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<p><italic>Notodiaphana atlantica</italic> and <italic>Liloa mongii</italic> are two cephalaspidean species described respectively from the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea, and considered widespread in their native ranges. Both species have also been recently recorded from the Mediterranean Sea, prompting some authors to consider them alien. Notwithstanding clear morphological differences in their shells, the two species have often been confused or misidentified in the literature, or specimens have been described with incorrect locality data. We hereby review the occurrence, distribution and status of both species in the Mediterranean Sea based on published data and examination of new material. <italic>Notodiaphana atlantica</italic> is considered a cryptogenic species with a range spanning from the western to eastern part of the basin. The presence of <italic>L. mongii</italic> in the Mediterranean is questioned until specimens that can be reliably assigned to this taxon or to any congeneric species are found in the area. Alien species inventories play an important role in regional policy and management decisions, thus requiring a high degree of confidence in the validity of species identification and their non-indigenous status. The present paper adds further evidence of the excess of “bibliographically introduced” alien records and reiterates the need for periodic re-evaluation of published data.</p>
</abstract>

Notodiaphana atlantica and Liloa mongii are two cephalaspidean species described respectively from the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea, and considered widespread in their native ranges. Both species have also been recently recorded from the Mediterranean Sea, prompting some authors to consider them alien. Notwithstanding clear morphological differences in their shells, the two species have often been confused or misidentified in the literature, or specimens have been described with incorrect locality data. We hereby review the occurrence, distribution and status of both species in the Mediterranean Sea based on published data and examination of new material. Notodiaphana atlantica is considered a cryptogenic species with a range spanning from the western to eastern part of the basin. The presence of L. mongii in the Mediterranean is questioned until specimens that can be reliably assigned to this taxon or to any congeneric species are found in the area. Alien species inventories play an important role in regional policy and management decisions, thus requiring a high degree of confidence in the validity of species identification and their non-indigenous status. The present paper adds further evidence of the excess of “bibliographically introduced” alien records and reiterates the need for periodic re-evaluation of published data.

A review of occurrence, distribution and alien status of <italic>Notodiaphana atlantica</italic> <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_oandhs-2021-0022_ref_047">Ortea, Moro and Espinosa, 2013</xref> and <italic>Liloa mongii</italic> (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="j_oandhs-2021-0022_ref_002">Audouin, 1826</xref>) (Mollusca: Heterobranchia) in the Mediterranean Sea

Oceanological and Hydrobiological Studies

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A review of occurrence, distribution and alien status of   and  () (Mollusca: Heterobranchia) in the Mediterranean Sea

Notodiaphana atlantica and Liloa mongii are two cephalaspidean species described respectively from the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea, and considered...

A review of occurrence, distribution and alien status of Notodiaphana atlantica Ortea, Moro and Espinosa, 2013 and Liloa mongii (Audouin, 1826) (Mollusca: Heterobranchia) in the Mediterranean Sea

Article Category: Original research paper

Published Online: Sep 02, 2021

Page range: 259 - 268

Received: Dec 05, 2020

Accepted: Jan 21, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/oandhs-2021-0022

Keywords
biological invasions, alien and cryptogenic species, faunal diversity, cephalaspideans, misidentifications

© 2021 Luigi Romani et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

A review of occurrence, distribution and alien status of Notodiaphana atlantica Ortea, Moro and Espinosa, 2013 and Liloa mongii (Audouin, 1826) (Mollusca: Heterobranchia) in the Mediterranean Sea

Article Category: Original research paper

Published Online: Sep 02, 2021

Page range: 259 - 268

Received: Dec 05, 2020

Accepted: Jan 21, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/oandhs-2021-0022

Keywordsbiological invasions, alien and cryptogenic species, faunal diversity, cephalaspideans, misidentifications

© 2021 Luigi Romani et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
biological invasions, alien and cryptogenic species, faunal diversity, cephalaspideans, misidentifications