Research articles
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Andrew J. Sellers, Kristin Saltonstall and Timothy M. Davidson
The introduced alga Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty ex P.C. Silva, 1996) in abandoned cultivation sites in Bocas del Toro, Panama (pp 1-7) |
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The red alga Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty ex P.C. Silva, 1996) has been intentionally introduced throughout the tropics for mariculture.
In some cases, the alga has spread outside cultivation sites and impacts native biota. We conducted surveys of two sites in Bocas del Toro, Panama,
where non-native K. alvarezii was previously cultivated to determine whether it is established and began to examine potential interactions
with native biota. We found that non-native K. alvarezii has spread into adjacent seagrass beds, mangroves, and coral patches. The cover
of K. alvarezii at these sites can be high (>30%), and it appears to smother seagrass, coral, and sponges. However, herbivory by native sea
urchins may act as an important agent of biotic resistance, though additional evidence is needed to confirm this.
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Patrick J. Schembri, Jacqueline Barbara, Alan Deidun, Edwin Lanfranco and Sandro Lanfranco
It was only a matter of time: occurrence of Caulerpa taxifolia (Vahl) C. Agardh var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman
and Procaccini in the Maltese Islands (Chlorophyta, Ulvophyceae, Caulerpaceae) (pp 9-16) |
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A new alien species of Caulerpa, corresponding morphologically to Caulerpa taxifolia (Vahl) C. Agardh var. distichophylla (Sonder)
Verlaque, Huisman and Procaccini, already known from Turkey, Sicily, and Cyprus, was first discovered in Malta in June 2013. The original record was
of but a few fronds, and surveys made during winter at the same site did not locate any plants. A survey conducted during July 2014, however, located
two patches of the alga occupying a total area of ca 125m² in the 4–6m depth range, with a mean frond density of 276.3 (± 51.21 SD) per m².
Also in July 2014, two patches with a total of 520 fronds in an area of 0.37m² at 14–15m depth were found at a second site ca 7.4 km along-coast
distance from the first site. The alien algae formed part of a photophilic assemblage growing on rock in clearings adjacent to Posidonia oceanica
(Linnaeus) Delile stands. The most likely source of the Maltese populations is Sicily, and the most likely vector is recreational and/or commercial shipping.
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Ileana Ortegón-Aznar, Luis A. Rosado-Espinosa and Alfonso Aguilar-Perera
Occurrence of the introduced alga Caulerpa ollivieri Dostál, 1929 [Caulerpaceae, Chlorophyta] in the Southern Gulf of Mexico (pp 17-21) |
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This work reports the occurrence of the introduced alga Caulerpa ollivieri Dostál, 1929 in the Southern Gulf of Mexico
off the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. In 2010, a specimen was collected off the Dzilam de Bravo, and
additional specimens were detected in at least four localities along the coast. These records extend the distribution
of C. ollivieri 800 km to the south; it was first recorded off the Tampa Bay in Florida (USA) in 1968 and subsequently
in The Bahamas. Further work is now needed to determine the impact this introduced alga may have on the native benthic community.
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Mareike Huhn, Neviaty P. Zamani and Mark Lenz
A ferry line facilitates dispersal: Asian green mussels Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758) detected in eastern Indonesia (pp 23-29) |
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While part of a single country, the Indonesian archipelago covers several biogeographic regions, and the high levels of national shipping
likely facilitate transfer of non-native organisms between the different regions. Two vessels of a domestic shipping line appear to have
served as a transport vector for the Asian green mussel Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758) between regions. This species is indigenous
in the western but not in the eastern part of the archipelago, separated historically by the Sunda Shelf. The green mussels collected from
the hulls of the ferries when in eastern Indonesia showed a significantly lower body condition index than similar-sized individuals from
three different western-Indonesian mussel populations. This was presumably due to reduced food supply during the ships’ voyages. Although
this transport-induced food shortage may initially limit the invasive potential (through reduced reproductive rate) of the translocated
individuals, the risk that the species will extend its distributional range further into eastern Indonesia is high. If the species becomes
widely established in eastern Indonesia, there will then be an increased risk of incursions to Australia, where the mussel is listed
as a high-priority pest species.
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Armando T. Wakida-Kusunoki, Fernando T. Wakida and José Mario De Leon-Sandoval
First record of quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897) (Bivalvia, Dreissenidae) from Mexico (pp 31-36) |
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The freshwater mussel Dreissena rostriformis bugensis (Andrusov, 1897) has been identified as an invader on different continents.
Here, we report the first record of quagga mussel species in México. We detected quagga mussels in El Carrizo reservoir in the Mexican state
of Baja California on July 12, 2014. Additional studies in both regions indicated that this species is spreading in the Colorado River basin.
However, no specimens were detected in the sites examined in the Mexican portion of the Colorado River Basin. Further sampling is required
to assess the invasion area.
