New record of Alien Species of Gastropods in Syrian Coast

Abstract

Marine biodiversity in the  Syrian coastal zone is threatened by biological  invasion. The results of some recent local studies have allowed compilation of a list of alien zoobenthos species,. benthic samples were collected using grab, from  different stations of the Syrian coast (Ras Al-bassit, Ibn-Hani,  Banias and Al-Hamedea), at depths ranged between 5 – 160 m, during the period 2005 – 2014.

The list of alien zoobenthos species include  more than 30 species of Gastropods of which14 species is recorded for the first time in Syrian coast: Acteocina mucronata, Alvania dorbignyi, Bulla ampulla, Cerithiopsis pulvis, Cerithiopsis tenthrenois, Clathrofenella ferruginea, Conus fumigates, Erosaria turdus, Finella pupoides, Odostomia lorioli, Pyrunculus fourierii, Sticteulima cf. lentiginosa, Syrnola fasciata and Zafra selasphora.

All of these species are of  Indo – pacific origin, introduced to the Mediterranean via Suez Canal. The majority are still spreading in few numbers which did not exceed 56 individual/m² in the benthic habitats at the littoral and sublittoral zone, down to depth           of 160 m. The others become established.