Microdeutopus bifidus Myers, 1977

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 : 389

30. Microdeutopus bifidus Myers, 1977

Materials examined. 72 individuals; Stations Vas. 14(41), 18(1), 31(3), 40(27).

Distribution. Mediterranean Sea (WoRMS). The species was reported from Cyprus by Pavloudi et al. (2016). In Vasiliko Bay (current study), it is considered as a rare species (FI: 9.52 %).

Ecology. In the Eastern Mediterranean Sea M. bifidus was found in association with sponges ( Pavloudi et al. 2016), in association with P. oceanica and sea anemones and in sandy substrates (Voutsiadou-Koukoura & Stefanidou, 1995). In Vasiliko Bay it was found at depths of 17–51 m (29 + 15 m), in muddy sand substrate, with organic matter ranging between 5.621 –8.183 % (6.888 + 1.099 %) and in association with C. prolifera and C. cylindracea . It was found in stations classified according to the Bentix Index as in: “high” (1 station, 27 individuals), “good” (2 stations, 42 individuals) and “moderate” (1 station, 3 individuals).