The first confirmed record of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Decapoda, Brachyura) from Maltese waters

Deidun, Alan; Galdies, Johann; Marrone, Alessio; Sciberras, Arnold; Zava, Bruno; Corsini-Foka, Maria; Gianguzza, Paola

doi:10.3391/bir.2022.11.1.24

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Compared to the baseline updated in 2017 [ 36 ] and the subsequent updates from the literature, a total of 10 new non-native species were detected, six in Italy and four in Malta, seven of which were alien sensu MSFD criteria. One of these species, the crab Callinectes sapidus , was then recorded in Malta about two years after [ 96 ] the interviews in one of the locations indicated by the respondents (4 km from the southeast end of the site MT0000105), confirming the results of the LEK activity on this species. The occurrence of the fish Upeneus pori caught in 2018 near the site MT0000102 as reported by a Maltese fisher, was confirmed three years later [ 97 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…The removal will not manage to eradicate these highly invasive species but, if carried out systematically, will slow down their spread and allow for cost-effective population control. If no action is taken, in addition to a numerical increase in the population locally, the species in question are expected to expand westwards, as has already been the case for other Lessepsian species (e.g., Portunus segnis , Fistularia commersonii , Lagocephalus sceleratus , and Parexocoetus mento ), either spontaneously or transported through maritime traffic [ 96 , 109 , 110 , 111 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Using Local Ecological Knowledge to Search for Non-Native Species in Natura 2000 Sites in the Central Mediterranean Sea: An Approach to Identify New Arrivals and Hotspot Areas

Perzia,

Cillari,

Crociata

et al. 2023

Biology

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The management of biological invasions is among the most urgent of global challenges and requires a significant monitoring effort to obtain the information needed to take the appropriate decisions. To complement standard monitoring, citizen science is increasingly being used. Within citizen science, the approach of collecting and investigating Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) proved to be useful in the monitoring of non-native species. A LEK survey was carried out in 10 Sicilian and Maltese Natura 2000 sites in order to help in the early detection of non-native species. The survey was addressed to local fishers and SCUBA divers in order to investigate the occurrence of 24 selected marine non-native species and to identify potential hotspot areas of invasion through the use of six indicators: the occurrence of newly introduced nonindigenous species, the cumulative impacts of invasive alien species (CIMPAL) and the relative importance of species on the cumulative impacts (D1, D2, D3, and D4). The respondents confirmed the presence of 22 species since the year 2000 and reported 10 new ones registered in the investigated areas. The highest CIMPAL value was observed in two Sicilian Natura 2000 sites (ITA090028 and ITA040014) and the lowest on the western coast of Malta (MT0000101, MT0000102, MT0000103, and MT0000104) The four top-priority species according to indicators D1–D4 were Caulerpa cylindracea, C. taxifolia, Siganus luridus and S. rivulatus. The study produced a valid and useful scientific output to suggest and address management strategies to monitor the establishment of the non-native species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 63%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Local Ecological Knowledge to Search for Non-Native Species in Natura 2000 Sites in the Central Mediterranean Sea: An Approach to Identify New Arrivals and Hotspot Areas

Perzia,

Cillari,

Crociata

et al. 2023

Biology

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“…It has almost equal and deeply forked caudal fin in contrast to Tylosurus acus which has lower lobe of caudal fin prominently elongated. According to these characters, it is clear that the specimens recorded from Malta in 2021 (Deidun et al, 2021) were misidentification of T. acus. It is possible that the lateral bands play a misleading role in determining the species.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was first reported in the Mediterranean from Israel in 2019 (Golani, 2019). It was subsequently reported from the Syrian coast (Alshawy et al, 2019), in 2021 from Lebanon (Tsagarakis et al, 2021) and in 2021 erroneously reported from Malta (Deidun et al, 2021).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Expansion of the flat needlefish Ablennes hians (Valenciennes, 1846) distribution in the eastern Mediterranean

Irmak

Özden

2023

Acta Adriat. (Online)

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“…Previous references to alien blue crab species in Malta show the presence of Portunus segnis, which was first recorded in Malta in 1972 [28,29]. The first published record of C. sapidus in Malta was through a specimen collected in July 2021 [30], which was caught around 25 km away and almost a year after the current reported record. Moreover, the currently analysed specimens were two ovigerous females, indicating that this species is reproducing in Maltese waters.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

New Records of Callinectes sapidus (Crustacea, Portunidae) from Malta and the San Leonardo River Estuary in Sicily (Central Mediterranean)

et al. 2023

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The current study provides new data on the known records of the Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896, from the Maltese Islands through two ovigerous female specimens collected from Salini (Malta), a Natura 2000 site, in August 2020. Additional new records of the species were also presented from the San Leonardo River estuary, Syracuse (Sicily, Italy), in August 2022. The specimens collected from both Malta and Sicily were identified using both morphological and molecular analyses. The latter has shown that all the specimens analysed share their mitochondrial DNA barcode region with the most recorded haplotype of the same species from the Mediterranean Sea. Knowing the new distribution and range expansion records of alien species is important for the continuous monitoring of marine alien species, which is essential for the implementation of the best possible mitigation measures. This is especially relevant for C. sapidus, as it is considered one of the worst invaders of the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, given that this alien species is edible, fishing for it may allow some control over its population size and further expansion. Knowing its distribution is crucial to inform fishers about its exact location, making such a mitigation measure more effective.

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The first confirmed record of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 (Decapoda, Brachyura) from Maltese waters

Cited by 5 publications

References 0 publications

Using Local Ecological Knowledge to Search for Non-Native Species in Natura 2000 Sites in the Central Mediterranean Sea: An Approach to Identify New Arrivals and Hotspot Areas

Using Local Ecological Knowledge to Search for Non-Native Species in Natura 2000 Sites in the Central Mediterranean Sea: An Approach to Identify New Arrivals and Hotspot Areas

Expansion of the flat needlefish Ablennes hians (Valenciennes, 1846) distribution in the eastern Mediterranean

New Records of Callinectes sapidus (Crustacea, Portunidae) from Malta and the San Leonardo River Estuary in Sicily (Central Mediterranean)

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