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Baseline biodiversity data are key for ecological and evolutionary studies and are especially relevant for areas such as the Maldivian Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, which can act as a stepping-stone for the transport of widely distributed marine species. We surveyed the islands and reefs of the Faafu and Malé Atolls with snorkeling and scuba diving, collecting the two gastropod subclasses, Heterobranchia and Vetigastropoda. Our inventory comprises 104 species photographed alive to create an identification guide. We also provide COI barcodes for most species, adding novel sequence data for the Maldivian malacofauna. Half of our species represent new records for the Maldives, emphasizing how much diversity remains to be discovered. Species distributions reflect ecological rarity, with almost 60% of taxa only found in one site. We also compiled a comprehensive checklist of heterobranchs and vetigastropods of the Maldives based on literature records, resulting in 320 species, which, together with barcoding data, indicate several potential cryptic species in the Indo-Pacific. Six new species are described, the nudibranchs Limenandra evanescenti n. sp., Eubranchus putnami n. sp., Sakuraeolis marhe n. sp., Moridilla maldivensis n. sp., Tergiposacca perspicua n. sp., and the sacoglossan Costasiella fridae n. sp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea snails represent a common food in the world as a source of sterols, such as cholesterol and phytosterol, and minerals. Sterols play important roles in body functions and also minerals are important for human health, so the intake of these nutrients into human diets should be known. The aim of this study was to examine the sterol and mineral profiles of the long (Hinia reticulata) and the common (Nassarius mutabilis) sea snails. Samples of both species were collected at different catch times from November 2019 to March 2020 and transported to the University of Camerino (UNICAM) for the evaluation of their sterol and mineral profiles, including toxic elements (Cd, Cr, Pb). The results of the study showed that the average content of total lipid were 57 mg/100 g, 38 mg/100 g for cholesterol and 19 mg/100 g for phytosterol in the long sea snail, and the values were respectively 68, 48, and 20 mg/100 g in the common sea snail, without significant differences in the two examined sea snails. Additionally, the result of the mineral analysis showed that both species were significant sources of minerals, with negligible levels of toxic metals and metalloids. Therefore, the Long and the Common sea snail are suitable and safety sea products for human nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mid Adriatic Sea the common sea snail is the habitual snail eaten, but over the years fishermen started to capture also the long sea snail, a possible alternative for human consumption. This study aims to compare the quality traits of the edible fraction in the common and long sea snails. In this study, common and long sea snail samples were provided by fishermen in November 2018 and March 2019. Total weight (meat and shell), fractions of meat and shell (after having extracted the edible part), fatty acid, elements in meat, and calcium content in shells were determined. Meat quality traits showed high nutritional value without significant differences between the two species. The fatty acid profile showed n3/n6 ratio significantly different both considering the season of sampling (November: 4.1; March: 2.38) and the species of sea snail (common: 4.98; long: 2.86). The long species showed a higher yield in the total body and calcium content concentrations. However, the long sea snail showed 50% lower meat yield compared with the common sea snail. In conclusion, the long sea snail can be used as an alternative to the common sea snail for human consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]