scholarly journals Spread of the non-indigenous ascidian Aplidium accarense (Millar, 1953) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: morphological and molecular tools for an accurate identification

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
FEDERICA MONTESANTO ◽  
GIOVANNI CHIMIENTI ◽  
CARMELA GISSI ◽  
FRANCESCO MASTROTOTARO
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Correct Identification ◽  
Western Coast ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Accurate Identification ◽  
Artificial Substrata ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

The aplousobranch ascidian Aplidium accarense (Millar, 1953) was first described on the western coast of Africa, where it is considered native. Afterwards, this species was introduced along south-American Atlantic coasts, where it affected local shellfish farms through a massive colonization of both natural and artificial substrata. Aplidium accarense has been recently reported along Catalan coasts and in the Tyrrhenian Seas (Western Mediterranean) where it represents a non-indigenous species, only recorded in harbours and aquaculture farms thus far. These Mediterranean records support the hypothesis that A. accarense is currently expanding within the basin, representing a potential invasive species. In this study, several colonies of A. accarense were found for the first time on artificial substrata within the semi-enclosed basin of the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Italy, Ionian Sea), in the Eastern Mediterranean. Here we provide an updated description of A. accarense combining both morphological and molecular approaches, in order to allow an accurate and reliable identification of this expanding species. Comparing the morphology of the specimens collected from Taranto with the previous descriptions, a slight intra-specific variability has been noticed. Therefore, we provide detailed comparisons of the specimens found in Taranto with all the other A. accarense sampled in other areas of the world, in order to highlight the intra-species variability. The correct identification of a potentially-dangerous species such as A. accarense, represents a needed step for environmental monitoring purposes and for implementing management strategies to mitigate the effects of non-indigenous species on natural ecosystems and human activities.

scholarly journals A massive update of non-indigenous species records in Mediterranean marinas

PeerJ ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. e3954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aylin Ulman ◽  
Jasmine Ferrario ◽  
Anna Occhpinti-Ambrogi ◽  
Christos Arvanitidis ◽  
Ada Bandi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Indigenous Status ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
Saccostrea Glomerata ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

The Mediterranean Sea is home to over 2/3 of the world’s charter boat traffic and hosts an estimated 1.5 million recreational boats. Studies elsewhere have demonstrated marinas as important hubs for the stepping-stone transfer of non-indigenous species (NIS), but these unique anthropogenic, and typically artificial habitats have largely gone overlooked in the Mediterranean as sources of NIS hot-spots. From April 2015 to November 2016, 34 marinas were sampled across the following Mediterranean countries: Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Turkey and Cyprus to investigate the NIS presence and richness in the specialized hard substrate material of these marina habitats. All macroinvertebrate taxa were collected and identified. Additionally, fouling samples were collected from approximately 600 boat-hulls from 25 of these marinas to determine if boats host diverse NIS not present in the marina. Here, we present data revealing that Mediterranean marinas indeed act as major hubs for the transfer of marine NIS, and we also provide evidence that recreational boats act as effective vectors of spread. From this wide-ranging geographical study, we report here numerous new NIS records at the basin, subregional, country and locality level. At the basin level, we report three NIS new to the Mediterranean Sea (Achelia sawayai sensu lato,Aorides longimerus,Cymodoceaff.fuscina), and the re-appearance of two NIS previously known but currently considered extinct in the Mediterranean (Bemlos leptocheirus, Saccostrea glomerata). We also compellingly update the distributions of many NIS in the Mediterranean Sea showing some recent spreading; we provide details for 11 new subregional records for NIS (Watersipora arcuata,Hydroides brachyacantha sensu latoandSaccostrea glomeratanow present in the Western Mediterranean;Symplegma brakenhielmi,Stenothoe georgiana,Spirobranchus tertaceros sensu lato,Dendostrea folium sensu latoandParasmittina egyptiacanow present in the Central Mediterranean, andW. arcuata,Bemlos leptocheirusandDyspanopeus sayiin the Eastern Mediterranean). We also report 51 new NIS country records from recreational marinas: 12 for Malta, 10 for Cyprus, nine for Greece, six for Spain and France, five for Turkey and three for Italy, representing 32 species. Finally, we report 20 new NIS records (representing 17 species) found on recreational boat-hulls (mobile habitats), not yet found in the same marina, or in most cases, even the country. For each new NIS record, their native origin and global and Mediterranean distributions are provided, along with details of the new record. Additionally, taxonomic characters used for identification and photos of the specimens are also provided. These new NIS records should now be added to the relevant NIS databases compiled by several entities. Records of uncertain identity are also discussed, to assess the probability of valid non-indigenous status.

