New records of siphonophores and ctenophores in the Levant Sea

Mehmet Gokoglu, Bella S. Galil

Faculty of Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries, Akdeniz University, Antalya 07059, TURKEY
Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, ISRAEL

ORCID IDs: M.G. 0000-0001-9723-8581; B.S.G. 0000-0002-9268-7211

Abstract

We present new records of siphonophores and ctenophores observed in the Levant Basin, Mediterranean Sea: Rhizophysa filiformis and Ocyropsis maculata immaculata are new records for the eastern Mediterranean, Cestum veneris for both Israel and the Turkish Levantine coast, and Leucothea multicornis for Turkish waters. A siphosomal fragment of a physonect siphonophore is identified as Apolemia sp., and a calycophorid prayomorph provisionally identified as Praya sp. The recent increase in gelatinous zooplankton sightings in the easternmost region of the Mediterranean Sea is discussed.

Keywords: Cestum veneris, Leucothea multicornis, Ocyropsis maculata immaculata, Rhizophysa filiformis, Apolemia sp., Praya sp.

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