Regional disparities of phytoplankton in relation to different water masses in the Northwest Pacific Ocean during the spring and summer of 2017

The West Pacific Ocean is considered as the provenance center of global marine life and has the highest species diversity of numerous marine taxa.The phytoplankton,as the primary producer at the base of the food chain,effects on climate change,fish resources as well as the entire ecosystem.However,there are few large-scale surveys covering several currents with different hydrographic characteristics.This study aimed to explore the relationships between the spatio-temporal variation in phytoplankton community structure and different water masses.A total of 630 water samples and 90 net samples of phytoplankton were collected at 45 stations in the Northwest Pacific Ocean(21.0°–42.0°N,118.0°–156.0°E)during spring and summer 2017.A total of 281 phytoplankton taxa(>5μm)belonging to 61 genera were identified in the study area.The distribution pattern of the phytoplankton community differed significantly both spatially and temporally.The average abundances of phytoplankton in spring and summer were 797.07×10~2 cells/L and 84.94×10~2 cells/L,respectively.Whether in spring or summer,the maximum abundance always appeared in the northern transition region affected by the Oyashio Current,where nutrients were abundant and diatoms dominated the phytoplankton community;whereas the phytoplankton abundance was very low in the oligotrophic Kuroshio region,and the proportion of dinoflagellates in total abundance increased significantly.The horizontal distribution of phytoplankton abundance increased from low to high latitudes,which was consistent with the trend of nutrient distributions,but contrary to that of water temperature and salinity.In the northern area affected by the Oyashio Current,the phytoplankton abundance was mainly concentrated in the upper 30 m of water column,while the maximum abundance often occurred at depths of 50–75 m in the south-central area affected by the Kuroshio Current.Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis(RDA)showed that phytoplankton abundance was significant negatively correlated with temperature and salinity,but positively correlated with nutrient concentration.The phytoplankton community structure was mainly determined by nutrient availability,especially the N:P ratio.

A new pelagic Polyconchoecia Xiang, Chen and Du, 2018(Ostracoda:Myodocopa:Halocyprididae) from the South China Sea

Halocyprid ostracods are appreciable part of ostracods floating through virtually everywhere in marine environment.In this study,we describe a new species of genus Polyconchoecia Xiang,Chen and Du,2018,tribe Conchoeciini Chavtur and Angel,2011,family Halocyprididae Dana,1853 from the middle of the South China Sea.Polyconchoecia chenii sp.nov.is very close to P.commixtus Xiang,Chen and Du,2018.But it differs from P.commixtus by the distinctions of locations of major glands of carapace and the characteristics of appendages:more posteriorly situated left asymmetric gland of carapace,no right asymmetric gland;segmented frontal organ;the endopod 2 of the first antenna with a very small seta;a-and c-setae of the first antenna with long end joint have long end joint,the b-and d-setae have no end joint,spinose e-seta without end joint;the e-seta of the second antenna is present;teeth side is distinctive;the setal counts of the mandible,maxilla,fifth limb,and sixth limb are individual.The locations of the major glands on carapace and the characteristics of the first antenna can be the key of the new species.This work is the second discovery of the genus Polyconchoecia from the world.