ELNAIS: A collaborative network on Aquatic Alien Species in Hellas (Greece)

ELNAIS is a dynamic online information platform aiming to collect and report spatial information on Aquatic Alien Species in Greek waters. It covers freshwater, marine and estuarine waters, including not only established aliens but also casual records and cryptogenic species. The ELNAIS system includes: News, List of Greek experts, Literature of findings in Greece, List of species with information on their first introduction date and source as well as photos and distribution maps. Data providers are the scientific community (publications, grey literature, and databases) as well as citizen scientists. ELNAIS provides a useful tool towards national obligations and commitments under both the European and global frameworks in respect to Non Indigenous Species (CBD, WFD, MSFD).JRC.H.1-Water Resource

A MSFD complementary approach for the assessment of pressures, knowledge and data gaps in Southern European Seas : the PERSEUS experience

PERSEUS project aims to identify the most relevant pressures exerted on the ecosystems of the Southern European Seas (SES), highlighting knowledge and data gaps that endanger the achievement of SES Good Environmental Status (GES) as mandated by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). A complementary approach has been adopted, by a meta-analysis of existing literature on pressure/impact/knowledge gaps summarized in tables related to the MSFD descriptors, discriminating open waters from coastal areas. A comparative assessment of the Initial Assessments (IAs) for five SES countries has been also independently performed. The comparison between meta-analysis results and IAs shows similarities for coastal areas only. Major knowledge gaps have been detected for the biodiversity, marine food web, marine litter and underwater noise descriptors. The meta-analysis also allowed the identification of additional research themes targeting research topics that are requested to the achievement of GES. 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license.peer-reviewe

An update on the systematics and occurrence of the fanworm genus Pseudofabriciola Fitzhugh, 1990 (Polychaeta: Sabellidae: Fabriciinae) in the Mediterranean

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Marphysa adenensis Gravier 1900

