scholarly journals Meiobenthos and nematode assemblages from different deep-sea habitats of the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea)

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 402 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. SANDULLI ◽  
D. MILJUTIN ◽  
L. ANGELETTI ◽  
M. TAVIANI
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Taxonomic Structure ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Strait Of Sicily ◽  
Muddy Bottom ◽  
Abundant Genus ◽  
Water Ecosystems ◽  
Muddy Sediments

Much attention is currently devoted at upgrading our knowledge on biodiversity and functioning of deep water ecosystems. Information is constantly enriched by researchers, even from basins as the long-studied Mediterranean Sea. In such a perspective, we studied meiobenthic and nematode communities inhabiting muddy sediments from three different habitats at bathyal depths in the Strait of Sicily: a cold-water coral site (CS) in the Maltese Coral Province, a muddy bottom in the same area (MS), and a hydrocarbon imprinted pockmark site (PS) in the Gela Basin. The average meiofauna density at CS (1343 ind/10 cm2) and MS (1804 ind/10 cm2) is much higher than that reported in literature for similar habitats; it is also markedly more elevated than that recorded at PS (224 ind/10 cm2). Although nematodes of the three sites show different abundances, they share similar assemblage structure. Nematodes (avg. 86%) and copepods (avg. 9.3%) were the most abundant meiofaunal taxa at all sites followed by annelids, kinorhynchs and turbellarians. Nematodes were composed by 21 families and 46 genera, with Terschellingia, as most abundant genus (12.4%), followed by Microlaimus (11%), Daptonema (11%), Thalassomonhystera (10.8%), Acantholaimus (9.5%) and Sabatieria (8.7%). The genera Thalassomonhystera, Terschellingia, Microlaimus, Daptonema, Chromadorita, Sabatieria, and Anticoma display a dominance in at least one station. The taxonomic structure of meiofaunal communities of the studied sites is rather similar but differences in relative abundance are evident.

scholarly journals Deep-sea distribution, biological and ecological aspects of Aristeus antennatus ( Risso, 1816) in the western and central Mediterranean Sea

2004 ◽  
Vol 68 (S3) ◽  
pp. 117-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Sardà ◽  
Gianfranco D'Onghia ◽  
Chrissi Yianna Politou ◽  
Joan Baptista Company ◽  
Porzia Maiorano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Ecological Aspects ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Aristeus Antennatus

The impact of fisheries on vulnerable habitats: the case of trawling on circa-littoral grounds in the Strait of Sicily (central Mediterranean Sea)

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1084-1094 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pierpaolo Consoli ◽  
Valentina Esposito ◽  
Manuela Falautano ◽  
Pietro Battaglia ◽  
Luca Castriota ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Strait Of Sicily ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Vulnerable Habitats ◽  
The Impact

Two new species of deep-sea sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae) from submarine canyons of the Sardinian continental margin (western Mediterranean Sea)

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4688 (3) ◽  
pp. 407-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRINE CARDONE ◽  
MAURIZIO PANSINI ◽  
GIUSEPPE CORRIERO ◽  
MARCO BERTOLINO
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
The Other ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Western Mediterranean Sea ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Water Coral

Here we describe two new species of deep-sea sponges collected during the exploration of Cold-Water Coral (CWC) banks discovered in the Nora and Coda Cavallo canyons (north-eastern and south coast of Sardinia respectively). Poecillastra tavianii n. sp. differs from the other congeneric species mainly for the dicho- and mesodichotriaenes, never observed in the genus, and the abundance and variety of spirasters. Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) quadridentata n. sp. is characterized by the presence of two types of chelae. In particular, the unguiferate chelae (round shaft and four teeth at both extremities) represent a peculiar character of the species. Our contribution increases the number of sponge fauna associated to the best known Central Mediterranean CWC habitats to 98 improving the still scant knowledge on the biodiversity of the Mediterranean CWC habitats. 

scholarly journals Nurseries, spawning grounds and recruitment of Octopus vulgaris in the Strait of Sicily, central Mediterranean Sea

2010 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 1363-1371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Germana Garofalo ◽  
Luca Ceriola ◽  
Michele Gristina ◽  
Fabio Fiorentino ◽  
Roberta Pace
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Environmental Parameters ◽  
Octopus Vulgaris ◽  
Northwestern Part ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Spawning Grounds ◽  
Strait Of Sicily ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Distance Weighted ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Garofalo, G., Ceriola, L., Gristina, M., Fiorentino, F., and Pace, R. 2010. Nurseries, spawning grounds and recruitment of Octopus vulgaris in the Strait of Sicily, central Mediterranean Sea. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1363–1371. The presence of nursery and spawning grounds and the relationship between sea surface temperature (SST) and the abundance of juvenile O. vulgaris in the Strait of Sicily, central Mediterranean, are investigated using fishery-independent data (trawl surveys, 1994–2008). Annual distributions were generated for mature animals and juveniles for spring/summer (the peak spawning season) and autumn (peak recruitment) using an inverse distance weighted deterministic interpolation. Based on the persistence of abundant recruits and mature animals, respectively, nursery and spawning grounds were identified. The correlation between annual recruitment and SST during hatching and recruitment was also investigated. Concentrations of juveniles (nurseries) were located off the southwest coast of Sicily and in the central Strait of Sicily, including south of Lampedusa on the African shelf, but just one consistent concentration of mature animals (spawning grounds) was found in the northwestern part of the Strait. There was a significant positive correlation between recruitment and SST. Results are discussed in the light of environmental parameters, and a hypothesis on possible stock units in the area was developed. The direct and indirect effects of SST variation on the recruitment process were also examined.

