New article in "The Nautilus"

Coralliophilinae (Gastropoda: Muricidae) associated with deep-water coral banks in the Mediterranean

The Nautilus 123(3):106–112, 2009

Coralliophilinae (Gastropoda: Muricidae) associated withdeep-water coral banks in the Mediterranean

Taviani, M., Dimech, M., Mifsud, C., Freiwald, A., Harasewych, M. G. & Oliveiro, M.

ABSTRACT
Fisheries and scientific investigations of the recently discovered deep-water coral province south of Malta sampled living specimens of two deep-water Coralliophilinae intimately associated with Lophelia-Madrepora coral banks. The species are “Coralliophila” richardi (Fischer P., 1882) and Babelomurex sentix (Bayer, 1971). A third coralliophilinid “Coralliophila” squamosa (Bivona Ant. in Bivona And., 1838: deep-water morphotype) has been also observed alive close to deep-water corals at the Nameless-Urania Bank.

Additional keywords: Neogastropoda, cnidaria, predation, biogeography, amphi-Atlantic, biodiversity