First record of the red sea gastropod nerita sanguinolenta menke, 1829 (Gastropoda: Cycloneritida: Neritidae) from the israeli mediterranean coast

Abstract

The Red Sea intertidal gastropod Nerita sanguinolenta is reported here for the first time from the Northern Mediterranean coast of Israel, where it was found at the landward face of a vermetid reef on 11 November 2019, and identified morphologically and by using molecular barcoding. Possible vectors for its introduction primarily include ship ballast or larval transport via the Suez Canal in multiple migration events. Investigation of the thermal affinities of N. sanguinolenta is required for understanding the potential for its proliferation in the Mediterranean Sea.