The microcrustacean fauna of Sicily and the Central Mediterranean Sea area: current knowledge and gaps to be filled.

The current knowledge of freshwater entomostracans from Sicily and someneighbouring central-Mediterranean countriesis briefly reviewed. Data concerning different countries and different taxonomical groups are markedly inhomogeneous and often far frombeing representative of the real biota of the corresponding countries. This gap prevents a sound biogeographical analysis of the freshwater microcrustacean fauna of the area. The major gaps that have to be filled are highlighted and the need for more surveys and monitoring is emphasised.