Ciclo biológico del anfidopo Corophium insidiosum (Crustacea: Amphipoda) del Mar Piccolo (Mar Jónico, Italia)

A one-year study was conducted on the life history of the amphipod Corophium insidiosum (Crawford, 1937) in the Mar Piccolo estuary (Southern Italy). Monthly collections were made to investigate certain aspects of population structure, abundance and reproductive biology. Population density showed a clear seasonal variation: with a maximum in spring-summer and a minimum in autumn-winter. Although brooding females were present all year round, recruitment occurred in spring, decreased in summer, peaked in autumn and almost ceased during the winter. 7-8 new cohorts in all samples could be recognised from April 2002 to November 2002. Mean longevity was ~5 to 6 months, and the estimated lifespan was longer for individuals born in late summer than for individuals born in spring. The sex ratio favoured females with a mean value of 1.51, but males grew faster and attained a larger maximum body length than females. Males and females became distinguishable at roughly > 2 mm, reaching a maximum size of 5.6 mm for females and 6.0 mm for males during the winter months. The females reproduced for the first time when they reached 2.2 mm body length. The number of eggs carried by females was related to the size of the female.Se realizó un estudio anual sobre el ciclo biológico del anfípodo Corophium insidiosum (Crawford, 1937) en el estuario del Mar Piccolo (S de Italia). Se realizaron muestreos mensuales para investigar aspectos de la estructura de poblaciones, abundancia y de la biología reproductiva de la especie. La densidad de las poblaciones mostró una clara variación estacional con un máximo en primavera-verano y un mínimo en otoño-invierno. Aunque se observaron hembras con oosteguitos durante todo el año, el reclutamiento se dio en primavera, descendiendo en verano, alcanzando un pico en otoño y casi cesando en invierno. 7-8 nuevas cohortes pudieron ser identificadas en todos los muestreos desde Abril 2002 a Noviembre 2002. La longevidad media fue de ~5-6 meses, mayor en individuos nacidos en el final del verano que en aquellos nacidos en primavera. La relación hembras/machos fue favorable a las hembras con un valor medio de 1.51, aunque los machos crecieron más rápido alcanzando una longitud total mayor que la de las hembras. Machos y hembras empiezan a ser morfológicamente distinguibles entre ellos a partir de unos 2 mm, alcanzando tallas máximas de 5.6 mm en hembras y 6.0 mm en machos, durante el perido hivernal. Las hembras se reproducen por vez primera una vez alcanzados los 2.2 mm de longitud total. El número de huevos por hembra fue proprcional al tamaño de las mismas

Fluctuaciones estacionales de algunas características biológicas de la invasora Caprella scaura en el Mar Piccolo de Taranto (mar Jónico, sur de Italia).

Caprella scaura is an epifaunal amphipod crustacean that originates in the western Indian Ocean and has spread throughout the world, but very little is known about fundamental aspects of its biology. This paper is the first presentation of its life history traits in an invaded region. The study was conducted in the Mar Piccolo basin (southern Italy, Ionian Sea), over a one-year period. All biological parameters showed a strong seasonal pattern, breeding peaked twice during the year and the number of eggs in the ventral brood pouch ranged from 5 to 72. The sex ratio was generally close to 1:1. A strong correlation between total length of ovigerous females and number of eggs was observed. The mean length of both mature males and mature females was 10.63 and 7.70 mm, respectively. The results of this study showed that the population dynamics of this species was not dissimilar to that of other caprellids or marine epifaunal Crustacea. This caprellid has given rise to a stable population in the Mar Piccolo; it was present all year round in the study area but its density suggests that it is not yet a strong invader.Caprella scaura es un crustáceo anfípodo originario del Océano Índico occidental, que se ha extendido por todo el mundo. Sin embargo, poco se conoce sobre la biología de la especie. Este artículo es un primera presentación de algunas características de la especie en una región invadida. El estudio se realizó en la cuenca del Mar Piccolo (sur de Italia, Mar Jónico) durante un año. Todos los parámetros biológicos mostraron un patrón estacional con picos reproductivos en dos ocasiones durante el año y con un número de huevos entre 5 y 72. La proporción de sexos estuvo en torno 1:1. Se observó una fuerte correlación entre la longitud total de hembras ovígeras y el número de huevos. La longitud media de las hembras y los machos maduros fue 10.63 y 7.70 respectivamente. Los resultados de este estudio mostraron que la dinámica poblacional de esta especie no es muy distinta al resto de crustáceos caprélidos. Se puede hablar de una población estable en el Mar Piccolo, ya que estuvo presente durante todo el año en el área estudiada, sin embargo su densidad sugiere que no parece ser un invasor fuerte aún

