Ampelisca brevicornis ( Costa, 1853 )

Rousou, Maria, Plaiti, Wanda, Lowry, Jim, Charalambous, Stephanos & Chintiroglou, Chariton Charles, 2020, Amphipoda species (Suborders: Amphilochidea and Senticaudata) from Vasiliko Bay, Cyprus: New records, information on their biogeography and an annotated checklist from the coasts of Cyprus, Zootaxa 4896 (3), pp. 373-408 : 382

1. Ampelisca brevicornis ( Costa, 1853)

Materials examined. 97 individuals; Stations Vas.1(8), 3(6), 9(1), 11(1), 13(1), 16(2), 21(1), 22(7), 24(2), 28(21), 29(12), 32(20), 37(15).

Distribution. Atlanto-Mediterranean. The species was reported from Cyprus by Kocatas et al. (2001). In Vasiliko Bay (current study), it is considered to be a common species (FI: 30.95 %).

Ecology. Ampelisca brevicornis was found in soft-bottom sediments at 5 m depth ( Kocatas et al. 2001). In Vasiliko Bay A. brevicornis was found at depths of 4–13 m (7 + 3 m) mainly in sandy but also muddy sand substrates, with organic matter ranging between 1.86–7.93% (3.23 + 1.55 %), and in association with C. prolifera , C. nodosa and P. oceanica . It was found in stations classified according to the Bentix Index as in: “high” (6 stations, 39 individuals), “good” (5 stations, 41 individuals) and “moderate” (2 stations, 17 individuals). Individuals were recorded at the ports (38 individuals) and at the freshwater underwater and the power station outlet stations (9 individuals).