<i>Marphysa adenensis</i> Gravier, 1900 <p>Fig. 1 a–h, 2a–d, 3, 4a–d, 5a–d, Table 2</p> <p> <i>Marphysa adenensis</i> Gravier 1900: 270, Plate 14 Figures 91–92; Text-figures 140–143; Day 1962: 644; Day 1967: 399, Figures 17.6p–s</p> <p> <b>Type material.</b> Holotype (MNHN POLY TYPE 0531) from Aden Sea, 1900, 1 specimen, 45mm long and 0.75 width, 200 segments, posterior end missing, jaws removed.</p> <p> <b>Non-type material.</b> Lesvos Island, Gera Gulf 15/9/2009: 3 specimens (GP-4B): 76 segments 30 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, 62 segments 24 mm long and 2.5 mm wide, 74 segments 25 mm long and 1mm wide; 1 specimen (GP-2B): in the 25 segments 30 mm long and 4 mm wide; Methoni 24/4/2012: 3 specimens (1/WFD 3R1): 54 segments 10.3 mm long and 1 mm wide, 43 segments 5 mm long and 1 mm wide, 35 segments 9 mm long and 1.5 mm wide; Lesvos Strait 29/3/2013: 1 specimens (3/WFD 70R1): 42 segments 20 mm long and 1.7mm wide.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Holotype an anterior fragment of about 200 segments (Fig. 5 a). All 8 Mediterranean specimens anterior fragments; longest 30 mm long and 2.5 wide with 76 segments; shortest 5 mm long and 0.9 mm wide with 43 segments. Prostomium rounded anteriorly, as long as first peristomial ring, which is longer than second peristomial ring. Three antennae present and a pair of dorso-lateral palps. Antennae slightly longer than prostomium; median longer. Antennae arranged in slightly curved line and slightly articulated. Eyes present, positioned behind the lateral antennae. Jaws removed from holotype. Maxillary formula of Mediterranean material: I(1+1), II(5-7+7-8), III(6-7+0), IV (4+8) (Fig. 3).</p> <p>Dorsal cirri cirriform in anterior body, more thin and slender after mid-body; slightly longer than the parapodium in anterior region, increasing in size up to twice as long after the first branchiae. Ventral cirri tongueshaped with rounded tips in anterior body, tips with a distal papilla in branchial segments, which gradually becomes less distinct after mid-body. Ventral cirri slightly shorter than the parapodium lobe. Post-chaetal lobes elongated and tongue-shaped, much longer than acicular lobe, gradually decreasing down to a similar length in posterior body. Pre-chaetal lobes always truncated and straight, shorter than acicular lobes. Branchiae present from chaetiger 10–17 until 16–32, depending on specimen size; all pectinate and have up to 10 filaments.</p> <p>Holotype: Superior setae in each fascicle consist of: (1) 3–5 long capillaries, (2) 4–9 relatively shorter capillaries, (3) 1–2 heterodont pectinate setae, marginal teeth longer and unequal to each other (twice as long) throughout the body, with 4–5 teeth in anterior region (Fig. 4 c, 5c), increasing up to 7–8 towards the posterior end (Fig. 4 d). Inferior setae consist only of composite falcigers, bidentate and hooded (Fig. 4 b, 5b). There are up to 20 in anterior body, but only up to 10 at the posterior part. No composite spinigers present. Towards the posterior body, the number and length of all setae is decreasing, except of pectinate which remains the same. The length of the falciger blades is relatively short (32–40 µm in anterior chaetigers; decreasing down to 12–20 µm in posterior) and about equal between falcigers of the same fascicle, but with a slight length gradation (from 90µm up to 140µm) in the branchial region (one and half times longer). Aciculae blunt and pale. Acicular setae, beginning from chaetiger 35; pale yellow, hooded and bidentate; teeth have almost 90° angle between them; subdistal almost twice as wide (Fig. 4 a, 5d).</p> <p>Mediterranean material: Superior setae in each fascicle consist of: (1) 3–5 long serrated capillaries (Fig. 1 a), (2) 4–9 short serrated capillaries, (3) 1–2 heterodont pectinate setae, marginal teeth longer and unequal to each other (twice as long) throughout the body, with 4–8 teeth in total (Fig. 1 f–h, 2c), regardless of specimen dimensions. Inferior setae consist only of serrated, bidentated and hooded composite falcigers. No composite spiniger present. In each fascicle of anterior body (Fig. 1 b, 2b), or until the mid-body in older individuals (Fig. 1 c), there are 3–4 falcigers with notably longer and thinner blades (up to 160 µm; 115.3 µm average in older, 68 µm average in younger specimens), more than twice as long as the other (up to 76 µm; 55.3 µm average in older, 34.6 µm average in younger specimens). The length and the number of all setae decrease close to the posterior end (Fig. 1 d), except the pectinate which remains the same. Aciculae blunt, pale yellow at the edge and dark brown at base; 2–3 per parapodium in anterior body, only 1 after the first branchiae. Acicular setae, beginning from chaetiger 22–35 (depending on specimen dimensions) are pale yellow, hooded and bidentate; teeth have almost 90° angle between them; subdistal almost twice as wide (Fig. 1 e, 2d).