Far from home....the first documented capture of the genus Elops (Actinopterygii, Elopidae) from the Mediterranean

The tenpounder fish genus Elops Linnaeus, 1766 was recorded for the first time from the Mediterranean in October 2019, as a single individual was caught in Maltese waters. The genus has a disparate global distribution consisting of west Atlantic and west Pacific tropical and sub-tropical areas. A single individual was caught, but not retained, during artificial lighting-assisted purse seining, and the identification of the genus was determined based upon photographs submitted by the fisherman. The mechanisms of range expansion of the genus from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean are discussed.peer-reviewe

Pojava mlađi pjevčine pučinke Luvarus imperialis (Actinopterygii: Perciformes: Luvaridae) u Sicilijskom tjesnacu

Two juveniles Luvarus imperialis, astrodermella stage, 97.4 mm and 90.6 mm in total length, were recorded on September 2016 and August 2017 respectively, the first caught by a bottom trawler off the south-eastern coast of Sicily, Strait of Sicily, Italy, the second found stranded on the beach in the nearby region. Biometrics data of this uncommon species are given and the occurrence of juvenile stages in the Mediterranean area is briefly discussed.Dva primjerka mlađi Luvarus imperialis, (stadij astrodermella) ukupnih dužina 97,4 mm i 90,6 mm, zabilježena su u rujnu 2016., odnosno kolovozu 2017. godine. Prvi primjerak je ulovljen koćom na jugoistočnoj obali Sicilije, Sicilijski tjesnac, Italija. Drugi primjerak je pronađen na plaži u obližnjoj regiji. U ovom radu, autori navode biometrijske podatke ove neobične vrste i ukratko se raspravlja o pojavi mlađih u mediteranskom području

Extinct and living mammals of the island of Marettimo (Ae- gadian archipelago, Trapani), off the north-western Sicilian coast (Italy): a review of evidence and historical data

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Much can change in a year : the Massawan mantis shrimp, Erugosquilla massavensis (Kossmann, 1880) in Sicily, Italy

A flourishing population of the Massawan mantis shrimp, Erugosquilla massavensis, an Erythraean species, is recorded off Sicily, Italy, one year after the very first specimen was collected off the eastern coast of the island. The species is already established as a minor, albeit valuable, fishery resource. Once its population increases, however, it may compete with the native Mediterranean spot-tail mantis shrimp, Squilla mantis. This article presents the results of a joint effort between members of the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale of Comiso and local fishermen to monitor non-indigenous species in Sicilian waters.peer-reviewe

A bonanza of angelfish (Perciformes : Pomacanthidae) in the Mediterranean : the second documented record of Holacanthus ciliaris (Linnaeus, 1758)

The second record of the Queen angelfish, Holacanthus ciliaris (Linnaeus, 1758), is hereby documented for the Mediterranean, through a single individual spearfished within Maltese coastal waters. Considerations on the potential introduction pathway for the species, which is popular in the aquarium trade, are made.peer-reviewe

The protected taxon Ocypode cursor (Linnaeus, 1758)(Crustacea : Decapoda : Ocypodidae) - documenting its well-established presence in the Central Mediterranean

Ocypode cursor (Linnaeus, 1758) is the only Ocypode species present in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the nine marine crustacean species protected in the basin. It is widely distributed in the eastern Mediterranean, but knowledge about its presence in the central Mediterranean is very limited so far. We hereby first document the established presence of O. cursor in the central Mediterranean (Sicily and Malta), backdate the known presence of this taxon in Italy, and offer preliminary observations on the main known Maltese population. In Sicily, O. cursor is distributed along most of the south-western coast of the island of Sicily, whilst at least three beaches in the Maltese Islands are known to support populations of this species. The main Maltese population exhibits numerous similarities (e.g. burrow width, zonation along the beach) to another Mediterranean population studied in northern Cyprus, although occurring at lower densities. We conclude that the species has been probably present within the study area for a long period, but went undetected in view of the low population densities at which it previously occurred, the lack of a comprehensive census for the species within the same study area, and its nocturnal habits. The presence of this species in the central Mediterranean seems to be attributable to secondary natural spreading.peer-reviewe

Enhancement of Cytotoxicity by Combining Pyrenyl-Dendrimers and Arene Ruthenium Metallacages

Three generations of pyrenyl bis-MPA dendrimers with two different end-groups, acetonide (pyrGn) or alcohol (pyrGn-OH) (n = 1–3), were synthesized, and the pyrenyl group of the dendritic molecules was encapsulated in the arene ruthenium metallacages, [Ru6(p-cymene) 6 (OO∩OO)3(tpt)2]6+ (OO∩OO = 5,8-dioxydo- 1,4-naphtaquinonato (donq) [1]6+ and 6,11-dioxydo-5,12- naphtacenedionato (dotq) [2]6+; tpt =2,4,6-tri(pyridin-4-yl)-1,3,5-triazine). The host–guest properties of [guestC1]6+ and [guestC2]6+ were studied in solution by NMR and UV–vis spectroscopic methods, thus allowing the determination of the affinity constants. Moreover, the cytotoxicity of these water- soluble host–guest systems and the pyrenyl-dendrimers was evaluated on human ovarian cancer cells

