Published in June 2020
Research articles
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Stelios Katsanevakis, Dimitris Poursanidis, Razy Hoffman, Jamila Rizgalla, Shevy Bat-Sheva Rothman, Ya’arit Levitt-Barmats,
Louis Hadjioannou, Domen Trkov, Joxe Mikel Garmendia, Miraine Rizzo, Angela G. Bartolo, Michel Bariche, Fiona Tomas, Periklis Kleitou, Patrick J. Schembri, Demetris Kletou,
Francesco Tiralongo, Christine Pergent, Gérard Pergent, Ernesto Azzurro, Murat Bilecenoglu, Alice Lodola, Enric Ballesteros, Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Marc Verlaque,
Anna Occhipinti-Ambrogi, Eleni Kytinou, Thanos Dailianis, Jasmine Ferrario, Fabio Crocetta, Carlos Jimenez, Julian Evans, Michail Ragkousis, Lovrenc Lipej, Joseph A. Borg,
Charalampos Dimitriadis, Giorgos Chatzigeorgiou, Paolo G. Albano, Stefanos Kalogirou, Hocein Bazairi, Free Espinosa, Jamila Ben Souissi, Konstantinos Tsiamis, Fabio Badalamenti,
Joachim Langeneck, Pierre Noel, Alan Deidun, Agnese Marchini, Grigorios Skouradakis, Laura Royo, Maria Sini, Carlo Nike Bianchi, Yassine-Ramzi Sghaier, Raouia Ghanem, Nikos Doumpas,
Jeanne Zaouali, Konstantinos Tsirintanis, Orestis Papadakis, Carla Morri, Melih Ertan Çinar, Jorge Terrados, Gianni Insacco, Bruno Zava, Emna Soufi-Kechaou, Luigi Piazzi,
Khadija Ounifi Ben Amor, Emmanouil Andriotis, Maria Cristina Gambi, Mohamed Mourad Ben Amor, Joaquim Garrabou, Cristina Linares, Ana Fortič, Markos Digenis, Emma Cebrian,
Maïa Fourt, Maria Zotou, Luca Castriota, Vincenzo Di Martino, Antonietta Rosso, Carlo Pipitone, Manuela Falautano, María García, Rym Zakhama-Sraieb, Faten Khamassi,
Anna Maria Mannino, Mohamed Hédi Ktari, Ioanna Kosma, Mouna Rifi, Paraskevi K. Karachle, Sercan Yapıcı, Arthur R. Bos, Paolo Balistreri, Alfonso A. Ramos Esplá, Jonathan Tempesti,
Omar Inglese, Ioannis Giovos, Dimitrios Damalas, Said Benhissoune, Mehmet Fatih Huseyinoglu, Wafa Rjiba-Bahri, Jorge Santamaría, Martina Orlando-Bonaca, Andres Izquierdo,
Caterina Stamouli, Monica Montefalcone, Hasan Cerim, Raül Golo, Soultana Tsioli, Sotiris Orfanidis, Nikolas Michailidis, Martina Gaglioti, Ergün Taşkın, Emilio Mancuso, Ante Žunec,
Ivan Cvitković, Halit Filiz, Rossana Sanfilippo, Apostolos Siapatis, Borut Mavrič, Sami Karaa, Ali Türker, Françoise Monniot, Jana Verdura, Najib El Ouamari, Mohamed Selfati,
Argyro Zenetos
Unpublished Mediterranean records of marine alien and cryptogenic species (pp 165-182) |
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Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude
of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, buried in scattered repositories
or in the personal databases of experts. Through an initiative to collect, harmonize and make such unpublished data for marine alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea available,
a large dataset comprising 5376 records was created. It includes records of 239 alien or cryptogenic taxa (192 Animalia, 24 Plantae, 23 Chromista) from 19 countries surrounding the Mediterranean
Sea. In terms of records, the most reported Phyla in descending order were Chordata, Mollusca, Chlorophyta, Arthropoda, and Rhodophyta. The most recorded species was Caulerpa cylindracea,
followed by Siganus luridus, Magallana sp. (cf. gigas or angulata) and Pterois miles. The dataset includes records from 1972 to 2020, with the highest number
of records observed in 2018. Among the records of the dataset, Dictyota acutiloba is a first record for the Mediterranean Sea. Nine first country records are also included:
the alga Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla, the cube boxfish Ostracion cubicus, and the cleaner shrimp Urocaridella pulchella from Israel; the sponge
Paraleucilla magna from Libya and Slovenia; the lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus from Cyprus; the bryozoan Celleporaria vermiformis and the polychaetes
Prionospio depauperata and Notomastus aberans from Malta.