</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> <i>Red Sea</i>: Aden (Gravier 1900), <i>Indian Ocean</i>: Madagascar (Day 1962), Reunion Island (Bigot <i>et al</i>. 2008), <i>Pacific Ocean</i>: Hong Kong (Mak 1980), Andaman Sea (Aungtonya <i>et al</i>. 2002). <i>Mediterranean Sea</i>: Gera Gulf, Lesvos Island; Mytilene Strait (East Aegean Sea), Methoni (South Ionian Sea).</p> <p> <b>Ecology.</b> Soft mud (Madagascar), Muddy sand with sea-shells (Andaman Sea), coral communities (Hong Kong). <i>P. oceanica</i> beds and two individuals have been found especially in shoot sheaths micro-habitat (Greece).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> <i>Marphysa adenensis</i> is the first species of the genus described as having present only composite falcigers in inferior setae and branchiae limited to the anterior body. Although the blades of the falcigers are referred as “long and narrow” both in the original description and the subsequent description by Day (1963), no remarks are made for the presence of length gradation among the blades. The re-examination of the holotype in the present study showed that there is a length gradation in the branchial region. The Mediterranean specimens differ from the holotype by having a stronger gradation of falciger blades-length (more than twice as long, rather than one and half). However, there are a lot of falcigers missing blades in the holotype, after a century of preservation, especially in the first segments. Maxillary apparatus has been dissected out from the holotype, but the maxillary formula of the Mediterranean specimens differ from the published formula by Day (1967). In particular, the latter have more teeth in maxillary IV (4+ 8 in the Mediterranean specimens, than 7+ 11 in the holotype), as well as a slight variation in MxII (5-7+ 7-8 in the Mediterranean specimens, than 7+ 8 in the holotype) and in MxIII (6-7+0 in the Mediterranean specimens, than 7+0 in the holotype), varying according to body size. However, the published formula could be considered inadequate, since it seems to be based only on 3 individuals in total (the holotype from Aden; Gravier 1900 and two individual collected from Madagascar; Day 1962) and this number should not be enough to cover the interspecies variation. Besides the above differences, the Mediterranean specimens show important similarities with the holotype, namely in having: a) 1–2 pectinate setae all along the body, up to eight teeth, b) pale yellow acicular setae, hooded and bidentate with teeth that have almost 90° angle between them and the subdistal only slightly longer than the distal, but twice as wide. <i>Marphysa adenensis</i> is very similar to <i>M</i>. sp. A from the Gulf of Mexico. Although the personal examination of this species’ type materials was not possible, according to the published description (Gathof 1984) the two species are very similar in terms of strong falciger blades-length gradation (twice as long in figure 40-14e–f), acicular shape (bidentate, hooded, 90° angle between the teeth and subdistal is wider than distal in figure 40-14h) and maxillary formula close to the interspecies variation (I:1+1, II:5-6+7, III:5-7+0, IV:2-4+5-12). The relation of <i>Μ</i>. sp. A to <i>M</i>. <i>adenensis</i> has to be defined in a future study, since there is a possibility to be a synonym species. Finally, it differs from the other species of Group C1 from America, <i>M. conferta</i>, mainly in having pectinate setae of fewer teeth (based on published description).</p>Published as part of <i>Katsiaras, Nikolaos, Simboura, Nomiki & Koutsoubas, Drosos, 2014, The rare subgroup C 1 of Marphysa (Polychaeta, Eunicidae): re-description of species and first records in the Mediterranean Sea, pp. 201-217 in Zootaxa 3873 (3)</i> on pages 203-206, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3873.3.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/228641">http://zenodo.org/record/228641</a&gt

