New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (July 2016)

This contribution forms part of a series of collective articles published regularly in Mediterranean Marine Science that report on new biodiversity records from the Mediterranean basin. The current article presents 51 geographically distinct records for 21 taxa belonging to 6 Phyla, extending from the western Mediterranean to the Levantine. The new records, per country, are as follows: Spain: the cryptogenic calcareous sponge Paraleucilla magna is reported from a new location in the Alicante region. Algeria: the rare Atlanto-Mediterranean bivalve Cardium indicum is reported from Annaba. Tunisia: new distribution records for the Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois miles from Zembra Island and Cape Bon. Italy: the ark clam Anadara transversa is reported from mussel cultures in the Gulf of Naples, while the amphipod Caprella scaura and the isopods Paracerceis sculpta and Paranthura japonica are reported as associated to the –also allochthonous–bryozoan Amathia verticillata in the Adriatic Sea; in the latter region, the cosmopolitan Atlantic tripletail Lobotes surinamensisis also reported, a rare finding for the Mediterranean. Slovenia: a new record of the non-indigenous nudibranch Polycera hedgpethi in the Adriatic. Greece: several new reports of the introduced scleractinian Oculina patagonica, the fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina, the blunthead puffer Sphoeroides pachygaster (all Atlantic), and the lionfish Pterois miles (Indo-Pacific) suggest their ongoing establishment in the Aegean Sea; the deepest bathymetric record of the invasive alga Caulerpa cylindracea in the Mediterranean Sea is also registered in the Kyklades, at depths exceeding 70 m. Turkey: new distribution records for two non indigenous crustaceans, the blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Atlantic origin) and the moon crab Matuta victor (Indo-Pacific origin) from the Bay of Izmir and Antalya, respectively; in the latter region, the Red Sea goatfish Parupeneus forsskali, is also reported. Lebanon: an array of records of 5 alien and one native Mediterranean species is reported by citizen-scientists; the Pacific jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata and the Indo-Pacific teleosteans Tylerius spinosissimus, Ostracion cubicus, and Lutjanus argentimaculatus are reported from the Lebanese coast, the latter notably being the second record for the species in the Mediterranean Sea since 1977; the native sand snake-eel Ophisurus serpens, rare in the eastern Mediterranean, is reported for the first time from Lebanon, this being its easternmost distribution range; finally, a substantial number of sightings of the lionfish Pterois miles further confirm the current establishment of this lessepsian species in the Levantine

New mediterranean biodiversity records (November, 2016)

This Collective Article presents information on 26 taxa belonging to 8 Phyla and extending from the western Mediterranean to the Levantine Sea. The new records were found in 9 countries as follows: Spain: first record for the Mediterranean of the crab Cancer bellianus; Algeria: further records of the alien fish Lagocephalus sceleratus in western Algerian waters; Italy: first report on the presence and establishment of the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in Lessina and Varano Lagoons (W. Adriatic) and of Penaeus aztecus in Corigliano Gulf (Italian Ionian). Moreover, the extension of the distribution range of the polychaete Branchiomma bairdi to W. Sicily as well as that of the crab Ocypode cursor and the bryozoan Catenicella paradoxa to E. Sicily are cited. Slovenia: the record of the rare saccoglossan gastropod Placida cremoniana from Piran (Gulf of Trieste) is the first for the Adriatic; Greece: the native sea slug Eubranchus farrani is the first from the Eastern Mediterranean; many sightings of the bamboo corals Isididae distributed along all the E. Ionian Sea and the establishment of P. aztecus in all Greek waters are also reported for first time; the westernmost extension of the alien urchin Diadema setosum in Cretan waters is cited and new sightings of the alien species Goniobranchus annulatus and Pterois miles are presented. Turkey: the alien fish Champsodon capensis is reported for first time from the Aegean Sea and the native acari Agauopsis microrhyncha from the Levantine Sea; a new observation of the alien crab Atergatis roseus in Güllük Bay-Aegean is also mentioned; Cyprus: first records of the alien urchin D. setosum and Lobotes surinamensis in Cypriot waters; Lebanon: several sightings of Monachus monachus from Lebanese waters indicate a potential better status for the species in the area; Egypt: first records of the alien crab Dorippe quadridens and the alien gastropods Nerita sanguinolenta and Conomurex persicus from the Mediterranean Egyptian waters; extension of the distribution range of Diodora funiculata and Diodora rueppellii and a second record of the alien Fulvia fragilis in the same area