Rast, smrtnost i prinos olige (Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810) iz lagune Lesina (Jadransko more, Italija)

Population structure, growth, age, mortality and exploitation status of Atherina boyeri, caught in the period from June 2013 to May 2014 in the Lesina lagoon (Apulia region, southern Adriatic) was studied. Samples were taken each month by using beach seines . The length–weight relationship of all sand smell specimens was described by the equation W=0.012*TL 3.10; (R2= 0.84). Population parameters including the asymptotic length (L∞) and growth coefficient (K) were assessed to evaluate the stock status. The recruitment pattern was modeled with a FiSAT routine. The asymptotic length (L∞) was 111.0 mm, while the growth coefficient (K) was 0.68 year−1. The growth performance index ((φ’) reached 3.92. The total mortality coefficient “Z”, the natural mortality coefficient “M” and the fishing mortality coefficient “F” were estimated as 2.24, 1.48 and 0.76 year-1, respectively. Exploitation rate for the population of A. boyeri in the Lesina lagoon estimated as 0.34 was resulted still lower than the predicted maximum value of Emax 0.59. The probability of capture indicated that L50 was of 55.57 mm, indicating that the stock of sand smelt in Lesina lagoon is not being over-fished.Istraživana je struktura populacije, rast, starost, smrtnost i status eksploatacije olige Atherinaboyeri, ulovljene u razdoblju od lipnja 2013. do svibnja 2014. u laguni Lesina (regija Apulija, južni Jadran). Uzorci su uzimani svaki mjesec pomoću mreže potegače.Dužinsko-maseni odnos opisan je jednadžbom W = 0,012 * TL 3,10; (R2 = 0,84). Utvrđeni su parametri populacije, uključujući asimptotsku duljinu (L∞) i koeficijent rasta (K), kako bi se procijenilo stanje zaliha. Obrazac novačenja modeliran je FiSAT rutinom. Asimptotska duljina (L∞) iznosila je 111,0 mm, dok je koeficijent rasta (K) iznosio 0,68 godina − 1. Indeks učinka rasta (φ’) dosegnuo je 3,92. Ukupni koeficijent smrtnosti „Z“, koeficijent prirodne smrtnosti „M“ i koeficijent mortaliteta ribolova „F“ procijenjeni su na 2,24, 1,48 i 0,76 godina-1.Stopa eksploatacije populacije olige u Lesinskoj laguni procijenjena na 0,34 rezultirala je i dalje nižom od predviđene maksimalne vrijednosti Emax 0,59

Effects of commercial formulations of glyphosate on marine crustaceans and implications for risk assessment under temperature changes.

Abstract Glyphosate-based formulations are the most commonly used herbicides worldwide with the risk of potential contamination of aquatic bodies. The present study assessed the response of four marine crustaceans to three different brands of herbicides Roundup®Platinum, Efesto® and Taifun® MK CL.T, under two selected temperatures of 20 °C and 30 °C. The harpacticoid copepod Tigriopus fulvus, the anostracan Artemia franciscana, the amphipod Corophium insidiosum and the isopod Sphaeroma serratum were chosen as testing organisms. Effects of herbicides and temperatures were assessed by estimating lethal concentrations. The results showed that the high temperature rises the toxicity of glyphosate with an increase of mortality of all the tested species. This is an important aspect for future risk assessments of pesticides under global climate change scenarios. Efesto® resulted the most toxic brand, showing C. insidiosum the most sensitive with 96 h-LC50 values of 3.25 mg/L acid equivalent (a.e.) at 30 °C and 7.94 mg/L a.e. at 20 °C followed by T. fulvus while A. franciscana and S. serratum were the less sensitive. This study provides important information for assessing the toxic effects of three different brands of glyphosate-based herbicides on non-target marine organisms suggesting that they should be carefully managed to minimize any negative impact on marine organisms

Multi-endpoint effects of derelict tubular mussel plastic nets on Tigriopus fulvus

