An updated overview of the marine alien and cryptogenic species from the Egadi Islands Marine Protected Area (Italy)

Abstract

An updated overview of the marine alien and cryptogenic species recorded in the Egadi Islands Marine Protected Area (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy), based on relevant publications, grey literature and unpublished data, is presented and discussed. Altogether, 17 species (14 aliens and 3 cryptogenic) belonging to five taxa are present in the area: Rhodophyta (Antithamnionella elegans, Asparagopsis armata, Asparagopsis taxiformis, Bonnemaisonia hamifera, Botryocladia madagascariensis, Ceramium strobiliforme, Laurencia caduciramulosa, Lophocladia lallemandii, Neosiphonia harveyi, Womersleyella setacea), Chlorophyta (Caulerpa cylindracea and Caulerpa taxifolia), Mollusca (Aplysia dactylomela), Arthropoda (Percnon gibbesi) and Cordata (Fistularia commersonii, Kyphosus vaigiensis and Stephanolepis diaspros). The overall Mediterranean presence of one further taxon recorded from the area, Zygochlamys patagonica (Mollusca), is here confuted since recent findings of living specimens with certain data are missing. One loose valve of BPinctada imbricata radiata (Mollusca)^ was found in 2010 at Favignana, but we did not include it in the list of alien species, pending further finding of living or dead specimens. Unpublished distributional data are reported for someof these species, and their known distribution in the Aegadian Archipelago is mapped. Records of P. gibbesi (a conspicuous number of specimens) constitute the first for the archipelago. All the species included in the present paper were recorded after the Egadi Islands Marine Protected Area was established, with the first record dating back to 2000. This is presumably due to the recent increase in research programs on marine reserves. Finally, we provide the establishment status of all the recorded species updated to 2015, and discuss why unaided spread (whether alien or native) and/or transport-stowaway constitute the more plausible vectors of introduction

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

“…This is because these are both poorly studied taxa in the Mediterranean owing to a lack of taxonomic expertise/focused studies. Additionally, typical rapid assessment surveys or citizen science initiatives searching for NIS usually target larger and eye-catching taxa ( Zenetos et al, 2013 ; Mannino et al, 2017 ), so these minuscule or less charismatic components of fouling biota may have gone previously overlooked or not have had the applicable expertise available.…”

“…Most records of NIS in the Mediterranean Sea originate from occasional or casual findings, while only a few monitoring programs thus far have specifically targeted Mediterranean marine NIS, mainly addressing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs, Mannino et al, 2017 ), commercial harbors ( López-Legentil et al, 2015 ), or aquaculture sites ( Verlaque, 2001 ). Recreational marinas have not yet been systematically surveyed in the Mediterranean, despite the recent international literature indicating they are important hubs for new species introduction and secondary spreading events ( Acosta & Forrest, 2009 ; Floerl et al, 2009 ; Clarke-Murray, Pakhamov & Therriault, 2011 ; Ashton, Davidson & Ruiz, 2014 ).…”

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (November, 2016)

“…Although this sabellid has already been found in Sicily, the specimens examined represent the first record of B. bairdi in the Aegadian Archipelago (Mannino et al, 2016), as well as in the Italian part of the Strait of Sicily. The introduction of B. bairdi to Favignana Island could be associated with vessels mainly, given that the areas of interest are close to Favignana harbour, which is characterised by intense maritime traffic.…”

Uncertainties and validation of alien species catalogues: The Mediterranean as an example

“…However, published identifications were never confirmed by molecular and/or anatomical data, and therefore remain all highly doubtful. The past presence of Zygochlamys patagonica (King, 1832) in the Mediterranean is now considered as very doubtful, as Mannino et al (2016) have excluded the records from the Alboran Sea and Italy since it is not sure if all Mediterranean records were based on discards in the field of dead specimens imported with shrimps (some presumably even with soft parts), or if specimens obtained 'from fishermen' may refer to trawlings from the Atlantic by fleets based only in the Mediterranean Sea.…”