Flore vasculaire rare et endémique de la péninsule de l'Edough (Nord-Est algérien)

En ambiance méditerranéenne, la péninsule de l'Edough (Nord-Est algérien) abrite un cortège appréciable d'espèces rares d'intérêt biogéographique. Ces espèces sont d'autant plus vulnérables et menacées, que leurs habitats y subissent les assauts répètes d'une perturbation anthropique dans un contexte de réchauffement climatique, d'ou elles tiennent leur valeur patrimoniale. Aussi leur conservation nécessite la réalisation d'inventaires floristiques dont dépend l'efficacité de toute mesure conservatoire. Dans cette optique, la diversité floristique de la péninsule de l'Edough, a révèle l'existence de 394 taxons appartenant à 91 familles et 276 genres. Les résultats présentes dans ce travail concernent uniquement les plantes endémiques, rares ou menacées. La catégorie des rares représente 7.86 % de la flore étudiée, soit 31 taxons, et 2.53 % des espèces sont très rares (soit 10 taxons). Dans la péninsule de l'Edough, nous avons dénombre 24 espèces endémiques dont 22 espèces sont endémiques du Maghreb, et 2 espèces sont strictement endémiques de l'Algérie.Mots clés: Flore vasculaire - Péninsule de l 'Edough - Conservation - Inventaire floristique - Endémique. In Mediterranean atmosphere, the Edough peninsula (North-East Algeria) houses a significant procession of rare species of biogeographical interest. These species are more vulnerable and endangered, as their habitats will suffer repeated attacks of anthropogenic disturbance in the context of global warming, they take their heritage value. Conservation also requires the completion of floristic inventories upon which the effectiveness of any measure. In this context, the floristic diversity of the Edough peninsula, revealed 394 taxa belonging to 91 families and 276 genera. The results presented in this work concern only endemic plants, rare or endangered. The category represents 7.86% of rare flora study, 31 taxa, and 2.53% of the species are very rare (10 taxa). In the Edough peninsula, we counted 24 species including 22 endemic species are endemic to Maghreb, and two species are strictly endemic to Algeria. Keywords: Vascular flora - Edough peninsula - Conservation - Floristic inventory - Endemic

Do scattered white spots in the duodenum mark a specific gastrointestinal pathology?

OBJECTIVE: To discover whether scattered white spots (SWS) in the duodenum are related to a specific kind of disease. We also scrutinized other upper endoscopic findings which might be associated with SWS. METHODS: Among the patients who were admitted for upper gastrointestinal system endoscopy, those having the endoscopic appearance of SWS in duodenum were enrolled in this study. In total 107 patients [70 women, 37 men, mean age: 51.6 ± 16.88 years (range: 17-82 years)] were included. At least three duodenal biopsies were taken from each patient and histopathological examinations were done by experienced pathologists. RESULTS: The histopathological examination revealed that 39 (36.4%) patients had intestinal lymphangiectasia (IL), 15 (14%) patients had giardiasis (G) and 30 (28.1%) patients had chronic non-specific duodenitis (CD). Two patients with IL were also found to have G. Twenty patients had both IL and CD. One had both G and CD. G was the least common etiology for SWS in the duodenum. The most common reasons for SWS in the duodenum in this study group were IL and CD, in order of decreasing frequency. There was no significant relationship with the other upper endoscopic findings in all these patients. CONCLUSION: Histopathological examinations should be provided for each patient with SWS in the duodenum to assess the etiology. © 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology and Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (July 2017)

