First occurrence of the family Botryllophilidae Sars G.O., 1921 (Copepoda, Cyclopoida) in Sicily, central Mediterranean Sea

What is it about?

Copepods represent one of the most abundant animal groups in the marine realm. They are easy to identify except for some species that are associated with tunicates, such as the botryllophilids. A female individual of the family Botryllophilidae was collected in the fouling community at a site in Palermo (southern Italy) close to the commercial and touristic harbour. This is the first record of the central Mediterranean Sea and highlights the importance of extensive studies on the taxonomy and distribution of not deeply investigated taxa.

Featured Image