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Jamila Rizgalla and Fabio Crocetta
First confirmed record of the ragged sea hare Bursatella leachii Blainville, 1817 in Libyan waters (pp 183-188) |
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The ragged sea hare Bursatella leachii, a well-established cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea, was found in the Tripoli Harbour within the framework of the Project “Snowball”,
aiming at recording alien and cryptogenic species living along the Libyan coastline. The present record constitutes the first confirmed sighting of B. leachii in Libya.
There are no certainties regarding possible pathway(s) of arrival of this species in the area. However, shipping or natural dispersal from nearby populations in the Mediterranean Sea
constitute the most probable ones.
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David Osca and Fabio Crocetta
The ivory barnacle Amphibalanus eburneus (Gould, 1841) (Arthropoda: Hexanauplia: Sessilia) in Albania (Adriatic Sea) (pp 189-194) |
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The ivory barnacle Amphibalanus eburneus (Gould, 1841), native to the Western Atlantic, is a worldwide invader whose spread has been facilitated by shipping and shellfish culture.
During a rapid assessment survey held in August 2018, several juvenile and adult barnacles were found among fouling communities of native mussel farms from Lake Butrint (Albania, Adriatic Sea).
The majority of these barnacles were subsequently identified as A. eburneus. The present record fills a gap in the global invasive distribution of this taxon and represents the first
record of the species from Albania. The appearance of A. eburneus in this novel location is most likely due to secondary spreading via shipping and/or fouling or introduction
via shellfish culture. Barnacles, in general, can have adverse effects on native ecosystems and biota by competing for space and food and contributing to biofouling on ships/vessels and
anthropogenic structures. Therefore, future studies may focus on the possible impacts of A. eburneus on the local native mussel economy and native biota.
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Giuliana Marletta and Andrea Lombardo
Undergoing invasion of the fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina (Lowe, 1838) in the western Ionian Sea, Central Mediterranean (pp 195-203) |
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The present short note explores the westward expansion of the non-indigenous fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina (Lowe, 1838) within
the Mediterranean Sea. Indeed, this species that is native to the Atlantic Ocean, has extended its distribution range into the Mediterranean Sea,
reaching firstly the eastern part of the basin. In the last decades, the fangtooth moray has been reported in the central Mediterranean Sea,
representing a further westward expansion within the Basin. This record of the fangtooth moray is the third report from Italian territorial waters
and the second one for Sicilian waters. In this study, two new individuals of the species are reported along the Ionian coast of Sicily.
The rapid expansion of this fish species within the Mediterranean might be the result of its long pelagic larval stage. The fangtooth moray
is an active predator, which can heavily impact native communities, thus it is necessary to keep monitoring the occurrence and expansion
of this species within the Mediterranean..
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Ernesto Azzurro, Michel Bariche, Jacopo Cerri and Joaquim Garrabou
The long reach of the Suez Canal: Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) an unwanted Indo-Pacific pest at the Atlantic gate (pp 204-208) |
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The silver-cheeked toadfish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) is rapidly expanding westward through the Mediterranean Sea. On December 2017, a single individual was caught
by a local fisherman at the westernmost end of the basin, the Straits of Gibraltar at San Amaro beach, Bahia norte, Ceuta, Spain (35.8974; −5.2994). This new record opens to the possibility
of this Indo-Pacific pest to spread beyond the Mediterranean region, prospecting the future extension of Lessepsian bioinvasions to the Atlantic Ocean.
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Athanasios Evagelopoulos, Andreas Nikolaou, Nikolas Michailidis, Thodoros E. Kampouris and Ioannis E. Batjakas
Progress of the dispersal of the alien goatfish Parupeneus forsskali (Fourmanoir & Guézé, 1976) in the Mediterranean, with preliminary information on its diet composition in Cyprus (pp 209-222) |
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Parupeneus forsskali has been the latest Indo-Pacific goatfish species to expand its range into the Mediterranean. It is the least studied alien
mullid in the Eastern Mediterranean, and specific information on its diet is generally lacking in the literature. The objectives of this paper
are (1) to comprehensively document the progress of its invasion in the Mediterranean through a systematic literature review to retrieve all published
records of the species in the region, and (2) to present preliminary quantitative information on its diet in its non-native range.
