Observations on the symbiotic relationship between the caridean shrimp Odontonia sibogae (Bruce, 1972) and its ascidian host Herdmania momus (Savigny, 1816).

Symbiotic relationships between shrimps and other invertebrates are a very common phenomenon in tropical environments. Although the caridean shrimp-ascidian association has been known for many years, the nature of this relationship is still unclear. The current study investigated the association between the caridean shrimp Odontonia sibogae (Bruce, 1972) and solitary ascidians. A combination of field work conducted along the Red Sea coast of Israel and laboratory experiments, conducted during 2015-2016, revealed a clear preference of the shrimps for the ascidian species Herdmania momus (Savigny, 1816), with a low survival ability of the shrimp outside their host's body. The shrimps usually inhabit their host as pairs of male and female or pair of females, but never as pairs of males. Out of the 53 studied females, 51% were observed to bear between 156-1,146 embryos, throughout the course of the year. As these ascidian hosts are known to create large aggregates, we suggest that males may possibly wander among the ascidians occupied by females in order to increase their reproductive success. To date, this is the first study to record the shrimp Dactylonia ascidicola (Borradaile, 1898) inhabiting the ascidian H. momus; and the first study to investigate in depth the ascidian-shrimp association in the Red Sea. It thus provides a platform for future research into the physiological and behavioral adaptations required for such a unique association

Collection sites and dates of the ascidian <i>Herdmania momus</i> hosting the caridean shrimp <i>Odontonia sibogae</i> along the Red Sea coast of Eilat, Israel.

<p>Collection sites and dates of the ascidian <i>Herdmania momus</i> hosting the caridean shrimp <i>Odontonia sibogae</i> along the Red Sea coast of Eilat, Israel.</p

Number of occurrences of associations of the caridean shrimp <i>Odontonia sibogae</i> inhabiting <i>Herdmania momus</i>.

<p>Associations are characterized as: alone (single individuals), paired, trio, and UD (sex undetermined). Associations are separated by sex. Numbers in each column indicate the exact number of such combinations.</p

Survival curve of <i>Odontonia sibogae</i> separated from their host (days).

<p>Survival curve of <i>Odontonia sibogae</i> separated from their host (days).</p

Associated caridean shrimps found within <i>Herdmania momus</i> along the coast of Eilat, Israel.

<p>(A) A male of <i>Dactylonia ascidicola</i>. (B) A female of <i>Odontonia sibogae</i>. Photograph: Rittner Oz.</p

Relationship between host size and shrimp size.

<p>The ascidian was measured from the oral siphon to the base (cm), and the shrimp size was measured as carapace length (CL, mm) of females (dark gray circles) and males (bright gray circles); UD—sex undetermined (black circles).</p

An illustration of the experimental arrangement at the Inter-University Institute for Marine Sciences in Eilat.

<p>(A) The survivorship experiment: the shrimp <i>Odontonia sibogae</i> in a separate net-covered cup, and the ascidian <i>Herdmania momus</i> in cups with stony bottoms and a long net sleeve reaching above the water level. (B) The preference experiment: the shrimp <i>O</i>. <i>sibogae</i> and the three-ascidian species in the aquarium. (C) The Y-maze with the shrimp <i>O</i>. <i>sibogae</i> at the base of the maze, and the two ascidian species placed at either side of the maze, used in the third trial.</p

Relationship between <i>Herdmania momus</i> size and observations (percentage) of <i>Odontonia sibogae</i> individuals.

<p>The ascidian was measured from the oral siphon to the base (cm); color groups indicate zero, one, two or three individuals per individual host.</p

