New gastropod records for the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and one new alien (Emarginula decorata Deshayes, 1863) for the Mediterranean Sea from NW Aegean Sea, Greece

Abstract

BackgroundThe NW Aegean Sea has a complex topography, high quality waters, oligotrophic to eutrophic conditions, is connected with estuaries and wetlands, is of high ecological interest, harbours all the types of human activities and yet few researchers work on its marine biodiversity. With this study, the contribution to the knowledge of the Hellenic and Eastern Mediterranean gastropod biodiversity of the studied families is continued, and an expansion of the search in other substrates and deeper waters of the NW Aegean Sea with emphasis on the minor in size species during the period from October 2008 to January 2014.ResultsThirty seven species belonging to seven families (Cerithiopsidae, Fissurellidae, Phasianellidae, Scissurellidae, Siliquariidae, Skeneidae, and Triphoridae) were identified and their biodiversity was compared with the current checklists of marine gastropod molluscs for the Hellenic Seas based on previous surveys. In this collection of gastropods, one species (Emarginula decorata Deshayes, 1863) is a new alien for the Mediterranean Sea, 14 species are new for the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and 16 species are new for the Hellenic fauna (with the one above mentioned alien species included). The main identification characteristics and ecological information such as habitat, distribution, alien expansion paths to the NW Aegean Sea and origin of the species are given and discussed.ConclusionsThe Hellenic gastropod biodiversity of the studied families was enriched with 37 new records for the N Aegean Sea, out of which 16 are new for Greece, 14 are new for the Eastern Mediterranean Sea while one (Emarginula decorata) is a new alien for the Mediterranean Sea.

New marine gastropod records for the Hellenic waters

“…One live mature specimen of dark chestnut-red shell (7.55 mm high, 1.90 mm wide) and lighter apex, in whitish sponge on maerl, − 100 m, station 23. The easily recognizable shell has been well described [ 21 , 35 , 85 ] but the animal coloration was lacking until now where one live specimen has been collected. The external parts are uniformly translucent-white with cream-white spots and black eyes.…”

“…The external parts are uniformly translucent-white with cream-white spots and black eyes. The species has been referred from Greece [ 21 ] and other areas of the Mediterranean Sea [ 35 , 77 ].…”

“…Out of the 45 presented species, 40 are reported for the first time for the Hellenic fauna, raising its gastropod biodiversity from 651 [ 21 ] to 691 species, and 17 species are new records for the East Mediterranean Sea. Two families and 19 genera are also new records for the Hellenic fauna (see Table 1 ).…”

“…The sampling and handling of the specimens were conducted according to Manousis and Galinou-Mitsoudi [ 21 ] from October 2008 to March 2017 in certain locations throughout the Hellenic Seas (Fig. 1 ).…”

“…The species recognition was based on: (a) systematic guides and atlases (e.g. [ 5 , 27 , 29 , 35 ]); (b) faunistic and review articles [ 76 , 102 ], (c) studies on the Mollusca fauna in the Hellenic seas [ 18 , 21 , 103 ]. Information from specific web sites was also taken into account (31 March 2017).…”