Until relatively recently, all of the leptostracans of the Pacific Coast of North America were thought to belong to a single species, Nebalia pugettensis (Clark, 1932). However, three new taxa were discovered in southern California through Eric Vetter's doctoral work at the University of California, San Diego. Nebalia daytoni Vetter, 1996, Nebalia hessleri Martin et al., 1996, and an undescribed species were all found in the waters off San Diego. Because Clark's original description lacked detail and type material was not known, Martin et al. (1996) also declared Nebalia pugettensis to respresent a nomen nudum.
In the spring of 2000, we performed our first extensive survey of the coastal waters of California. Populations along the Pacific Coast of North America were compared using both morphological and molecular data. This fieldwork in California followed the research in Baja California and Baja California Sur, Mexico (see International Fieldwork). A brief trip up the coast of California revealed large populations of Leptostraca in the Elkhorn Slough, Monterey Bay. In fact, Elkhorn Slough was the site of one of the few ecological studies that have been performed on the group (see Gerken, 1995). A collection of specimens from Bennett Slough, part of the larger Elkhorn Slough system, were described by us as Nebalia gerkenae (see Haney and Martin, 2001). We have since found leptostracan Crustacea on mudflats of similar environments along the coast, although most of this habitat long has been lost to development.
In addition to examining tidal creeks of coastal marshes, we perform limited surveys of lower intertidal and subtidal zones. This is accomplished by diving using SCUBA, the use of light and baited traps, and through study of collections made by governmental agencies such as the Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County Ocean Monitoring Program. The most significant collections of leptostracans from deeper waters off southern California are those made during the cruises of the R/V Velero.
Currently, there are only three valid nominal species of leptostracans described from the coast of California: Nebalia daytoni Vetter, 1996, Nebalia hessleri Martin et al., 1996, and Nebalia gerkenae Haney and Martin, 2001.
Some of the coastal areas of California that have been surveyed are listed below:
PACIFIC NORTHWEST & ALASKA (return to top)
Leptostracans have been fairly well collected from Friday Harbor, Washington. It is Friday Harbor from which Clark (1932) described the first species from the western coast of the Americas, Nebalia pugettensis. This species is now declared a nomen nudum (see Martin et al., 1996). It is clear from specimens that we have received from the region that more than one species occurs in northern Washington. Their dissimilarity from those recently described from San Diego and central California has been documented (Martin et al., 1996; Haney and Martin, 2001). We note that Nebalia has only been recorded in the primary literature from two sites of Washington; these are Puget Sound, a rather broad area, and Padilla Bay. No records exist for the coast of Oregon, though leptostracans undoubtedly occur there as well. We possess new material from Friday Harbor and hope to sample from additional localities in the northwestern United States. Additionally, we are considering fieldwork along the coast of British Columbia and Alaska. Two museum collections house a substantial amount of leptostracan material from the region, that of the National Museum of Natural History (Washington, D.C.) and the Canadian Museum of Nature (Ottawa).
THE EAST COAST
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Any fieldwork along the East Coast will likely be coordinated with a visit to the Smithsonian Institution in order to reduce travel costs. We have already received specimens from the waters off South Carolina and Florida. We expect to find additional material in the collections of institutions located along the East Coast, particularly the National Museum of Natural History (Washington, D.C.) and the American Museum of Natural History (New York). The examination of such material will help us to determine those areas from which new material is most badly needed.
GULF OF MEXICO (return to top)
Little is known about the Leptostraca of the Gulf of Mexico. We have received specimens of Paranebalia from localities off Louisiana. Otherwise, to our knowledge, Nebalia lagartensis Escobar & Villalobos-Hiriart, 1995, is the only other nebaliid recorded from the Gulf. The shallow-water genus Paranebalia is presumably endemic to the Caribbean and Gulf waters; very little is known about the three nominate species of the genus. In cooperation with researchers at marine laboratories along the coast, we hope to obtain additional samples from the northern Gulf of Mexico.
HAWAII (return to top)
To our knowledge, there are no published records of Leptostraca from Hawaii. Our collaboration with Eric Vetter (see Bibliography) and other persons now working in Hawaii, should help us to gain a better understanding of the leptostracans of the Hawaiian Islands. Otherwise, we currently have no plans for fieldwork there.
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