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Daniele Paganelli, Andrea Gazzola, Agnese Marchini and Renato Sconfietti
The increasing distribution of Gammarus roeselii Gervais, 1835: first record of the non-indigenous freshwater amphipod in the sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin (Lombardy, Italy) (pp 37-41) |
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This paper reports the first record of the non-indigenous species Gammarus roeselii Gervais, 1835 in the sub-lacustrine
Ticino River basin (Po river floodplain, Northern Italy). Up to now in Italy, this Balkanian amphipod, known as an “exotic species,
well established” in Central Europe, had only been reported in the North-Eastern part of the country (Sile River basin).
Gammarus roeselii has a low spreading potential, so its presence in other parts of Europe can only be explained by human activities.
However, the available data suggests that its presence in the sub-lacustrine Ticino River basin does not currently represent a threat
to the population of the native Echinogammarus stammeri, which is still very healthy in this area.
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Kevin Gallagher, Robert Rosell, Louise Vaughan, Yvonne R. McElarney, Warren Campbell, Eugene O’Kane and Chris Harrod
Hemimysis anomala G.O. Sars, 1907 expands its invasive range to Northern Ireland (pp 43-46) |
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The invasive crustacean Hemimysis anomala was first discovered in the Republic of Ireland in April 2008.
By 2009 it had extended its range to lakes throughout the navigated River Shannon waterway, occasionally occurring
in large swarms in shallow waters and in lower densities at deep sites. In this study, a standardised stratified fish
survey of Upper Lough Erne in 2013 found H. anomala in the stomach contents of four perch (Perca fluviatilis).
These fish were captured at sites located at the northern and southern extremes of the lake, suggesting that invasive H. anomala
are distributed throughout this waterbody. This catchment is directly linked to the River Shannon through the Shannon–Erne canal
and our data indicates that, as previously predicted, the distribution of H. anomala now includes Northern Irish freshwaters.
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Nir Stern, Buki Rinkevich and Menachem Goren
First record of the Goldstripe sardinella - Sardinella gibbosa (Bleeker, 1849) in the Mediterranean Sea and confirmation for its presence in the Red Sea (pp 47-51) |
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This report updates the geographical distribution of Sardinella gibbosa (Bleeker, 1849): confirming its presence in the Red Sea
and documenting its introduction into the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Both updates are based on overlooked museum voucher specimens,
some of which were collected 86 years ago. In addition, a simplified morphological key is provided for identifying the clupeids
currently found in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin.
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Llewellyn E. O. Jacobs, Ernita van Wyk and John R. U. Wilson
Recent discovery of small naturalised populations of Melaleuca quinquenervia (Cav.) S.T. Blake in South Africa (pp 53-59) |
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The discovery of a naturalised population of Melaleuca quinquenervia in South Africa in 2009 prompted an evaluation
of the species’ distribution across South Africa. We found records at seven localities in two of the nine provinces of South Africa,
with naturalised populations at two sites — ~300 plants were discovered over 0.3ha in a confined-seep on a mountain slope, while
at an old arboretum 12 large, planted trees and 9 naturalised trees were found. An additional herbarium record from Mozambique suggests
that this global invader is present at other sites within the sub-region, and so while the extirpation of populations in South Africa
is recommended and looks feasible, further work is required to determine the status and evaluate whether eradication from the sub-region
as a whole is possible.
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Michael D. Cheek
First official record of a naturalised population of Mimosa albida Humb. & Bonpl. ex Willd. var. albida in Africa (pp 61-65) |
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Mimosa albida var. albida is a woody shrub indigenous to Central and South America that is well adapted to disturbed habitats.
This paper is the first formal report of this species outside of cultivation in Africa. A total of 61 plants were recorded along a 1.5km
arc of the Mkhomazi River in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Efforts are underway to eradicate the population.
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Gislene Lopes Gonçalves, Gilson Rudinei Pires Moreira, Rosângela Brito and Héctor A. Vargas
Stranger in a known land: Bayesian analysis confirms the presence of an Australian leaf miner in the Chilean Atacama Desert (pp 67-73) |
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Several species of leaf-mining moths have become invasive in many parts of the world. Their success seems to be related, at least in part,
to their small body size, short life cycles, high dispersal capabilities and relatively plastic host-plant associations. Here, we provide
the first report of established populations of the elachistid moth, Elachista synethes, in South America (specifically the Azapa Valley,
northern Chilean Atacama Desert). E. synethes is a widespread polyphagous species native to Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand.
The immatures in the Azapa Valley were found associated with the South American native rescue grass, Bromus catharticus. Interestingly
E. synethes is known to use B. catharticus as a host plant in the Australian region (i.e. where the plant is introduced but the moth native).
In addition to comparing the morphology of immature and adult moths, we sequenced a partial region of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene from putative
specimens from the Azapa Valley, and reconstructed a Bayesian phylogeny using representative species from different groups of Elachista as terminals.
The specimens from Chile fell within the lineage of E. synethes, with 0% of genetic divergence. Thus, we hypothesize that this leaf-miner species
was accidentally introduced into northern Chile, and has established there due to the existence of suitable host plants in that area.
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