The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA), a collaborative network of diverse scientists, marked its second anniversary with a workshop in Munich, Germany in 2015, where international attendees focused on discussing current progress, milestones and bioinformatics resources. The community determined the recruitment and training of talented researchers as one of the most pressing future needs and identified opportunities for network funding. GIGA also promotes future research efforts to prioritise taxonomic diversity and create new synergies. Here, we announce the generation of a central and simple data repository portal with a wide coverage of available sequence data, via the compagen platform, in parallel with more focused and specialised organism databases to globally advance invertebrate genomics. This article serves the objectives of GIGA by disseminating current progress and future prospects in the science of invertebrate genomics with the aim of promotion and facilitation of interdisciplinary and international research.

Many orb-weaving spiders exhibit remarkable sexual dimorphism, hampering the matching of males and females in taxonomic studies. This is the case for the spiny Micrathena spiders, a species-rich Neotropical genus with 27% of its species known from a single sex. In this paper we document several undescribed Micrathena specimens, and test whether they belong to some of those incompletely known species. In order to do so, we: (1) tested the phylogenetic position of males and their putative females using a previous morphological dataset; (2) calculated genetic distances among individuals based on a fragment of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome c oxidase subunit I; and (3) examined their geographical distributions. These approaches, isolated or in combination, allowed us to identify and describe the previously unknown males of M. embira Levi, M. reimoseri Mello-Leitão, M. exlinae Levi, M. miles Simon, M. spinulata F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, M. yanomami Magalhães & Santos and M. cornuta (Taczanowski), and the female of M. beta di Caporiacco. We found that the males previously associated with M. bicolor (Keyserling), M. cornuta and M. lata Chickering had been incorrectly matched with females. The latter actually belongs to a hitherto unnamed species, herein described as Micrathena perfida, sp. nov. New geographical data are given for these and other Micrathena species. Our study highlights the importance of using different sources of data for matching the sexes in diverse groups with strong sexual dimorphism.

This study reviews the taxonomy and biogeography of carnivorous sponges (family Cladorhizidae) in the Southern Ocean. Specimens were collected from seamounts in the Drake Passage by dredging and trawling and biogeographical information from other sources was compiled and reviewed. Eight new species of carnivorous sponges are described: Abyssocladia leverhulmei, sp. nov., Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) sarsensis, sp. nov., A. (A.) gemmae, sp. nov., A. (A.) rhaphidiophorus, sp. nov., Asbestopluma (Helophloeina) keraia, sp. nov., Chondrocladia (Chondrocladia) saffronae, sp. nov., Cladorhiza scanlonae, sp. nov. and Lycopodina drakensis, sp. nov. Specimens of three previously described species, L. callithrix, L. calyx and A. (A.) bitrichela, were also found. These new records increase the number of known carnivorous sponge species in the Southern Ocean by more than a third. We demonstrate that the Cladorhizidae is the second most species-rich family of Demospongiae in the Southern Ocean and many of its species are highly endemic, with 70% found only in this region. Southern Ocean species represent close to 20% of all known carnivorous sponges. This study highlights the importance of seamount and bathyal benthic habitats for supporting the rich and endemic carnivorous sponge fauna of the Southern Ocean.

The Phoronida, which is one of the smallest phyla of invertebrates, includes only 13 valid species, although ∼40 larval forms of phoronids were recently described. This report uses light microscopy and molecular methods to describe a new phoronid species, Phoronis embryolabi Temereva & Chichvarkhin, sp. nov. The morphology of P. embryolabi, which lives commensally in the burrows of Axiidea shrimp Nihonotrypaea japonica in Vostok Bay (the Sea of Japan), is extremely similar to that of Phoronis pallida Silen, 1952; the bodies of both species exhibit specific regionalisation. However, the organisation of the metanephridia differs between P. pallida and P. embryolabi. Moreover, P. embryolabi has a unique type of development, viviparity, in which mothers release fully developed larvae into the environment. In all other phoronid species, the spawning occurs as a release of fertilised eggs or early embryos. Viviparity of completely developed larvae has not been previously described for any phoronid. According to analysis of partial 28S rRNA, P. embryolabi is close to Phoronis pallida. On the other hand, analysis of partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I indicated a unique position of P. embryolabi among phoronids. These results should be used for revision of phoronid taxonomy (i.e. the type of development should be considered as characteristic of subgenera within the genus Phoronis). This report also establishes the relationship between P. embryolabi and an Actinotrocha sp. that was described in a previous paper.

The phylogeny of Enchytraeidae was re-estimated to establish the relationships of the now resurrected Chamaedrilus and Euenchytraeus and to confirm their status as separate taxa. The former Cognettia (Enchytraeidae) was recently revised and split into its two senior synonyms, Chamaedrilus and Euenchytraeus, with the majority of the species transferred to Chamaedrilus. Euenchytraeus was re-established for three species sharing a unique anatomical trait, but has never before been represented in any phylogenetic study. We included representatives from 21 (of 33) valid enchytraeid genera and used three mitochondrial and four nuclear genes. The dataset (4164 base pairs) was analysed using multi-species coalescent (MSC) and maximum likelihood (ML) methods. Chamaedrilus (represented by eight species) and Euenchytraeus (represented by Eu. clarae) were found in a clade together with the monotypic Stercutus. Chamaedrilus was found to be monophyletic with maximum support in both analyses. The ML tree supported Euenchytraeus and Chamaedrilus as sister groups, whereas the MSC tree placed Euenchytraeus together with Stercutus, both with low support. A Bayes factor test weakly supported Euenchytraeus and Chamaedrilus as sister groups over Euenchytraeus   Stercutus. Possible morphological synapomorphies for these genera are discussed, and we conclude that Chamaedrilus and Euenchytraeus are closely related, but their status as separate genera is justified.

The family Nomoclastidae is revised and, based on a cladistic analysis, Callcosma Roewer, 1932 is transferred to the family from Cranaidae. The monotypic genus Napostygnus Roewer, 1929, hitherto considered incertae sedis, is also assigned to Nomoclastidae. Zygopachylus Chamberlin, 1925 and Poassa Roewer, 1943 are synonymised under Quindina Roewer, 1914, consequently creating the new combinations Quindina limbata (Roewer, 1914) and Quindina albomarginis (Chamberlin, 1925). The new combination Quindina marginata (Roewer, 1963), comb. nov. is proposed, as the type-species of Deriacrus, D. simoni Roewer, 1932, is not congeneric with Deriacrus marginatus Roewer, 1963 and has the synapomorphies of Quindina, such as a row of large rounded tubercles on the lateral margin and enlarged tubercles on the dorsal scutum. A new genus and species are proposed, Kichua rheimsae, sp. nov., from Ecuador (type locality: Ecuador, Napo, Cantón Quijos, Parroquira Cozanga, Yanayacu Research Station). In addition, seven new species are herein described: Callcosma abrapatricia, sp. nov. (type locality: Peru, Moyobamba, Abra Patricia Private Conservation Area); Callcosma cofan, sp. nov. (type locality: Ecuador, Sucumbíos, Cabanas Cuyabeno); Callcosma barasana, sp. nov. (type locality: Colombia, Vaupés, Tararira, Estacción Biológica da Caparu); Quindina albiocularia, sp. nov. (type locality: Panama, Coclé, Valle de Antón); Quindina burbayar, sp. nov. (type locality: Panama, Reserva Natural Privada Burbayar); Quindina kuna, sp. nov. (type locality: Panama, Darién, Chucantí); and Quindina morae, sp. nov. (type locality: Panama, Gamboa, Sendero del Oleoducto).