Published Papers - Reimer James Davis

Diversity of Saint Helena Island and zoogeography of zoantharians in the Atlantic Ocean: Jigsaw falling into place

Santos M.E.A.

Systematics and Biodiversity ( Systematics and Biodiversity )  17 ( 2 ) 165 - 178   2019.02 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Diversity surveys in isolated sites, such as oceanic islands, provide biogeographic data that can improve our analyses and knowledge of evolutionary processes in the oceans. Zoantharians (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) are common and widespread components of shallow-water reefs, but distributional analyses are scarce for this group. In this study, we collected Zoantharia specimens from around Saint Helena Island (STH) in the mid-Atlantic and identified species using external morphology and molecular data. Moreover, we compiled and analysed the most comprehensive distributional data for zoantharian species in the subtropical and tropical Atlantic Ocean to date. Our results show eight zoantharian species in STH, which includes seven new records for STH waters. Furthermore, all families and genera of the suborder Brachycnemina recorded are widespread in the Atlantic Ocean, including at least four amphi-Atlantic species. The Caribbean is the richness centre in the Atlantic Ocean for zoantharian species, a pattern similar to that observed for many other subtropical/tropical marine taxa. However, Zoantharia may have a lower endemism rate in some areas than other common reef animals, for example zooxanthellate scleractinian corals and reef fishes. Moreover, zoantharian species have a more extensive distribution than close-related taxa such as zooxanthellate scleractinian corals and hydrocorals in the Atlantic Ocean.

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Molecular phylogeny and diversity of sea pens (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Pennatulacea) with a focus on shallow water species of the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

Kushida Y, Reimer JD

Molecular phylogenetics and evolution ( Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution )  131   233 - 244   2019.02 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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The order Pennatulacea, commonly known as sea pens, are colony-forming benthos belonging within subclass Octocorallia (Anthozoa, Cnidaria). Sea pens are found worldwide from shallow to deep waters, and they are important components in sandy and muddy environments. Thus far, there has been only one molecular study focusing on the phylogenetic relationships within the order Pennatulacea, which mainly treated deep-sea species, and thus information on shallow water species is still lacking. On a regional scale, the diversity of sea pens in the northwestern Pacific, including Japan and Palau, has not been well investigated. In this research, we aimed to: (1) more accurately resolve the phylogenetic relationships of sea pens with the inclusion of shallow water species, and (2) obtain a better understanding of the diversity of sea pens in Japan and Palau. Specimens were collected by SCUBA and dredging from the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan, and from mainland Japan and Palau, and identified to at least the genus level by their morphological traits. Construction of phylogenetic trees with concatenated sequences including the mitochondrial mutS-like protein DNA mismatch repair gene mtMutS and the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 ND2 region were performed. The p-distances of mtMutS were calculated for estimation of species number following McFadden et al. (2011). Molecular data for 12 families and 20 genera of sea pens were used in this study. This most comprehensive study including shallow water taxa provided us with more knowledge of phylogenetic relationships. The resulting phylogenetic trees showed a topology distinguished by four large clades (clades 1-4). Families Veretillidae and Echinoptilidae are shown as not the earliest-diverging taxa. Virgulariidae and Scleroptilidae are shown as polyphyletic groups, and our results reconfirm that families Pennatulidae, Kophobelemnidae and Umbellulidae are not monophyletic groups. Overall, we collected and examined an estimated 18 species from the Ryukyu Islands, 16 species from mainland Japan, and five species from Palau. Some of these specimens represented new records from Ryukyu Islands and Palau. Previous records of these sea pens did not exist likely due to a lack of diversity research in sandy and muddy areas. These results demonstrate that many sea pens discoveries likely remain in shallow waters of the Pacific.

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Low density populations of anemonefish with low replenishment rates on a reef edge with anthropogenic impacts

Hayashi K, K Tachihara, JD Reimer

Environmental Biology of Fishes ( Environmental Biology of Fishes )  102 ( 1 ) 41 - 54   2019.01 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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A phylogeny and the evolution of epizoism within the family Hydrozoanthidae with description of a new genus and two new species.

Kise H, Maeda T, Reimer JD

Molecular phylogenetics and evolution ( Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution )  130   304 - 314   2019.01 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Marine biodiversity research in the Ryukyu Islands, Japan: current status and trends.

Reimer JD, Biondi P, Lau YW, Masucci GD, Nguyen XH, Santos MEA, Wee HB

PeerJ   7   e6532   2019 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Global marine biodiversity in the context of achieving the Aichi Targets: ways forward and addressing data gaps.

