Percnon gibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) and Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1896) in the Ligurian Sea: two additional invasive species detections made in collaboration with local fishermen

Abstract

Lionfishes are conspicuous and disruptive predators once introduced outside of their native range. Here we provide a revision of the occurrences of the common lionfish Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828) in the Mediterranean Sea, showing its rapid geographical expansion since 2012. A single lionfish was photographed in September 2016 during a scientific survey off the Vendicari coast, Southern Sicily, Italy. This is the first record of this notorious invasive species from Italian waters. Given its large size, conspicuous appearance, and venomous spines, it is critical to involve informed citizen scientists in tracking the spread of this species and to develop means to manage or adapt to its presence in the Mediterranean Basin.

The Mediterranean in check: Biological invasions in a changing sea

“…Generally, the invasion of penaeids through the Suez Canal led to the rise of a lucrative industry for Levantine fisheries (Galil, 2007). Percon gibbesi and Callinectes sapidus are two invasive crustaceans which seem to be strong competitors of native crabs, feeding on native bivalves (Boudouresque, Klein, Ruitton, & Verlaque, 2011; Suaria et al, 2017) that can be used for human consumption as well. Other AS introduced by aquaculture facilities include the Asia Pacific Coast native oyster Crassostrea gigas and the Philippine carpet shell Ruditapes philippinarum , causing the drastic decline of the native species O. edulis and Ruditapes decussatus , respectively (Zwerschke et al, 2018).…”

Using online questionnaires to assess marine bio-invasions: A demonstration with recreational fishers and the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1986) along three Mediterranean countries

“…In this study, we questioned recreational fishers about a conspicuous alien crustacean, which has the characteristics to capture people's attention and be easily remembered by the respondents: the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun, 1986). The Atlantic blue crab is a shelf-estuarine species originally distributed in the Eastern coasts of North America, which was introduced in Europe through ballast waters (Bouvier, 1901;Mancinelli et al, 2017a), where it progressively expanded from the Atlantic area, to the Mediterranean and the Black Seas (Mancinelli et al 2017b;Suaria et al, 2017). Despite local evidences highlighting competitive interactions with native species (Gennaio et al, 2006;Mancinelli et al, 2013) and impacts on smallscale fisheries (Fuentes et al, 2019;Kampouris et al, 2019;Nehring, 2011;Perdikaris et al, 2016;Ventura et al, 2018), the ecological and economic consequences of this invasion have been poorly assessed and our understanding of the species distribution is largely limited to occasional observations (Mancinelli et al, 2017c.…”

“…Despite local evidences highlighting competitive interactions with native species (Gennaio et al, 2006;Mancinelli et al, 2013) and impacts on smallscale fisheries (Fuentes et al, 2019;Kampouris et al, 2019;Nehring, 2011;Perdikaris et al, 2016;Ventura et al, 2018), the ecological and economic consequences of this invasion have been poorly assessed and our understanding of the species distribution is largely limited to occasional observations (Mancinelli et al, 2017c. ;Suaria et al, 2017). Here we engaged a large number of recreational fishers over the Tyrrhenian, Ligurian, Ionian and Adriatic Seas, aiming at investigating i) the geographical distribution of C. sapidus in Italy, Croatia and Montenegro; ii) its perceived abundance and trend; iii) the perceived impacts.…”

New record of the non-indigenous crab Percnongibbesi (H. Milne Edwards, 1853) from Palagruža archipelago (Adriatic Sea)

“…UNGARO & PAS-TORELLI (2015) already reported on the finding of Percnon gibbesi from the area of Bari (Italy, southern Adriatic) and multiple occurrences have been reported for the northern areas of the Ionian Sea (see SUARIA et al, 2017 and references therein). Up to date, northernmost occurrences of P. gibbesi in the Mediterranean Sea has recently been reported by SUARIA et al (2017) for the Ligurian Sea.…”

“…It is a widely distributed species, its range extending from California to Chile, Florida to Brazil, and Madeira to the Gulf of Guinea (MANNING & HOLTHUIS, 1981). It was first recorded in the Mediterranean Sea in 1999 from the island of Linosa (Strait of Sicily) (RELINI et al 2000) and has subsequently spread throughout the Mediterranean Sea (SUARIA et al, 2017). Its mode of introduction is unclear with proposed mechanisms of introduction such as migration through Strait of Gibraltar by larval drift or by accidental releases from the aquarium trade or other shipping related activities (YOKES & GALIL, 2006).…”