Observations on the Benthic Heterobranch “Sea Slugs” (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Lampedusa, the Southernmost Island of Italy (MPA Isole Pelagie)
1
Independent Researcher, Via Dante 21, 95028 Valverde, Italy
2
Independent Researcher, Via Dottor Consoli 57, 95124 Catania, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(11), 2150; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13112150 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 2 October 2025
/
Revised: 1 November 2025
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Accepted: 11 November 2025
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Published: 13 November 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Marine Biology)
Abstract
Thanks to their striking shapes and colors, heterobranch “sea slugs” are probably the most sought-after group of marine critters by scuba divers around the world. Nevertheless, for many of the islands and coasts of Sicily, there are no specific studies on the fauna of this group (formerly known as opisthobranchs). Even Lampedusa, one of the most famous islands in the Mediterranean, is no exception to this. To fill this knowledge gap, the authors conducted a faunal study dedicated to this group in July 2025. Data collection, carried out using the photographic-capture technique both during scuba diving and snorkeling, led to the finding of 22 species of heterobranch “sea slugs”. A comparison of the heterobranch “sea slugs” of Lampedusa with that of other Sicilian islands revealed a low diversity of these mollusks on this island. This scarcity of fauna is probably due to the lack of favorable environments and the considerable environmental homogeneity that characterizes the seabed and coastal areas of Lampedusa. Nevertheless, the discovery of some species of considerable biogeographical importance, together with the island’s unique geographical position, make it an important location to monitor for the study of the distribution patterns of allochthonous marine Heterobranchia species that enter into the Mediterranean Sea.
1. Introduction
The Pelagie islands archipelago (consisting of the islands of Lampedusa, Linosa, and Lampione) forms the southernmost and more distant island group of Italy [1]. The name “Pelagie” comes from the ancient Greek word “pèlagos”, which means “open sea” [2] and was given to these islands to distinguish them from the others located between Sicily and Africa (i.e., Pantelleria, Kerkennah Islands, and Maltese archipelago). Indeed, these islands are located more distant from both the Sicilian and African coasts [1]. In this archipelago, there are a MPA (Marine Protected Area) “Isole Pelagie” (which covers 46.28 km of coast plus 4.136 ha of sea) and a SAC (Special Area of Conservation) “Fondali delle Isole Pelagie” (4085 ha) [3,4,5,6,7].
Despite the presumed naturalistic value of the seabed around Lampedusa, there have not been many malacological studies focusing on this island. Specifically, the mollusk fauna of Lampedusa was first examined by Spada et al. [8] during the summers of 1968 and 1970. After this initial work, it took almost 30 years for two further studies on the island’s mollusk fauna to be published. These latter regarded the mollusk fauna found among photophilic algae [9] and in detritic bottoms [10]. Subsequently, no further studies on the mollusks of Lampedusa were published. From this, in addition to the scarcity (and oldness) of studies on Lampedusa’s mollusks, there is a total absence of studies on specific groups of these animals.
Faunal information concerning the heterobranch “sea slugs” (formerly known as Opisthobranchia) is no exception. This group of 13 gastropod mollusk taxa (Acteonoidea, Cephalaspidea, Runcinida, Aplysiida, Pteropoda, Umbraculida, Ringiculimorpha, Pleurobranchida, Doridida, Nudibranchia, Acochlidiimorpha, Sacoglossa, and Rhodopoidea) is characterized by a strong evolutionary trend towards the reduction/disappearance of the shell and bodies with very differentiated shapes and colors. These features, together with their ecological peculiarities and the difficulty in finding them due to their general small sizes, have made these gastropod mollusks famous among researchers, divers, and marine critter enthusiasts around the world, especially since the advent of underwater photography [11]. For Lampedusa, the only information available on this informal group comes from the three faunal works mentioned above [8,9,10] and four reports of single species [12,13,14]. Through the analysis of these works, the presence of 28 species of heterobranch “sea slugs”(1 Acteonoidea, 14 Cephalaspidea, 1 Runcinida, 2 Aplysiida, 1 Pteropoda, 2 Ringiculimorpha, 2 Pleurobranchida, 1 Doridida, and 4 Sacoglossa) (Table 1) was documented along the island’s seabeds.
Given that there is no specific study on heterobranch “sea slug” fauna of Lampedusa, this study aims to explore and document the marine heterobranch “sea slugs” currently present in the waters of Lampedusa, making comparisons with other Sicilian islands. In this way, the data presented could contribute to building a knowledge base for future studies about heterobranch “sea slugs” for Lampedusa.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area
Lampedusa, with its 20,1974 km2 of surface and 33 km of coastline, is the most extensive and largest island of the Pelagie archipelago [6,7] (Figure 1). This island, which geologically belongs to the African platform (it is a horst), is entirely composed of limestone, dolomite, and sandstone [6]. It presents a general tongue-like shape (elongated in the west–east direction) and an almost horizontal profile. Morphologically, the island’s coasts present two different features. The northern and western sectors have high and steep cliffs overlooking the sea. Instead, the southern and eastern ones are characterized by deep incisions forming inlets (called “cale” in Italian) [7]. This coastal morphology affects the seabed and the seawater in the respective sectors. Indeed, in very general terms, the southern and eastern sectors host shallow bottoms compared to the northern and western ones. In addition, these latter sectors present colder seawater [8].
