Maera grossimana ( Montagu, 1808 )

Rousou, Maria, Plaiti, Wanda, Lowry, Jim, Charalambous, Stephanos & Chintiroglou, Chariton Charles, 2020, Amphipoda species (Suborders: Amphilochidea and Senticaudata) from Vasiliko Bay, Cyprus: New records, information on their biogeography and an annotated checklist from the coasts of Cyprus, Zootaxa 4896 (3), pp. 373-408 : 392-393

45. Maera grossimana ( Montagu, 1808)

Materials examined. 22 individuals; Stations Vas. 2(12), 5(1), 14(4), 20(1), 35(3), 39(1).

Distribution. Atlanto-Mediterranean ( Bellan-Santini & Ruffo 2003). The species was reported from Cyprus by Kocatas et al. (2001). In Vasiliko Bay (current study), it is considered as a rare species (FI: 14.28 %).

Ecology. Maera grossimana was found in association with algae and seagrasses, on rocks and stones, in sponges

and in artificial substrata at 35 m depth ( Kocatas et al. 2001). In Vasiliko Bay it was found at 20–48 m depth (32 + 9 m), mainly in muddy sand and also sand substrates, with organic matter ranging between 4.621 –8.416 % (6.933 + 1.456 %) and in association with C. prolifera , C. cylindracea , C. nodosa and P. oceanica . It was found in stations classified according to the Bentix Index as in: “good” (2 stations, 5 individuals) and “moderate” (4 stations, 17 individuals). It was also recorded at fish farm stations (14 individuals).