Annotated list of marine alien species in the Mediterranean with records of the worst invasive species

This collaborative effort by many specialists across the Mediterranean presents an updated annotated list of alien marine species in the Mediterranean Sea. Alien species have been grouped into six broad categories namely established, casual, questionable, cryptogenic, excluded and invasive, and presented in lists of major ecofunctional/taxonomic groups. The establishment success within each group is provided while the questionable and excluded records are commented in brief. A total of 963 alien species have been reported from the Mediterranean until December 2005, 218 of which have been classified as excluded (23%) leaving 745 of the recorded species as valid aliens. Of these 385 (52%) are already well established, 262 (35%) are casual records, while 98 species (13%) remain “questionable” records. The species cited in this work belong mostly to zoobenthos and in particular to Mollusca and Crustacea, while Fish and Phytobenthos are the next two groups which prevail among alien biota in the Mediterranean. The available information depends greatly on the taxonomic group examined. Thus, besides the three groups explicitly addressed in the CIESM atlas series (Fish, Decapoda/Crustacea and Mollusca), which are however updated in the present work, Polychaeta, Phytobenthos, Phytoplankton and Zooplankton are also addressed in this study. Among other zoobenthic taxa sufficiently covered in this study are Echinodermata, Sipuncula, Bryozoa and Ascidiacea. On the contrary, taxa such as Foraminifera, Amphipoda and Isopoda, that are not well studied in the Mediterranean, are insufficiently covered. A gap of knowledge is also noticed in Parasites, which, although ubiquitous and pervasive in marine systems, have been relatively unexplored as to their role in marine invasions. Conclusively the lack of funding purely systematic studies in the region has led to underestimation of the number of aliens in the Mediterranean. Emphasis is put on those species that are current or potential threats to the marine ecosystems, namely the Worst Invasive Alien Species providing their record across major groups.

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Alien Marine Species in the Mediterranean - the 100 ‘Worst Invasives’ and their Impact

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.180 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 87 ◽

Cited By ~ 237

Author(s):

N. STREFTARIS ◽

A. ZENETOS

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Common Ground ◽

Marine Species ◽

Management Approach ◽

Entire Area ◽

Diffi Cult ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Marine Alien Species ◽

Taxonomic Groups ◽

The Impact

A number of marine alien species have been described as invasive or locally invasive in the Mediterranean because of their proliferation, and/or their geographical spread and/or impact on native populations. Based on that information and on the documented impact they have on the biodiversity and socioeconomics of the basin, a preliminary list of the 100 ‘worst’ Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in the Mediterranean has been produced and presented in this work along with details on their impact. Emphasis is given to their impact on socioeconomics (fi sheries/aquaculture, health & sanitation, infrastructure & building), documented for 43 species. Such selection of the ‘worst’ IAS was diffi cult and controversial and is expected to attract much attention and scientifi c criticism since not only can the documentation of the impact of IAS be controversial, but also their inventory can be biased towards the effort and resources devoted to the study of the impact of certain species/taxonomic groups. Thus, while marine plants (phytobenthos and phytoplankton) are fairly well studied, less attention has been paid to the impact of vertebrates and even less to invertebrates. Nevertheless, the list highlights the need for continued research on the issue (monitoring aliens and their impact for an integrated ecosystem based management approach over the entire area). The preliminary list can provide the basis for selecting indicator species within the Mediterranean and thus be the common ground to build cooperation about IAS within countries in the region.

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Additions to the annotated list of marine alien biota in the Mediterranean with special emphasis on Foraminifera and Parasites

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.146 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 119 ◽

Cited By ~ 47

Author(s):

A. ZENETOS ◽

E. MERIC ◽

M. VERLAQUE ◽

P. GALLI ◽

C.F. BOUDOURESQUE ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Geographic Area ◽

Annotated List ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Taxonomic Groups ◽

Established Species

The present work is an update of the annotated list (ZENETOS et al., 2006) based on literature up to April 2008. Emphasis is given to ecofunctional/taxonomic groups poorly addressed in the annotated list, such as the foraminiferan and parasites, while macrophytes are critically reviewed following the CIESM Atlas (VERLAQUE et al., in press). Moreover, in this update the bio-geographic area addressed includes the Sea of Marmara.The update yields a further 175 alien species in the Mediterranean bringing the total to 903. As evidenced by recent findings, more and more previously known ‘casual’ aliens, are becoming established. Approximately 100 more species have become well established in the region, raising the number of established species to 496 versus 385 until 2005. In the period from January 2006 to April 2008 more than 80 published papers have resulted in the recording of 94 new aliens, which is interpreted as a new introduction every 9 days, a rate beyond the worst scenario.