Parupeneus forsskali, first recorded in Cyprus in 2014, has established self-sustaining, reproducing, commercially important populations
in the nearshore waters of Cyprus at least since 2017. Significant P. forsskali catches by artisanal fisheries in Cyprus began in late 2017
and have been increasing since. Its particularly successful establishment and spread across Cyprus occurred after a time lag of several years since
its introduction in the Mediterranean, possibly during the 1990s or earlier. As the westernmost records of the species along both the southern and
the northern Mediterranean coastlines were made in recent years, it is assumed that P. forsskali is currently expanding its range
in the Mediterranean. The prey items identified in the stomach contents analysis, ranked by their frequency of occurrence, belonged to the following
taxonomic groups: Crustacea (67%), Mollusca (37%), Polychaeta (19%), Foraminifera (12%), Actinopterygii (5%).
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Alan Deidun and Bruno Zava
Far from home....the first documented capture of the genus Elops (Actinopterygii, Elopidae) from the Mediterranean (pp 223-227) |
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The tenpounder fish genus Elops Linnaeus, 1766 was recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean in October 2019, as a single individual was caught in Maltese waters.
The genus has a disparate global distribution consisting of west Atlantic and west Pacific tropical and sub-tropical areas. A single individual was caught, but not retained, during artificial
lighting-assisted purse seining, and the identification of the genus was determined based upon photographs submitted by the fisherman. The mechanisms of range expansion of the genus from
the Atlantic into the Mediterranean are discussed.
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Romain Ferry, Laurent Hubert, Véronique Philippot, Fabienne Priam and Juliette Smith
First record of the non-indigenous brittle star species Ophiothela mirabilis Verrill, 1867 (Echinodermata: Ophiuroidea), off Martinique Island, French Lesser Antilles (pp 228-238) |
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Ophiothela mirabilis Verrill, 1867 is a brittle star (Ophiuroidea) originating from the Pacific Ocean, introduced into the Western Atlantic Ocean in the late 2000,
probably by transporting larvae in ship ballast water or associated with hull biofouling. It is reported as a non-indigenous species from southern Brazil to the southeast Florida
for the northernmost area. The present study carried out by scuba diving, between October and November 2017, on the Atlantic coast of Martinique allowed us to report, for the first time,
its occurrence in the French Lesser Antilles. In addition, the surveys carried out made it possible to describe O. mirabilis on 8 host gorgonian species, seven of which were previously
unreported as host species: Pterogorgia anceps (Pallas, 1766), Muriceopsis flavida (Lamarck, 1815), Eunicea laxispica (Lamarck, 1815), Muricea muricata (Pallas, 1766),
Muriceopsis sulphurea (Donovan, 1825), Antillogorgia acerosa (Pallas, 1766) and Eunicea flexuosa (Lamouroux, 1821). The only hosts observed during this study were gorgonians.
Our study also described a habitat where 69% of gorgonians were colonized. We were able to note that on Gorgonia ventalina (Linnaeus, 1758) the density of colonization could
reach ~ 3 brittle stars O. mirabilis per cm² per side of gorgonian.
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Jean-Philippe Pezy, Aurore Raoux and Jean-Claude Dauvin
First record of the non-native isopod Paranthura japonica Richardson, 1909 in the English Channel (pp 239-248) |
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Specimens of the Asiatic isopod Paranthura japonica Richardson, 1909 were retrieved for the first time in 2019 from two harbours situated along the Normandy coast
in the north of France: Le Havre (295 specimens), and Cherbourg (four specimens). Paranthura japonica was accidently introduced for the first time in Europe in the Archachon Bay
in 2013 through oyster transfer. This species, native to the Sea of Japan, may have been introduced to the English Channel through the accumulated fouling of the hulls of ships used primarily
for recreational purposes.
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Lisa Schüler, Jan Leitinger and Anja Schanz
First record of the Japanese cumacean Nippoleucon hinumensis (Gamô, 1967) (Crustacea: Cumacea: Leuconidae) from Europe (pp 249-258) |
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The cumacean Nippoleucon hinumensis was recorded for the first time in Europe during a national monitoring survey of macrozoobenthos in the German Baltic Sea
in April 2019. In total, five female individuals were found in the Strelasund near Stralsund, Germany. Nippoleucon hinumensis is native to the northwest
Pacific and a successful invader of the American west coast since the 1970s. Since ovigerous females were detected among the collected individuals, N. hinumensis
might have already reproduced successfully in the Baltic Sea.
