New records of non-indigenous molluscs from the eastern Mediterranean Sea

We report new findings of non-indigenous Indo-Pacific molluscs from shallow water habitats off Israel, Greece and Egypt, eastern Mediterranean Sea. The bivalves Pillucina vietnamica Zorina, 1978 and Alveinus miliaceus (Issel, 1869) were collected from sandy bottoms off Israel, whereas Gregariella cf. ehrenbergi (Issel, 1869) was recovered from a buoy originating from Port Said, Egypt, and stranded on the Israeli coast. The three species are first records for the Mediterranean Sea. Additionally, we report range extensions for several gastropods: Varicopeza pauxilla (A. Adams, 1855) is recorded from Israel, Phidiana militaris (Alder and Hancock, 1864) from southern Israel (Ashqelon), and Viriola cf. bayani Jousseaume, 1884 from Israel and Crete. Shells and valves of an unidentified lucinid bivalve morphologically distinct from any known Mediterranean species were found along the Israeli Mediterranean shore.