extinct shortly after the time of deposition, when rising sea-level is also thought to have caused the extinction of the Short-tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus on Bermuda. The Neogene history of the taxa of Calonectris in the Atlantic basin is examined in the context of major geological and oceanographic events.