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Antoni Box, Víctor Colomar, Antoni Sureda, Silvia Tejada, Verónica Nuñez-Reyes, Amanda Cohen-Sanchez, Toni Avila, Vicent Forteza, Marta Castello, Nuria Valverde and Samuel Pinya
Next step of the colonization of the Balearic Islands (Spain) by invasive Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Portunidae) (pp 259-265) |
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The arrival of invasive alien species represents key threats to native biodiversity worldwide becoming an important and growing concern.
The Mediterranean Sea is a quasi-enclosed body of water connected to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans that makes it very susceptible to being affected
by the arrival of invasive species. The Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, with a native range along the American east coast,
is a reported alien species found in Mallorca and Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain). The current report describes the first appearance of
C. sapidus from the Ibiza and Formentera islands (Balearic Islands). Crabs, predominantly female, were collected from high salinity waters
(25–32 ‰), which could be related to the biological cycle.
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Darryl L. Felder and Amanda M. Windsor
Introduced Hemigrapsus oregonensis (Dana, 1851) formerly colonized an inland Texas salt spring, as now underpinned by COI barcode sequence analysis (pp 266-278) |
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Described as a grapsoid crab endemic to the Estelline Salt Spring near Estelline, Texas, Hemigrapsus estellinensis Creel, 1964 has long been regarded as an enigmatic taxon representing a small,
now extinct, population of unexplained origins. At the time of its description from the panhandle region of Texas, the species was acknowledged to be of close relationship to the North American Pacific
coast species, H. oregonensis (Dana, 1851), from which it was reported to differ in relatively few morphological characters. No hypotheses were offered to explain a potential common lineage,
and none seemed plausible given the long historical separation of waterways that might have joined this isolated population with Pacific congeners. We have examined morphology of archived type specimens
of H. estellinensis and successfully sequenced the DNA barcode region of COI from one of the paratypes. Morphological and molecular genetic comparisons were made to selected congeners. We conclude
that the Estelline Salt Spring population represented an introduction of H. oregonensis, and that H. estellinensis should hereafter be regarded as its junior synonym. Barnacles found in Estelline
Salt Spring at the time that the grapsoid crabs were collected are also now known to represent two North American Pacific coast species. Recollections by an elderly ranch hand from Estelline, Texas of the area
in the early 1900s lead us to postulate that railway cargos of Pacific coast timber may have been the pathway for these introductions.
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Bruno Damasceno Cordeiro, Athila Andrade Bertoncini, Felipe Eloy Abrunhosa, Luana Santos Corona, Francisco Gerson Araújo and Luciano Neves dos Santos
First report of the non-native gulf toadfish Opsanus beta (Goode & Bean, 1880) on the coast of Rio de Janeiro – Brazil (pp 279-286) |
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Biological invasions are considered an extreme risk to biodiversity, resulting in serious ecological and economic problems. Marine species have been
introduced mainly through ballast water in estuaries, bays and inland waters, those bodies are historically threatened by intense urbanization making them
highly susceptible to invasions. The gulf toadfish, Opsanus beta has been reported as an invasive species that commonly inhabits shallow water
bodies, such as coastal bays and estuaries. Its native distribution range from Belize to Palm Beach – Florida (Gulf of Mexico). The first occurrence of
O. beta on the Brazilian coast was in Santos estuarine area, Southeastern region, and the second was further south, in the estuarine complex
of Paranaguá, Southern region. Here we report the first occurrence of a single O. beta in Rio de Janeiro coast, which was caught in October 2017,
using a beach seine in Bica Beach, a polluted sandy beach located in Guanabara Bay – RJ. Considering the similarities among Guanabara Bay and other areas
in Brazil, there is a potential for the establishment of O. beta populations in Guanabara Bay in a near future.
