A new alien bryozoan Celleporaria brunnea (Hincks, 1884) in the Aegean sea (eastern Mediterranean)

Abstract

The ascophoran Bryozoa Celleporaria brunnea, a new record for the Mediterranean Sea, was found on Mytilus galloprovincialis collected in the inner part of Izmir Bay (Aegean Sea, Turkey) in September 2004. The species was previously reported from the Pacific coast of the United States. Its occurrence in the polluted inner part of Izmir Bay, near Alsancak Harbour, suggests that it has been newly introduced to the area, possibly via ship hulls. The morphological, ecological and zoogeographical characteristics of the species are given and discussed.