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Ordóñez, V.; Pascual, M.; Fernández-Tejedor, M.; Turon, X. (2016). When invasion biology meets taxonomy: Clavelina oblonga (Ascidiacea) is an old invader in the Mediterranean Sea. Biological Invasions. 18(4): 1203-1215.
230891
10.1007/s10530-016-1062-0 [view]
Ordóñez, V.; Pascual, M.; Fernández-Tejedor, M.; Turon, X.
2016
When invasion biology meets taxonomy: Clavelina oblonga (Ascidiacea) is an old invader in the Mediterranean Sea
Biological Invasions
18(4): 1203-1215
Publication
Available for editors [request]
Taxonomic issues often confound the
study of invasive species, which sometimes are
unrecognized as introduced in newly colonized areas.
Clavelina oblonga Herdman, 1880 is an abundant
ascidian species along the southeastern coast of the
United States and the Caribbean Sea. It was introduced
into the eastern Atlantic and Brazil decades ago. In the
Mediterranean Sea, a similar species had been
described as C. phlegraea Salfi 1929 and reported
from southern Italy and Corsica. In the last few years a
species of Clavelina has proliferated in the embayments
of the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean), a zone
of active bivalve culture industry where it has
smothered mussel spat, leading to economic loss.
We here report the morphological and genetic identity
of this species, synonymizing the Atlantic C. oblonga
and the Mediterranean C. phlegraea (the latter therefore
is a synonym of the former). Thus, C. oblonga has
existed in the Mediterranean for over 80 years, but
was known under a different name. We also found this
species in natural habitats in the Iberian Atlantic coast
close to the Strait of Gibraltar, raising concerns about
an ongoing expansion. In order to obtain information
relevant for management, we monitored growth,
reproductive cycles and settlement patterns of this
ascidian on bivalve cultures in the Ebro Delta. Its
biological cycles were markedly seasonal, with peak
abundance and reproduction during the warmest
months, followed by regression during the cold
season. The settlement period was short, mostly
concentrated in a single month each year. Avoidance
of mussel and oyster seeding during late summer and
early autumn can readily reduce the damage caused by
this species.
Gibraltar
Mediterranean Sea in general
Mediterranean Sea in general
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