Eastern Mediterranean Syllidae

Sampling

Specimens from Israel were collected on 31.5.2009 and 11.10.2009 in Haifa Bay, (Israel, Eastern Mediterranean Sea) from soft sediments of mixed grain sizes in shallow waters (Table 1). Sediment samples were taken with a Van-Veen grab (KAHLSICO, model WA265/SS214) 32x35cm, volume 20 l, penetration 20 cm. The sediment was preserved in buffered formalin 10% for 3–7 days, then sieved through a 250 µm mesh sieve and subsequently stored in 70% ethanol. In this study, only a subset of the collected material is presented. Specimens from Crete were collected in September 2007 and June 2008 from two sites in northern Crete characterized by a continuous hard bottom habitat with dense algal coverage and a moderate wave exposure (Table 1). At each site, two vertical transects with sampling depths at 1 m, 5 m, 10 m, 15 m and 20 m were defined and five replicates were taken from each transect and depth. Samples were collected by means of SCUBA diving according to the NaGISA protocol (Iken and Konar 2003). A plexiglas frame (25 x 25 cm) with a net of 0.5 mm mesh size attached to its top opening was placed onto the rock and the surface within the frame was scraped off. The sample was collected by a manually operated suction device, supplied by air from an extra scuba tank. Large particles (>2 cm) were collected manually after suction. The samples were subsequently washed through a 0.5 mm mesh sieve, fixed and preserved in 99% ethanol. Specimens were examined under an Olympus SZx12 stereomicroscope and an Olympus BX50 microscope and identified by employing the most recent literature on Syllidae (e.g. Nygren 2004, San Martín 2003, 2005, San Martín and Hutchings 2006).

Quality Control

Samples were sorted twice by two independent persons. Taxonomic identifications were cross-checked by a second taxonomic expert.

Method steps

Syllidae (Annelida, Polychaetes)

1. Syllidae
   rank: family

Three locations in the Levantine Basin (Eastern Mediterranean Sea): two in Crete(Alykes, Elounda), one in Israel (Haifa Bay)