Le grotte marine del Salento: censimento 2008

EnThe census of submerged marine caves has been carried out around the Salento Peninsula 10 years after the last updating (ONORATO et al., 1999). In 10 years of speleodiving activity many unknown caves have been discovered and described. As a consequence, the list of submarine caves around the Salento Pensinsula has grown from 53 caves of the ONORATO et al. (1999) paper, to the 77 of the present report. Maps and descriptions have been collected for all the new caves, and updatings on speleology and biology have been illustrated from original articles, for some of the already known caves. All the information derived from 20 articles, 6 dissertations, 5 participations to conferences, which had as a study objective submarine caves along the Salento coastline, all occurred after the paper of ONORATO et al. (1999)

Novità speleologiche,idrologiche e naturalistiche dalla Palude del Capitano (pSIC IT9150013), costa neretina

EnThe speleodivers of the Centro di Speleologia Sottomarina “Apogon ” and the researchers of the Di.S.Te.B.A.-University of Lecce,conducted a joint exploration of the coastal cenote “Palude del Capitano”,with particular attention to the tangled,submerged tunnels that connect this unique aquatic environment to the open sea.The study performed since September 2001 for one year of observations resulted in:a photo-video documentation on the biotope;an exploration and a photo-video-topographic documentation of the tunnels;a periodical control of the physico-chemical water factors in several sites of the aquatic system;a florofaunistic census.12 out of the 35 taxa identi fied were found for the first time in this biotope.Many of them belonged to planctonic micro-(size <200 µm)and macro- fauna (size ≥200 µm).The community lives in particular stable conditions through the whole year.Temperature varies between 18.8 and 21.6 °C;salinity does not exceed over 20.50 0 /00 ;pH was comprised between 7.00 and 7.65.Among the sessile invertebrates,we con firm the presence,near the entrances of the western tunnels, of a conspicuous population of the brackish water hydroid Cordylophora caspia, already observed during a previous study on this biotope.Among ichtiological fauna,the presence of the mediterranean cyprinodontid Aphanius fasciatus has been con firmed as well by this study.This species is included in Annex II and III of the European Council Directive 92/43.The pond is characterised by inconstant hypothermal springs that periodically supply the aquatic ecosystem with underground brackish water.The chemical nature of this water is still unknown,but it most prob- ably results in the sulphuric freshwater even if mixed to the salt water coming from the sea.The explored tunnels open their submerged entrances on the western side of the pond and connect the aquatic system to the sea on an approximate distance of 800 m.It is possible to explore them only for a few m because the tunnels become then narrows and dangerous for the speleodive activity.The “Palude del Capitano” pond is an interesting example of speleogenetic phenomenon of hyperkarstic origin that assumes a remarkable territorial importance.It has been classi fied as a paralic system with a con finament grade ranging from IV to VI.The preservation of this unique aquatic biotope should seriously be taken into consideration by the relevant national competent authorities and be the focus of their attention.ItViene riportato uno studio della Palude del Capitano esteso ai cunicoli sommersi che,dal lato W,collegano questo ambiente al mare aperto distante circa 800 m. La ricerca ha consentito di realizzare una video-documentazione del sito nelle varie stagioni,l’esplorazione della porzione praticabile delle condotte sommerse, il monitoraggio di parametri fisico-chimici dell ’acqua in vari punti,un censimento floro-faunistico.12 dei 35 taxa identi ficati sono stati segnalati per la prima volta in questo biotopo.Gran parte di essi appartiene alla fauna micro-e macroplanctonica.La palude è caratterizzata dalla presenza di sorgenti ad attività intermittente che probabilmente mantengono condizioni stabili durante tutto l’anno.Viene confermata la presenza dell’idroide Cordylophora caspia.Tra i pesci si segnala Aphanius fasciatus ,incluso nella lista delle specie protette secondo la Direttiva 92/43/CEE.sedimenti più recenti.queste ultime sono date dalle Calcareniti di Gravina del Pleistocene inferiore.chiude il ciclo geologico un complesso di depositi di spiaggia e di piana costiera generatisi in fasi eustatico-tettoniche riferibili al Pleistocene superiore

