A previously unsurveyed calcrete aquifer in the Yilgarn region of Western Australia revealed an unprecedented diversity of copepods, representing 67% of that previously recorded in this whole region. Especially diverse was the genus Schizopera, with up to four morphospecies per bore and a significant size difference between them. Aims of this study were to: (1) survey the extent of this diversity using morphological and molecular tools; (2) derive a molecular phylogeny based on COI; and (3) investigate whether high diversity is a result of an explosive radiation, repeated colonisations, or both, size differentiation is a result of parallel evolution or different phylogeny, and whether Schizopera is a recent invasion in inland waters. More than 300 samples were analysed and the COI fragment successfully amplified by PCR from 43 specimens. Seven species and one subspecies are described as new, and three possible cryptic species were detected. Reconstructed phylogenies reveal that both explosive radiation and multiple colonisations are responsible for this richness, and that Schizopera is probably a recent invasion in these habitats. No evidence for parallel evolution was found, interspecific size differentiation being a result of different phylogeny. Sister species have parapatric distributions and show niche partitioning in the area of overlap.

The New Zealand Cellana strigilis complex has been traditionally divided into six subspecies. Recent molecular investigations, however, revealed that the complex comprises two clades. In this paper, an additional morphometric analysis on 160 shells from the two clades confirms the need for taxonomic reconsideration of the C. strigilis complex. Here, two species are recognised in the Cellana strigilis group, a western species, C. strigilis (Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841), from South, Stewart, Snares, Auckland and Campbell islands, with Patella redimiculum Reeve, 1854 and C. strigilis flemingi Powell, 1955 as synonyms; and an eastern species, C. oliveri Powell, 1955, from Chatham, Bounty Islands and Antipodes Islands, with C. strigilis bollonsi Powell, 1955 and C. chathamensis of authors (not Pilsbry, 1891) as synonyms. Acmaea chathamensis Pilsbry, 1891 is based on mislocalised foreign shells, probably C. rota (Gmelin, 1791) from the Red Sea. A neotype is designated for P. strigilis Hombron & Jacquinot, 1841, lectotypes are designated for P. redimiculum Reeve, 1854 and A. chathamensis Pilsbry, 1891, and a type locality is selected for P. redimiculum.

Three species of Anisakis from Australian marine mammals, including Anisakis brevispiculata, A. simplex C and A. pegreffii, are described and characterised genetically on the basis of sequence data for the first and second internal transcribed spacers (ITS-1 and ITS-2) of nuclear rDNA. Parasite specimens were collected from Delphinus delphis, Tursiops truntatus and Kogia sima in Australia. A. brevispiculata is reported for the first time in Australia. However, analyses of sequence data suggests that A. brevispiculata in Australia is genetically distinct from specimens considered to represent the same species from other parts of the world. Fourth larval and adult stages of A. pegreffii were found in dolphins. Assigning larvae to A. pegreffii was based on the ITS-1 and ITS-2 sequences. A description of these larvae also is provided. Furthermore, fourth-stage larvae of A. simplex C were found in Kogia sima. Alignments of ITS-1 and ITS-2 sequences for members of A. simplex sensu lato revealed that nucleotide differences in ITS-1 can be used to differentiate among members of A. simplex sensu lato. This study reinforces the use of a combined molecular and morphological approach for the specific identification of anisakid nematodes.

Relationships among, and content of, earthworm families have been controversial and unstable. Here we analyse molecular data from 14 Crassiclitellata families represented by 54 genera, the non-crassiclitellate ‘earthworms’ of the Moniligastridae, plus several clitellate outgroups. Complete 28S and 18S gene sequences and a fragment of the 16S gene analysed separately or in concatenated Bayesian analyses indicate that most previously proposed suprafamilial taxa within the Crassiclitellata are para- or polyphyletic. There is strong support for the Metagynophora, which consists of the Crassiclitellata and Moniligastridae. The most basal within-Clitellata branch leads to the small families Komarekionidae, Sparganophilidae, Kynotidae, and Biwadrilidae, found in widely separated areas. A clade composed of Lumbricidae, Ailoscolecidae, Hormogastridae, Criodrilidae and Lutodrilidae appears near the base of the tree, but Criodrilidae and Biwadrilidae are not closely related because the former is sister to the Hormogastridae   Lumbricidae clade. The Glossoscolecidae is here separated into two families, the Glossoscolecidae s.s. and the Pontoscolecidae (fam. nov.). The Megascolecidae is monophyletic within a clade including all acanthodrilid earthworms. There is strong support for the Benhamiinae (Acanthodrilidae s.l.) as sister to Acanthodrilidae   Megascolecidae, but taxon sampling within other acanthodrilid groups was not sufficient to reach further conclusions. The resulting trees support revised interpretations of morphological character evolution.’