NOTES ON THE BIODIVERSITY AND TAXONOMY OF BIVALVE MOLLUSCS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN COAST OF MOROCCO

Abstract

Bivalve biodiversity and taxonomy of the Mediterranean coast of Morocco from Cap Spartel (Tangier region) to the seaside resort of Saidia (near the Algero-Moroccan frontiers) has been studied from different samplings carried out between October 2000 and May 2002. The present work is focused particularly on a first and original exploration of bivalves species associated with different biotopes in the Mediterranean coast of Morocco and establishes an inventory of bivalve species harvested along the coast of the studied area. We have been able to establish the distribution of species along the coast in the four sampling zones: Tangier, Al-Hoceima, Nador and Saidia. Among the 73 species listed during this study, two of them are declared new species for the first time from the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, 17 rare species occur in the zone of Tangier, 9 rare species in Al-Hoceima, 3 rare species in Nador, 18 rare species in Saidia, and two endemic and threatened species from the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. Of the 22 bivalve mollusc families present, five are of an economic importance: Cardiidae, Donacidae, Mytilidae, Ostreidae, and Veneridae. Specific richeness affected to the whole region of study was higher in Tangier close to the Atlantic Ocean than in the more internal zones.

Keywords

• molluscs
• bivalves
• systematic
• biodiversity
• mediterranean coast
• morocco