Alien species of spionid polychaetes (Streblospio gynobranchiata and Polydora cornuta) in Izmir Bay, eastern Mediterranean

Abstract

The present study reports the occurrence of two exotic species of polychaetes in Izmir Bay, the eastern Mediterranean: Streblospio gynobranchiata, newly reported for the Mediterranean, and Polydora cornuta. Their establishment in the area is most probably transport by ballast water since these two species greatly dominated polluted muddy bottoms near and in Alsancak Harbour. The maximum density and biomass of S. gynobranchiata in the area were 34,270 ind m−2 and 9·4 g wwt m−2, and those of P. cornuta were 3170 ind m−2 and 2·1 g wwt m−2, respectively. These two species accounted for more than 60% of total faunal populations in the majority of samples collected in winter. Both species are capable of reproducing in the area both in summer and winter. The morphological, ecological and distributional characteristics of these species as well as their impacts on the prevailing ecosystem are analysed and discussed.

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

“…The size of Greek specimens was significantly greater than the maximum size of the Izmir Bay specimens, which were maximally 11.63 mm long, 0.80 mm wide and had 58 chaetigers (CINAR et al, 2005). Our specimens are also bigger than the maximum size of the specimens from the Spanish coast, measuring 14 mm long and 1,5 mm wide, and counting 46 setigers, (TENA et al, 1991).…”

Polychaetes and oligochaetes associated with intertidal rocky shores in a semi-enclosed industrial and urban embayment, with the description of two new species

“…Asc (1) Fve (2) Table 2 123 can proliferate in organically enriched and reduced sediments (Pearson and Rosenberg 1978;Villalba and Viéitez 1985;Grall and Glémarec 1997;Çinar et al 2005).…”

First record of Paraprionospio coora Wilson, 1990 (Polychaeta: Spionidae) from the Mediterranean Sea)

“…The occurrence of P. coora in the Mediterranean Sea indicates that this species has a wider distributional pattern than we know now. Spionid polychaetes are known to invade different zoogeographic regions as a result of their introduction via the ballast waters of ships (BASTROP et al, 1997;INAR et al, 2005INAR et al, , 2006INAR et al, , 2008DA LI & INAR, 2009) or the introduction of molluscs into coastal waters for further commercial cultivation (MORENO et al, 2006;RADASHEVSKY et al, 2006). P. coora may be included in alien species however, at present their alien status cannot be demonstrated based on scientific data except for their extensive geographical distribution.…”