1ST RECORD OF SYNIDOTEA-LAEVIDORSALIS (MIERS, 1881) (CRUSTACEA, ISOPODA) IN EUROPE (GIRONDE ESTUARY, FRANCE)

This note reports on the presence of a well established population of the isopod Synidotea laevidorsalis (Miers) in the Gironde estuary (sou thwestern France). This species is new for the European fauna. S. laev idorsalis is a nonendemic cool-temperate to subtropical, shallow-water species which was probably introduced into the study area from Asia. In the salinity range of 1 to 10 g l-1 of the Gironde the species cons titutes an important component of the brackish-water hyperbenthic comm unity. The population was already present in 1975 when it was misident ified as the native species Idotea emarginata (Fabricius).