First records of the parasitic barnacles Sacculina carcini Thompson, 1836 and Peltogasterella sulcata (Lilljeborg, 1859) (Cirripedia, Rhizocephala) from the Levantine Sea

A recent survey of benthic biota at 80 m depth off Israel collected a specimen of Pisa armata (Latreille, 1803) bearing a single externa of Sacculina carcini Thompson, 1836, and a specimen of Pagurus cuanensis Bell, 1845 bearing four externae of Peltogasterella sulcata (Lilljeborg, 1859). The identification of the rhizocephalans was confirmed based on phylogenetic analyses using the mitochondrial genes cytochrome c oxidase subunit I ( COI ) and the large ribosomal RNA subunit (16S). These are the first records of S. carcini and P. sulcata in the Levantine Sea and the first published sequences of S. carcini and P. sulcata from the Mediterranean Sea.