Who’s Next? Non-Indigenous Cnidarian and Ctenophoran Species Approaching to the Italian Waters

Abstract

The aims of the present paper were to review the knowledge about the Mediterranean non-indigenous species of the taxa Cnidaria and Ctenophora (CC NIS), to screen the risk of 98 species for their potential invasiveness in the Mediterranean Sea and their approach to the Italian waters. Of these, 38% are well established in the basin, 4% are known for their invasiveness, 44% are casual, 11% have a taxonomic status unresolved, and 3% are included in the category ”cryptogenic”. The biodiversity CC NIS of the Mediterranean Sea has changed considerably in the last two decades and 27 out of 98 Mediterranean CC NIS are present in the Italian waters. Fifteen CC NIS, some equipped with high invasive potential, should be regarded as good candidates to become future immigrants of the Italian waters. Anticipatory NIS forecast based on biogeographical and ecological analyses may provide a useful tool for targeted management of the CC NIS issue and for the assessment of the second descriptor of Good Environmental Status. On the other hand, conservation and management of marine ecosystem should be based on the conservation of the essential environmental conditions for the functioning of these ecosystems instead of the contamination or eradication of alien species.

Jellyfish diversity, trends and patterns in Southwestern Mediterranean Sea: a citizen science and field monitoring alliance

“…The native distribution of Tunisian scyphozoans NIS follows the general trend observed in the Mediterranean Sea (Fig. 4) (except Adriatic) (Gravili and Rossi, 2021). On the other hand, the hydrozoans NIS patterns observed in TWM and TP ecoregion differ from the general trend in their respective biogeographic realm (Fig.…”

“…4). In fact, while hydrozoans NIS in the Western Mediterranean ecoregion are mainly native from the Central Indo-Pacific (24%) and Temperate Northern Atlantic (20%), Tunisia hydrozoans NIS are principally exhibiting a tropical Atlantic origin (C. mccradyi, E. paradoxica, E. mira, Fabienna oligonema) (Gravili and Rossi, 2021). The different patterns noticed between TWM and the Western Mediterranean Sea hydrozoan NIS might either be due to the investigation paucity in (Spalding et al, 2007) for biogeographic realms classifications).…”

“…The different patterns noticed between TWM and the Western Mediterranean Sea hydrozoan NIS might either be due to the investigation paucity in (Spalding et al, 2007) for biogeographic realms classifications). Data on native distribution were extracted from Gravili and Rossi (Gravili and Rossi, 2021). Species with only hydroid stage were excluded.…”

Long-term Monitoring of Carnivorous Gelatinous Macrozooplankton in the Area of Dubrovnik-Neretva County (Croatia)

“…Six alien species of Scyphozoa and Ctenophora are currently known to inhabit the Adriatic Sea [62]. According to Gravili and Rosi [34], fi fteen new species, some with high invasive potential, should be considered good candidates for future immigration into Italian waters.…”

The Portuguese Man-of-War Has Always Entered the Mediterranean Sea—Strandings, Sightings, and Museum Collections

“…About this latter aspect, it is well-known that zooplanktonic cnidarians, commonly named jellyfish, can generate serious wounds and poisoning to humans, and in some cases death (Burnett and Gable, 1989;Burke, 2002). However, since this gelatinous zooplankton is not usually targeted by fisheries and not easily surveyed or collected by research activities, data on dispersal and impact on human life are sometimes lacking (Condon et al, 2012;De Donno et al, 2014;Rossi et al, 2019;Gravili and Rossi, 2021). Hence, we cannot state with absolute certainty for several species that a general increase of their abundance is occurring or will occur in a specific region.…”