SEARCHING FOR LESSEPSIAN MIGRANT SERPULIDS (ANNELIDA: POLYCHAETA) ON CYPRUS—SOME RESULTS OF A RECENT EXPEDITION

ABSTRACT

An expedition to Cyprus to search for Lessepsian migrant Serpulidae was carried out in May 1997, with some supplementary sampling in October 1997. Sampling concentrated on the southern coast, on Larnaca and Limassol ports, and localities to the east and west. The 38 samples, collected at depths of 0–24 m, comprised more than 2,100 live tube-worms belonging to at least 24 serpulid taxa, of which 23 are identified to species. A new morph belonging to the minute genus, Josephella, was found in several locations. Five other taxa (one tentatively identified) are newly recorded from Cyprus. No Lessepsian migrant serpulids were present in this ample material. However, H. Zibrowius very recently (1998, pers. commun.) found that 2 Lessepsian migrants, Spirobranchus tetraceros and Hydroides heterocerus, are present in Famagusta Harbor. The revised Cypriot serpulid fauna numbers at least 39 taxa, of which 36 are identified to species. Different taxa dominate the shallow waters of Cyprus than of Israel, where Lessepsian migrants are common.