A NEW SPECIES AND FIRST REPORT OF THE GENUS NANALORICUS (LORICIFERA, NANALORICIDA, NANALORICIDAE) FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Several loriciferans representing different developmental stages were recovered during a meiobenthic survey of the coarse, organogenic, sand of the Meloria shoals, Livorno, Italy. Loriciferans were found in low numbers and only in few of the monthly samples collected over a 15-mo nth period. Adults and postlarvae were always found in the upper lj cm of the sediment, while the presence of larvae was noted down to 30-35 cm. A taxonomic analysis revealed that all specimens belong to an und escribed species of the genus Nanaloricus. Diagnosis and description o f Nanaloricus khaitatus n. sp. is given based on the adult, postlarval , and larval stages. This is the first report ever of loriciferans fro m Italian waters, and the first record of the genus Nanaloricus in the Mediterranean Sea. The presence of these rare animals is indicative o f the high naturalistic value of this coastal area of Tuscany.