Numerous new records of tropical non-indigenous species in the eastern mediterranean highlight the challenges of their recognition and identification

Paolo G. Albano, Jan Steger, Piet A.J. Bakker, Cesare Bogi, Marija Bošnjak, Tamar Guy-Haim, Mehmet Fatih Huseyinoglu, Patrick I. Lafollette, Hadas Lubinevsky, Martina Mulas, Martina Stockinger, Michele Azzarone, Bruno Sabelli

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

New data on 52 non-indigenous mollusks in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea is reported. Fossarus sp. (aff. aptus sensu Blatterer 2019), Coriophora lessepsiana Albano, Bakker & Sabelli, sp. nov., Cerithiopsis sp. aff. pulvis, Joculator problematicus Albano & Steger, sp. nov., Cerithiopsis sp., Elachisina sp., Iravadia aff. elongata, Vitrinella aff. Vitrinella sp. 1 (sensu Blatterer 2019), Melanella orientalis, Parvioris aff. di-lecta, Odostomia cf. dalli, Oscilla virginiae, Parthenina cossmanni, Parthenina typica, Pyrgulina craticulata, Turbonilla funiculata, Cylichna collyra, Musculus coenobitus, Musculus aff. viridulus, Chavania erythraea, Scintilla cf. violescens, Iacra seychellarum and Corbula erythraeensis are new records for the Mediterranean. An unidentified gastropod, Skeneidae indet., Triphora sp., Hypermastus sp., Sticteulima sp., Vitreolina cf. philippi, Odostomia (s.l.) sp. 1, Henrya (?) sp., and Semelidae sp. are further potential new non-indigenous species although their status should be confirmed upon final taxonomic assessment. Additionally, the status of Dikoleps micalii, Hemiliostraca clandestina comb. nov. and H. athenamariae comb. nov. is changed to non-indigenous, range extensions for nine species and the occurrence of living individuals for species previously recorded from empty shells only are reported. Opimaphora blattereri Albano, Bakker & Sabelli, sp. nov. is described from the Red Sea for comparison with the morphologically similar C. lessepsiana Albano, Bakker & Sabelli, sp. nov. The taxonomic part is followed by a discussion on how intensive fieldwork and cooperation among institutions and individuals enabled such a massive report, and how the poor taxonomic knowledge of the Indo-Pacific fauna hampers non-indigenous species detection and iden-tification. Finally, the hypothesis that the simultaneous analysis of quantitative benthic death assemblages can support the assignment of non-indigenous status to taxonomically undetermined species is discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1-95
Number of pages95
JournalZooKeys
Volume2021
Issue number1010
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Cerithiopsidae
  • Invasion biology
  • Lessepsian invasion
  • Mollusca
  • New species
  • Red Sea
  • Taxonomy
  • Triphoridae

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
  • Animal Science and Zoology
  • Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Insect Science
  • Paleontology

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