Saeedi H, Reimer JD, Brandt MI, Dumais PO, Jażdżewska AM, Jeffery NW, Thielen PM, Costello MJ

PeerJ ( PeerJ )  7 ( 10 ) e7221   2019 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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In 2010, the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity agreed on the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. As this plan approaches its end, we discussed whether marine biodiversity and prediction studies were nearing the Aichi Targets during the 4th World Conference on Marine Biodiversity held in Montreal, Canada in June 2018. This article summarises the outcome of a five-day group discussion on how global marine biodiversity studies should be focused further to better understand the patterns of biodiversity. We discussed and reviewed seven fundamental biodiversity priorities related to nine Aichi Targets focusing on global biodiversity discovery and predictions to improve and enhance biodiversity data standards (quantity and quality), tools and techniques, spatial and temporal scale framing, and stewardship and dissemination. We discuss how identifying biodiversity knowledge gaps and promoting efforts have and will reduce such gaps, including via the use of new databases, tools and technology, and how these resources could be improved in the future. The group recognised significant progress toward Target 19 in relation to scientific knowledge, but negligible progress with regard to Targets 6 to 13 which aimed to safeguard and reduce human impacts on biodiversity.

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Exploring the biodiversity of understudied benthic taxa at mesophotic and deeper depths: Examples from the order Zoantharia (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia)

Reimer J.D.

Frontiers in Marine Science ( Frontiers in Marine Science )  6 ( JUN )   2019 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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© 2019 Reimer, Kise, Santos, Lindsay, Pyle, Copus, Bowen, Nonaka, Higashiji and Benayahu. Research on so-called "minor taxa" at mesophotic depths has lagged behind that of more commonly researched groups such as fish or hard corals. Exemplar taxa include species of the order Zoantharia, benthic colonial anemones that are cosmopolitan in distribution but understudied in many ecoregion and ecosystems. In this study, we examine the results of rare mesophotic to deep sea surveys (one rebreather, one remotely operated submersible (ROV) + net survey, two ROV surveys) from Japan and Israel. We examined the collected images and video data to provide a first estimate of Zoantharia diversity at mesophotic depths. Zoantharians were observed in all surveys, indicating their ubiquitous presence in mesophotic and deeper ecosystems. Additionally, specimens (n = 12) acquired via these surveys were phylogenetically analyzed with three DNA markers. Phylogenetic results showed the presence of undescribed species based on the uniqueness of acquired DNA sequences, including one specimen belonging to the family Abyssoanthidae, previously only reported from depths below 2000 m. Other specimens belong to groups that inhabit shallower and deeper depths (Antipathozoanthus, Epizoanthus, and Parazoanthidae). These results depart from surveys of mesophotic coral ecosystem fishes and crustaceans, which indicate affiliations almost exclusively with shallow genera and families. We hypothesize that mesophotic depths are an ecotone for zoantharian diversity, with links to both deeper and shallower ecosystem diversity. Future surveys in mesophotic depths should incorporate phylogenetic methods to better catalog so-called "minor taxa" (not only including Zoantharia) and enhance the scientific foundation for conserving the biodiversity of these threatened ecosystems.

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Expanding walls and shrinking beaches: Loss of natural coastline in Okinawa Island, Japan

Masucci G, JD Reimer

PeerJ ( PeerJ )  2019 ( 9 )   2019 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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A first phylogenetic study on stoloniferous octocorals off the coast of Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, with the description of two new genera and five new species

Lau Y, Reimer JD

ZooKeys ( ZooKeys )  2019 ( 872 ) 127 - 158   2019 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Species and sexual differences in human-oriented behavior of anemonefish at Okinawa Island, Japan

Hayashi K, K Tachihara, JD Reimer

Marine Ecology Progress Series ( Marine Ecology Progress Series )  616   219 - 224   2019 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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The spotted cleaner shrimp, Periclimenes yucatanicus (Ives, 1891), on an unusual scleractinian host

González-Muñoz R, A Garese, FH Acuna, JD Reimer, N Simoes

Diversity ( Diversity )  11 ( 11 )   2019 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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The stoloniferous octocoral, Hanabira yukibana, gen. nov., sp. nov., of the southern Ryukyus has morphological and symbiont variation

Lau Y, FR Stokvis, Y Imahara, JD Reimer

Contributions to Zoology ( Contributions to Zoology )  88 ( 1 ) 54 - 77   2019 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Stoloniferan octocorals (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Octocorallia: Alcyonacea) are a relatively unexplored fauna in the Ryukyus (southern Japan), known to be a tropical marine region of high biodiversity and endemism of species. Specimens of stoloniferous octocorals were collected during fieldwork along the coasts of two islands (Okinawa and Iriomote) in the Okinawa Prefecture. Despite their phenotypic polyp variation, this study shows their morphological and molecular uniqueness, leading to the description of a new genus with a single species: <italic>Hanabira yukibana,</italic> gen. nov., sp. nov. They are placed within the Clavulariidae and form a sister clade basally to the genus <italic>Knopia</italic> Alderslade &amp; McFadden, 2007 and species of <italic>Clavularia</italic> Blainville, 1830. The polyps of this new species show morphological variation in both shape and sclerite density, but there is conformity in the typical overall petal shaped tentacles, which have fused pinnules (pseudopinnules). Depending on the densities of their sclerites and their photosynthetic endosymbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) of the family Symbiodiniaceae, there is a characteristic sheen present in the tentacles. Moreover, the zooxanthellae hosted by our specimens form a clear, small-scale biogeographic pattern; all <italic>H. yukibana</italic> specimens from Okinawa Island contained zooxanthellae of the genus <italic>Cladocopium</italic> Lajeunesse &amp; H.J. Jeong, 2018 (= former <italic>Symbiodinium</italic> ‘Clade C’) and all specimens from Iriomote Island hosted zooxanthellae of the genus <italic>Durusdinium</italic> LaJeunesse, 2018 (= former <italic>Symbiodinium</italic> ‘Clade D’). These results show the potential for variation among the Symbiodiniaceae floras within octocorals, something that has not yet been investigated for the large majority of zooxanthellate octocoral species.