2.2. Sampling and Data Analysis
The present study was carried out from 7 July 2025 to 12 July 2025 through an examination of several dive sites and coastal stretches of Lampedusa (Figure 1A–C). The dive sites were surveyed through scuba diving, while the coastal stretches were explored through snorkeling. In both cases, surveys were conducted during the morning. In total, 18 localities (10 dive sites and 8 coastal stretches) were examined.
The scuba dives, lasting about 60 min, were conducted following the bottom morphology of each dive site, looking at all habitats present in the latter. The 10 examined dive sites were the following (Table 2).
The snorkeling activities, lasting about 45-60 min, were carried out following the line of the given coastal stretch. Also in this activity, all habitats found along the various stretches of coastline were examined. The 8 coastal stretches were the following (Table 2).
The data were obtained through the use of the photographic-capture technique already used by authors in the study of heterobranch “sea slug” fauna on other islands and stretches of coastline in Sicily [15,16,17,18]: during the scuba dives and snorkeling activities, all the heterobranch “sea slug” specimens (and any egg masses) encountered were photographed with an Olympus TG-6 underwater camera. Moreover, when possible, during the dives and snorkeling activities, the undersides of mobile surfaces (stones, anthropogenic objects, etc.) were observed. In addition, the depth of each specimen and egg mass was recorded using a SUUNTO D6i underwater computer. Subsequently, these photographs were examined on the computer to identify specimens and count them. A list was compiled of the heterobranch “sea slugs” currently present in Lampedusa, along with information on the presence/absence, abundance, and bathymetric range for each species found (Table 3). The identification of the species was undertaken through the consultation of the scientific literature and identification books [11,19,20,21].
3. Results
Through the present study, a total of 22 heterobranch “sea slug” species (subdivided into 5 groups) were found (Table 3). The encountered species are shown through photographic plates (Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4).
The most species-rich group was Sacoglossa with 6 species (2 families), followed by Nudibranchia with 5 species (3 families), Doridida with 4 species (2 families), Aplysiida with 4 species (1 family), Pleurobranchida with 2 species (1 family), and Rhodopoidea with 1 species (1 family).
Considering the 10 examined dive sites, the most species-rich were “Scoglio Pignata” and “Panettone” with 5 species each. “Capo Grecale”, “Faraglione”, and “Punta Iavuta” follow with 4 species, while “Grotta dell’Acqua” presented 3 species. The dive sites with the lowest number of species (3) were “Muro Vecchio”, “Grotta Santa”, and “Punta Parrino”. In the site of “Madonnina,” no species was reported (Figure 5A). Concerning the richness at the family level, the dive sites presented almost the same trend documented for the species (Figure 5B). Specifically, “Scoglio Pignata” had the highest number of families (5) among the examined dive sites. “Capo Grecale”, “Faraglione”, and “Punta Iavuta” presented 4 families each. Instead, “Grotta dell’Acqua” and “Panettone” had 3 families. The lowest number of families (1) was presented by “Muro Vecchio”, “Grotta Santa”, and “Punta Parrino”.
Concerning the 8 examined coastal stretches, the most species-rich was “Cala Maluk” with 7 species followed by “Costa Sud di Capo Grecale” (5), “Cala Francese” (4), “Cala Spugne” (4), “Baia di Capo Ponente” (3), and “Baia di Taccio Vecchio” (3) (Figure 5A). The coastal stretches with the lowest number of species were “Baia di Punta Sottile” and “Tabaccara” with 2 species each. Considering coastal stretches’ family richness, a trend can be noted similar to the one seen for species (Figure 5B).
The MPA presented a slightly higher number of species (16) and families (8) compared to the non-protected one (12 and 7) (Figure 5C,D). Considering the diversity difference between the B and C zones of the MPA, it can be seen that there is a slight predominance in both the number of species and families in the B zone (13 and 7) compared to the C zone (8 and 6) (Figure 5C,D).
Most of the species found in Lampedusa were reported only for a single sector and almost always through the report of a single specimen. Examples of these species were Berthella sp. and Felimare picta for the western sector; Berthellina cf. edwardsii for the northern side; Rhodope sp., Caloria quatrefagesi, Tenellia genovae, Felimare tricolor, and Petalifera petalifera for the eastern versant; and Paraflabellina ischitana, Tenellia sp., Trapania lineata, Aplysia dactylomela, Aplysia cf. fasciata, Bosellia mimetica, Cyerce graeca, and Polybranchia sp. for the southern sector. However, Aplysia dactylomela and Polybranchia sp. are exceptions to this single-sector/single-specimen condition, since the former species was represented by small populations and the latter by a pair of individuals.
The most distributed species observed on the island were Edmundsella pedata, Goniodoridella picoensis, Aplysia punctata, Elysia timida, and Thuridilla hopei, which were documented in all sectors.
Only one species, Thuridilla mazda, was found in three sectors of the island (the northern, eastern, and southern ones). Considering the above, these 6 species can be considered the most common on the island.
