New records of Echinolittorina punctata (Gastropoda: Littorinidae) in the Mediterranean Sea from Italy, France and Greece

Author(s)
Paolo Giulio Albano
Abstract

Echinolittorina punctata was historically distributed in the southern sectors of the Mediterranean Sea. However, in the last decades a progressive range extension has occurred. In this context, new populations in France (Colliure, Cap d'Agde) and in Italy (Monte Argentario, Tuscany) are reported here. The population in Cap d'Agde is the northernmost in the entire Mediterranean Sea, the population in Monte Argentario is the northernmost along the Italian Tyrrhenian coastline and along the direction of range extension described in the last few years. Details on population density and size frequency distributions in Monte Argentario are provided, showing a decrease in density and an increase in minimum size from south to north. New records are also provided from Salamina Island and Rhodes Island in Greece. The latter likely dates back to 1836-1837 and is the first record from the Mediterranean Sea. This record confirms that the species was widely distributed in the Levantine Sea at the time, although records from Greece and Turkey are extremely rare in the literature and in museum collections.

Organisation(s)
Department of Palaeontology
Journal
Marine Biodiversity Records
Volume
8
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755267214001420
Publication date
01-2015
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
105118 Palaeontology
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Aquatic Science, Oceanography, Ecology
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/new-records-of-echinolittorina-punctata-gastropoda-littorinidae-in-the-mediterranean-sea-from-italy-france-and-greece(bae53ba8-f904-494f-911c-6ebc59843354).html