Checklist of Cnidaria and Ctenophora from the coasts of Turkey

Abstract

This paper presents the actual status of species diversity of the phyla Cnidaria and Ctenophora along the Turkish coasts of the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara, the Aegean Sea, and the Levantine Sea. A total of 195 cnidarian species belonging to 5 classes (Hydrozoa, Cubozoa, Scyphozoa, Staurozoa, and Anthozoa) have been determined in these regions. Eight anthozoan species (Arachnanthus oligopodus, Bunodactis rubripunctata, Bunodeopsis strumosa, Corynactis viridis, Halcampoides purpureus, Sagartiogeton lacerates, Sagartiogeton undatus, and Pachycerianthus multiplicatus) are reported for the first time as elements of the Turkish marine fauna in the present study. The highest number of cnidarian species (121 species) was reported from the Aegean Sea, while the lowest (17 species) was reported from the Black Sea. The hot spot areas for cnidarian diversity are the Prince Islands, İstanbul Strait, İzmir Bay, and Datça Peninsula, where relatively intensive scientific efforts have been carried out. Regarding ctenophores, 7 species are distributed along the Turkish coasts, 5 of which were reported from the Black Sea. A total of 16 alien cnidarian and 2 ctenophore species were determined in the regions. Two species (Sagartiogeton laceratus and Pachycerianthus multiplicatus) are new alien species for the Mediterranean Sea and could have been introduced to the northern part of the Sea of Marmara and İskenderun Bay, areas from which these species are recorded, by ships from the North-East Atlantic.

On the occurrence of blue button, Porpita porpita (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from Levantine coast of Turkey

“…So, a large number of new jellyfish have been reported from the Mediterranean and the Aegean coast of Turkey in recent years as well (Çevik et al, 2006;Turan et al, 2010;Brotz and Pauly, 2012;Gürlek et al, 2013;Çınar et al, 2014;Ergüden et al, 2014;Onmuş et al, 2016;Gülşahin et al, 2016). 195 cnidarian species has been reported from 5 classes (Hydrozoa, Cubozoa, Scyphozoa, Straurozoa and Anthozoa) at Turkish coasts in 2014 and some of them were alien (Çınar et al, 2014).…”

“…The species is identified and there is no new record of it from Turkish coasts. There is only a very old record of this species from Lycia shore in February 1842 as Porpita glandifera (Forbes, 1844;Çınar et al, 2014).…”

The alien ascidian Styela clava now invading the Sea of Marmara (Tunicata: Ascidiacea)

“…The former species is known also to be an alien species, probably transferred to the area by shipping from the north-east Atlantic (Çinar et al 2014). Lützen (1999) reported various epibionts on Styela clava in the North Sea, from tufts of red or green algae to ascidians including smaller specimens of the same species as well as Ascidiella aspersa (Müller, 1776) and Botryllus schlosseri (Pallas, 1766).…”

First Record of Porpita porpita LINNAEUS, 1758 (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) on the Syrian Coast of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

“…The Hydrozoa class contains approximately 3800 species worldwide, while the Mediterranean hydrozoa comprises about 457 species, which represents about 12% of the worldwide Hydrozoa species ([4], [5], [6], [7]). The biodiversity of the Mediterranean hydrozoa is changing dramatically, and many new species have been noticed and documented in recent years, especially, in the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Levantine) ( [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15]).…”