Le grotte sommerse della penisola del Karaburun (Albania): primi dati

EnIn 2003,2004 and 2005,three surveys were carried out to explore the submerged coast of the Southern Albania.Four submarine caves were found during the first expeditionat the tip of the Karaburun Peninsula,and here the first description of them is given together with the map.During the second and third expedition,a more accurate description of biological features and of linear measures has been done of the submerged portion of Haxhi Ali,the largest of the described caves. Distinctive characteristics of the submerged caves of the Albanian coast are ben- thic assemblages which are not common or even absent from the Italian side.A very noticeable one of these is the population of Hypsichomus stichophthalmus (Polychaeta)in the Haxhi Ali cave.In general,also vagile benthos appeared more abundant (fishes,echinoderms,worms,crustaceans) han in Italian caves.From the abiotic point of view,a lower temperature has been measured more than 3 m below the sea level,which probably is the main responsible of these biotic assemblage differences.ItNegli anni 2003,2004 e 2005 sono state organizzate tre spedizioni finalizzate all’esplorazione degli ambienti costieri dell ’Albania Meridionale.Durante la prima spedizione all ’estremità della penisola Karaburun sono state rinvenute ed esplorate 4 cavità sommerse il cui rilievo speditivo e la descrizione sommaria dei popolamenti rinvenuti vengono qui presentati per la prima volta.Nel corso della seconda e della terza spedizione si sono perfezionate le misurazioni e le caratteristiche biologiche della parte sommersa della grande grotta di Haxhi Ali

Marine alien species in Italy: A contribution to the implementation of descriptor D2 of the marine strategy framework directive

The re-examination of marine alien species or Non-indigenous species (NIS) reported in Italian Seas by December 2018, is here provided, particularly focusing on establishment success, year of first record, origin, potential invasiveness, and likely pathways. Furthermore, their distribution is assessed according to marine subregions outlined by the European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Adriatic Sea (ADRIA), Ionian Sea and Central Mediterranean Sea (CMED), and Western Mediterranean Sea (WMED). In Italy, 265 NIS have been detected with the highest number of species being recorded in the CMED (154 species) and the WMED (151 species), followed by the ADRIA (143). Most of these species were recorded in more than one subregion. The NIS that have established stable populations in Italian Seas are 180 (68%), among which 26 have exhibited invasive traits.Among taxa involved, Macrophyta rank first with 65 taxa. Fifty-five of them are established in at least one subregion, mostly in the ADRIA and the CMED. Crustacea rank second with 48 taxa, followed by Polychaeta with 43 taxa, Mollusca with 29 taxa, and Pisces with 28 taxa, which were mainly reported from the CMED. In the period 2012-2017, 44 new alien species were recorded, resulting in approximately one new entry every two months. Approximately half of the NIS (~52%) recorded in Italy have most likely arrived through the transport-stowaway pathway related to shipping traffic (~28% as biofoulers, ~22% in ballast waters, and ~2% as hitchhikers). The second most common pathway is the unaided movement with currents (~19%), followed by the transport-contaminant on farmed shellfishes pathway  (~18%). Unaided is the most common pathway for alien Fisshes, especially in CMED. Escapes from confinement account for ~3% and release in nature for ~2% of the NIS. The present NIS distribution hotspots for new introductions were defined on the first recipient area/location in Italy. In ADRIA the hotspot is Venice which accounts for the highest number of alien taxa introduced in Italy, with 50 newly recorded taxa. In the CMED, hotspots of introduction are the Taranto and Catania Gulfs, hosting 21 first records each. The Strait of Sicily represents a crossroad between the alien taxa from the Atlantic Ocean and the Indo-Pacific area. In the WMED, hotspots of bioinvasions include the Gulfs of Naples, Genoa and Livorno.This review can serve as an updated baseline for future coordination and harmonization of monitoring initiatives under international, EU and regional policies, for the compilation of new data from established monitoring programs, and for rapid assessment surveys.

New Alien Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (October 2020)

This article includes 23 new records of alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea, belonging to 4 Phyla (Chordata, Echinodermata, Arthropoda and Mollusca), distributed from the Alboran to the Levantine Sea. Records are reported from eight countries listed from West to East as follows: Algeria: new records of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus; Spain: further spread and establishment of the sea slug Lamprohaminoea ovalis in continental shores; Tunisia: first record of the Atlantic Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus in the Gulf of Gabes; Italy: a new occurrence of the pufferfish Lagocephalus sceleratus in Northern Ionian waters; first record of Cephalopholis taeniops in the Ionian Sea; first record of the redlip blenny, Ophioblennius atlanticus in the Ionian Sea; Slovenia: first record of the isopod Paranthura japonica in Slovenia; Greece: first record of the molluscs Eunaticina papilla, Plocamopherus ocellatus and the fish Cheilodipterus novemstriatus; first record of the ascidian Ecteinascidia turbinata in Kriti; the long-spined sea urchin Diadema setosum in the Ionian Sea; Turkey: first record of the sea spider Ammothea hilgendorfi; the stomatopod Cloridina cf. ichneumon; the fishes Pempheris rhomboidea from the Sea of Marmara and Paranthias furcifer from the Aegean Sea; Lebanon: new records of the fishes Arothron hispidus, Rachycentron canadum, Heniochus intermedius and Acanthurus monroviae; first record of Acanthostracion polygonius. The records of Cloridina cf. ichneumon from southern Turkey and the fish Acanthostracion polygonius from Lebanon, both being the first Mediterranean records, are noteworthy

