ZooKeys 963: 1–36 (2020) A peer-reviewed open-access journal doi: 10.3897/zookeys.963.52234 DATA PAPER https://zookeys.pensoft.net Launched to accelerate biodiversity research Diversity of benthic marine mollusks of the Strait of Magellan, Chile (Polyplacophora, Gastropoda, Bivalvia): a historical review of natural history Cristian Aldea1,2, Leslie Novoa2, Samuel Alcaino2, Sebastián Rosenfeld3,4,5 1 Centro de Investigación GAIA Antártica, Universidad de Magallanes, Av. Bulnes 01855, Punta Arenas, Chile 2 Departamento de Ciencias y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de Magallanes, Chile 3 Facultad de Ciencias, Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile 4 Laboratorio de Ecosistemas Marinos Antárticos y Subantárticos, Universidad de Magallanes, Chile 5 Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Santiago, Chile Corresponding author: Sebastián Rosenfeld (
[email protected]) Academic editor: E. Gittenberger | Received 19 March 2020 | Accepted 6 June 2020 | Published 24 August 2020 http://zoobank.org/9E11DB49-D236-4C97-93E5-279B1BD1557C Citation: Aldea C, Novoa L, Alcaino S, Rosenfeld S (2020) Diversity of benthic marine mollusks of the Strait of Magellan, Chile (Polyplacophora, Gastropoda, Bivalvia): a historical review of natural history. ZooKeys 963: 1–36. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.963.52234 Abstract An increase in richness of benthic marine mollusks towards high latitudes has been described on the Pacific coast of Chile in recent decades. This considerable increase in diversity occurs specifically at the beginning of the Magellanic Biogeographic Province. Within this province lies the Strait of Magellan, considered the most important channel because it connects the South Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. These characteristics make it an interesting area for marine research; thus, the Strait of Magellan has histori- cally been the area with the greatest research effort within the province.