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Rafael Lacerda Macêdo, Ana Clara S. Franco, Gabriel Klippel, Ewerton F. Oliveira, Lúcia Helena S. Silva, Luciano Neves dos Santos and Christina W.C. Branco
Small in size but rather pervasive: the spread of the North American rotifer Kellicottia bostoniensis (Rousselet, 1908) through Neotropical basins (pp 287-302) |
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Kellicottia bostoniensis is a North American limnetic zooplankter and the single rotifer species within the group of 163 non-native species
recorded in Brazilian inland waters by the Brazilian Environmental Ministry in 2016. This species is also the only non-native rotifer of the genus
Kellicottia recorded in Brazilian basins. This paper reports the first occurrence of K. bostoniensis in thirteen Brazilian hydroelectric
reservoirs with varying trophic levels and throughout two freshwater ecoregions. The abundance of K. bostoniensis was higher in oligotrophic
reservoirs, indicating a possible preference of this species for clear waters. The distribution pattern detected in this study suggests a great spread
potential within Brazilian basins, which could be due to water birds or fish gill transportation, but the exact vectors are still unknown. Moreover,
its small-sized body, the presence of dormant eggs, long spines to avoid fish predation, and apparent tolerance to variable trophic conditions
are the major life-history traits that might contribute to its spread and potential establishment. The high dispersal ability and overabundance of
K. bostoniensis reported in our study, stress the invasive potential of this microzooplankton species and the importance of assessment programmes
to evaluate possible deterioration of water quality and impacts on native plankton fauna.
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Liron Goren, Tamar Feldstein and Yaron Hershkovitz
First report of the non-native freshwater polychaete Namalycastis hawaiiensis (Johnson, 1903) (Nereididae: Namanereidinae) in Israel (pp 303-309) |
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The subfamily Namanereidinae (Annelida: Nereididae), is one of the most successful polychaete groups to colonize brackish and freshwater environments
worldwide. Among them Namalycastis hawaiiensis (Johnson, 1903) is one of the few that have been identified as invasive, including recent
introduction to Japan and Australia via the aquarium trade. Here, we report for the first-time finding of an established population of
N. hawaiiensis in a freshwater spring in Israel, well outside of its Indo-Pacific native distribution. We further report on the finding
of specimens in a pet store and discuss its possible route of introduction via aquarium-trade.
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Naoto Sawada, Haruhiko Toyohara, Takuto Miyai and Takafumi Nakano
Further records of introduced Semisulcospira snails in Japan (Mollusca, Gastropoda): implications for these snails’ correct morphological identification (pp 310-319) |
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Seven species of the freshwater snail genus Semisulcospira, which are indigenous taxa of the largest lake in Japan, Lake Biwa, have been introduced
into 17 localities, including five newly recorded localities. Among these species, S. dilatata Watanabe and Nishino, 1995, S. habei Davis, 1969, and S. rugosa Watanabe and Nishino, 1995
were firstly recorded as introduced species. The alien Semisulcospira snails could be identified based on the combination of three morphological characters: longitudinal ribs number of penultimate whorl of adult shell,
spire angle of adult shell, and shell height of the largest embryonic shell. Accordingly, morphological identification of introduced Semisulcospira
populations recorded in previously published studies was revisited. The introductions of Semisulcospira snails have been suggested to have occurred
due to contamination of seedlings of other shellfish and fishes at most sites. Taking into account the potential impacts of accidental species introductions,
seedlings should be carefully managed so as not to unintentionally introduce Semisulcospira snails.
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Karina P. Battes, Éva Váncsa, Lucian Barbu-Tudoran and Mirela Cîmpean
A species on the rise in Europe: Sinodiaptomus sarsi (Rylov, 1923) (Copepoda, Calanoida), a new record for the Romanian crustacean fauna (pp 320-332) |
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This paper represents the first record in Romania of the calanoid copepod Sinodiaptomus sarsi (Rylov, 1923), native to Eastern Asia.
It was identified in nine ponds in north-east Romania, in a fish farming region recently declared a Natura 2000 protected area (Lakes Fălticeni).
More than one thousand individuals were found in qualitative samples in November 2018 and June 2019. The water pools were constructed more than
forty years ago by the damming of the natural course of the Șomuz River. Previously unpublished research on zooplankton from the area did not record
any calanoid copepods, so S. sarsi likely arrived there at a later date, probably from Western Ukraine, where it was reported in 2014.
Possible vectors for introduction include fish stocking, migratory birds or human release. Future studies are required to clarify the impact of this
species on native lentic fauna and its routes of introduction, since this species has potential to become invasive in Europe.