Unpublished Mediterranean records of marine alien and cryptogenic species

Yapici, Sercan/0000-0003-2288-5084; Dailianis, Thanos/0000-0002-4102-9331; Marchini, Agnese/0000-0003-4580-0522; Bos, Arthur R./0000-0002-0708-314X; Pipitone, Carlo/0000-0002-7632-1228; Rosso, Antonietta/0000-0001-5565-9513; Albano, Paolo G/0000-0001-9876-1024; Langeneck, Joachim/0000-0003-3665-8683; Bazairi, Hocein/0000-0002-1788-0580; Gerovasileiou, Vasilis/0000-0002-9143-7480; Garmendia Etxandi, Joxe Mikel/0000-0002-9403-1777; Levitt-Barmats, Ya'arit/0000-0001-7596-7257; Orlando-Bonaca, Martina/0000-0001-7700-7663WOS: 000531866100001Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, buried in scattered repositories or in the personal databases of experts. Through an initiative to collect, harmonize and make such unpublished data for marine alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea available, a large dataset comprising 5376 records was created. It includes records of 239 alien or cryptogenic taxa (192 Animalia, 24 Plantae, 23 Chromista) from 19 countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. in terms of records, the most reported Phyla in descending order were Chordata, Mollusca, Chlorophyta, Arthropoda, and Rhodophyta. the most recorded species was Caulerpa cylindracea, followed by Siganus luridus, Magallana sp. (cf. gigas or angulata) and Pterois miles. the dataset includes records from 1972 to 2020, with the highest number of records observed in 2018. Among the records of the dataset, Dictyota acutiloba is a first record for the Mediterranean Sea. Nine first country records are also included: the alga Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla, the cube boxfish Ostracion cubicus, and the cleaner shrimp Urocaridella pulchella from Israel; the sponge Paraleucilla magna from Libya and Slovenia; the lumpfish Cyclopterus lumpus from Cyprus; the bryozoan Celleporaria vermiformis and the polychaetes Prionospio depauperata and Notomastus aberans from Malta.Open Access Publishing Fund of the International Association for Open Knowledge on Invasive Alien Species; Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation [HFRI-FM17-1597]; FECYT [FCT-17-12469]; EEA GRANTS; Public Investments Program (PIP) of the Hellenic Republic; Yad-Hanadiv foundation, through the Israel Society of Ecology and Environmental Sciences - "MAVA Fondation pour la Nature"; FFARB (funds for basic research activities); Italian Ministry of Education, University and ResearchMinistry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR); TUBITAK, Ankara, TurkeyTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [114Y238]; Slovenian Research AgencySlovenian Research Agency - Slovenia [P1-0237]; Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia [GRN-20191-004]; COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action TD1209 Alien Challenge project; Marine Strategy Project; National Park of Al Hoceima; RAC/SPA, Tunisia; MAVA Foundation, Switzerland; European Commission (EC)European CommissionEuropean Commission Joint Research CentreEuropean Community (EC); Spanish Agency for International Cooperation to Development (AECID) - BiodivMex/Chantier MISTRALS; Hellenic Centre for Marine Research; European UnionEuropean Union (EU) [LIFE16 NAT/CY/000832]; European Community's Seventh Framework Program VECTORS (Vectors of Change in Oceans and Seas Marine Life); ICES Working Group on Introductions and Transfer of Marine Organisms [2016/2018]; MAVA Fondation pour la Nature"; Coastal Protection and Management Agency (APAL); EUEuropean Union (EU) [EMFF 8.3.1]; European Maritime and Fisheries Fund [(EMFF 2014-2020)]The publication of this article is supported by the Open Access Publishing Fund of the International Association for Open Knowledge on Invasive Alien Species (INVASIVESNET; www.invasivesnet.org).Stelios Katsanevakis, Maria Sini and Konstantinos Tsirintanis were supported by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) under the "First Call for H.F.R.I. Research Projects to support Faculty members and Researchers and the procurement of high-cost research equipment grant" (Project Number: HFRI-FM17-1597). Enalia Physis acknowledges Pantelis Patsalou for his support with field-logistics and links with fishers. Fiona Tomas would like to acknowledge funding from FECYT FCT-14-9319 (OJO A LAS INVASORAS! BIODIVERSIDAD Y ESPECIES INVASORAS DEL MEDITERRANEO BALEAR). Vasilis Gerovasileiou, Thanos Dailianis and Maria Sini acknowledge the support by the MARISCA project (www.marisca.eu), co-funded (85%) by EEA GRANTS, 2009-2014, and the Public Investments Program (PIP) of the Hellenic Republic (15%). Razy Hoffman acknowledges funding by Yad-Hanadiv foundation, through the Israel Society of Ecology and Environmental Sciences and Israel Nature and Parks Authority (An integrated program for establishing biological baselines and monitoring protocols for marine reserves in the Israeli Mediterranean Sea). Argyro Zenetos and Paraskevi K. Karachle would like to thank the citizenscientists collaborating with the Ellenic Network on Aquatic Invasive Species (ELNAIS elnais.hcmr.gr). Nikolaos Doumpas, Ioannis Giovos, Periklis Kleirou and Francesco Tiralongo would like to thank all the citizen-scientists that contributed with their shared records and data in the citizen-science project "Is it alien to you? Share it!!!" (https://www.facebook.com/groups/104915386661854/).Data from Gyaros Island marine reserve were collected under the "GyarosMPA" project, funded by "MAVA Fondation pour la Nature". Data from Corsica coastline were mainly collected in the framework of the "Corsica Alien Network" initiated by "Office de l'Environnement de la Corse". Carla Morri