Page 1 - Russo2014

Biodiversity Journal, 2014, 5 (1): 105–114

The long journey of Fusinus rostratus (Olivi,1792) (Gastropoda
Fasciolariidae) from Portugal coasts toVenice Lagoon

Paolo Russo

Santa Croce 421 - 30135 Venezia, Italy; e-mail: russorusso@virgilio.it

ABSTRACT In the present paper the following morpha of Fusinus rostratus (Olivi, 1792) (Gastropoda Fa-
sciolariidae) were investigated: Atlantic, Central and Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Egadi Islands
and the Sicilian Channel, Coasts of North Africa, the Central Adriatic Sea, Upper Adriatic Sea
and the Venice Lagoon. Each of these morpha shows such morphological characteristics to be
easily separated from the others. It is interesting to observe that the morphotype from the coast
of Portugal is by far morphologically the closest to that from Northern Adriatic. A feature com-
mon to all the described morphotypes, is the presence of secondary cords, regularly spaced
between the primary ones. The aim of this study is to split this species by geographical areas
in order to facilitate further studies.

KEY WORDS Fusinus rostratus; Fasciolariidae; Mediterranean Sea; morphotipi.

Received 28.01.2014; accepted 21.03.2014; printed 30.06.2014
Proceedings of the Seventh Malacological Pontine Meeting, September 9th-10th, 2013 - San Felice Circeo, Italy

INTRODUCTION cies is endemic to the Mediterranean. It is an eury-
bates species, found in a few centimeters of water
The Fusinus rostratus (Olivi, 1792) (Gastro- in the Lagoon of Venice (Buzzurro & Russo, 2001;
poda Fasciolariidae) is a species distributed all Russo, 2012) to a maximum of detected depth of
over the Mediterranean Sea. It is more common 823 m (D'Amico, 1912). It is related to soft sedi-
in the northern and central Adriatic and in Tyrrhe- ments (Vio & De Min, 1994, 1996), muddy (Mon-
nian Sea. It is also reported for the Atlantic Co- terosato, 1877), debris and muddy (Coen & Vatova,
asts, Portugal (Hidalgo, 1917; Barash & Danin, 1932), debris and muddy-sandy (Vatova, 1943),
1992), the Canary Islands (Aradas & Benoit, 1870 muddy-sandy (Vatova, 1940; Taviani, 1978). It also
Poppe & Goto, 1991; Barasch & Danin, 1992). occurs in Peyssonnelia polymorpha facies and
There are also records from Morocco (Pasteur- mäerl (Jacquotte, 1962; Ledoyer, 1969). It feeds on
Humbert, 1962; Barasch & Danin, 1988, 1992; polychetes.
Ardovini & Cossignani, 2004) and Mauritania
(Lozet & Dejean-Arrecgros, 1977) but these lat- Here, we consider the following morpha: Atlan-
ters should be investigated; rare in the Aegean Sea tic, Central and Southern Tyrrhenian Sea, Egadi Is-
with records that require a careful study (personal lands and the Strait of Sicily, Coasts of North
observation). Africa, Central Adriatic Sea, Northern Adriatic Sea
and the Venice Lagoon.
According to Mallard & Robin (2005) this spe-