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Corrado Battisti and Massimiliano Scalici
First records of the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) (Decapoda Cambaridae) from a small circum-Sardinian island (central Mediterranean Sea) (pp 333-339) |
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The occurrence of the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) is documented for the first time in a small artificial lake located
in a small circum-Sardinian island (San Pietro, South Sardinia, Italy), testifying the ongoing diffusion of this invasive crayfish also in a remote rural site.
The presence of this species is a cause for concern given that this island is a hot-spot for herpetological endemism at a regional level. Our records,
in conjunction with a number of recent observations made in inner Sardinia, indicate that the species is far more widespread in the area than previous studies
have suggested. Because of its invasive history, eradication of this population is urgent and still economically profitable.
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Arin Ngamniyom
First evidence of Craspedella pedum (Cannon and Sewell, 1995) (Platyhelminthes: Rhabdocoela) infesting alien red swamp crayfish
with white spot syndrome virus infections collected from Thailand (pp 340-348) |
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Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) is natively distributed in the tropical fresh water of the Southern Mississippi River,
the United States, and Northeastern Mexico. This crayfish is also transported to many countries through commercial trade. The aim of this study
was to determine the presence of temnocephalid flatworm (Craspedella pedum) on red swamp crayfish collected from the natural waters of Thailand.
At the 34 collection sites, only three P. clarkii were caught in traps from two locations in the north-central Thailand region near the Nan River.
A total of 23 C. pedum individuals were found in two P. clarkii individuals collected at the same site. White spot syndrome virus (WSSV)
was detected in the gill tissue of those two crayfish and C. pedum using PCR analysis. Morphological and molecular C. pedum data
are provided. The result is the first report of temnocephalans with viral infection in alien host from the natural environment of Thailand.
Furthermore, it is warning that the invasive crayfish and non-native temnocephalans may be already established in natural freshwater of Thailand.
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Mohamed Wajih Bouaoud, Faouzia Charfi-Cheikhrouha and Mohamed El Gtari
First record of the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852) (Decapoda: Astacidea: Cambaridae) in Tunisia (pp 349-356) |
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An investigation of artificial water ecosystems at the Cap Bon, in north-eastern Tunisia, led to the first record of the invasive alien freshwater species Procambarus clarkii in Tunisia.
Its distribution in hill lakes, dams and streams in this area was investigated and some parameters of Gombare Lake population were studied from December 2017 to March 2018. During the four
monthly samplings in Gombare Lake, 116 specimens were collected, sexed and measured. Preliminary results on the sampled population were reported. The introduction and potential impacts of
P. clarkii in Tunisia are discussed and management recommendations are given.
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José R. Tapia-Varela, Jesús T. Ponce-Palafox, Deivis S. Palacios-Salgado, Carlos A. Romero-Bañuelos, José T. Nieto-Navarro and Pedro Aguiar-García
Establishment of the exotic invasive redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (Von Martens, 1868) in the Coastal Plain of San Blas, Nayarit, SE Gulf of California, Mexico (pp 357-366) |
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The establishment of the redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) populations was investigated in the coastal plain of San Blas, Nayarit State, Mexico. Two sampling
expeditions were conducted along the agricultural irrigation channels and the surrounding estuarine systems in the study area in December 2014 and December 2015. A total
of 121 specimens were collected during the first sampling. They had 1:1.88 male:female ratio. Three hundred fourteen (314) individuals were collected in the second expedition,
the male:female ratio was 1:1.27. C. quadricarinatus has a great ability to colonize, invade and survive a wide range of environmental conditions in aquatic ecosystems,
representing a threat to biological diversity. This species has the potential to replace the native crayfish species that significantly sustain the local fisheries, affecting
and limiting their distribution and abundance. This has probably affected diversity, population structure and symbiotic relationships of functional groups in this aquatic ecosystem.
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Frank Jordan, Leo G. Nico, Kristal Huggins, Peter J. Martinat, Dahlia A. Martinez and Victoria L. Rodrigues
Discovery of a reproducing wild population of the swamp eel Amphipnous cuchia (Hamilton, 1822) in North America (pp 367-374) |
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We report discovery of an established population of the Asian swamp eel Amphipnous cuchia (Hamilton, 1822) in Bayou St. John, an urban waterway in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
This fish, commonly referred to as cuchia (kuchia), is a member of the family Synbranchidae and is native to southern and southeastern Asia. Recently-used synonyms include
Monopterus cuchia and Ophichthys cuchia. We collected both adult and young-of-year cuchia from dense mats of littoral vegetation at several locations in Bayou St. John.