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Updated review of marine alien species and other ‘newcomers’ recorded from the Maltese Islands (Central Mediterranean)

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.1064 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 225 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

J. EVANS ◽

J. BARBARA ◽

P. J. SCHEMBRI

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Range Expansion ◽

Marine Species ◽

Warming Trend ◽

Central Mediterranean ◽

Maltese Islands ◽

Introduction Pathway ◽

Range Extender ◽

Marine Alien Species ◽

Taxonomic Groups

An updated review of marine alien species and other ‘newcomers’ recorded from the Maltese Islands is presented on account of new records and amendments to a previous review in 2007. Species were classified according to their establishment status (‘Questionable’, ‘Casual’, ‘Established’, ‘Invasive’) and origin (‘Alien’, ‘Range expansion’, ‘Cryptogenic’). A total of 31 species were added to the inventory, while 6 species have been removed, bringing the total number of species to 73. Of these, 66 are considered to be aliens (or putative aliens but with uncertain origin) with the remaining 7 resulting from range expansion. Six records are considered to be questionable and hence unverified. For verified records, the dominant taxonomic groups are Mollusca (represented by 21 species) and Actinopterygii (15 species), followed by Crustacea (8 species) and Rhodophyta (7 species). Eight of these species (aliens: Caulerpa cylindracea, Lophocladia lallemandi, Womersleyella setacea, Brachidontes pharaonis, Percnon gibbesi, Fistularia commersonii, Siganus luridus; range extender: Sphoeroides pachygaster) are considered to be invasive. The introduction pathway for 30 species is unknown. Amongst the alien species, ‘Shipping’ is the most common introduction pathway, followed by ‘Secondary dispersal’ from elsewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. An increasing trend in the number of alien marine species reported from the Maltese Islands is evident, with a peak of 22 species recorded during the last decade (2001–2010). A discussion on the rationale for including range-expanding species in national inventories of recent arrivals, and in the analysis of trends in records from the Maltese Islands, is included. In particular, the general warming trend of Mediterranean surface waters appears to be facilitating the westward spread of thermophilic alien species from the Eastern to the Central Mediterranean, and the eastward range expansion of tropical and subtropical Eastern Atlantic species.

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ALIEN MARINE SPECIES OF LIBYA: FIRST INVENTORY AND NEW RECORDS IN EL-KOUF NATIONAL PARK (CYRENAICA) AND THE NEIGHBOURING AREAS

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.555 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 14 (2) ◽

pp. 451 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

H. BAZAIRI ◽

Y.R. SGHAIER ◽

I. BENAMER ◽

H. LANGAR ◽

G. PERGENT ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

National Park ◽

Marine Species ◽

Indigenous Species ◽

Depth Study ◽

Siganus Rivulatus ◽

Marine Alien Species ◽

Lagocephalus Sceleratus ◽

Non Indigenous Species ◽

Available Information

The presence of marine alien species in El-Kouf National Park and the neighbouring areas was assessed using a compilation of available information and observations, a field survey conducted on October 2010 in the framework of the MedMPAnet project and results of further monitoring during June and September 2012. A total of 9 alien species were reported: the Rhodophyta Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan de Saint-Léon, the Chlorophyta Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman & Boudouresque, the crab Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne-Edwards, 1853) and the fishes Fistularia commersonii Rüppell, 1838, Siganus luridus (Rüppell, 1829), Siganus rivulatus Forsskål, 1775, Pempheris vanicolensis Cuvier, 1831, Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) and Sphyraena flavicauda Rüppell, 1838. Several of them were until now unknown for the National Park. The list of alien marine species of Libya is updated and discussed. Until now 63 marine aliens species were recorded along the Libyan coasts. These include 3 Foraminifera, 3 Ochrophyta, 5 Rhodophyta, 5 Chlorophyta, 1 Magnoliophyta, 11 Arthropoda, 13 Mollusca, 1 Echinodermata and 21 Chordata. Among these Non Indigenous Species, 43 are known as established along the Libyan coast including 8 invasive, 11 casual, 6 questionable, 3 cryptogenic and 1 unknown. An in-depth study of the marine organisms would substantially increase the number of alien species occurring in Libya. Monitoring of marine assemblages of MPAs is a valuable opportunity to go further into the knowledge of native and introduced species.

