New records of the rare gastropods Erato voluta and Simnia patula, and first record of Simnia hiscocki from Norway

Abstract

New records of rare gastropod species are reported. A live specimen of Erato voluta (Gastropoda: Triviidae), a species considered to have a far more southern distribution, has been found from outside the Trondheimsfjord. The specimen was sampled from a gravel habitat with Modiolus shells at 49–94 m depth, and was found among compound ascidians, its typical food resource. Live specimens of Simnia patula (Caenogastropoda: Ovulidae) have during the later years repeatedly been observed on locations on the coast of central Norway, which is documented by in situ observations. In Egersund on the southwest coast of Norway a specimen of Simnia hiscocki was in March 2017 observed for the first time from Norwegian waters, a species earlier only found on the south-west coast of England. Also this was documented by pictures and in situ observations. The specimen of Simnia hiscocki was for the first time found on the octocoral Swiftia pallida.