Presence of multiple age and size classes is the first documented evidence of reproduction of this species outside of its native range. Establishment of this air-breathing, burrowing,
salt-tolerant, opportunistic predator is of concern given that Bayou St. John is a tributary of Lake Pontchartrain, which provides a direct pathway for dispersal into the Mississippi River
basin and coastal wetlands of the Gulf of Mexico.
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Lukas Zangl, Michael Jung, Wolfgang Gessl, Stephan Koblmüller and Clemens Ratschan
Oriental or not: First record of an alien weatherfish (Misgurnus) species in Austria verified by molecular data (pp 375-383) |
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Weatherfishes of the genus Misgurnus are natively distributed across large parts of Eurasia. Since the end of the 20th century, two alien weatherfish species, the oriental
weatherfish, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, and the large-scaled loach, Paramisgurnus dabryanus, have been reported from Europe. Here, we provide a first record
of alien Misgurnus for Austria (Inn river). Based on morphology and DNA barcoding in combination with sequences of the nuclear RAG1 gene we found that this alien Austrian
weatherfish is neither M. anguillicaudatus nor P. dabryanus, but Misgurnus bipartitus, the northern weatherfish. Fish from further upstream the Inn in Germany,
previously identified as M. anguillicaudatus, share their COI haplotype with the Austrian samples and other M. bipartitus, suggesting a misidentification of these
German fishes and raising alarm that alien Misgurnus might be already present across large parts of the middle and lower Inn drainage.
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Lukas Petrulaitis and Zigmantas Gudžinskas
The first records of two alien woody species, Cornus alternifolia and Cornus amomum, in Lithuania (pp 384-392) |
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Two native species from North America, Cornus alternifolia and Cornus amomum (Cornaceae) have escaped from cultivation in Lithuania
and are recorded as new alien species. Cornus alternifolia was found in an alluvial forest habitat in Vilnius, occupying an area of ca. 0.49 ha.
The population consists of about 900 individuals of which ca. 100 were growing to 1–3.5 m high, though fruiting individuals were not found.
Cornus amomum is recorded from the Šiauliai district, on the banks of a water reservoir in a shrub-dominated habitat. The population consists
of four mature individuals with fruits and several young individuals grown from seeds. Cornus alternifolia has already been reported to have
escaped in Slovakia; Cornus amomum is reported for Lithuania as an escaped plant for the first time in Europe. Both species occupy habitats
analogous to their native range and are dispersed mainly by birds. Their naturalization, spread and invasion to natural habitats of temperate regions
of Europe is probable. Therefore, the spread of these species should be monitored, and rapid response measures, if deemed necessary, should be taken.
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Franz Essl
The distribution of Sinacalia tangutica (Maxim.) B. Nord. in Austria (pp 393-398) |
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I report on the distribution of Chinese ragwort (Sinacalia tangutica) (Asteraceae, Magnoliopsida) in Austria. The first occurrence of this species was recorded 50 years ago
in the Ybbs-valley in the pre-Alps of western Lower Austria. Here, I summarize the current distribution of the study species at this locality, and I present two new records.
The composition of the invaded vegetation was documented by four relevés. Sinacalia tangutica forms dense populations in wet tall herb vegetation and open riverine forests
in humid submontane climate. Thus, given the substantial expansion in the last decades in the Ybbs-valley, I suggest that the future spread of Sinacalia tangutica should be monitored,
and if necessary, management actions should be taken.
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Jans Morffe, Nayla García and Karin Breugelmans
First record of the terrestrial nemertean Geonemertes pelaensis Semper, 1863 (Hoplonemertea: Prosorhochmidae) for Cuba (pp 399-407) |
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The terrestrial nemertean Geonemertes pelaensis Semper, 1863 (Hoplonemertea: Prosorhochmidae) is recorded for first time from Cuba based on specimens from Artemisa and La Habana
provinces, western Cuba. Both external morphology and histology are consistent with G. pelaensis features. Maximum likelihood and Neighbor-joining analysis of mitochondrial
cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) obtained from Cuban individuals form a well-supported clade with other specimens of G. pelaensis from Bermuda and Japan, as well as with
Geonemertes sp. from Panama. The current record expands the distribution of G. pelaensis in the West Indies.
