Biharean Biologist (2010) Vol. 4, No.1, Pp.: 89-90 P-ISSN: 1843-5637, E-ISSN: 2065-1155 Article No.: 041204 Distribution of alien nudibranch Chromodoris annulata Eliot, 1904 (Opisthobranch; Chromodorididae) in the Gulf of Iskenderun, Turkey Tahir ÖZCAN1*, Deniz ERGÜDEN1, Cemal TURAN1 and Cem ÇEVK2 1. Fisheries Faculty, Mustafa Kemal University 31200, Iskenderun, Hatay, Turkey. 2. Fisheries Faculty, Çukurova University, Balcali Campus, Adana, Turkey. * Corresponding author, T. Özcan E-mail:
[email protected] Abstract. The present study provides the new localities for alien nudibranch Chromodoris annulata Eliot, 1904 around the Gulf of Iskenderun (Turkey). A total of eleven specimens of C. annulata were collected in various locations from 15 June 2008 to 15 December 2009, at a depth of 0-15 m. C. annulata has been widely reported in the eastern Mediterranean and has established its populations around the Gulf of Iskenderun (Turkey). In the present study we investigated and discussed the way of introduction in the Mediterranean Sea. Key words: Chromodoris annulata, Opisthobranch, Alien, established, Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. Chromodoris, Alder and Hancock, 1855, is the most speciose genus in the nudibranch family Chromodorididae, and have a cosmopolitan distribution with the greatest diversity occurring at low latitudes (Wilson & Lee 2005). Chromodoris annulata Eliot, 1904 is a tropical species commonly found in both the western and northern Indian Ocean (Zenetos et al. 2007) and Red Sea (Yonow 1989). From the Mediterranean Sea it was first recorded in the Saronic Gulf (coastal area of Salamina Island), Greece, in August 2004 (Daskos & Zenetos 2007, Zenetos et al. 2007). Afterwards it was reported from the Gulf of Antalya (Gökolu & Özgür 2008) and Gulf of Iskenderun (Çevik & Ergüden 2008, Yoke et al.