4. Discussion
Based on the few previous malacological studies on the marine benthic fauna of Lampedusa, it can be assumed that the island’s mollusk fauna might represent a crucial link between the mollusk faunas of the different Mediterranean sub-regions (western and eastern) [9,10]. This could be connected to the peculiar geographic position of Lampedusa, which is subject to large water mass exchanges (between the western and eastern basins) and currents [8,9]. Probably, the most important current that laps Lampedusa is the Atlantic Tunisian Current (ATC), which is one of the two branches of the Algerian current (AC), a powerful seawater flux that originates along the westernmost part of the Algerian coast and, running parallel to it, collects a large number of marine larvae (including heterobranch “sea slug” veligers) along its path [22,23]. However, despite that, during this study, 22 species and 10 families were documented, with us investigating 10 dive sites and 8 coastal stretches. If we compare this data with that of other Sicilian islands that have recently been studied using the same techniques (photographic capture) and during the same period of the year (July), it is possible to conclude that, overall, we found a lower number of species at Lampedusa. Indeed, at Pantelleria (the nearby island present in the same archipelago), 33 species and 16 families were found through the examination of 3 dive sites and 5 coastal stretches [16]; in Lipari, 26 species and 13 families were reported through the analysis of only 6 dive sites [17]; at Vulcano, the study of only 4 dive sites led to the finding of 16 species and 9 families [17]; in the island of Marettimo, 43 species and 18 families were documented, with us analyzing 11 dive sites and 7 coastal stretches [18].
This lower number of species found at Lampedusa, compared to the other Sicilian islands, might be connected to a scarcity along this island of favorable habitats for these mollusks.
The majority of heterobranch “sea slug” groups feed on benthic suspension feeders, such as sponges, cnidarians, bryozoans, and ascidians, which inhabit crevices, tunnels, caves, and shady walls and are characteristic of the coralligenous biocenosis [18,24]. The latter community is scarcely present and not representative at Lampedusa [4], as confirmed by the observations made in this study. Indeed, through the examination of the dive sites carried out in the four sectors of the island, it was noted that, in general, this type of community is rarely present or poorly structured.
The general similarity in family diversity found among the four different sectors can be due to the general environmental homogeneity found on the island. Indeed, apart from the presence or absence of environments with modest crevices, cavities, and small shaded walls (and areas with calm waters along the coastline), the bottoms and coasts of the island are roughly homogeneous in morphology, being characterized by more or less bare coastlines that develop into shallow reefs (generally promontories) resting on horizontal sandy bottoms rich in Posidonia oceanica (the latter can replace the reefs in many places). Consequently, the environments do not vary enough to give rise to differences in the presence of different families of heterobranch “sea slugs” in various areas of the island. This can also be seen in comparing family diversity for the MPA vs. the non-protected area and zone B vs. zone C. Instead, the higher number of species found within the MPA compared to that documented in the non-protected area was probably caused by the higher number of examined areas of the former (eight dive sites and four coastal stretches) compared to the latter (two dive sites and four coastal stretches). The same logic can be applied in the species diversity comparison between the B (six dive sites and two coastal stretches) and C zones (two dive sites and two coastal stretches).
Of the 22 species found in this study, the most interesting ones are certainly the doridid Goniodoridella picoensis and the sacoglossans Thuridilla mazda, Polybranchia sp., and Cyerce graeca, while the others are common species widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean Sea.
G. picoensis is a small but flashy goniodoridid doridid that, in the last five years, was suddenly reported through the finding of numerous specimens in different areas of the Mediterranean Sea. The sudden appearance of this species in the Mediterranean (first discovered in the Azores [25]), followed by its rapid spread to various areas of the basin, has sparked a debate in recent years between those who argue that this species is of Atlantic–Mediterranean origin [13] and those who believe that it has only recently entered the Mediterranean [26]. Considering Lampedusa, G. picoensis was first documented by Manganelli in July 2021 [13] without giving information about the location, depth, and number of individuals. It is interesting to note that during the present study, this species was found in all the island’s sectors through several specimens (of which two were during mating). Specifically, G. picoensis individuals were found in seven dive sites in the bathymetric range of 11.6–32.6 m on the following substrates: entanglements made up of Dictyota sp. and filamentous and geniculate red algae; red calcareous algae and orange sponges covered with the bryozoan Nolella sp.; turfs of filamentous red and geniculate algae mixed with Palmophyllum crassum (Naccari) Rabenhorst and Nolella sp.; Peyssonnelia sp. mixed with filamentous red, brown, and green algae; turf of filamentous red algae covered with Nolella sp.; Peyssonnelia sp. covered with Nolella sp.; and Halopteris filicina (Grateloup) Kützing.
Another important finding is of the sacoglossan T. mazda. This species, originally distributed in the Caribbean region, in the course of 20 years, has managed to expand its distribution eastwards, penetrating the western Mediterranean in 2021 [27] and then reaching the waters of the central–eastern coast of Sicily during 2022 [28] and 2023 [29]. The way (natural or anthropogenic) in which this species succeeds in expanding its geographic range has never been understood with certainty [30]. However, the finding of four T. mazda specimens during the present study in four coastal stretches of the island (under the water surface on encrusting calcareous red algae intermingled with geniculate red algae and Dictyota sp.; filamentous red, brown, and green algae; Gelidiales algae intermingled with Cladophora sp.) could provide a little more clarity on how this species entered the Mediterranean basin. Indeed, the fact that this Caribbean sacoglossan was found right at Lampedusa, the only Italian island directly reached by the Atlantic Tunisian Current (ATC) [23], could indicate that T. mazda entered the Mediterranean naturally (i.e., via currents), as hypothesized for the aplysiid Aplysia dactylomela by Valdés et al. [22].
