Present day distribution and historical biogeography of the tribe Ophidiini (Ophidiiformes, Ophidiidae, Ophidiinae) from the East Tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA area) and North-East Atlantic and Mediterranean (CLOFNAM area)

The present day geographic distribution of the Ophidiini tribe (Ophidiidae, Ophidiinae) in the Clofnam (North-Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean) and Clofeta (Eastern Tropical Atlantic) areas is revised in this paper. Results show that Parohidion vassali is not a Mediterranean endemic species, and t he presence of Ophidion barbatum in the Atlantic is confirmed. Moreover, th e paper tries to analyse the historical events which could have caused the present situation of two genera, Ophidion and Parophidion, both in the Atla ntic and in the Mediterranean. Although first fossil records of Ophidion an d Parophidion date from the Pliocene, when considering all the historical e vents occurred from the existence of the Tethys Sea to the opening of the A tlantic and the Mediterranean formation, a much earlier origin of these gen era seems to be more likely. The situation of Ophidion barbatum and O. roch ei in the Mediterranean and Black Sea is also discussed.