New contributions to the jellyfish fauna of the Marmara Sea

Abstract

This manuscript deals with the first records of five jellyfish species in the Marmara Sea (Turkey) of previously unrecorded medusozoan species (four hydrozoan taxa, Liriope tetraphylla, Aglaura hemistoma, Solmundella bitentaculata, Neoturris pileata, and one scyphozoan, Paraphyllina ransoni) from plankton collections made in the years [2001][2002][2003][2004][2005][2006][2007][2008]. Jellyfish abundances and distribution patterns are reported here, with a discussion about their possible introduction pathways and potential predatory outcomes into the fragile pelagic ecosystem of the Marmara Sea.

New records of jellyfish species in the Marmara Sea

“…and climate change enhanced jellyfish blooms all over the world (Purcell et al 2007;Richardson et al 2009). The Marmara Sea has deteriorated significantly over recent decades, particularly in coastal areas, due to the impact of rapid economic development, increased population and the associated consequences of habitat loss, eutrophication, pollution and overfishing (Zengin & Mutlu 2000;Morkoç et al 2001;Isinibilir et al 2010;Isinibilir Okyar et al 2015). In recent years, the warning signs of ecological deterioration, such as algal blooms, mucilage events and jellyfish blooms have increased significantly in Marmara Sea (Isinibilir 2012;Turkoglu 2013;Isinibilir Okyar et al 2015;Yılmaz 2014).…”

“…Following the study by Isinibilir et al (2010), where an up-to-date Cnidaria and Ctenophora list for the region was presented, the reporting of four new Cnidarian jellyfish species might be taken as an indicator of the increasing jellyfish risk in the Marmara Sea. The consequences of the recent Liriope tetraphylla blooms in 2006 and 2007, following the species' first sighting in 2005, have been claimed to cause significant impacts on the functioning of the planktonic ecosystem (Isinibilir et al 2010;Yılmaz 2014). Similarly, the increasing abundance of Discomedusa lobata in 2013 might be an indicator of a new successful settlement of a jellyfish species in the region and also that the species might play a more significant role in the pelagic food web in the near future.…”

“…In addition, they show different impacts in different regions of the world oceans, as demonstrated by Mnemiopsis leidyi; a harmless North Atlantic species, causing cascading effects in the perturbed Black Sea ecosystem (Shiganova 1998). A small hydrozoan, Liriope tetraphylla, had invaded the Marmara Sea in -2007(Isinibilir et al 2010) and caused significant alterations in the pelagic realm, following the abundance of the species surpassed over 3000 ind. m −3 (Yılmaz 2014).…”

Changes in abundance and community structure of the zooplankton population during the 2008 mucilage event in the northeastern Marmara Sea

“…In conclusion, the Marmara Sea in recent years has been undergoing profound changes, mostly due to excessive fishing, increasing eutrophication, and the introduction and bloom of jellyfish species that strongly impact the zooplankton communities (Zengin and Mutlu, 2000;Morkoç et al, 2001;Yılmaz, 2008;Isinibilir et al, 2010). Furthermore, the massive mucilage event that occurred in 2007-2008 has caused significant shifts in zooplankton abundance and community structure.…”

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“…The number of new records in this Sea is still being increasing (Isinibilir et al, 2010;. The copepod Acartia tonsa Dana, 1849, the ctenophores Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz, 1865, Beroe ovata Bruguiere, 1789, Liriope tetraphylla Chamisso and Eysenhardt, 1821 (Isinibilir, 2012;Isinibilir et al, 2010;2011) were the most probably brought into the Sea of Marmara by different vectors of introduction.…”