scholarly journals Scientific collaboration for early detection of invaders results in a significant update on estimated range: lessons from Stenothoe georgiana Bynum & Fox 1977

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
GEMMA MARTÍNEZ-LAIZ ◽  
MACARENA ROS ◽  
JOSÉ MANUEL GUERRA-GARCÍA ◽  
AGNESE MARCHINI ◽  
VICTORIA FERNÁNDEZ-GONZÁLEZ ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Detection ◽  
First Record ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Amphipod Species ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Scientific Cooperation ◽  
Vectors Of Introduction ◽  
Non Indigenous Species ◽  
Effective Spread

Detection of new non-indigenous species is often delayed when taxonomically challenging taxa are involved, such as small-sized marine organisms. The present study highlights the relevance of scientific cooperation in the early detection of the invader amphipod Stenothoe georgiana. Originally described from North Carolina (USA), the species was recently found in Chile and the Western Mediterranean. Here, we provide the first record of the species in Macaronesia, Atlantic coasts of continental Europe, North Africa and Australia, and extend its known distribution along the Mediterranean coast. Just like other small crustaceans, shipping (including recreational boating) and aquaculture are probably the main vectors of introduction and secondary spread for this amphipod species. This case of S. georgiana sheds light on the importance of promoting taxonomical knowledge, and building multidisciplinary expertise networks that ensure an effective spread of alien species information. We also encourage the implementation of standardized monitoring methodologies to facilitate early detection of small mobile invaders. 

scholarly journals Low diversity or poorly explored? Mesophotic molluscs highlight undersampling in the Eastern Mediterranean

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (14) ◽  
pp. 4059-4072
Author(s):  
Paolo G. Albano ◽  
Michele Azzarone ◽  
Bruno Amati ◽  
Cesare Bogi ◽  
Bruno Sabelli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Rocky Reef ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Diversity Gradient ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Molluscan Diversity ◽  
Vulnerable Habitats ◽  
Non Indigenous Species ◽  
Recreational Scuba

Abstract Mesophotic assemblages are the next frontier of marine exploration in the Mediterranean Sea. Located below recreational scuba diving depths, they are difficult to access but host a diverse array of habitats structured by large invertebrate species. The Eastern Mediterranean has been much less explored than the western part of the basin and its mesophotic habitats are virtually unknown. We here describe two mesophotic (77–92 m depth) molluscan assemblages at a rocky reef and on a soft substrate off northern Israel. We record 172 species, of which 43 (25%) are first records for Israel and increase its overall marine molluscan diversity by 7%. Only five of these species have been reported in recent surveys of the nearby Lebanon, suggesting that our results are robust at a broader scale than our study area and that the reported west-to-east declining diversity gradient in the Mediterranean needs a reappraisal based on proper sampling of the eastern basin. We found only four (2%) non-indigenous species, represented by seven (0.5%) specimens. These results suggest that pristine native assemblages still thrive at this depth in Israel, in contrast to the shallow subtidal heavily affected by global warming and biological invasions, calling for strong conservation actions for these valuable but vulnerable habitats.

scholarly journals Tanaididae (Crustacea, Tanaidacea, Tanaidomorpha, Tanaidoidea) on a Floating Dock, West Beach, Adelaide, South Australia: Introduced or Indigenous?

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4996 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-125
Author(s):  
VALERIE K. TAIT ◽  
KATHLEEN E. CONLAN ◽  
SABINE DITTMANN
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Sequence Matching ◽  
Fouling Communities ◽  
History Of ◽  
Morphological And Molecular Data ◽  
One Year ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

Floating artificial structures provide sites for fouling communities and favourable habitat for the establishment of non-indigenous species. Two species of Tanaididae dominated crustacean biota in a one year time-series sampling of macroalgae on the floating dock at the West Beach boat ramp, Adelaide, South Australia. This paper provides identifications for these two species and discusses inter- and intra-species variability considering the available body of morphological and molecular information. We have given one species a new species designation, Tanais adelaidensis n. sp. The other has a 655 nucleotide CO1 sequence matching that of Hexapleomera sasuke Tanabe & Kakui, 2019 collected in Japan, also matching a shorter CO1 sequence for a described Zeuxo Templeton, 1840 species from the Eastern Mediterranean. This work underlines the utility and need for detailed morphological and molecular data to resolve the taxonomy and biogeography of fouling and holdfast community tanaids, particularly those that have the demonstrated potential for a history of transport between geographically distant sites.  