New records of rare species in the Mediterranean Sea (May 2020)

This Collective Article presents information about 17 taxa belonging to four Phyla (one Cnidaria, two Arthropoda, four Mollusca, and ten Chordata) and extending from the Western Mediterranean to the Levantine Sea. The new records were reported from nine countries as follows: Algeria: first published records of the clingfishes Apletodon dentatus and Lepadogaster lepadogaster after 1955; France: first record of the tripletail Lobotes surinamensis in French Mediterranean waters; Italy: new records of the rare bonito Orcynopsis unicolor and the recently described nudibranch Elysia rubeni from Sicily; first records of the parasitic cirriped Sacculina eriphiae and the nudibranch Dondice trainitoi in the Ionian Sea; first record of the nudibranch Taringa tritorquis in the Mediterranean Sea; first record of the tripletail Lobotes surinamensis in the North Ionian Sea; first documented record of the cephalopod Macrotritopus defilippi in the Adriatic Sea; Slovenia: first record of the Mediterranean endemic cryptobenthic goby Odondebuenia balearica; Montenegro: several recent occurrences of the critically endangered bull ray Aetomylaeus bovinus in the South-eastern Adriatic Sea; Greece: records of the nudibranch Dondice trainitoi in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea; new record of the occurrence of the Mediterranean spearfish Tetrapturus belone from Greece (Rhodes Island); Turkey: recent captures of the vulnerable ocean sunfish Mola mola, caught by purse-seine, in the Aegean Sea and the Dardanelles; new record of the luvar Luvarus imperialis along the Aegean coast of Turkey; Cyprus: first record of the habitat-forming hydroid Lytocarpia myriophyllum, often in considerable densities; first confirmed record of the agujon needlefish Tylosurus imperialis; Syria: first record of the decapod Ethusa mascarone

Occurrence of the Guinean species Herbstia nitida Manning and Holthuis, 1981 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachiura) in a Mediterranean submarine cave and a comparison with the co-generic H. condyliata (Fabricius, 1787)

A NEW SPECIES FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN HAS BEEN FOUND IN A SUBMERGED CAVE. IT IS A SPECIES DESCRIBED FROM THE GUINEA GULF. IT IS NOT SURE IT IS OF RECENT INTRODUCTION DUE THE CRIPTIC BEHAVIOUR IT HAS

Le grotte marine del salento: classificazione, localizzazione e descrizione

EnSalento, in the south east of Italy, is a karstic, cave-punctuated peninsula. Erosion of the calcarenitic limestone (which is the main basset of the peninsula) is carrying on from 65 million years. During this time the sea level changed many times reaching 200 m under its actual position, so offering a bigger portion of the limestone to the erosive action of atmospheric waters. Ancient pathways of underground rivers opened along the primitive coast-line when they could erode deeply in the rock. Many of these openings are submerged today and represent one of the most important littoral environments in the region which, in turn, is one of the most important site of marine caves in the Italian peninsula. In particular, the "Neretina" coast (on the Ionian Sea) and the coastline which goes from the "Capo di Leuca" to the "Capo d’otranto" (on the Otranto Channel), are sites with high density of marine caves, (many of them waiting for a first description) none of which had never been studied from an ecological point of view notwithstanding rare works witnessed the faunistic importance of such environments.The present work should like to stimulate researches in this direction by offering the state of art of marine spelaeobiology in Salento peninsula.It reports of the only 53 marine caves which have been numbered and described. The work was supported by the consultation of dozen of papers found with difficulties because their publication age, and their limited diffusion. One of us had personally visited all the cited caves during a period of at least 20 years. The first biologic survey carried out in some submerged caves started only one year ago, but preliminary data already show numerous faunistic novelties either for the Italian peninsula or the entire Mediterranean area