First record of Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828 (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in Libyan coastal waters

Citation

Rizgalla J, Bron J, Crocetta F, Shinn A & Almabruk S (2019) First record of Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828 (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in Libyan coastal waters. BioInvasions Records, 8 (1), pp. 80-86. https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2019.8.1.08

Abstract
The spotted sea hare Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828 is reported from four locations in Libyan coastal waters. The direct observation reported here resulted from a field survey of sea snails in the coastal environs of Tripoli, to the west of the country, while the remaining records result from postings made on the Facebook (TM) social media website, made by recreational spear-fishermen who took images and filmed specimens at Abo Fatma beach and Misrata, to the west of the country, and also at sites close to Benghazi and Al Hamamah, to the east of the country. This is the first record of A. dactylomela in Libyan waters.

Keywords
Mediterranean Sea; Heterobranchia; invasive species; citizen science; social media

Journal
BioInvasions Records: Volume 8, Issue 1

People

Professor James Bron

Professor, Institute of Aquaculture