This Collective Article presents information on 37 taxa belonging to 6 Phyla and extending from the western Mediterranean to the Levantine Sea. The new records were found in 10 countries as follows: Algeria: first reports on the presence of the fish species Lesueurigobius sanzi, L. friesii, L. suerii and Luvarus imperiali; France: first record of the alien nudibranch Godiva quadricolor; Italy: first record of an adult-sized red emperor snapper Lutjanus sebae from the southern Tyrrhenian Sea; first record of the pantropical rhodophyte Chondria curvilineata and the Lessepsian fish Siganus luridus from southern Sicily; record of a large pregnant female Dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus off Sicily; Albania: first record of the fish Ruvettus pretiosus, new records of the alien molluscs Conomurex persicus, Bursatella leachii, Dendostrea cf. folium, Fulvia fragilis and Ruditapes philippinarum and additional report of the alien bivalve Pinctada imbricata radiata; Montenegro: first record of the sea slug Thecacera pennigera in the Adriatic Sea; Greece: first record of the invasive calcarean sponge Paraleucilla magna in Greek waters; occupancy estimation of the established cryptogenic rhodophyte Ganonema farinosum, the alien crustacean Percnon gibbesi and the alien fish species Fistularia commersonii, Siganus luridus, and S. rivulatus along the Cretan coastline; first record of the alien mollusc Sticteulima lentiginosa in Greek waters suggesting a westward unintentional expansion of this species; Turkey: photographic evidence of interactions of the monk seal Monachus monachus with sea-cage farms in the Turkish Aegean Sea and first record of the yellow boxfish Ostracion cubicus in the Turkish Mediterranean; Cyprus: first records of the rare speleophilic fish Thorogobius ephippiatus and Grammonus ater in Cyprus, extending the known distribution of the latter Mediterranean endemic species eastwards; first records of the alien fish Kyphosus vaigiensis and the alien crustacean species Macrophthalmus indicus and Carupa tenuipes as well as additional records of the alien echinoderm Diadema setosum and the alien ascidian Symplegma brakenhielmi in the country; Lebanon: first report on the presence of the four alien fish species Cephalopholis taeniops, Equulites popei, Pseudupeneus prayensis and Sphoeroides pachygaster; Egypt: first record of the Lessepsian fish Synchiropus sechellensis in the Egyptian Mediterranean waters.peer-reviewe

New Mediterranean Biodiversity (July 2017)

This Collective Article presents information on 37 taxa belonging to 6 Phyla and extending from the western Mediterranean to the Levantine Sea. The new records were found in 10 countries as follows: Algeria: first reports on the presence of the fish species Lesueurigobius sanzi, L. friesii, L. suerii and Luvarus imperiali; France: first record of the alien nudibranch Godiva quadricolor; Italy: first record of an adult-sized red emperor snapper Lutjanus sebae from the southern Tyrrhenian Sea; first record of the pantropical rhodophyte Chondria curvilineata and the Lessepsian fish Siganus luridus from southern Sicily; record of a large pregnant female Dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus off Sicily; Albania: first record of the fish Ruvettus pretiosus, new records of the alien molluscs Conomurex persicus, Bursatella leachii, Dendostrea cf. folium, Fulvia fragilis and Ruditapes philippinarum and additional report of the alien bivalve Pinctada imbricata radiata; Montenegro: first record of the sea slug Thecacera pennigera in the Adriatic Sea; Greece: first record of the invasive calcarean sponge Paraleucilla magna in Greek waters; occupancy estimation of the established cryptogenic rhodophyte Ganonema farinosum, the alien crustacean Percnon gibbesi and the alien fish species Fistularia commersonii, Siganus luridus, and S. rivulatus along the Cretan coastline; first record of the alien mollusc Sticteulimalentiginosa in Greek waters suggesting a westward unintentional expansion of this species; Turkey:photographic evidence of interactions of the monk seal Monachus monachus with sea-cage farms in the Turkish Aegean Sea and first record of the yellow boxfish Ostracion cubicus in the Turkish Mediterranean; Cyprus: first records of the rare speleophilic fish Thorogobius ephippiatus and Grammonus ater in Cyprus, extending the known distribution of the latter Mediterranean endemic species eastwards; first records of the alien fish Kyphosus vaigiensis and the alien crustacean species Macrophthalmus indicusand Carupa tenuipes as well as additional records of the alien echinoderm Diadema setosum and the alien ascidian Symplegma brakenhielmi in the country; Lebanon: first report on the presence of the four alien fish species Cephalopholis taeniops, Equulites popei, Pseudupeneus prayensis and Sphoeroides pachygaster; Egypt: first record of the Lessepsian fish Synchiropus sechellensisin the Egyptian Mediterranean waters