It is also worth mentioning the report of two Polybranchia sp. specimens (together with an egg mass under a rock) under the water surface in the coastal stretch of “Cala Spugne”. This finding, besides being the second report of this species for the entire Mediterranean Sea [16], is the first to document a pair of individuals together and their egg mass in this basin. This, considering the paucity of biological data about the species of the genus Polybranchia Pease, 1860 (they are very difficult to study in the field due to their nocturnal life style and the fact that these heterobranch “sea slugs” hide beneath rocks away from their food algae) [31], represents an important field-data addition to the literature focused on this genus.
The final significant report is that of another sacoglossan, C. graeca, which was found at “Cala Maluk” beneath a bare rock (with the body inside a hole and its cerata outside) under the water surface. This finding represents the first record of this species for Sicilian waters [29]. Indeed, until now, in the Mediterranean basin, C. graeca has only been reported in Greece, Croatia, France, Mallorca, Catalonia, Malta, Apulia, and Sardinia [32,33].
Table 4 reports the taxonomic list of the recorded heterobranch “sea slug” species at Lampedusa to date. A total of 46 species were found along the coasts of this island. The most representative order is that of Cephalaspidea with 14 species, followed by that of Sacoglossa with 8 species. Nudibranchia and Aplysiida are represented by 5 species, Doridida and Pleurobranchida by 4 species, Ringiculimorpha by 2 species, and Rhodopoidea, Actenoidea, Runcinida, and Pteropoda by only 1 species.
5. Conclusions
A comparison of the data concerning the heterobranch “sea slugs” reported here shows an overall low diversity for the waters of Lampedusa, compared with those documented by the authors in recent years on other Sicilian islands [16,17,18]. This paucity in heterobranch “sea slug”fauna is probably caused by the scarcity of favorable environments for these mollusks along the seabed and coastline of this island and by the considerable environmental homogeneity of the various areas of Lampedusa.
Nevertheless, some species of significant biogeographical value have been found. Consequently, given the geographical position of the island, which puts it in almost direct influence of the Atlantic waters [22,23], the biogeographical importance of Lampedusa’s heterobranch “sea slugs” requires more in-depth and time-distributed investigations, starting from the data reported here, which can be considered as a new starting point for knowledge on this topic.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, A.L. and G.M.; methodology, A.L.; validation, A.L. and G.M.; data curation, A.L.; writing—original draft preparation, A.L.; writing—review and editing, G.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This research received no external funding.
Data Availability Statement
The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the authors.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank Gian Marco “the black Lupin” of the Poseidon Diving A.S.D. and his colleagues for their kindness and friendliness. We would also like to thank all the wonderful people we met during this amazing experience.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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Figure 1.
Studied area. (A) Location of Sicily and its groups of islands. (B) Location of the Pelagie Islands in the Sicily Channel. (C) Location of Lampedusa in the Pelagie archipelago. (D) Lampedusa: the examined dive sites and coastal stretches are indicated, respectively, by white rhombuses and lines (abbreviations are reported in Table 2); MPA (Marine Protected Area) borders are indicated in blue (C zone), yellow (B zone), and red (A zone). The names of the localities are reported in the map with the following abbreviations: Grotta dell’Acqua (GA), Grotta Santa (GS), Baia di Taccio Vecchio (BTV), Muro Vecchio (MV), Scoglio Pignata (SP), Baia di Capo Ponente (BCP), Capo Grecale (CG), Fortino (F), Costa Sud di Capo Grecale (CSCG), Panettone (P), Madonnina (M), Tabaccara (T), Punta Parrino (PP), Punta Iavuta (PI), Baia di Punta Sottile (BPS), Cala Spugne (CS), Cala Maluk (CM), Cala Francese (CF).
Figure 1.
Studied area. (A) Location of Sicily and its groups of islands. (B) Location of the Pelagie Islands in the Sicily Channel. (C) Location of Lampedusa in the Pelagie archipelago. (D) Lampedusa: the examined dive sites and coastal stretches are indicated, respectively, by white rhombuses and lines (abbreviations are reported in Table 2); MPA (Marine Protected Area) borders are indicated in blue (C zone), yellow (B zone), and red (A zone). The names of the localities are reported in the map with the following abbreviations: Grotta dell’Acqua (GA), Grotta Santa (GS), Baia di Taccio Vecchio (BTV), Muro Vecchio (MV), Scoglio Pignata (SP), Baia di Capo Ponente (BCP), Capo Grecale (CG), Fortino (F), Costa Sud di Capo Grecale (CSCG), Panettone (P), Madonnina (M), Tabaccara (T), Punta Parrino (PP), Punta Iavuta (PI), Baia di Punta Sottile (BPS), Cala Spugne (CS), Cala Maluk (CM), Cala Francese (CF).
Figure 2.
