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Four new species of marine polycystidid microturbellarians (Platyhelminthes, Kalyptorhynchia) are described from Cuba and Panama. These species are Brachyrhynchoides ortizi sp. nov., Djeziraia adriani sp. nov., Phonorhynchoides lalanai sp. nov., and Sabulirhynchus ibarrae sp. nov. All species occur in Cuba, and P. lalanai sp. nov. was also retrieved from the Pacific coast of Panama. From the latter locality, we also report Sabulirhynchus axi Artois & Schockaert, 2000. All species are readily distinguished from their congeners by the morphology of the sclerotised structures of the male genital system. The prostatic stylet of B. ortizi sp. nov. is the shortest and widest known for Brachyrhynchoides. Djeziraia adriani sp. nov. can be recognized by its paired seminal vesicles and S-shaped prostate stylet. The prostatic stylet of P. lalanai sp. nov. is proximally twisted and the length proportion between its accessory and prostatic stylet is the largest among all known species of Phonorhynchoides. Sabulirhynchus axi and Sabulirhynchus ibarrae sp. nov. are morphologically similar, yet the latter species is unique due to the characteristic ridge in the middle of the proximally tubular prostatic stylet. With the data available today, a possible explanation of rhabdocoel biogeographic patterns across the Isthmus of Panama remains largely speculative.
The diversity of Porifera from Ponta do Ouro (Mozambique) has been evaluated; this paper presents the first taxonomic effort devoted to sponges in the area, while studies of closeby areas are quite dated. Overall, 55 specimens were examined, leading to 26 described species; among these, four are new (Hyattella sulfurea Calcinai & Belfiore sp. nov., H. pedunculata Calcinai & Belfiore sp. nov., Amphimedon palmata Calcinai & Belfiore sp. nov. and Phoriospongia mozambiquensis Calcinai & Belfiore sp. nov.) and four (Chondrosia corticata Thiele, 1900, Callyspongia (Cladochalina) aerizusa Desqueyroux-Faundez, 1984, Clathria (Thalysias) hirsuta Hooper & Levi, 1993 and Ciocalypta heterostyla Hentschel, 1912) are new records for the Indian Ocean. For Callyspongia (Euplacella) abnormis Pulitzer-Finali, 1993, Callyspongia (Callyspongia) pulitzeri Van Soest & Hooper, 2020 and Amphimedon brevispiculifera (Dendy, 1905) this represents the first record after their initial discovery. The majority of the species have a wide distribution in the Indo-Pacific Ocean, but species from South and East Africa have also been recorded. These data highlight the characteristic of Ponta do Ouro as a transitional zone, located between a tropical and temperate biogeographic province, as well as the importance of increasing biodiversity knowledge of this biogeographic border to monitor possible shifts in the area as a consequence of climate crisis.