Distribution of Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman & Procaccini in the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

The Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman & Procaccini has been reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea along the coast of South Turkey. This NIS is actively expanding into the Eastern and Western Mediterranean Sea. In this paper, we present an overview of the current distribution of this alga in the Mediterranean Sea, based on relevant scientific publications, grey literature and personal observations. New records from the Sicilian coast (Italy) are also reported. Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla was found over a wide range of environmental conditions (depth, light and substratum), suggesting a broad ecological plasticity of this alga which makes it a potential threat for the Mediterranean benthic communities. In this respect, artificial structures, often linked to harbours and maritime traffic, seem to provide suitable habitats for this NIS. Since maritime traffic is intense in the Mediterranean Sea, further expansion of C. taxifolia var. distichophylla in this region is to be expected. For this reason, it is very important to build up an overview on the current distribution of the species and its possible pattern of colonisation in relation to environmental conditions, as well as in view of future climate change scenarios.

Current limitations and future prospects of detection and biomonitoring of NIS in the Mediterranean Sea through environmental DNA

“…Consistent biological records can provide a better understanding of the distribution of marine species, their expansion range, and the arrival of new NIS in the Mediterranean basin (Mannino et al 2019;Bariche et al 2020). A promising approach for the identification of species and biomonitoring of ecosystems is the use of molecular tools such as DNA barcoding, metabarcoding and environmental DNA (Pawlowski et al 2018;Specchia et al 2020;Pinna et al 2021;Tzafesta et al 2021).…”

Tracking Marine Alien Macroalgae in the Mediterranean Sea: The Contribution of Citizen Science and Remote Sensing

“…All of the five selected papers (hereafter referred to as the cases), were related to the monitoring of three invasive Caulerpa taxa, Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder (along the Sicilian and Ligurian coasts, in the western Mediterranean), Caulerpa taxifolia (M. Vahl) C. Agardh (Spanish, French, Italian and Croatian coasts) and Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman and Procaccini (along the Maltese coasts, in the central Mediterranean) in the Mediterranean Sea [19,[52][53][54][55][56][57][58] (Figure 1). All the Caulerpa taxa showed invasive behavior with significant impacts on the native communities.…”

Possible Interactions between Invasive Caulerpa Taxa and Native Macrozoobenthos: The Case Study of Favignana Island

“…The Mediterranean Sea is particularly vulnerable to NIS introduction [1,2], and in recent decades, there has been a rapid increase (estimated to be eight species per year for the whole Mediterranean basin) of NIS with an expansion of tropical and sub-tropical species. The Sicilian islands (the Central Mediterranean Sea, Italy) and all the Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) they host are notably prone to marine biological invasions, due to their strategic position at the crossroads between the South Western and Eastern Mediterranean Sea, by virtue of the intense maritime traffic skirting the region and Lessepsian migrations [3][4][5][6][7][8].…”

“…Amongst the NIS recorded in the Mediterranean Sea, Chlorophyta species belonging to the Caulerpa genus (Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder, Caulerpa taxifolia (M. Vahl) C. Agardh and Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman and Procaccini), which have raised serious concerns due to their potential or ascertained impact on native communities, are actually considered IAS [8][9][10].…”