Marphysa gemmata Mohammad 1973

<i>Marphysa gemmata</i> Mohammad, 1973 <p>Fig. 8 a–d, 9a–d, Table 2</p> <p> <i>Marphysa gemmata</i> Mohammad 1973: 32, Figures 4–5</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> Holotype (BMNH 1971.49), Kuwait, 9/05/1969, 1 specimen, 90 mm long and 3mm width, 165 segments with posterior end missing.</p> <p> <b>Description.</b> Holotype an anterior fragment of about 165 segments (Fig. 9 a). Prostomium slightly incised, shorter than first peristomial ring, which is twice as long than second peristomial ring. 3 antennae and a pair of dorso-lateral palps present. Median antennae almost twice as long as the prostomium; dorso-lateral palps shorter. Antennae arranged in curved line and seem to be wrinkled, but possibly due to preservation. Eyes absent. Jaws removed. Maxillary formula (according to Mohammad, 1973): I(1+1), II(8+8), III(8+0), IV (8+10).</p> <p>Dorsal cirri cirriform in anterior body (Fig. 8 a), more thin and slender after mid-body; almost twice as long (0.76 mm) as the parapodial lobe (0.32 mm) in anterior, increasing their length (1 mm) after first branchiae and remains at about this size. Ventral cirri tongue-shaped with rounded tips at the first 6–7 chaetigers, the tips bear a distal papilla in branchial segments (Fig. 8 a), which gradually gets less distinct after mid-body to finally have rounded tips in the posterior body. Ventral cirri (0.28 mm) shorter than dorsal cirri and almost as long as parapodial lobes, except of the posterior body where it is clearly longer. Post-chaetal lobe elongated and tongue-shaped in anterior and mid-body (Fig. 8 a); more than twice as long (0.24 mm) as acicular lobe in anterior segments, decreasing much in size to a similar length after the mid-body (0.12 mm to 0.05 mm). Pre-chaetal lobe is always truncated and straight. Branchiae present from 22 to 46 chaetiger; all pectinate and up to 18 filaments; always emerging from the same stem of dorsal cirri. Subcirral organs not distinct.</p> <p>Superior setae in each fascicle consist of: (1) 3–4 long and slender capillaries, (2) 13–15 relatively shorter and slender capillaries, (3) 0–1 heterodont pectinate setae in anterior body (Fig. 8 c), rare, missing from posterior half of mid-body and towards the end (last observed at chaetiger 61); with 5–8 teeth, marginal teeth longer and unequal to each other (twice as long). Inferior setae consist only of composite falcigers, bidentate and hooded (Fig. 8 b, 9b). No composite spiniger present. Composite falcigers usually up to 35 per fascicle. In each fascicle of anterior body and branchial body, there are 3–4 falcigers with notably longer and thinner blades (up to 130 µm), very few also with bended tip, about one and half times longer than the others (up to 85µm). The length and the number of all setae decrease close to the posterior end. Aciculae blunt, pale yellow at the edge; 1–2 per parapodium. Acicular seta, beginning from about chaetiger 58 are pale yellow, hooded and bidentate; teeth have almost 90° angle between them; subdistal almost twice as wide (Fig. 8 d, 9c).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> Although the subcirral organs were not observed, there were described and illustrated in detail by Mohammad (1973) and so their low distinctness when re-examining the holotype should be a matter of preservation. This character should distinguish <i>M. gemmata</i> from the other species by contrast, but low distinctness of such organs could also apply for the rest of species that were preserved in the same method and such character could have been overlooked by past authors. In any case, additional differences of <i>M. gemmata</i> from the other species were found in the present study. <i>M. gemmata</i> differiates from <i>M. purcellana</i> also by a different shape of acicular setae (90° angle between teeth and subdistal twice as wide in <i>M. gemmata</i>., than 60° angle and subdistal only slightly wider in <i>M. purcellana</i>). The shape of acicular shape is similar to those of <i>M. adenensis</i>, but it differs from the latter also for having sparse distribution of pectinate setae in anterior body and completely missing from posterior body.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> <i>Persian Gulf:</i> Kuwait (Mohammad 1973).</p> <p> <b>Ecology.</b> Sand substrate (Kuwait).</p>Published as part of <i>Katsiaras, Nikolaos, Simboura, Nomiki & Koutsoubas, Drosos, 2014, The rare subgroup C 1 of Marphysa (Polychaeta, Eunicidae): re-description of species and first records in the Mediterranean Sea, pp. 201-217 in Zootaxa 3873 (3)</i> on pages 211-213, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3873.3.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/228641">http://zenodo.org/record/228641</a&gt

The rare subgroup C 1 of Marphysa (Polychaeta, Eunicidae): re-description of species and first records in the Mediterranean Sea

Katsiaras, Nikolaos, Simboura, Nomiki, Koutsoubas, Drosos (2014): The rare subgroup C 1 of Marphysa (Polychaeta, Eunicidae): re-description of species and first records in the Mediterranean Sea. Zootaxa 3873 (3): 201-217, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3873.3.

Polychaetes of Greece: an updated and annotated checklist

The last annotated checklist of marine polychaetes in Greece was published in 2001. Since then, global taxonomic progress, combined with many new species records for Greece, required a thorough review of the taxonomic, nomenclatural and biogeographic status of the national species list. This checklist revises the status of all extant polychaete species reported from the Greek Exclusive Economic Zone since 1832. The work was undertaken as part of the efforts on compiling a national species inventory (Greek Taxon Information System initiative) in the framework of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure. This checklist comprises an updated and annotated inventory of polychaete species in Greek waters, compiled from literature reports, online databases, museum collections and unpublished datasets. The list provides information on 836 species-level taxa from Greece, of which 142 are considered questionable. An additional 84 species reported in the past are currently considered absent from Greece; reasons for the exclusion of each species are given. Fourteen species are reported here for the first time from Greek waters. At least 52 species in the present list constitute in fact a complex of cryptic or pseudo-cryptic species. Forty-seven species are considered non-native to the area. In addition to the species-level taxa reported in this checklist, eleven genera have been recorded from Greece with no representatives identified to species level. One replacement name is introduced. For each species, a comprehensive bibliographic list of occurrence records in Greece and the synonyms used in these publications are provided as supplementary material. Where necessary, the taxonomic, nomenclatural or biogeographic status is discussed. Finally, the findings are discussed in the wider context of Mediterranean polychaete biogeography, taxonomic practice and worldwide research progress