Protect the Natives to Combat the Aliens: Could Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 Be a Natural Agent for the Control of the Lionfish Invasion in the Mediterranean Sea?

Crocetta, Fabio; Shokouros-Oskarsson, Maria; Doumpas, Nikolaos; Giovos, Ioannis; Kalogirou, Stefanos; Langeneck, Joachim; Tanduo, Valentina; Tiralongo, Francesco; Virgili, Riccardo; Kleitou, Periklis

doi:10.3390/jmse9030308

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…In the Mediterranean, lionfish are mostly found on rocky substrata, followed by seagrass (Posidonia oceanica) meadows [51], and they are also able to occupy deep-water habitats [56] including Dendrophyllia ramea coral communities at 130-150 m depth [57]. The biological studies conducted in the Mediterranean have shown that lionfish have characteristics that are typical of invasive success such as early maturity, rapid growth rates, generalist predation behavior, lack of natural predators, and naïve prey [51,[58][59][60].…”

Section: Results Of the Lionfish Risk And Management Assessmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Case of Lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean Sea Demonstrates Limitations in EU Legislation to Address Marine Biological Invasions

Kleitou

Hall‐Spencer

Savva

et al. 2021

JMSE

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The European Regulation (EU) 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species entered into force in 2015, with the aim to fulfill regional and international biodiversity goals in a concerted manner. To date, the Regulation listed 66 Invasive Alien Species (IAS) that are subject to legal controls. Only one of these is marine. A recent lionfish (Pterois miles) invasion has been closely monitored in the Mediterranean and a detailed risk assessment was made about the profound impacts that this invasive fish is likely to have on the fisheries and biodiversity of the region. In 2016–21, lionfish rapidly became dominant predators along Eastern Mediterranean coasts, yet the process for their inclusion on the EU IAS list has been lengthy and is ongoing. There is an urgent need to learn from this experience. Here, we recommend improvements to the Regulation 1143/2014 and the risk assessment process to protect marine ecosystems and secure the jobs of people that rely on coastal resources.

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Section: Results Of the Lionfish Risk And Management Assessmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Case of Lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean Sea Demonstrates Limitations in EU Legislation to Address Marine Biological Invasions

Kleitou

Hall‐Spencer

Savva

et al. 2021

JMSE

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“…From a biodiversity conservation perspective, the creation of well‐enforced MPAs, that contribute to a higher predator density and size, has been suggested to potentially alleviate unregulated spreading of high potential species in the Mediterranean (see discussion in Bariche et al, 2013; Crocetta et al, 2021; Francour et al, 2010; Giakoumi, Pey, Franco, et al, 2019; Kennedy et al, 2002). Yet, additional management measures will need to be adopted also outside the MPAs’ boundaries (Giakoumi, Katsanevakis, et al, 2019; Iacarella et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…as opposed to maximum) IP, we suggest the complementary development of dispersal models (e.g. From a biodiversity conservation perspective, the creation of well-enforced MPAs, that contribute to a higher predator density and size, has been suggested to potentially alleviate unregulated spreading of high potential species in the Mediterranean (see discussion in Bariche et al, 2013;Crocetta et al, 2021;Francour et al, 2010;Giakoumi, Pey, Franco, et al, 2019;Kennedy et al, 2002).…”

Section: Climatic Range Shift In Eezsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Improving predictions of invasive fish ranges combining functional and ecological traits with environmental suitability under climate change scenarios

Schickele

Guidetti

Giakoumi

et al. 2021

Global Change Biology

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Biological invasions represent one of the main threats to marine biodiversity. From a conservation perspective, especially in the context of increasing sea warming, it is critical to examine the suitability potential of geographical areas for the arrival of Range-Expanding Introduced and Native Species (REINS), and hence anticipate the risk of such species to become invasive in their new distribution areas. Here, we developed an empirical index, based on functional and bio-ecological traits, that estimates the Invasive Potential (IP; i.e. the potential success in transport, introduction and population establishment) for a set of 13 fishes that are expanding their distributional range into the Mediterranean Sea, the most invaded sea in the world. The IP index showed significant correlation with the observed spreading of REINS. For the six species characterized by the highest IP, we calculated contemporary and future projections of their Environmental Suitability Index (ESI). By using an ensemble modelling approach, we estimated the geographical areas that are likely to be the most impacted by REINS spreading under climate change. Our results demonstrated the importance of functional traits related to reproduction for determining high invasion potential. For most species, we found high contemporary ESI values in the South-eastern Mediterranean Sea and low to intermediate contemporary ESI values in the Adriatic Sea and Northwestern Mediterranean sector. Moreover, we highlighted a major potential future expansion of high ESI values, and thus REINS IP, towards the northern Mediterranean, especially in the northern Adriatic Sea. This potential future northward expansion highlights the risk associated with climate-induced impacts on ecosystem conservation and fish stock management throughout the entire Mediterranean Sea.

