Invasive lionfish detected in estuaries in the northern Gulf of Mexico using environmental DNA

Whitaker, Justine M.; Brower, Amy L.; Janosik, Alexis M.

doi:10.1007/s10641-021-01177-6

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…However, some of these shallow habitats were near the mouths of mangrove-lined estuaries, and at least one sighting occurred adjacent to a large seagrass bed and inside the estuary. Considering the new records of lionfish in areas with suboptimal conditions and successful invasion in turbid water environments (Cure et al, 2014) including estuaries (Whitaker et al, 2021), this invasive species must be carefully monitored inside MPAs and in adjacent areas and habitats, including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and low-inflow estuaries on the Brazilian semiarid coast.…”

Section: And Also Inhabits Artificial Reefs In Other Areasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lionfish on the loose: Pterois invade shallow habitats in the tropical southwestern Atlantic

et al. 2022

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Lionfish (Pterois spp.) evolved in the Indo-Pacific with predators and prey and invaded regions (e.g., the Caribbean Sea and Mediterranean) where no such balance yet exists. In 2020, four lionfish were recorded on mesophotic reefs of the Amazon offshore Coast and Fernando de Noronha Archipelago. However, until now, there were no records of invasive lionfish in Brazilian nearshore waters or even such a high number of individuals. In this article, we report the continuing invasion process along the Brazilian Province by multiple sightings (72) of lionfish from March to May 2022 in estuaries, seagrass beds, and artificial and natural reefs across 240 km of the Brazilian coast. These are the first records of lionfish in coastal northeast Brazil and the shallowest records (1–16 m) from South Atlantic tropical waters. The largest simultaneous records of lionfish in breakwaters, fishing weirs, and marambaias (artificial reefs used as fishing grounds) on the Brazilian Northeastern coast indicate that these man-made structures are suitable habitats for this species. Most of the lionfish (58%) were recorded in artificial reefs and fishing weirs. Moreover, the detection of invasions in marginal reefs, estuaries, and two marine protected areas characterized by moderately turbid water and high sedimentation rates highlights the adaptability of the lionfish, making it extremely difficult for divers and fishers to capture them. We call for an urgent management plan considering that the invaded tropical region hosts a high level of endemism, and rare and/or cryptic taxa, which increases the risk of impacts since these are primary lionfish prey.

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Section: And Also Inhabits Artificial Reefs In Other Areasmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lionfish on the loose: Pterois invade shallow habitats in the tropical southwestern Atlantic

et al. 2022

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“…Anthropogenic impacts are causing species extinctions and population declines globally. − Molecular biology methods accelerate the pace at which vulnerable biological communities are characterized to inform conservation and ecosystem restoration efforts. , Environmental DNA (eDNA) sequencing and quantification complement conventional methods for assessing biodiversity and the distribution of invasive and ecologically important species in marine habitats. − However, the utility of eDNA methods hinges on understanding the factors that control the distribution and abundance of eDNA across spatiotemporal scales …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temperature Controls eDNA Persistence across Physicochemical Conditions in Seawater

McCartin

Vohsen

Ambrose

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Environmental DNA (eDNA) quantification and sequencing are emerging techniques for assessing biodiversity in marine ecosystems. Environmental DNA can be transported by ocean currents and may remain at detectable concentrations far from its source depending on how long it persist. Thus, predicting the persistence time of eDNA is crucial to defining the spatial context of the information derived from it. To investigate the physicochemical controls of eDNA persistence, we performed degradation experiments at temperature, pH, and oxygen conditions relevant to the open ocean and the deep sea. The eDNA degradation process was best explained by a model with two phases with different decay rate constants. During the initial phase, eDNA degraded rapidly, and the rate was independent of physicochemical factors. During the second phase, eDNA degraded slowly, and the rate was strongly controlled by temperature, weakly controlled by pH, and not controlled by dissolved oxygen concentration. We demonstrate that marine eDNA can persist at quantifiable concentrations for over 2 weeks at low temperatures (≤10 °C) but for a week or less at ≥20 °C. The relationship between temperature and eDNA persistence is independent of the source species. We propose a general temperature-dependent model to predict the maximum persistence time of eDNA detectable through single-species eDNA quantification methods.

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“…These approaches are now widely used to track invasive, at-risk, and rare organisms across a diversity of habitats (Ficetola et Due to the increasing interest in eDNA approaches for biodiversity monitoring, there are a growing number of species-speci c assays designed to detect and monitor marine species, including one for lion sh. Whitaker et al (2021) is the rst and only published PCR assay for the detection of lion sh P. volitans and P. miles based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene. However, the speci city of this assay is unveri ed, and the critical performance parameters limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quanti cation (LOQ) have not been established.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the speci city of this assay is unveri ed, and the critical performance parameters limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quanti cation (LOQ) have not been established. Here we evaluate the method of Whitaker et al (2021) and design and test a new qPCR TaqMan® probe-based assay targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) gene. We determine the speci city of these assays using tissues collected from 23 non-target species (primarily from the family Scorpaenidae) known to inhabit the western Atlantic and report LOD and LOQ for the new TaqMan® assay.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An optimized probe-based qPCR assay for monitoring invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) using environmental DNA

Viehl,

Khalid,

Greiner-Ferris

et al. 2024

Preprint

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The Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans is an invasive species in the western Atlantic. Since their introduction in Florida in the early 1980’s, populations have exploded with lionfish now found from North Carolina to Venezuela. As their range expands, these generalist predators threaten native fauna, and while they are primarily a marine species, their tolerance for low salinity conditions may allow them to expand into sensitive estuarine habitats undetected. Traditional approaches for tracking invasive species such as direct observation or trapping are impractical across large spatial scales making environmental DNA (eDNA) an attractive alternative. Currently, there is only one published PCR assay for the detection of lionfish eDNA. However, the specificity of this assay is unverified, and the critical performance parameters limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantification (LOQ) have not been established. Here we evaluate the specificity of the currently available lionfish assay, determined that it is not species-specific, and is likely to provide false negatives in the western Atlantic. As an alternative, we developed a new qPCR TaqMan probe-based assay that is species-specific for P. volitans and highly sensitive with a LOD of 12 copies per reaction and a LOQ of 598 copies per reaction. While our assay does not amplify the closely related P. miles, which is also invasive in the western Atlantic, the low prevalence of this species in the invasive population means our assay is effective for most monitoring purposes.

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Invasive lionfish detected in estuaries in the northern Gulf of Mexico using environmental DNA

Cited by 8 publications

References 68 publications

Lionfish on the loose: Pterois invade shallow habitats in the tropical southwestern Atlantic

Lionfish on the loose: Pterois invade shallow habitats in the tropical southwestern Atlantic

Temperature Controls eDNA Persistence across Physicochemical Conditions in Seawater

An optimized probe-based qPCR assay for monitoring invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) using environmental DNA

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