scholarly journals Plant Pathogenic Fungi Associated with Coraebus florentinus (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Attacks in Declining Oak Forests

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Pinna ◽  
Benedetto T. Linaldeddu ◽  
Vitale Deiana ◽  
Lucia Maddau ◽  
Lucio Montecchio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sequence Data ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Plant Pathogenic Fungi ◽  
Limited Information ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Oak Trees ◽  
Coraebus Florentinus

The black-banded oak borer, Coraebus florentinus, is an emerging pest of oak trees in the western Mediterranean region. Larvae of the insect are xylophagous and progressively excavate an annular gallery that interrupts sap flow, resulting in the death of the attacked branches. Until now, limited information has been available regarding the ecological interactions between C. florentinus and the main plant pathogenic fungi involved in the etiology of oak decline. Knowledge of these interactions is important in understanding their impact in natural ecosystems and developing appropriate management strategies. Therefore, in this study, we characterized the fungal communities occurring in the exoskeleton of adults and larvae of C. florentinus and associated with the necrotic wood tissues surrounding the branch galleries of declining oak trees. A total of 29 fungal species were identified based on DNA sequence data and morphological features, of which 14 were from symptomatic woody tissues, six from insect exoskeleton, and nine from both insects and symptomatic wood tissues. The most frequent fungal species, Cryphonectria naterciae (15.9% of isolates), Dothiorella iberica (11.3%), and Diplodia corticola (9.9%), were isolated from both insect and gallery systems. All three species are well-known oak pathogens and are reported here, for the first time, to be associated with C. florentinus. At the same time, 89.6% of the fungal taxa were isolated from one or two sites, highlighting the site-dependence of fungal community assemblages.

Holocene fish assemblages provide baseline data for the rapidly changing eastern Mediterranean

The Holocene ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 1438-1450
Author(s):  
Konstantina Agiadi ◽  
Paolo G Albano
Keyword(s):  
Radiocarbon Dating ◽  
Trophic Structure ◽  
Fish Assemblages ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Fish Fauna ◽  
Suez Canal ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

The eastern Mediterranean marine ecosystem is undergoing massive modification due to biological invasions, overfishing, habitat deterioration, and climate warming. Our ability to quantify these changes is severely hindered by the lack of an appropriate baseline; most ecological datasets date back a few decades only and show already strong signatures of impact. Surficial death assemblages (DAs) offer an alternative data source that provides baseline information on community structure and composition. In this study, we reconstruct the marine fish fauna of the southern shallow Israeli shelf before the opening of the Suez Canal based on fish otoliths. We quantify the age of the otolith DAs by radiocarbon dating, and describe its taxonomic composition, geographic affinity, and trophic structure. Additionally, we test by radiocarbon dating the hypothesis that Bregmaceros, a presumed Lessepsian invader with continuous presence in the Mediterranean throughout the late Cenozoic, is a relict species. The otolith DA dates back to the mid-Holocene because 75% of the dated otoliths of the native species are older than the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869, suggesting that the DA is a proper baseline for quantifying modern impacts. Consistently, 97% of the otoliths and 88% of the species we collected belong to native Mediterranean species. The native anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus dominates the DAs, although gobiids are the most diverse group (14 species, 28%). The DAs show similar trophic structure to present-day pristine Mediterranean coastal fish assemblages. Two non-indigenous species are recorded here for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea, Amblygobius albimaculatus and Callogobius sp., highlighting the importance of DAs for detecting non-indigenous species. Finally, Bregmaceros otoliths are modern, not supporting the previous hypothesis that the taxon is a Pleistocene relict.

scholarly journals Alien species in the Mediterranean Sea by 2012. A contribution to the application of European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Part 2. Introduction trends and pathways

2012 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Α. ZENETOS ◽  
S. GOFAS ◽  
C. MORRI ◽  
A. ROSSO ◽  
D. VIOLANTI ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alien Species ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Suez Canal ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Dominant Group ◽  
Central Mediterranean ◽  
Lessepsian Species ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Oyster Farms

