Mesophotic Animal Forests of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea): Biodiversity, Distribution and Vulnerability

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Mesophotic Animal Forests of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea): Biodiversity, Distribution and Vulnerability Mesophotic Animal Forests of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea): biodiversity, distribution and vulnerability Francesco Enrichetti Genova 2019 PhD Thesis 1 2 Mesophotic Animal Forests of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea): biodiversity, distribution and vulnerability Francesco Enrichetti Genova 2019 PhD Thesis 3 4 Mesophotic Animal Forests of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea): biodiversity, distribution and vulnerability Francesco Enrichetti PhD program in Sciences and Technologies for the Environment and the Landscape (STAT) XXXI cycle in Marine Sciences (5824) May 2019 Supervisor: Co-supervisor: Dr. Marzia Bo Prof. Giorgio Bavestrello 5 6 “Mesophotic Animal Forests of the Ligurian Sea (NW Mediterranean Sea): biodiversity, distribution and vulnerability” (2019). External referees: Prof. Francesco Mastrototaro from the University of Bari and Dr. Andrea Gori from the University of Salento. Cover: Ligurian mesophotic animal forests with gorgonians (Eunicella verrucosa) and Spongia (Spongia) lamella. Photo by Simonepietro Canese (ISPRA). 7 8 Mais, pendant quelques minutes, je confondis involontairement les règnes entre eux, prenant des zoophytes pour des hydrophytes, des animaux pour des plantes. Et qui ne s’y fût pas trompé ? La faune et la flore se touchent de si près dans ce monde sous-marin ! […] « Curieuse anomalie, bizarre élément, a dit un spirituel naturaliste, où le règne animal fleurit, et où le règne végétal ne fleurit pas ! » Jules Verne, Vingt mille lieues sous les mers 9 10 Table of contents SUMMARY 15 RIASSUNTO 17 INTRODUCTION 19 1. Deep-sea scientific exploration 19 2. Mesophotic animal forests of the Mediterranean Sea 21 3. Mediterranean fisheries and fishing impact on mesophotic animal forests 24 4. Conservation of Mediterranean animal forests 28 5. Study area: the Ligurian Sea 32 6. General objectives of this thesis 34 References 36 PART 1 - BIODIVERSITY 45 Chapter 1 - Megabenthic assemblages of the Ligurian deep continental shelf (NW Mediterranean Sea) 47 1. Introduction 48 2. Material and Methods 50 3. Results 54 4. Discussion 66 References 74 Supplemental material 81 11 PART 2 - FISHING IMPACT 89 Chapter 2 - Artisanal fishing impact on deep coralligenous animal forests: a Mediterranean case study of marine vulnerability 91 1. Introduction 92 2. Material and Methods 93 3. Results 99 4. Discussion 108 5. Conclusions 112 References 113 Supplemental material 118 Chapter 3 - Placogorgia coronata frist documented record in Italian waters: Use of trawl bycatch to unveil vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems 123 1. Introduction 124 2. Material and Methods 125 3. Results 128 4. Discussion 136 Reference 142 PART 3 - MONITORING AND CONSERVATION 147 Chapter 4 - Marine litter assessment and distribution on the deep Ligurian continental shelf (NW Mediterranean Sea) 149 1. Introduction 150 2. Material and Methods 152 3. Results 157 4. Discussion 163 References 169 Supplemental material 173 12 Chapter 5 - Assessing the environmental status of temperate mesophotic reefs: a new, integrated methodological approach 177 1. Introduction 178 2. Material and Methods 179 3. Results 189 4. Discussion 194 References 197 Supplemental material 202 CONCLUSIONS 205 Part 1 - Biodiversity 205 Part 2 - Fishing impact 206 Part 3 - Monitoring and conservation 207 Future perspectives 208 ANNEXES 211 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 214 13 14 Summary Knowledge about deep-sea megabenthic easy-to-apply tools to evaluate and communities has greatly increased during monitor their environmental status, in the last two decades thanks to the order to provide effective conservation improvement of technical diving measures. This thesis aims to address equipment, submersibles, remotely these topics focusing on the marine operated and autonomous vehicles. In animal forests of the Ligurian deep the last 10 years, several studies, continental shelf. targeting the Mediterranean deep The Ligurian Sea represents one of the continental shelf or mesophotic zone (40- most studied Mediterranean basins due 200 m), have reported the occurrence of to several extensive researches, which rich hotspots of biodiversity, namely have characterized the benthic and marine animal forests, dominated by pelagic fauna mainly through SCUBA habitat-forming species such as corals diving (shallow waters) and trawl surveys and sponges thriving in dim light (bathyal waters) since the beginning of conditions. This bathymetric range hosts the last century. On the other hand, a the deepest extension of shallow-water large knowledge gap still exists for this animal forests as well as proper region regarding the deep circalittoral mesophotic assemblages thriving on the megabenthic communities and, overall, so-called roche du large ecosystems. on the anthropic threats insisting on These complex aggregations play a deep-sea communities. Indeed, fundamental ecological role in the marine considering the significant amount of ecosystems (refuge effect, nursery area, professional and recreational fishermen benthic-pelagic coupling, biogeochemical operating at these depths in the Ligurian cycles) and the characterization of their region, it was crucial to carry out an diversity and distribution is considered of extensive investigation in this area. primary interest worldwide. Explorations In the present study, about 80 sites have have depicted not only the diversity of been investigated during a four-years these forests but also their vulnerability ROV survey conducted along the Ligurian towards mechanical impacts inflicted by deep continental shelf representing the demersal fishing activities, especially