Numerous new records of tropical non-indigenous species in the Eastern Mediterranean highlight the challenges of their recognition and identification Author Albano, Paolo G. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9876-1024 Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria pgalbano@gmail.com Author Steger, Jan Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria Author Bakker, Piet A. J. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333, CR Leiden, The Netherlands Author Bogi, Cesare Gruppo Malacologico Livornese, c / o Museo di Storia Naturale del Mediterraneo, via Roma 234, 57127, Livorno, Italy Author Bosnjak, Marija Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria & Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, Zagreb, Croatia Author Guy-Haim, Tamar National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR), Haifa 3108001, Israel Author Huseyinoglu, Mehmet Fatih Faculty of Maritime Studies, University of Kyrenia, Karakum, Girne, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Author LaFollette, Patrick I. Malacology Section, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA Author Lubinevsky, Hadas National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR), Haifa 3108001, Israel Author Mulas, Martina https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9228-786X National Institute of Oceanography, Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research (IOLR), Haifa 3108001, Israel & The Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave., Mt. Carmel, Haifa 3498838, Israel Author Stockinger, Martina Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria Author Azzarone, Michele Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria Author Sabelli, Bruno Museo di Zoologia dell'Universita di Bologna, via Selmi 3, 40126, Bologna, Italy text ZooKeys 2021 2021-01-13 1010 1 95 http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1010.58759 journal article http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1010.58759 1313-2970-1010-1 45DF30C9AEB448AAAC32BBE77CB7191D D317557D854C577289AA424187C079D2 Pegophysema cf. philippiana (Reeve, 1850) Figure 38 New records. Israel • 1 spcm; Palmachim; 31.9574°N , 34.6645°E ; depth 36.2 m; 2 May 2018; soft substrate; box-corer; Shafdan project (sample 24(B)); size: L 15 mm, H 13.5 mm. Remarks. Pegophysema philippiana was first found in the Mediterranean Sea in 2018 as a single valve from south of Tel Aviv ( Mienis 2019 ). The specimen here reported is much smaller, and we acknowledge that the identification of juvenile individuals of this genus can only be tentative. We do not consider it conspecific to native species such as Loripinus fragilis (Philippi, 1836) because this latter species is much more inflated at this size, nor Loripes orbiculatus Poli, 1795 which has a different valve profile. If the identification is confirmed, this would be the first live collected specimen of P. philippiana in the Mediterranean Sea. Figure 38. Pegophysema cf. philippiana (Reeve, 1850), Palmachim, Israel, Shafdan project (sample 24(B)): right valve outer ( A ) and dorsal ( B ) views. The pink hue is due to staining with eosin solution. Photograph courtesy S. Bartolini. Scale bar: 5 mm.