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First occurrence of the invasive alien species Polydora cornuta Bosc, 1802 (Polychaeta: Spionidae) on the coast of Greece (Elefsis Bay; Aegean Sea)

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.138 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 119 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

N. SIMBOURA ◽

K. SIGALA ◽

E. VOUTSINAS ◽

E. KALKAN

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Aegean Sea ◽

Izmir Bay ◽

First Finding ◽

First Occurrence ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Of Greece

The present study reports on the occurrence of two specimens of the alien species Polydora cornutaBosc, 1802, in Elefsis Bay, the Saronikos Gulf (Aegean Sea, eastern Mediterranean). This is the firstrecord of this invasive alien species on the coast of Greece and the second report in the eastern MediterraneanSea after its first finding in Izmir Bay (on the Turkish Aegean coast). This finding enhances its distributionalpattern within the Mediterranean

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Records of alien marine species in the shallow coastal waters of Chios Island (2009)

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.112 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 99 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

S. KATSANEVAKIS ◽

K. TSIAMIS

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Coastal Waters ◽

Aegean Sea ◽

Marine Species ◽

Benthic Species ◽

Caulerpa Racemosa ◽

Asparagopsis Taxiformis ◽

Halophila Stipulacea ◽

Percnon Gibbesi ◽

Marine Alien Species

The shallow coastline of Chios Island was surveyed for the presence of any alien marine benthic species, during August 2009. Fourteen randomly selected sites were surveyed by snorkeling during standardized one-hour transects at depths between 0 and 10 m, and the presence of all identified alien benthic species was recorded. Six alien species were identified: Asparagopsis taxiformis, Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea, Stypopodium schimperi, Halophila stipulacea, Percnon gibbesi, and Siganus luridus. The green alga C. racemosa var. cylindracea was found in high densities in all the surveyed sites and was characterized as invasive in the island. The brown alga S. schimperi, the crab P. gibbesi, and the fish S. luridussustain established populations in the area. For three of the recorded marine alien species (S. schimperi, P. gibbesi, and S. luridus),Chios Island seems to be the northernmost margin of their geographical range in the Aegean Sea.

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Combating marine invasive alien species effectively in Australia

Asia Pacific Journal of Environmental Law ◽

10.4337/apjel.2021.01.02 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 41-65

Author(s):

Kenny Ng

Keyword(s):

Alien Species ◽

Invasive Alien Species ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

Legal Framework ◽

Power Sharing ◽

The Status ◽

Marine Invasive Species ◽

Negative Impacts ◽

Marine Alien Species ◽

Impact On Biodiversity

Marine invasive alien species are sea-based organisms that are non-native to a marine ecosystem, and which can or have spread to a degree that has an adverse impact on biodiversity and human livelihoods. In a globalized and inter-connected world, the threats posed by marine invasive alien species are here to stay. Accordingly, it often has been lamented that the threats from marine alien species are too difficult to combat effectively. In Australia, these threats are exacerbated by the country's unique characteristics such as its sheer size, as well as its geographical and historical isolation from the rest of the world. More importantly for the purposes of this article, Australia's unique constitutional framework that entrenches its national system of federalism has led to complex power-sharing arrangements between the Commonwealth, and the State and Territory governments in the management of invasive alien species, which are arguably inadequate to combat marine invasive alien species effectively. In Australia, laws have been made to manage only one vector of marine invasive species, ballast water from vessels, but not for other vectors. This article analyses how marine invasive alien species are currently managed within the Australian legal framework, and discusses what can be done to improve the status quo in order effectively to control the spread of such foreign organisms. It argues with optimism that marine invasive alien species can be effectively managed under a strong legal framework that seeks to prevent their occurrence and minimize the negative impacts of their occurrence. Such a legal framework consists of sound domestic laws and institutions, the effects of which can be enhanced by greater international cooperation.

