Turkish Journal of Zoology

First record of a bathyal leptostracan, Nebalia abyssicola Fage, 1929 (Crustacea: Malacostraca: Phyllocarida), in the Aegean Sea, eastern Mediterranean
Juan MOREIRA¹^,2, Murat SEZGİN³, Tuncer KATAĞAN⁴, Onur GÖNÜLAL⁵, Bülent TOPALOĞLU⁵
¹Department of Biology (Zoology), Autonomous University of Madrid, Cantoblanco, E-28049 Madrid - SPAIN
²Marine Biological Station of A Graña, University of Santiago de Compostela, E-15590 Ferrol - SPAIN
³Sinop University, Fisheries Faculty, Department of Hydrobiology, 57000 Sinop - TURKEY
⁴Ege University, Fisheries Faculty, Department of Hydrobiology, 35100 Bornova, İzmir - TURKEY
⁵İstanbul University, Fisheries Faculty, Department of Hydrobiology, 34130 Laleli, İstanbul - TURKEY

Abstract: Data on deep sea leptostracans (Crustacea: Phyllocarida: Leptostraca) are still scarce in many parts of the world. In the last few years, several species of Nebalia Leach, 1814, have been reported from the eastern Mediterranean; however, there have been no reports from waters deeper than 100 m. Samples collected recently from Gökçeada, Turkey-at depths of 680-820 m in the Aegean Sea, eastern Mediterranean-included Nebalia abyssicola Fage, 1929. This is the first record for the study area and one of the few known records of this species. Specimens are described and figured to complement previous descriptions. A key for all known leptostracans from the eastern Mediterranean is also provided.

Key words: Leptostraca, Nebalia abyssicola, Mediterranean Sea, new records, deep waters

Turk. J. Zool., 36, (2012), 351-360.
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Other articles published in the same issue: Turk. J. Zool.,vol.36,iss.3.