scholarly journals Addressing Cetacean–Fishery Interactions to Inform a Deep-Sea Ecosystem-Based Management in the Gulf of Taranto (Northern Ionian Sea, Central Mediterranean Sea)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 872
Author(s):  
Pasquale Ricci ◽  
Elisabetta Manea ◽  
Giulia Cipriano ◽  
Daniela Cascione ◽  
Gianfranco D’Onghia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Web ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Deep Sea ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ionian Sea ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Ecosystem Based Management ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Central Mediterranean Sea

Understanding of cetaceans’ trophic role and the quantification of their impacts on the food web is a critical task, especially when data on their prey are linked to deep-sea ecosystems, which are often exposed to excessive exploitation of fishery resources due to poor management. This aspect represents one of the major issues in marine resource management, and trade-offs are needed to simultaneously support the conservation of cetaceans and their irreplaceable ecological role, together with sustainable fishing yield. In that regard, food web models can represent useful tools to support decision-making processes according to an ecosystem-based management (EBM) approach. This study provides a focus on the feeding activity occurrence and the trophic interactions between odontocetes and the fishery in the marine food web of the Gulf of Taranto (Northern Ionian Sea, Central Mediterranean Sea), by zooming in on cetaceans’ prey of commercial interest. In particular, the quantification of trophic impacts is estimated using a food web mass-balance model that integrates information on the bathymetric displacement of both cetaceans’ prey and fishing activity. The results are discussed from a management perspective to guide future research and knowledge enhancement activities as well as support the implementation of an EBM approach.

scholarly journals British sharks in Sicily: records of long distance migration of tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus) from North-eastern Atlantic to Mediterranean Sea.

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 309 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCESCO COLLOCA ◽  
DANILO SCANNELLA ◽  
MICHELE LUCA GERACI ◽  
FABIO FALSONE ◽  
GIUSTO BATISTA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Ne Atlantic ◽  
East Atlantic ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Strait Of Sicily ◽  
North East ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Galeorhinus Galeus

The study reports information about the recapture of two tagged adult females of tope shark, Galeorhinus galeus (Linnaeus 1758), in the central Mediterranean Sea (south coasts of Sicily) in 2014 and 2017. The two females were tagged in North-East Atlantic, respectively in Scotland in 2009 and Ireland in 2015. The Scottish specimen was a 175 cm female increasing of about 10 kg in body weight and 37 cm in total length during its 1967 days at liberty (5.39 years). The Irish one, was a pregnant female of an estimated age of 15-17 year which spent 248 days at liberty increasing 14 cm during this period. The growth rate of the two specimens was therefore between 6.8 and 7.8 cm year-1, faster than the annual increments of adults suggested in previous studies. Previous tope recapture records in the Mediterranean Sea were limited to the Alboran Sea, coast of Valencia and the Algerian coasts. The two tope females recaptured in the Strait of Sicily provided the first evidence of long distance entrance of NE Atlantic tope in the Mediterranean Sea. The well known occurrence of mature females and juveniles in this area of the Mediterranean suggest the hypothesis of a migration of adults female from their feeding grounds in north eastern Atlantic to lower latitudes up to the Mediterranean Sea for parturition.

scholarly journals Alien species in the Mediterranean Sea by 2010. A contribution to the application of European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Part I. Spatial distribution

2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 381 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. ZENETOS ◽  
S. GOFAS ◽  
M. VERLAQUE ◽  
M.E. CINAR ◽  
J.E. GARCIA RASO ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Introduced Species ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Marine Strategy Framework Directive ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Total Species Richness ◽  
The Mediterranean

The state-of-art on alien species in the Mediterranean Sea is presented, making distinctions among the four subregions defined in the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive: (i) the Western Mediterranean Sea (WMED); (ii) the Central Mediterranean Sea (CMED); (iii) the Adriatic Sea (ADRIA); and (iv) the Eastern Mediterranean Sea (EMED). The updated checklist (December 2010) of marine alien species within each subregion, along with their acclimatization status and origin, is provided. A total of 955 alien species is known in the Mediterranean, the vast majority of them having being introduced in the EMED (718), less in the WMED (328) and CMED (267) and least in the Adriatic (171). Of these, 535 species (56%) are established in at least one area.Despite the collective effort of experts who attempted in this work, the number of introduced species remains probably underestimated. Excluding microalgae, for which knowledge is still insufficient, aliens have increased the total species richness of the Mediterranean Sea by 5.9%. This figure should not be directly read as an indication of higher biodiversity, as spreading of so many aliens within the basin is possibly causing biotic homogenization. Thermophilic species, i.e. Indo-Pacific, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Tropical Atlantic, Tropical Pacific, and circum(sub)tropical, account for 88.4% of the introduced species in the EMED, 72.8% in the CMED, 59.3% in the WMED and 56.1% in the Adriatic. Cold water species, i.e. circumboreal, N Atlantic, and N Pacific, make up a small percentage of the introduced species, ranging between 4.2% and 21.6% and being more numerous in the Adriatic and less so in the EMED.Species that are classified as invasive or potentially invasive are 134 in the whole of the Mediterranean: 108 are present in the EMED, 76 in the CMED, 53 in the Adriatic and 64 in the WMED. The WMED hosts most invasive macrophytes, whereas the EMED has the lion’s share in polychaetes, crustaceans, molluscs and fish.

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