First Record of Megamphopus katagani Bakir, Sezgin & Myers, 2011 (Amphipoda, Photidae) in the Italian Waters: A Species Associated with the 'Amphioxus Sand' Biocenosis

The biocenosis of coarse sand and gravel exposed to bottom currents (SGCF) is the typical habitat of the amphioxus Branchiostoma lanceolatum (Pallas, 1774). This species and the habitat where it lives are threatened, and there are few reports of this biocenosis in the Italian and European waters. During a sampling survey carried out along the eastern Sicily coast (Ionian Sea) the macrozoobenthic community associated with this biocenosis was investigated. In this work, we report the presence of “Amphioxus sand” habitat in the Ionian Sicilian coast and the first record of the amphipod Megamphopus katagani Bakir, Sezgin and Myers, 2011 in the Italian waters.