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 Melanella orientalis Agamennone, Micali & Siragusa, 2020 Figure 17 New records. Israel • 5 spcms; Ashqelon; 31.6868°N , 34.5516°E ; depth 12 m; 30 Apr. 2018; offshore rocky reef; suction sampler; HELM project (samples S12_1F, S12_1M, S12_3F); size: H 2.7 mm, W 1.0 (illustrated specimen) • 1 spcm; same collecting data as for preceding; depth 11 m; 31 Oct. 2018; HELM project (sample S58_2F) • 3 spcms; Ashqelon; 31.6891°N , 34.5257°E ; depth 25 m; 2 May 2018; offshore rocky reef; suction sampler; HELM project (samples S16_1F, S16_2F) • 1 spcm; same collecting data as for preceding; depth 28 m; 31 Oct. 2018; HELM project (sample S59_1F). Remarks. This species can be distinguished from Mediterranean Melanella by its gently curved whorls, straight spire with fewer whorls and thinner shell than most species. It superficially resembles the Red Sea " Eulima " orthophyes Sturany, 1903 (type illustrated by Albano et al. (2017) ), which can be distinguished because of its slightly bent apical whorls and the unusual pustulous sculpture of the protoconch. The species presented here is apparently already widespread in the Eastern Mediterranean ( Agamennone et al. 2020a ). We found only living individuals and no empty shells. Because of this, and the low likelihood that a so widespread species in shallow depths in the Eastern Mediterranean would have escaped detection for long, we consider it a new non-indigenous species in the basin. The specimens reported as Melanella sp. by Albano et al. (2020) from mesophotic reefs off northern Israel belong to this species. Figure 17. Melanella orientalis Agamennone, Micali & Siragusa, 2020, Ashqelon, Israel, HELM project (sample S12_1M): front ( A, B ), side ( C, D ) and back ( E ) views, apex ( F ). Scale bars: 1 mm ( A-E ); 0.2 mm ( F ).