Rhodope sp., (A) dorsal view. Berthella sp., (B) egg mass. Berthellina cf. edwardsii, (C) the specimen in resting position; (D) right dorso-lateral view. Caloria quatrefagesi, (E) right antero-dorsal view. Edmundsella pedata, (F) right dorso-lateral view; (G) egg mass. Paraflabellina ischitana, (H) a specimen on the hydrozoan Eudendrium sp. Tenellia sp., (I) right dorso-lateral view. Tenellia genovae, (J) dorsal view. Felimare picta, (K) right antero-dorsal view. Felimare tricolor, (L) dorsal view.
Figure 2.
Rhodope sp., (A) dorsal view. Berthella sp., (B) egg mass. Berthellina cf. edwardsii, (C) the specimen in resting position; (D) right dorso-lateral view. Caloria quatrefagesi, (E) right antero-dorsal view. Edmundsella pedata, (F) right dorso-lateral view; (G) egg mass. Paraflabellina ischitana, (H) a specimen on the hydrozoan Eudendrium sp. Tenellia sp., (I) right dorso-lateral view. Tenellia genovae, (J) dorsal view. Felimare picta, (K) right antero-dorsal view. Felimare tricolor, (L) dorsal view.
Figure 3.
Goniodoridella picoensis, (A) a specimen feeding on the bryozoans Nolella sp., (B) two individuals during mating. Trapania lineata, (C) left dorso-lateral view. Aplysia dactylomela, (D) right antero-dorsal view; (E) a specimen with some melanic part of the body; (F) mating activity. Aplysia cf. fasciata, (G) dorsal view of a dead individual. Aplysia punctata, (H) dorsal view; (I) left lateral view.
Figure 3.
Goniodoridella picoensis, (A) a specimen feeding on the bryozoans Nolella sp., (B) two individuals during mating. Trapania lineata, (C) left dorso-lateral view. Aplysia dactylomela, (D) right antero-dorsal view; (E) a specimen with some melanic part of the body; (F) mating activity. Aplysia cf. fasciata, (G) dorsal view of a dead individual. Aplysia punctata, (H) dorsal view; (I) left lateral view.
Figure 4.
Petalifera petalifera, (A) dorsal view; (B) the specimen on the alga Padina sp. Bosellia mimetica, (C) a small individual on the green alga Halimeda tuna. Elysia timida, (D) dorsal view; (E) a couple during mating. Thuridilla hopei, (F) dorsal view. Thuridilla mazda, (G) dorsal view. Cyerce graeca, (H) left dorso-lateral view. Polybranchia sp., (J) an egg mass; (I) dorsal view.
Figure 4.
Petalifera petalifera, (A) dorsal view; (B) the specimen on the alga Padina sp. Bosellia mimetica, (C) a small individual on the green alga Halimeda tuna. Elysia timida, (D) dorsal view; (E) a couple during mating. Thuridilla hopei, (F) dorsal view. Thuridilla mazda, (G) dorsal view. Cyerce graeca, (H) left dorso-lateral view. Polybranchia sp., (J) an egg mass; (I) dorsal view.
Figure 5.
Bar charts, (A) number of species found in the examined dive sites and coastal stretches; (B) number of families found in the examined dive sites and coastal stretches; (C) number of species found in sectors, MPA, non-protected area, C zone and B zone; (D) number of families found in sectors, MPA, non-protected area, C zone and B zone.
Figure 5.
Bar charts, (A) number of species found in the examined dive sites and coastal stretches; (B) number of families found in the examined dive sites and coastal stretches; (C) number of species found in sectors, MPA, non-protected area, C zone and B zone; (D) number of families found in sectors, MPA, non-protected area, C zone and B zone.
Table 1.
Heterobranch “sea slugs” species documented for Lampedusa in the literature. Each species is associated with the studies that cited it for the island.
Table 1.
Heterobranch “sea slugs” species documented for Lampedusa in the literature. Each species is associated with the studies that cited it for the island.
| Taxa | References |
|---|---|
| Acteonoidea | |
| Family Acteonidae A. d’Orbigny, 1842 | |
| Acteon tornatilis (Linnaeus, 1758) | [8] |
| Ringiculimorpha | |
| Family Ringiculidae R. A. Philippi, 1853 | |
| Ringicula auriculata (Ménard de la Groye, 1811) | [8,10] |
| Ringicula conformis Monterosato, 1877 | [10] |
| Pleurobranchida | |
| Family Pleurobranchidae Gray, 1827 | |
| Berthella plumula (Montagu, 1803) | [10] |
| Pleurobranchus testudinarius Cantraine, 1835 | [14] |
| Doridida | |
| Family Goniodorididae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 | |
| Goniodoridella picoensis (Paz-Sedano, Ortigosa & Pola, 2017) | [13] |
| Cephalaspidea | |
| Family Retusidae Thiele, 1925 | |
| Pyrunculus hoernesi (Weinkauff, 1866) | [10] |
| Retusa truncatula (Bruguière, 1792) | [8,10] |
| Retusa umbilicata (Montagu, 1803) | [10] |
| Family Rhizoridae Dell, 1952 | |
| Volvulella acuminata (Bruguière, 1792) | [10] |
| Family Bullidae Gray, 1827 | |
| Bulla striata Bruguière, 1792 | [8] |
| Family Haminoeidae Pilsbry, 1895 | |
| Haminoea hydatis (Linnaeus, 1758) | [8,9] |
| Haminoea navicula (da Costa, 1778) | [10] |
| Roxaniella jeffreysi (Weinkauff, 1866) | [10] |
| Weinkauffia turgidula (Forbes, 1844) | [10] |
| Family Scaphandridae G. O. Sars, 1878 | |
| Scaphander lignarius (Linnaeus, 1758) | [10] |
| Family Philinidae J. E. Gray, 1850 (1815) | |
| Hermania scabra (O. F. Müller, 1784) | [8] |
| Philine catena (Montagu, 1803) | [10] |
| Philine quadripartita Ascanius, 1772 | [8] |
| Family Laonidae Pruvot-Fol, 1954 | |
| Laona pruinosa (W. Clark, 1827) | [10] |
| Runcinida | |
| Family Runcinidae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 | |
| Runcina sp. | [9] |
| Pteropoda | |
| Euthecosomata | |
| Family Creseidae Rampal, 1973 | |
| Creseis acicula (Rang, 1828) | [10] |
| Aplysiida | |
| Family Aplysiidae Lamarck, 1809 | |
| Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828 | [12] |
| Aplysia fasciata Poiret, 1789 | [9] |
| Sacoglossa | |
| Family Plakobranchidae Gray, 1840 | |
| Elysia timida (Risso, 1818) | [9] |
| Elysia viridis (Montagu, 1804) | [9] |
| Thuridilla hopei (Vérany, 1853) | [9] |
| Family Hermaeidae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 | |
| Aplysiopsis elegans Deshayes, 1853 | [9] |
Table 2.