Microplastic debris from direct and indirect human activities is considered a major threat to the marine biodiversity mainly due to its abundance, durability, persistence, and ability to accumulate contaminants from the environment. Derelict tubular plastic nets of various colours (blue (BN), yellow (YN), green (GN), pink (PN), and white (WN) net), used to distinguish mussel farming owners, were collected by scuba-dive from the Mar Piccolo of Taranto (Ionian Sea). All nets were made of polypropylene. Investigations looked for potential acute (mortality) and sub-chronic (mortality, larval development and moult release number, and adult percentage after 5–9 days) effects on Tigriopus fulvus nauplii considering both whole plastics (microplastic (MP), 50 mg/L) and leachates (12.5–100%). Acute test determined a median lethal concentration (LC50) only for BN for both MPs (107 mg/L) and leachates (50.1%). The prolonged exposure (5 days) to microplastics did not affect the T. fulvus survival. After 9 days, YN and BN decreased of approximately 100% larval development

Individual and combined effects of amoxicillin and carbamazepine to the marine copepod Tigriopus fulvus

: Pharmaceuticals can be considered a global threat to aquatic ecosystems due to their pseudo-persistence and their potential toxicity towards non-target species. Amoxicillin (AMX) and carbamazepine (CBZ) and their mixture (1:1) were investigated on the marine copepod Tigriopus fulvus (Fischer, 1860) considering both acute and chronic endpoints. While acute and chronic exposure did not directly affect survival, reproductive endpoints were affected like the mean egg hatching time that was significantly longer than the negative control for treatments with AMX (0.789 ± 0.079 μg/L), CBZ (8.88 ± 0.89 μg/L), and AMX and CMZ as a mixture (1.03 ± 0.10 μg/L and 0.941 ± 0.094 μg/L), in that order

New Mediterranean biodiversity records (October, 2014)

The Collective Article 'New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records' of the Mediterranean Marine Science journal offers the means to publish biodiversity records in the Mediterranean Sea. The current article is divided in two parts, for records of alien and native species respectively. The new records of alien species include: the red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis (Crete and Lakonikos Gulf, Greece); the red alga Grateloupia turuturu (along the Israeli Mediterranean shore); the mantis shrimp Clorida albolitura (Gulf of Antalya, Turkey); the mud crab Dyspanopeus sayi (Mar Piccolo of Taranto, Ionian Sea); the blue crab Callinectes sapidus (Chios Island, Greece); the isopod Paracerceis sculpta (northern Aegean Sea, Greece); the sea urchin Diadema setosum (Gökova Bay, Turkey); the molluscs Smaragdia souverbiana, Murex forskoehlii, Fusinus verrucosus, Circenita callipyga, and Aplysia dactylomela (Syria); the cephalaspidean mollusc Haminoea cyanomarginata (Baia di Puolo, Massa Lubrense, Campania, southern Italy); the topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva (Civitavecchia, Tyrrhenian Sea); the fangtooth moray Enchelycore anatina (Plemmirio marine reserve, Sicily); the silver-cheeked toadfish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Saros Bay, Turkey; and Ibiza channel, Spain); the Indo-Pacific ascidian Herdmania momus in Kastelorizo Island (Greece); and the foraminiferal Clavulina multicamerata (Saronikos Gulf, Greece). The record of L. sceleratus in Spain consists the deepest (350-400m depth) record of the species in the Mediterranean Sea. The new records of native species include: first record of the ctenophore Cestum veneris in Turkish marine waters; the presence of Holothuria tubulosa and Holothuria polii in the Bay of Igoumenitsa (Greece); the first recorded sighting of the bull ray Pteromylaeus bovinus in Maltese waters; and a new record of the fish Lobotes surinamensis from Maliakos Gulf.peer-reviewe

I crostacei anfipodi del fouling dei laghi di alimini ed acquatina

EnThe Amphipods settled on artificial substrata put in the Alimini (2 stations) and Acquatina (1 station) lagoons, were studied for one year. All 8895 specimens belonging to 11 species were collected. Most of these species are typical on brackish waters. In particular Corophium insidiosum, C. acutum, Ericthonius brasiliensis, Microdeutopus gryllotalpa were present at the 3 stations and, among these, C. insidiosum resulted to be more abundant and have been found every month of the year.ItE' stata effettuata un’indagine relativa agli Anfipodi, su substrati artificiali posti in due stazioni nel Lago di Alimini ed in una stazione nel Lago d’Acquatina. Sono state trovate in tutto 11 specie, la maggior parte delle quali sono tipiche di ambienti salmastri. Corophium insidiosum, C. acutum, Microdeutopus gryllotalpa, Ericthonius brasiliensis sono le specie comuni alle tre stazioni. Di queste C.insidiosum è la specie più abbondante e quasi sempre presente in tutti i mesi dell’anno