Photographic Checklist, DNA Barcoding, and New Species of Sea Slugs and Snails from the Faafu Atoll, Maldives (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia and Vetigastropoda)

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