More than 60 marine non-indigenous species (NIS) have been removed from previous lists and 84 species have been added, bringing the total to 986 alien species in the Mediterranean [775 in the eastern Mediterranean (EMED), 249 in the central Mediterranean (CMED), 190 in the Adriatic Sea (ADRIA) and 308 in the western Mediterranean (WMED)]. There were 48 new entries since 2011 which can be interpreted as approximately one new entry every two weeks. The number of alien species continues to increase, by 2-3 species per year for macrophytes, molluscs and polychaetes, 3-4 species per year for crustaceans, and 6 species per year for fish. The dominant group among alien species is molluscs (with 215 species), followed by crustaceans (159) and polychaetes (132). Macrophytes are the leading group of NIS in the ADRIA and the WMED, reaching 26-30% of all aliens, whereas in the EMED they barely constitute 10% of the introductions. In the EMED, molluscs are the most species-rich group, followed by crustaceans, fish and polychaetes. More than half (54%) of the marine alien species in the Mediterranean were probably introduced by corridors (mainly Suez). Shipping is blamed directly for the introduction of only 12 species, whereas it is assumed to be the most likely pathway of introduction (via ballasts or fouling) of another 300 species. For approximately 100 species shipping is a probable pathway along with the Suez Canal and/or aquaculture. Approximately 20 species have been introduced with certainty via aquaculture, while >50 species (mostly macroalgae), occurring in the vicinity of oyster farms, are assumed to be introduced accidentally as contaminants of imported species. A total of 18 species are assumed to have been introduced by the aquarium trade. Lessepsian species decline westwards, while the reverse pattern is evident for ship-mediated species and for those introduced with aquaculture. There is an increasing trend in new introductions via the Suez Canal and via shipping.

scholarly journals Bryozoa from the Mediterranean coast of Israel

2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 440 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. SOKOLOVER ◽  
P. D. TAYLOR ◽  
M. ILAN
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Mediterranean Coast ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Baseline Information ◽  
Higher Temperature ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
1960S And 1970S ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Non Indigenous Species ◽  
The Impact

The impact of global warming on the composition of marine biotas is increasing, underscoring the need for better baseline information on the species currently present in given areas. Little is known about the bryozoan fauna of Israel; the most recent publication concerning species from the Mediterranean coast was based on samples collected in the 1960s and 1970s. Since that time, not only have the species present in this region changed, but so too has our understanding of bryozoan taxonomy. Here we use samples collected during the last decade to identify 47 bryozoan species, of which 15 are first records for the Levantine basin. These include one new genus and species (Crenulatella levantinensis gen. et. sp. nov.), two new species (Licornia vieirai sp. nov. and Trematooecia mikeli sp. nov.), and two species that may be new but for which available material is inadequate for formal description (Reteporella sp. and Thalamoporella sp.). In addition, Conopeum ponticum is recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea. Non-indigenous species make up almost one-quarter of the 47 species identified. All of the non-indigenous species are native to tropical and subtropical regions, implying a change of the Levant bryozoan biota from a temperate to a more tropical state, probably related to both higher temperature and salinity and to the opening of the Suez Canal connecting the Red Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.  

scholarly journals Does Sand Beach Nourishment Enhance the Dispersion of Non-Indigenous Species?—The Case of the Common Moon Crab, Matuta victor (Fabricius, 1781), in the Southeastern Mediterranean

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 911
Author(s):  
Dov Zviely ◽  
Dror Zurel ◽  
Dor Edelist ◽  
Menashe Bitan ◽  
Ehud Spanier
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Eastern Mediterranean ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Beach Nourishment ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Sand Beach ◽  
Non Indigenous Species

Sand beach nourishment (BN) is one of the commonest “soft solutions” for shore protection and restoration. Yet it may have ecological consequences. Can this practice enhance the introduction and dispersal of non-indigenous species (NIS)? There has been little research on the impacts of nourishment on NIS, especially in the southeastern Mediterranean, a region considered most affected by invading biota. However, so far only one study referred to the possible interaction between BN and the success of invading species. It reports increasing numbers and densities of the aggressive, omnivorous Indo-Pacific moon crab, Matuta victor (Fabricius, 1781) in Haifa Bay (northern Israel) between 2011 and 2017. This research suggests a possible role of anthropogenic disturbance in the outbreak of M. victor and blames the Israel Ministry of Environmental Protection for authorizing a (rather small scale) BN in Haifa Bay in 2011 as an alleged cause for this outbreak. Circumstantial indirect evidence is not sufficient to establish the role of nourishment in promoting the establishment and dispersal of NIS. There are plenty of examples of successful settlement and rapid and large-scale distribution of NIS (including another member of the genus Matuta), especially in the eastern Mediterranean, without any BN in the region. Furthermore, the location where the M. victor specimens were sampled was exposed to more prevailing and frequent anthropogenic marine stressors than BN, such as eutrophication, pollution, fishing activities and particularly port construction. To firmly establish an assumed role of nourishment in the invasion of NIS, assessments must be based on solid and orderly planned scientific research to be designed well before the beginning of any BN. It is suggested that direct communication between environmental regulators and scientists is crucial for improving both scientific research and environmental management policies.

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