Dodatni nalaz vrste, Albunea carabus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Decapoda, Anomura, Hippoidea)u talijanskim vodama

The first findings of the anomuran Albunea carabus (Linnaeus, 1758) from the southeastern coasts of Sicily are documented, improving knowledge on the distribution of this poorly known species around the island and in the Mediterranean Sea. The distribution of records in the whole basin is updated.Autori dokumentiraju dodatne nalaze vrste Albunea carabus (Linnaeus, 1758) s jugoistočnih obala Sicilije, poboljšavajući tako znanje o rasprostranjenosti ove slabo poznate vrste oko otoka i u Sredozemnom moru. Ažurirana je distribucija zapisa u cijelom bazen

Combined arene ruthenium porphyrins as chemotherapeutics and photosensitizers for cancer therapy

Mononuclear5-(4-pyridyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin and 5-(3-pyridyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin as well as tetranuclear 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-pyridyl)porphyrin (tetra-4-pp) and 5,10,15,20-tetra(3-pyridyl)porphyrin) (tetra-3-pp) arene ruthenium(II) derivatives (areneisC6H5Me or p-Pr i C6H4Me) were prepared and evaluated as potential dual photosensitizers and chemotherapeutics in human Me300 melanoma cells. In the absence of light, all tetranuclear complexes were cytotoxic (IC50≤20μM), while the mononuclear derivatives were not (IC50≥100μM). Kinetic studies of tritiated thymidine and tritiated leucine incorporations in cells exposed to a low concentration (5μM) of tetranuclear p-cymene derivatives demonstrated a rapid inhibition of DNA synthesis, while protein synthesis was inhibited only later, suggesting arene ruthenium-DNA interactions as the initial cytotoxic process. All complexes exhibited phototoxicities toward melanoma cells when exposed to laser light of 652nm. At low concentration (5μM), LD50 of the mononuclear derivatives was between 5 and 10J/cm2, while for the tetranuclear derivatives LD50 was approximately 2.5J/cm2 for the [Ru4(η6-arene)4(tetra-4-pp)Cl8] complexes and less than 0.5J/cm2 for the [Ru4(η6-arene)4(tetra-3-pp)Cl8] complexes. Examination of cells under a fluorescence microscope revealed the [Ru4(η6-arene)4(tetra-4-pp)Cl8] complexes as cytoplasmic aggregates, whereas the [Ru4(η6-arene)4(tetra-3-pp)Cl8] complexes were homogenously dispersed in the cytoplasm. Thus, these complexes present a dual synergistic effect with good properties of both the arene ruthenium chemotherapeutics and the porphyrin photosensitize

New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records (March 2017)

23 pages, 26 figures, 3 tablesThis Collective Article presents information on 22 species belonging to 5 Phyla, arranged geographically from west to east. The new records were found in 8 countries as follows: Spain: first record of the two scarcely known nemerteans Baseodiscus delineatus and Notospermus geniculatus in Formentera; Malta: second record of the alien fish Lagocephalus sceleratus; Italy: the alien polychaete Syllis pectinans and the isopod Paranthura japonica, as well as the cryptogenic opisthobranch Anteaeolidiella lurana, were found in the fouling assemblages along the docks of the port of Livorno. New decapod records are reported from Sicily (the alien Callinectes sapidus and the native Pachygrapsus maurus) and Apulia (Percnon gibbesi and Procambarus clarkii); the lesser amberjack Seriola fasciata extended its geographical range to the Egadi Isands and Siganus luridus was documented for the first time along the Ionian coasts of Apulia and Calabria. Slovenia: the first record of the alien bivalve Brachidontes pharaonis is reported, together with a survey of up to date Adriatic records. Greece: the first record of the gastropod Rhinoclavis kochi is reported from Gavdos island. In addition, two records of endangered and rare cartilaginous fish were reported, namely, the shark Hexanchus griseus and the ray Leucoraja fullonica, as well as additional records of Siganus luridus for Lesvos and Malleus regula and Fulvia fragilis from Astypalaia. Turkey: the black wing flyingfish Hirundichthys rondeletii is reported for the very first time from the Black Sea. Egypt: the Indo-Pacific crab Halimede ochtodes is reported as established in Port Said. In addition, biometric parameters and meristic counts are reported for Anthias anthias in Damietta. Cyprus: the alien opisthobranch gastropod BursatellaPeer Reviewe