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Biodiversity Journal, 2017, 8 (2): 665–667 MONOGRAPH

A first snapshot of sandy-beach amphipod (Crustacea) assem-
blage in a Marine Protected Area, Favignana Island (central

Mediterranean Sea)

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Maria Giulia Giangrasso , Eugenia Schimmenti , Paolo Balistreri , Davide Iaciofano & Sabrina Lo Brutto 1,3*
1 Department of Sciences and Biological Chemical and Pharmaceutical Technologies (STeBiCeF), Section of Animal Biology,
University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy,
2 Vicolo Giotto 6, 91023 Favignana, Italy
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Museo di Zoologia “Doderlein”, Sistema Museale d’Ateneo, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Via Archirafi 16, 90123 Palermo
(Italy)
* Corresponding author, email: sabrina.lobrutto@unipa.it

ABSTRACT The aim of this study is to compile a preliminary first check-list of Amphipoda species from
beaches of Favignana Island (Sicily, Italy), and contribute to the knowledge relating to the
distribution of this taxon in the Mediterranean Sea. Five amphipod species, belonging to two
families (Talitridae and Hyalidae), have been collect in the island. The supralittoral assem-
blage appears to contain three main biogeographical categories: Atlanto-Mediterranean spe-
cies, Mediterranean endemic species and cosmopolitan species.

KEY WORDS Crustacea; Amphipoda; sandy beaches; Favignana Island; Mediterranean Sea.
Received 30.04.2017; accepted 31.05.2017; printed 30.06.2017
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Proceedings of the 17 International Colloquium on Amphipoda (17 ICA), September 4 -7 2017, Trapani (Italy)
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INTRODUCTION thus, an evaluation of amphipod assemblage need.
Sandy beaches are supralittoral areas, represent-
To date no survey regarding the amphipod fauna ing highly dynamic ecosystems that provide hab-
of the coastal zone of Favignana Island (the largest itats for a diversity of fauna (Defeo et al., 2009).
of the islands Egadi Islands Marine Reserve in Due to the high vulnerability of these habitats, ac-
Sicily, Italy) has been conducted. This is notwith- tion plans for their conservation should be a prior-
standing that Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and ity; choosing a reliable target of organisms as an
marine reserves have been widely advocated as a indicator for making decisions addressed to the pre-
form of marine conservation for preserving biodi- servation of biological diversity can be considered
versity (Agardy, 1994; Leslie, 2005). a fundamental task (Deidun et al., 2009; Lo Brutto
This study will focus on the sandy beaches of et al., 2011; 2013; Sarà et al., 2014).
Favignana Island, which are subjected to biotic and This paper will outline an initial assessment of
abiotic disturbances, and represented by natural and the supralittoral Amphipoda assemblage, which are
artificial bioturbation, mostly caused by recreational present along the sandy coasts of Favignana Island;
seashore activities. There is a growing interest in as- the aim of the paper is in order to deepen our tax-
sessing factors and processes occurring in sandy onomic knowledge regarding the composition of
beaches of Favignana Island (Bacci et al., 2015), these species.