Abstract

We investigated the occurence of members of the predatory caenogastropod family
Naticidae in the littoral of the island of Giglio, Tuscany, Italy. We recorded a total of
8 species, all but one represented by both empty shells and living specimens. As most
studies of Mediterranean naticids are based solely on empty shells, we here provide
images of living animals for 7 out of the 8 species encountered; for several of these
species this is the first photographic documentation of the animal.
Our survey included a systematic collection of egg masses (sand collars) which
were hatched in the laboratory. The larvae obtained as well as the sand collars
themselves were used for molecular analysis of the species based on gene fragments
of mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI), histone 3 (H3), the
mitochondrial 16S rRNA (16S), and 18S rRNA (18S). We show that such molecular
analysis allows the confirmation of the identity of naticid species without having
access to adult specimens or shells. This approach identified one additional naticid
species for which no adult specimens or shells were found. Additionally, our
molecular analysis allows consideration of naticid phylogeny.