Cymbulia parvidentata Pelseneer, 1888 (Mollusca, Cymbuliidae) in the Ligurian Sea: further evidence of Atlantic species incursions in the Mediterranean area

Description

We report the first record of a stranded specimen of Cymbulia parvidentata, a pteropod species of Atlantic origin, in the Ligurian Sea. On 27 February 2022, six C. peronii and one C. parvidentata were collected on Borgio-Verezzi Beach (Savona, Italy -44.16 degrees N, 8.304633 degrees W). Specimens were examined morphologically and biometrically. Measurements (length, width, height and wet weight) separated the two taxa, C. peronii being larger than C. parvidentata. The finding of C. parvidentata, which has only occasionally been reported in southern Italy, is remarkable and may be due to ascending Atlantic water (AW) pulses that reach the Ligurian Sea. This finding adds to the previous knowledge of other pelagic species of Atlantic origin that were found in the Ligurian Sea, suggesting the possibility of major on-going changes and a general "Atlantification". In order to determine the frequency of such events, it will be highly desirable to design specific citizen-science campaigns.

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