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Theme session “Marine science researches of Okinawa Research Core for Highly Innovative Discipline Science (ORCHIDS) project"

NAKAMURA Takashi, REIMER James Davis, SHINJO Ryuichi, NAKAMURA Mamoru, TANAKA Atsuko, WEE Hin Boo

Journal of the Japanese Coral Reef Society ( The Japanese Coral Reef Society )  21 ( 1 ) 1 - 12   2019

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Zooxanthellate, Sclerite-Free, and Pseudopinnuled Octocoral Hadaka nudidomus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Anthozoa, Octocorallia) from mesophotic reefs of the Southern Ryukyus Islands

Lau Y, Reimer JD

Diversity ( Diversity )  11 ( 10 )   2019 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Patterns of coexistence of six anemonefish species around subtropical Okinawa-jima Island, Japan

Hayashi K, K Tachihara, JD Reimer

Coral Reefs ( Coral Reefs )  37 ( 4 ) 1027 - 1038   2018.12 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Appearance of an anomalous black band disease at upper mesophotic depths after coral bleaching.

Kubomura T, Yamashiro H, Reimer JD

Diseases of aquatic organisms ( Diseases of Aquatic Organisms )  131 ( 3 ) 245 - 249   2018.11 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Zoantharia (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) abundance and associations with Porifera and Hydrozoa across a depth gradient on the west coast of Curaçao

Reimer JD, HB Wee, JE Garcia-Hernandez, BW Hoeksema

Systematics and Biodiversity ( Systematics and Biodiversity )  16 ( 8 ) 820 - 830   2018.11 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Report of a Zoanthus Zone from the Cabo Verde Islands (Central Eastern Atlantic)

López C, R Freitas, E Magileviciute, SS Ratão, P Brehmer, JD Reimer

Thalassas ( Thalassas )  34 ( 2 ) 409 - 413   2018.10 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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Urban coral reefs: Degradation and resilience of hard coral assemblages in coastal cities of East and Southeast Asia

EC Heery, BW Hoeksema, NK Browne, JD Reimer, PO Ang, D Huang, DA Friess, LM Chou, LHL Loke, P Saksena-Taylor, N Alsagoff, T Yeemin, M Sutthacheep, ST Vok, AR Bos, GS Gumanao, MAS Hussein, Z Waheed, DJW Lane, O Johan, A Kunzmann, J Jompar, Suharsono, D Taira, AG Bauman, PA Todd

Marine Pollution Bulletin ( Marine Pollution Bulletin )  135   654 - 681   2018.10 [ Peer Review Accepted ]

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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First record of sea urchin-associated Epizoanthus planus from Japanese waters and its morphology and molecular phylogeny

KISE HIROKI, DEWA NAOKO, REIMER JAMES DAVIS

日本ベントス研究会連絡誌 ( 日本プランクトン学会、日本ベントス学会 )  13 ( 3 ) 136 - 141   2018.08

Type of publication: Research paper (scientific journal)

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&lt;p&gt;The species &lt;i&gt;Epizoanthus planus&lt;/i&gt; is the only known described zoantharian with an association with echinoderms, and it is known to live on the spines of living sea urchins from the family Cidaridae. This species has been reported from 741 to 1019 m in the Indian Ocean and the East China Sea. However, diagnostic characters are lacking in both the original description and subsequent studies. The present study reports the first record of &lt;i&gt;E. planus&lt;/i&gt; from Japanese waters (300–400 m) based on a newly collected specimen, and this record slightly extends the species distribution range in the northwest Pacific Ocean. This new record increases the number of &lt;i&gt;Epizoanthus&lt;/i&gt; species in Japanese waters to at least five species. Although many taxonomy and diversity studies have focused on specimens from SCUBA-based collections in Japanese waters, few studies have focused on zoantharians in deeper waters below SCUBA diving limits. The results of the present study highlight the importance of examining specimens from deeper waters to better understand the overall diversity of the order Zoantharia.&lt;/p&gt;

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