List of the dive sites and coastal stretches (with their abbreviations) examined during this study. For each location, the date, coordinates, activity, protection zone, depth range, and bottom type are indicated.
Table 2.
List of the dive sites and coastal stretches (with their abbreviations) examined during this study. For each location, the date, coordinates, activity, protection zone, depth range, and bottom type are indicated.
| Site | Date | Coordinates | Activity | Protection Zone | Depth Range | Bottom Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grotta dell’Acqua (GA) | 7 July 2025 | 35°31′20.0″ N 12°37′06.7″ E | Dive | B | Up to 25 m | Rocky wall on a sandy bottom |
| Grotta Santa (GS) | 7 July 2025 | 35°31′19.7″ N 12°35′39.6″ E | Dive | B | Up to 20 m | Massive promontory |
| Baia di Taccio Vecchio (BTV) | 7 July 2025 | from 35°31′18.6″ N 12°35′41.6″ E to 35°31′18.1″ N 12°35′46.8″ E | Snorkeling | B | 0–1 m | Rocky escarpment |
| Muro Vecchio (MV) | 8 July 2025 | 35°31′33.9″ N 12°33′35.2″ E | Dive | C | Up to 30 m | Huge promontory |
| Scoglio Pignata (SP) | 8 July 2025 | 35°31′37.9″ N 12°–31′24.3″ E | Dive | C | Up to 30 m | Rocky outcrops and boulders |
| Baia di Capo Ponente (BCP) | 8 July 2025 | from 35°31′22.5″ N 12°31′13.0″ E to 35°31′18.3″ N 12°31′07.2″ E | Snorkeling | C | 0–1 m | Large rocks |
| Capo Grecale (CG) | 9 July 2025 | 35°30′55.6″ N 12°37′58.6″ E | Dive | B | Up to 35 m | Rocky slope on a sandy bottom |
| Fortino (F) | 9 July 2025 | 35°30′50.3″ N 12°37′44.3″ E | Dive | B | Up to 25 m | Rocky walls and canyons on a sandy bottom |
| Costa Sud di Capo Grecale (CSCG) | 9 July 2025 | from 35°30′55.5″ N 12°37′55.0″ E to 35°30′53.8″ N 12°37′43.8″ E | Snorkeling | B | 0–1 m | Rocky vertical wall |
| Panettone (P) | 10 July 2025 | 35°30′26.0″ N 12°33′33.2″ E | Dive | B | Up to 20 m | Rocky outcrop on a sandy bottom |
| Madonnina (M) | 10 July 2025 | 35°30′28.1″ N 12°33′24.2″ E | Dive | B | Up to 18 m | Large rocky outcrop with a cave |
| Tabaccara (T) | 10 July 2025 | from 35°30′39.8″ N 12°34′07.3″ E to 35°30′27.6″ N 12°34′11.5″ E | Snorkeling | C | 0–1 m | Vertical rocky wall intermingled with large, medium, and small rocks |
| Punta Parrino (PP) | 11 July 2025 | 35°30′02.6″ N 12°38′04.5″ E | Dive | Non-protected | Up to 40 m | Rocky outcrops on a sand bed |
| Punta Iavuta (PI) | 11 July 2025 | 35°29′49.0″ N 12°38′02.2″ E | Dive | Non-protected | Up to 20 m | Rocky outcrops on a sand bed |
| Baia di Punta Sottile (BPS) | 11 July 2025 | from 35°29′50.0″ N 12°37′58.2″ E to 35°29′46.2″ N 12°37′51.6″ E | Snorkeling | Non-protected | 0–1 m | Continuous horizontal crevice |
| Cala Spugne (CS) | 12 July 2025 | from 35°29′35.3″ N 12°36′29.9″ E to 35°29′43.5″ N 12°36′38.3″ E | Snorkeling | Non-protected | 0–1 m | Cove with many jagged inlets forming small grottos |
| Cala Maluk (CM) | 12 July 2025 | from 35°29′41.2″ N 12°36′42.5″ E to 35°29′36.1″ N 12°36′52.0″ E | Snorkeling | Non-protected | 0–1 m | Cove with many jagged inlets forming small grottos |
| Cala Francese (CF) | 12 July 2025 | from 35°29′40.6″ N 12°37′26.6″ E to 35°29′43.6″ N 12°37′30.7″ E | Snorkeling | Non-protected | 0–1 m | Cove characterized by two inlets |
Table 3.