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Parasites and marine invasions

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182002001506 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 124 (7) ◽

pp. 137-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 158

Author(s):

M. E. TORCHIN ◽

K. D. LAFFERTY ◽

A. M. KURIS

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Marine Species ◽

Economic Problem ◽

Invasion Success ◽

Native Range ◽

Marine Systems ◽

Introduced Populations ◽

Marine Invasions ◽

Introduced Range ◽

Marine Parasites

Introduced marine species are a major environmental and economic problem. The rate of these biological invasions has substantially increased in recent years due to the globalization of the world's economies. The damage caused by invasive species is often a result of the higher densities and larger sizes they attain compared to where they are native. A prominent hypothesis explaining the success of introduced species is that they are relatively free of the effects of natural enemies. Most notably, they may encounter fewer parasites in their introduced range compared to their native range. Parasites are ubiquitous and pervasive in marine systems, yet their role in marine invasions is relatively unexplored. Although data on parasites of marine organisms exist, the extent to which parasites can mediate marine invasions, or the extent to which invasive parasites and pathogens are responsible for infecting or potentially decimating native marine species have not been examined. In this review, we present a theoretical framework to model invasion success and examine the evidence for a relationship between parasite presence and the success of introduced marine species. For this, we compare the prevalence and species richness of parasites in several introduced populations of marine species with populations where they are native. We also discuss the potential impacts of introduced marine parasites on native ecosystems.

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Mediterranean Red Macro Algae Mats as Habitat for High Abundances of Serpulid Polychaetes

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d13060265 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 265

Author(s):

Felix I. Rossbach ◽

Edoardo Casoli ◽

Milan Beck ◽

Christian Wild

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Marine Species ◽

Abundant Species ◽

Posidonia Oceanica ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Tyrrhenian Sea ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Taxonomic Groups

The Mediterranean Sea harbors more than 17,000 eukaryotic marine species, with several ecosystems recognized as biodiversity hotspots, such as Posidonia oceanica meadows. Recent research indicates that benthic mats formed by the fleshy red alga Phyllophora crispa are also associated with high species richness. Among key groups found in these mats are sessile polychaetes, which live as epiphytes on the red algae thalli. Knowledge of abundance, species richness, and spatial variation of polychaetes associated with these habitats is still scarce. We carried out a comparative assessment focusing on serpulid polychaetes within samples from P. crispa mats and neighboring P. oceanica meadows at six different sampling sites around Giglio Island (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). A total of 17 serpulid taxa were identified. The abundance of serpulids (5665 individuals m−2 of P. crispa mat) were similar to neighboring P. oceanica meadows (2304 individuals m−2 leaves and 5890 individuals m−2 shoots). The number of serpulid taxa was significantly higher in P. crispa mats (average 6.63 ± 1.32 taxa) compared to P. oceanica beds (average 1.56 ± 0.63 and 1.84 ± 1.04 taxa in leaves and shoots, respectively). Within habitat type, there were no significant differences in species richness between sites. The most abundant species found was Josephella marenzelleri (61% of individuals), while Vermiliopsis spp. and Bathyvermilia sp. were exclusively found in P. crispa samples. Our results highlight that P. crispa mats host an exceptional diversity and that these habitats should be included in conservation strategies. Further research should focus on the significance of other important taxonomic groups within these mats and evaluate the distribution of P. crispa in different regions of the Mediterranean Sea.

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Predicting the spread of marine species introduced by global shipping

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1524427113 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 113 (20) ◽

pp. 5646-5651 ◽

Cited By ~ 64

Author(s):

Hanno Seebens ◽

Nicole Schwartz ◽

Peter J. Schupp ◽

Bernd Blasius

Keyword(s):

High Risk ◽

Alien Species ◽

North Sea ◽

Marine Species ◽

Invasion History ◽

Widespread Species ◽

The North ◽

Spreading Dynamics ◽

The North Sea ◽

Marine Alien Species

The human-mediated translocation of species poses a distinct threat to nature, human health, and economy. Although existing models calculate the invasion probability of any species, frameworks for species-specific forecasts are still missing. Here, we developed a model approach using global ship movements and environmental conditions to simulate the successive global spread of marine alien species that allows predicting the identity of those species likely to arrive next in a given habitat. In a first step, we simulated the historical stepping-stone spreading dynamics of 40 marine alien species and compared predicted and observed alien species ranges. With an accuracy of 77%, the model correctly predicted the presence/absence of an alien species in an ecoregion. Spreading dynamics followed a common pattern with an initial invasion of most suitable habitats worldwide and a subsequent spread into neighboring habitats. In a second step, we used the reported distribution of 97 marine algal species with a known invasion history, and six species causing harmful algal blooms, to determine the ecoregions most likely to be invaded next under climate warming. Cluster analysis revealed that species can be classified according to three characteristic spreading profiles: emerging species, high-risk species, and widespread species. For the North Sea, the model predictions could be confirmed because two of the predicted high-risk species have recently invaded the North Sea. This study highlights that even simple models considering only shipping intensities and habitat matches are able to correctly predict the identity of the next invading marine species.

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