154. Neostygarctus acanthophorus Grimaldi de Zio, D'Addabbo Gallo & Morone De Lucia, 1982a

Neostygarctus acanthophorus n. gen., n. sp. (Grimaldi de Zio et al. 1982a)

Neostygarctus acanthophorus Grimaldi de Zio et al. 1982 (Grimaldi de Zio et al. 1983a) Neostygarctus acanthophorus, Grimaldi de Zio et alii 1982 (Grimaldi de Zio et al. 1983b) Neostygarctus acanthophorus Grimaldi de Zio et al., 1982 (D’Addabbo Gallo et al. 1987, Grimaldi de Zio & D’Addabbo Gallo 1987, Grimaldi de Zio & D’Addabbo Gallo 2001, Gallo et al. 2007) Neostygarctus acanthophorus (Accogli et al. 2009)

Terra typica: Ionian Sea (Italy, Europe)

Adriatic Sea:

• 40°42′49′′N, 17°47′58′′E; 20 m bsl: [FAO37] Italy, Brindisi Province, Torre Guateco [Riserva Naturale Torre Guateco], sand of Posidonia seagrass meadow. Grimaldi de Zio et al. (1990)

• 40°12′18′′N, 18°27′28′′E; 20 m bsl: [FAO37] Italy, Lecce Province, near Otranto, sand of Posidonia seagrass meadow. Grimaldi de Zio et al. (1990)

Indian Ocean:

• 0 4 ° 15′N, 72 ° 49′E; 37 m bsl: [FAO51] Republic of the Maldives, Ari Nord Atoll, coarse sand. Gallo et al. (2007)

• 0 3 ° 57′N, 73 ° 25′E; 5–41 m bsl: [FAO51] Republic of the Maldives, Male Sud Atoll, coarse sand. Gallo et al. (2007)

Ionian Sea:

• 40°29′00′′N, 17°03′25′′E; 35 m bsl: [FAO37] Italy, Tarento Province, Armeleia Shoal, coarse coralligenous detritus. Grimaldi de Zio et al. (1990)

• 40°29′00′′N, 17°03′25′′E; 15 m bsl: [FAO37] Type locality: Italy, Taranto Province, coast of Taranto, offshore of Chiatona, Secca dell’Armeleia, subtidal, organogenic, Amphioxus debris. Grimaldi de Zio et al. (1982a, 1983a,b)

• 40°09′N, 17°58′E; 0-20 m bsl: [FAO37] Italy, Lecce Province, Nard, Corvine cave, coarse sand. Accogli et al. (2009)

• 40°08′44′′N, 17°58′05′′E; 12 m bsl: [FAO37] Italy, Lecce Province, Nard, Grotta Cattedrale, subtidal, detritus. Grimaldi de Zio et al. (1982a, 1983b)

• 39°52′00′′N, 16°42′30′′E; 20–200 m bsl: [FAO37] Italy, Cosenza Province, High Ionian Sea offshore, Calabrian Coast, Amendolara Shoal, coralligenous sand, coralligenous sand mixed with debris, coarse medium or fine coralligenous sand (few samples). D’Addabbo Gallo et al. (1987), Grimaldi de Zio & D’Addabbo Gallo (1987), Grimaldi de Zio et al. (2003)

Tyrrhenian Sea:

• 40°20′30′′N, 09°40′15′′E; 21–40 m bsl: [FAO37] Italy, Sardinia Island, Nuoro Province, Orosei Gulf, sand in Posidonia seagrass meadow and coralligenous detritus. Grimaldi de Zio & D’Addabbo Gallo (2001), Grimaldi de Zio et al. (2003)

• 40°09′00′′N, 09°39′19′′E; 20 m bsl: [FAO37] Italy, Sardinia Island, Nuoro Province, Orosei Gulf, coarse detritus. Grimaldi de Zio et al. (1990)

• 38°36′N, 14°55′E; 40 m bsl: [FAO37] Italy, Aeolian Islands, Secca del Capo, coralligenous bank, subtidal zone, coarse coralligenous detritus. Grimaldi de Zio & D’Addabbo Gallo (2001)

Record numbers (Sea/Ocean classification): Adriatic Sea: 2, Indian Ocean: 2, Ionian Sea: 5, Tyrrhenian Sea: 3; total: 12.

Record numbers (FAO classification): FAO37: 10, FAO51: 2; total: 12.

Remarks: This is a subtidal species (most often from 15 to 40 m bsl) known mainly from the Mediterranean basin, but also reported from tropical localities in the Indian Ocean. It has been collected from different substrates such as coralligenous detritus, Amphioxus debris, and sand in Posidonia seagrass meadows.