Fulvia fragilis (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775) (Bivalvia: Cardiidae), an alien species new to the Maltese malacofauna

Jeroen Goud

doi:10.3391/ai.2009.4.2.16

Abstract

* Corresponding author Abstract This short note reports the presence of the lessepsian bivalve Fulvia fragilis (Forsskal in Niebuhr, 1775) in Maltese waters at the central Mediterranean. The first occurrence here at the SE of Malta, in the bay behind the Freeport terminal, with much recent shipping activities, strongly suggests that the mode of transportation is through ballast water.

Highlights

Fulvia fragilis (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775) is a very thin shelled bivalve belonging to the cardiidid subfamily Laevicardiinae Keen, 1936 (Schneider 1995)
The species is distributed throughout the Indian Ocean, from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to Mozambique and Madagascar (Vidal 1994)
Fulvia fragilis fragilis has penetrated the Mediterranean Sea, from the Indian Ocean through the Suez Canal at least since 1939 when it was first collected in Port Said and Port Fouad (Moazzo 1939)

Summary

Introduction

Fulvia fragilis (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775) is a very thin shelled bivalve belonging to the cardiidid subfamily Laevicardiinae Keen, 1936 (Schneider 1995). The species is distributed throughout the Indian Ocean, from the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf to Mozambique and Madagascar (Vidal 1994).

Results

Conclusion