List of heterobranch “sea slugs” found during this study. The number in each box indicates the number of individuals found at the given location. Moreover, the symbols * and ‡ indicate the observation of egg mass/es and mating activities, respectively. In addition, the bathymetric range of each species is given. The names of the localities are indicated as follows: Grotta dell’Acqua (GA), Grotta Santa (GS), Baia di Taccio Vecchio (BTV), Muro Vecchio (MV), Scoglio Pignata (SP), Baia di Capo Ponente (BCP), Capo Grecale (CG), Fortino (F), Costa Sud di Capo Grecale (CSCG), Panettone (P), Madonnina (M), Tabaccara (T), Punta Parrino (PP), Punta Iavuta (PI), Baia di Punta Sottile (BPS), Cala Spugne (CS), Cala Maluk (CM), Cala Francese (CF).
Table 3.
List of heterobranch “sea slugs” found during this study. The number in each box indicates the number of individuals found at the given location. Moreover, the symbols * and ‡ indicate the observation of egg mass/es and mating activities, respectively. In addition, the bathymetric range of each species is given. The names of the localities are indicated as follows: Grotta dell’Acqua (GA), Grotta Santa (GS), Baia di Taccio Vecchio (BTV), Muro Vecchio (MV), Scoglio Pignata (SP), Baia di Capo Ponente (BCP), Capo Grecale (CG), Fortino (F), Costa Sud di Capo Grecale (CSCG), Panettone (P), Madonnina (M), Tabaccara (T), Punta Parrino (PP), Punta Iavuta (PI), Baia di Punta Sottile (BPS), Cala Spugne (CS), Cala Maluk (CM), Cala Francese (CF).
| Western Coast | Northern Coast | Eastern Coast | Southern Coast | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C Zone | B Zone | Non-Protected Area | C Zone | B Zone | |||||||||||||||
| Taxa | BCP | SP | MV | GS | BTV | GA | CG | CSCG | F | PP | PI | BPS | CF | CM | CS | T | P | M | Depth Range |
| Superfamily Rhodopoidea | |||||||||||||||||||
| Family Rhodopidae Ihering, 1876 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Rhodopesp. | 1 | 12.1 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Order Pleurobranchida | |||||||||||||||||||
| Family Pleurobranchidae Gray, 1827 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Berthellasp. | * | 13.3 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Berthellinacf. edwardsii (Vayssière, 1897) | 1 | 16.6 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Order Nudibranchia | |||||||||||||||||||
| Family Facelinidae Bergh, 1889 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Caloria quatrefagesi(Vayssière, 1888) | 1 | <1 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Family Flabellinidae Bergh, 1889 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Edmundsella pedata(Montagu, 1816) | 5 * | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10–22.7 m | ||||||||||||||
| Paraflabellina ischitana(Hirano & T. E. Thompson, 1990) | 2 | 11.7–16.4 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Family Trinchesiidae F. Nordsieck, 1972 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Tenelliasp. | 1 | <1 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Tenellia genovae(O’Donoghue, 1926) | 1 | 5.4 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Order Doridida | |||||||||||||||||||
| Family Chromodorididae Bergh, 1891 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Felimare picta(R. A. Philippi, 1836) | 1 | 18.2 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Felimare tricolor(Cantraine, 1835) | 1 | 1 | 15.5–28 m | ||||||||||||||||
| Family Goniodorididae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Goniodoridella picoensis(Paz-Sedano, Ortigosa & Pola, 2017) | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 ‡ | 5 | 11.6–32.6 m | |||||||||||
| Trapania lineataHaefelfinger, 1960 | 1 | 11.7 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Order Aplysiida | |||||||||||||||||||
| Family Aplysiidae Lamarck, 1809 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Aplysia dactylomelaRang, 1828 | 9 | 9 | 14 ‡ | 1 < m | |||||||||||||||
| Aplysiacf. fasciata Poiret, 1789 | 1 | 1 < m | |||||||||||||||||
| Aplysia punctata(Cuvier, 1803) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 < m | ||||||||||||||
| Petalifera petalifera(Rang, 1828) | 1 | 7.5 m | |||||||||||||||||
| Superorder Sacoglossa | |||||||||||||||||||
| Family Plakobranchidae Gray, 1840 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Bosellia mimeticaTrinchese, 1891 | 1 | 1 < m | |||||||||||||||||
| Elysia timida(Risso, 1818) | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 24 | 39 ‡ | 20 ‡ | 6 | 1 | 1 < −11.9 m | ||||||
| Thuridilla hopei(Vérany, 1853) | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 < −20 m | ||||||||||
| Thuridilla mazdaOrtea & Espinosa, 2000 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 < m | ||||||||||||||
| Family Caliphyllidae Tiberi, 1881 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Cyerce graecaT. E. Thompson, 1988 | 1 | 1 < m | |||||||||||||||||
| Polybranchiasp. | 2 * | 1 < m | |||||||||||||||||
| Total number of species | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total number of species per site | 3 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total number of families | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total number of families per site | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
Table 4.