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Ruchira Somaweera, Paul B. Yeoh, Tommaso Jucker, Rohan H. Clarke and Bruce L. Webber
Historical context, current status and management priorities for introduced Asian house geckos at Ashmore Reef, north-western Australia (pp 408-420) |
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The Asian house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) shows the largest non-native distribution of any gekkonid and has been introduced to numerous oceanic islands around the world.
Since 1990, it has been naturalised at Ashmore Reef, a small group of islands, cays and reef flats in the Timor Sea within the maritime borders of Australia. This note provides
an updated assessment of its population status and distribution at Ashmore Reef based on surveys conducted in May 2019 and formulates ecological insight to factors that may be
influencing the presence of geckos on the islands. In doing so, it aims to provide context relevant to informing suitable future research and management options.
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Carlos Cruz-Cordovez, Ileana Herrera, Felipe Espinoza, Kimberly Rizzo, María-Bethsabeth Sarmiento, Nicole Rodas, María-José Coello, Wilver Bravo and Margarita Lampo
New record of a feral population of Lithobates catesbeianus Shaw, 1802 in a protected area (Santay Island) in the Ecuadorian coast (pp 421-433) |
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The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus Shaw, 1802), an amphibian species native to eastern North America, is considered one of the 100 most harmful
invasive species in the world. Previous studies document several feral populations in the Amazon and Andean regions of Ecuador. However, only few adults have been
reported in the Coast region, despite some evidence suggesting its introduction 31 years ago. Using visual and auditory cues, we explored a 490-hectare wetland area
at Santay Island, a protected sanctuary and a Ramsar site on the Ecuadorian Coast. Bullfrogs were detected in seven out of 15 sampled ponds in all types of habitats
except for mangroves. The low abundance of adults and juveniles suggests a recently established population. This is the first record of a feral population inside
a protected area or Ramsar site in Ecuador. In accordance with the Ramsar Convention mission of preserving wetlands, we propose two strategies to manage bullfrogs
at Santay Island.
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Pritpal S. Soorae, Greta J. Frankham and Ahmed Ali Mohamed
The first record of the Asian common toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus Schneider, 1799 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (pp 434-443) |
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We report the first record of the Asian common toad Duttaphrynus melanostictus (Schneider, 1799) in Abu Dhabi emirate, United Arab Emirates and the Arabian Peninsula.
A total of six individuals were collected in 2016 from habitat within and immediately surrounding the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve (AWWR), a wetland near Abu Dhabi city.
The most likely introduction pathway is from accidental stowaways in containers and transport of plant products. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis confirmed the species
identification and based on comparison with recent phylogeographic studies found the individuals fell within the south-east Asian mainland lineage comprising toads from Cambodia,
China, Vietnam, Thailand and Northern Malaysia. The mtDNA haplotypes recovered from these individuals were novel and likely represent a previously unsampled populations
from this lineage. A public awareness campaign was carried out with relevant stakeholders around the reserve and follow up surveys are being carried out since 2016 and
no further individuals have been recorded during these surveys and it is assumed that this early intervention prevented D. melanostictus from establishing within the wetland.
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Kyo Soung Koo, Seoung-Min Park, Hee-Jin Kang, Hye-Rin Park, Jae Hyeok Choi, Joon-Seok Lee, Bong-Kyun Kim and Ha-Cheol Sung
New record of the non-native snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina (Linnaeus, 1758) in the wild of the Republic of Korea (pp 444-449) |
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Recent advances in transportation and expansion of the pet trade have increased the influx of non-native species into the Republic of Korea. Many of these non-native species have been introduced
into the wild through release by humans. The introduction of non-native species can cause ecosystem disturbances, as well as a variety of social and economic problems. On 20 March 2019,
a non-native turtle was found in a wet rice paddy and identified as a male snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina. The carapace length and body weight of the specimen were 32.3 cm
and 7.46 kg, respectively. The turtle was located underground, in a wet rice paddy and was hooked by tractors during plowing of the paddy. The closest reservoirs, where the turtle may have
inhabited previously, were located between 300 m and 640 m from the discovery site. The four nearby reservoirs were surveyed, but no turtles were found. If the snapping turtle can survive
in the wild of Korea, it would predate upon native species, thereby leading to negative impacts to the local ecosystem. Therefore, rapid responses, for example policy changes, are needed
to reduce risk caused by the introduction of non-native turtles, including Chelydra serpentina.
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