Twelve invertebrate and eight fish species new to the marine fauna of Madeira, and a discussion of the zoogeography of the area

The benthic ctenophore Vallicula multiformis, a large undescribed flatworm species of the genus Pseudoceros, the prosobranch gastropod Tonna maculosa, the opisthobranch gastropods Placida cf, dendritica, Caloria elegans, Aeol idiella sanguinea, Janolus cristatus, the decapod Balssia gasti, the sea ur chin Schizaster canaliferus and the tunicates Clavelina lepadiformis, Clave lina della vallei and Pycnoclavella taureanensis are recorded from Madeira for the first time. This is the first record of a platyctenid ctenophore in the eastern Atlantic. The teleost fishes Pomatoschistus pictus, Vaneaugobi us canariensis, Chromogobius sp., Nerophis ophidion, Hippocampus hippocampu s, Acanthocybium solandri, Sphyraena viridensis and Sphyraena barracuda are recorded from Madeira for the first time. The presence of the sea-hare Apl ysia dactylomela at Madeira is confirmed; the species has increased tremend ously in abundance in the last four years. The crocodile fish Grammoplites gruveli can occasionally be found in the mantle cavity of cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) sold at the fish market of Funchal, but does not originate fr om Madeiran waters. An analysis of 100 new records from the coastal fauna o f Madeira shows that, while predominantly of lusitanian, mediterranean and mauritanian affinity, Madeira's shallow water fauna contains a large compon ent of tropical species.