and Carlo Nike Bianchi received financial support from FFARB (funds for basic research activities) by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research. Ergun Taskin has been supported by TUBITAK, Ankara, Turkey (Project Number: 114Y238). the Slovenian authors would like to acknowledge their financial support from the Slovenian Research Agency (research core funding No. P1-0237) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food of the Republic of Slovenia. Mehmet Fatih Huseyinoglu thanks University of Kyrenia's Scientific Research Project numbered GRN-20191-004. Fabio Crocetta was funded by the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) Action TD1209 Alien Challenge project. the FRI (HAO DEMETER) team is very grateful to the Marine Strategy Project for financial support. Records of NIS in Jbel Moussa, the National Park of Al Hoceima and Cap des Trois Fourches sites from Morocco were obtained during surveys conducted within the framework of the MedKeyHabitats and the MedMPAnet Projects implemented by UNEP/MAP-RAC/SPA in close collaboration with the Haut Commissariat aux Eaux et Forets et a la Lutte Contre la Desertification (HCEFLCD) and financially supported by RAC/SPA, Tunisia and the MAVA Foundation, Switzerland (MedKeyHabitats Project) and the European Commission (EC), the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation to Development (AECID), and the French Global Environment Facility (MedMPAnet Project).; Jamila Ben Souissi was partially funded by BiodivMex/Chantier MISTRALS. Konstantinos Tsiamis sampling records were retrieved during his post in the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, which he would like to thank for. Periklis Kleitou and Demetris Kletou were supported by the LIFE financial instrument of the European Union - RELIONMED project [Grant Agreement LIFE16 NAT/CY/000832]. Some of the data included in the dataset were obtained through the marine citizen science platform Observadores del Mar www.observadoresdelmar.es with the support of FECYT FCT-17-12469, LIFE IP Intemares and Fundacio Marilles, and through the citizen science site of the Italian Marine Protected Area of "Regno di Nettuno" (islands of Ischia, Procida and Vivara): www.citizensciencerdn.org.Most data from Lebanon were retrieved from social media dedicated to citizen science (Facebook group: Sea Lebanon https://www.facebook.com/groups/109615625861815/) or fishers and scuba divers WhatsApp groups). Jamila Rizgalla wishes to thank the administration of Regatta for granting a free pass to conduct field surveys and the security personnel for providing a safe environment. Anna Occhipinti-Ambrogi was supported by European Community's Seventh Framework Program VECTORS (Vectors of Change in Oceans and Seas Marine Life, Impact on Economic Sectors). the long lasting collaboration with the ICES Working Group on Introductions and Transfer of Marine Organisms (WGITMO) has been a good forum where many information and ideas could be exchanged within some of the authors (Anna Occhipinti-Ambrogi, Argyro Zenetos, Agnese Marchini, and a wider community of scientists working on biological invasions). A. Rosso and R. Sanfilippo received grants from the Catania University Research Plan 2016/2018. Data from Kuriat island were collected under the "Kuriat project", funded by "MAVA Fondation pour la Nature" executed by SPA/RAC in partnership with the Coastal Protection and Management Agency (APAL) and Notre Grand Bleu (NGB) NGO. the AIS/ERA (Environment and Resources Authority) Maltese data were obtained from the EU funded project EMFF 8.3.1 under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund 2014-2020 with a total cost of _1.6 million in public eligible EMFF funds (75% EU 25% MT), managed by AIS/ERA (Environment and Resources Authority). the ultimate goals of this European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF 2014-2020) project are to devise a holistic approach towards marine monitoring and develop a comprehensive database of data collected about the Maltese waters. We thank the anonymous reviewers for their useful comments

Prioritizing marine invasive alien species in the European Union through horizon scanning

1. The disproportionately low presence of marine species in the list of invasive alien species (IAS) of Union concern of the European Union (EU) Regulation 1143/2014 does not fully acknowledge the threat they pose to the EU marine environment. 2. In this study, the first EU-scale Horizon Scanning (HS) focusing on marine alien species was performed, aiming to deliver a ranked list of species that should be of high priority for risk assessment (Article 5 of the EU IAS Regulation). 3. Species absent from or with a limited distribution in EU marine waters were targeted. In total, 363 alien species were initially screened for HS by a panel of experts, including a broad range of taxonomic groups. Species were scored for their likelihood of arrival, establishment, spread, and impact in EU waters. 4. A consensus workshop ranked 267 species, including a subset of 26 prioritized species. These species are considered to be mainly introduced by shipping (fouling and ballast water), via the Suez Canal, and aquaculture activities. The 26 priority species were also scrutinized in terms of feasibility of their management; 18 of them were suggested for performing risk assessments on the basis of the EU IAS Regulation. 5. Since biological invasions are dynamic and connected with accelerated globalization and diversified human activities, we recommend HS to be repeated periodically to review the species already listed and assess new ones.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource