Abstract
Specimens of the rare amphi-Atlantic epitoniid Opaliopsis atlantis have been recorded in the Strait of Messina (central Mediterranean) from a hydrozoan stylasterid-rich habitat. The record, which adds a new site to the sporadic occurrences of this prevalently deep-water species, may be considered the first contextualized report from Mediterranean Sea. Opaliopsis atlantis displays a planktotrophic larval development functional for long-range colonization of favorable habitats. Its discontinuous distribution all over its broad geographic range highlights the potential role of Atlantic seamounts as stepping-stones for transoceanic dispersal. Although no conclusive information is yet available upon the feeding requirements of O. atlantis all over its range, we suggest that this cnidarian-ectoparasitic prosobranch could adapt to different hosts, as a strategy that may enhance its wide biogeographic distribution.
Highlights
Opaliopsis atlantis (Clench & Turner, 1952) belongs to a kind of epitoniids provided with a multispiral and ribbed planktotrophic larval shell
The specimen from station FRAN1 (Figs. 2D‐F, 3C‐D) was found associated to a biostromal framebuilding formed by deep-sea oysters, Neopycnodonte cochlear
The organic matter found inside the shell, lacking operculum as well as other recognizable tissues, might belong to sipunculid remains
Summary
Opaliopsis atlantis (Clench & Turner, 1952) belongs to a kind of epitoniids provided with a multispiral and ribbed planktotrophic larval shell. This morphologically distinct deep-water group, previously placed in the subfamily Nystiellinae Clench & Turner, 1952, was elevated to family level by Nützel (1998), until subsequent biomolecular studies did not validate their separation from Epitoniidae (Takano & Kano, 2014; Bouchet & Rocroy, 2017). The finding of two specimens from the Strait of Messina (central Mediterranean) improves our knowledge
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