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“…Multiple records of lionfish predation in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea were also reported for dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) in Turkey, Greece, and Lebanon, as well as one predation record by white grouper (Epinephelus aeneus) in Cyprus (Table 2C and Figure 3). There is also one new record of a common octopus consuming a live lionfish (Crocetta et al, 2021).…”

Section: Mediterranean Recordsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low Pufferfish and Lionfish Predation in Their Native and Invaded Ranges Suggests Human Control Mechanisms May Be Necessary to Control Their Mediterranean Abundances

Ulman¹,

Harris

Doumpas³

et al. 2021

Front. Mar. Sci.

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The silver-cheeked toadfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus, from the pufferfish family Tetraodontidae) and the Pacific red lionfish (Pterois miles, family Scorpaenidae) have recently invaded the Mediterranean Sea. Lagocephalus sceleratus has spread throughout this entire sea with the highest concentrations in the eastern basin, while more recently, Pterois miles has spread from the Eastern to the Central Mediterranean Sea. Their effects on local biodiversity and fisheries are cause for management concern. Here, a comprehensive review of predators of these two species from their native Indo-Pacific and invaded Mediterranean and Western Atlantic ranges is presented. Predators of Tetraodontidae in general were reviewed for their native Indo-Pacific and Western Atlantic ranges, as no records were found specifically for L. sceleratus in its native range. Tetraodontidae predators in their native ranges included mantis shrimp (Stomatopoda), lizardfish (Synodus spp.), tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris), sea snakes (Enhydrina spp.), catfish (Arius spp.), cobia (Rachycentron canadum), skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis), and common octopus (Octopus vulgaris). The only reported predator of adult L. sceleratus in the Mediterranean was loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta), whereas juvenile L. sceleratus were preyed by common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) and garfish (Belone belone). Conspecific cannibalism of L. sceleratus juveniles was also confirmed in the Mediterranean. Pufferfish predators in the Western Atlantic included common octopus, frogfish (Antennaridae), and several marine birds. Predators of all lionfish species in their native Indo-Pacific range included humpback scorpionfish (Scorpaenopsis spp.), bobbit worms (Eunice aphroditois), moray eels (Muraenidae), and bluespotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii). Lionfish predators in the Mediterranean included dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), white grouper (Epinephelus aeneus), common octopus, and L. sceleratus, whereas in the Western Atlantic included the spotted moray (Gymnothorax moringa), multiple grouper species (tiger Mycteroperca tigris, Nassau Epinephelus striatus, black Mycteroperca bonaci, red Epinephelus morio, and gag Mycteroperca microleps; Epinephelidae), northern red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus), greater amberjack (Seriola dumerilli), and nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum). The sparse data found on natural predation for these species suggest that population control via predation may be limited. Their population control may require proactive, targeted human removals, as is currently practiced with lionfish in the Western Atlantic.

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Protect the Natives to Combat the Aliens: Could Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 Be a Natural Agent for the Control of the Lionfish Invasion in the Mediterranean Sea?

Abstract: Biological invasions constitute a major threat to native ecosystems and to global biodiversity [...]

Cited by 13 publications

References 51 publications

The Case of Lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean Sea Demonstrates Limitations in EU Legislation to Address Marine Biological Invasions

The Case of Lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean Sea Demonstrates Limitations in EU Legislation to Address Marine Biological Invasions

Improving predictions of invasive fish ranges combining functional and ecological traits with environmental suitability under climate change scenarios

Low Pufferfish and Lionfish Predation in Their Native and Invaded Ranges Suggests Human Control Mechanisms May Be Necessary to Control Their Mediterranean Abundances

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