Taxonomic list of the recorded heterobranch “sea slugs” at Lampedusa to date.
| Taxa | |
|---|---|
| Rhodopoidea | Bulla striata Bruguière, 1792 |
| Family Rhodopidae Ihering, 1876 | Family Haminoeidae Pilsbry, 1895 |
| Rhodope sp. | Haminoea hydatis (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Acteonoidea | Haminoea navicula (da Costa, 1778) |
| Family Acteonidae A. d’Orbigny, 1842 | Roxaniella jeffreysi (Weinkauff, 1866) |
| Acteon tornatilis (Linnaeus, 1758) | Weinkauffia turgidula (Forbes, 1844) |
| Ringiculimorpha | Family Scaphandridae G. O. Sars, 1878 |
| Family Ringiculidae R. A. Philippi, 1853 | Scaphander lignarius (Linnaeus, 1758) |
| Ringicula auriculata (Ménard de la Groye, 1811) | Family Philinidae J. E. Gray, 1850 (1815) |
| Ringicula conformis Monterosato, 1877 | Hermania scabra (O. F. Müller, 1784) |
| Pleurobranchida | Philine catena (Montagu, 1803) |
| Family Pleurobranchidae Gray, 1827 | Philine quadripartita Ascanius, 1772 |
| Berthella plumula (Montagu, 1803) | Family Laonidae Pruvot-Fol, 1954 |
| Berthella sp. | Laona pruinosa (W. Clark, 1827) |
| Berthellina cf. edwardsii (Vayssière, 1897) | Runcinida |
| Pleurobranchus testudinarius Cantraine, 1835 | Family Runcinidae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 |
| Nudibranchia | Runcina sp. |
| Family Facelinidae Bergh, 1889 | Pteropoda |
| Caloria quatrefagesi (Vayssière, 1888) | Euthecosomata |
| Family Flabellinidae Bergh, 1889 | Family Creseidae Rampal, 1973 |
| Edmundsella pedata (Montagu, 1816) | Creseis acicula (Rang, 1828) |
| Paraflabellina ischitana (Hirano & T. E. Thompson, 1990) | Aplysiida |
| Family Trinchesiidae F. Nordsieck, 1972 | Family Aplysiidae Lamarck, 1809 |
| Tenellia sp. | Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828 |
| Tenellia genovae (O’Donoghue, 1926) | Aplysia fasciata Poiret, 1789 |
| Doridida | Aplysia cf. fasciata Poiret, 1789 |
| Family Chromodorididae Bergh, 1891 | Aplysia punctata (Cuvier, 1803) |
| Felimare picta (R. A. Philippi, 1836) | Petalifera petalifera (Rang, 1828) |
| Felimare tricolor (Cantraine, 1835) | Sacoglossa |
| Family Goniodorididae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 | Family Plakobranchidae Gray, 1840 |
| Goniodoridella picoensis (Paz-Sedano, Ortigosa & Pola, 2017) | Bosellia mimetica Trinchese, 1891 |
| Trapania lineata Haefelfinger, 1960 | Elysia timida (Risso, 1818) |
| Cephalaspidea | Elysia viridis (Montagu, 1804) |
| Family Retusidae Thiele, 1925 | Thuridilla hopei (Vérany, 1853) |
| Pyrunculus hoernesi (Weinkauff, 1866) | Thuridilla mazda Ortea & Espinosa, 2000 |
| Retusa truncatula (Bruguière, 1792) | Family Hermaeidae H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854 |
| Retusa umbilicata (Montagu, 1803) | Aplysiopsis elegans Deshayes, 1853 |
| Family Rhizoridae Dell, 1952 | Family Caliphyllidae Tiberi, 1881 |
| Volvulella acuminata (Bruguière, 1792) | Cyerce graeca T. E. Thompson, 1988 |
| Family Bullidae Gray, 1827 | Polybranchia sp. |
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MDPI and ACS Style
Lombardo, A.; Marletta, G. Observations on the Benthic Heterobranch “Sea Slugs” (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Lampedusa, the Southernmost Island of Italy (MPA Isole Pelagie). J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13, 2150. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13112150
AMA Style
Lombardo A, Marletta G. Observations on the Benthic Heterobranch “Sea Slugs” (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Lampedusa, the Southernmost Island of Italy (MPA Isole Pelagie). Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. 2025; 13(11):2150. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13112150
Chicago/Turabian StyleLombardo, Andrea, and Giuliana Marletta. 2025. "Observations on the Benthic Heterobranch “Sea Slugs” (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Lampedusa, the Southernmost Island of Italy (MPA Isole Pelagie)" Journal of Marine Science and Engineering 13, no. 11: 2150. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13112150
APA StyleLombardo, A., & Marletta, G. (2025). Observations on the Benthic Heterobranch “Sea Slugs” (Mollusca: Gastropoda) of Lampedusa, the Southernmost Island of Italy (MPA Isole Pelagie). Journal of Marine Science and Engineering, 13(11), 2150. https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13112150
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