in most comprehensive study so far for the the overexploited Mediterranean basin. Italian waters. ROV footage was used to This leads to an urgent need to quantify characterize the benthic biocoenoses the damages burdening on these thriving on soft and hard bottoms, sensitive ecosystems and to develop determine the most relevant 15 environmental factors driving their spatial different deep-sea ecosystems (a deep distribution, and quantify the circalittoral coralligenous shoal exploited anthropogenic disturbance. Twelve major by a small-scale fishery and a trawling assemblages have been identified by ground located nearby a cold-water coral means of community analysis, including thanatocoenoses), and the investigated gorgonian and hydrozoan forests, dense parameters were designed to fulfil the keratose sponge grounds, a criteria proposed by FAO for the Dendrophyllia cornigera facies, bryozoan identification of Vulnerable Marine beds and soft-bottom meadows of Ecosystems (VMEs). A fine sabellids and alcyonaceans, some of characterisation of the megabenthic them reported for the first time. Forests of assemblages and the fishing effort was black corals and Paramuricea obtained, as well as the quantification of macrospina aggregations have also been no-target catches rates (with particular reported from the video footage, although attention to structuring megabenthic with a more scattered distribution. The invertebrates and rare species), and the distribution of these assemblages is frequency of gear entanglement and loss. determined by different environmental This information allowed to initiate the parameters, namely depth, substrate type process to delineate Fisheries Restricted and inclination. Areas (FRAs), over these sensitive deep The abundance of marine litter herein areas. observed is among the highest ever Finally, to evaluate the environmental recorded in Europe, with maximum status of megabenthic assemblages values up to 7900 items ha-1. Abandoned, thriving on mesophotic coralligenous or lost or discarded fishing gears represent rocky reefs at temperate latitudes, a the 81% of the total sightings, with the multiparametric index (MACS) integrating highest abundance recorded on the deep all possible sources of ROV-based rocky shoals facing the largest fishing information regarding community harbors and fleets. The majority of the structure and impacts has been fishing gears observed is attributable to developed and validated. This practical artisanal and recreational fishing tool was thought to have a large-scale activities, suggesting that these represent application within the on-going Marine the main source of litter in the Ligurian Strategy monitoring programs of these Sea. Urban litter, mainly represented by ecosystems. plastic, has also been observed, In conclusion, a georeferenced database generally with higher abundances nearby of the location of diversity hotspots and large cities and river mouths. sites of litter accumulation has been A multidisciplinary approach based on created, in order to set the baseline for ROV explorations, background fishermen the monitoring of Ligurian mesophotic interviews and on-board bycatch sensitive animal forests. This dataset will monitoring has also been applied to provide managers and stakeholders the obtain quantitative data on the impact of scientific information and the tools for the different fishing methods adopted within creation of an extensive network of deep- two Ligurian case studies. The study sea marine protected areas in the areas have been selected following a Ligurian basin. bathymetric point of view to study two 16 Riassunto Grazie alle innovazioni tecnologiche nel stato di salute delle biocenosi campo della subacquea tecnica, dei mesofotiche, permettendo di delineare sommergibili e dei robot filoguidati (ROV) efficaci misure di conservazione. Questa e autonomi, la conoscenza sulle comunità tesi si propone di affrontare tali tematiche
Recommended publications
  • Octocoral Diversity of Balıkçı Island, the Marmara Sea
    J. Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment Vol. 19, No. 1: 46-57 (2013) RESEARCH ARTICLE Octocoral diversity of Balıkçı Island, the Marmara Sea Eda Nur Topçu1,2*, Bayram Öztürk1,2 1Faculty of Fisheries, Istanbul University, Ordu St., No. 200, 34470, Laleli, Istanbul, TURKEY 2Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV), P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, Istanbul, TURKEY *Corresponding author: [email protected] Abstract We investigated the octocoral diversity of Balıkçı Island in the Marmara Sea. Three sites were sampled by diving, from 20 to 45 m deep. Nine species were found, two of which are first records for Turkish fauna: Alcyonium coralloides and Paralcyonium spinulosum. Scientific identification of Alcyonium acaule in the Turkish seas was also done for the first time in this study. Key words: Octocoral, soft coral, gorgonian, diversity, Marmara Sea. Introduction The Marmara Sea is a semi-enclosed sea connecting the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea via the Turkish Straits System, with peculiar oceanographic, ecological and geomorphologic characteristics (Öztürk and Öztürk 1996). The benthic fauna consists of Black Sea species until approximately 20 meters around the Prince Islands area, where Mediterranean species take over due to the two layer stratification in the Marmara Sea. The Sea of Marmara, together with the straits of Istanbul and Çanakkale, serves as an ecological barrier, a biological corridor and an acclimatization zone for the biota of Mediterranean and Black Seas (Öztürk and Öztürk 1996). The Islands in the Sea of Marmara constitute habitats particularly for hard bottom communities of Mediterranean origin. Ten Octocoral species were reported by Demir (1954) from the Marmara Sea but amongst them, Gorgonia flabellum was probably reported by mistake and 46 should not be considered as a valid record from the Sea of Marmara.
    [Show full text]
  • Updated Chronology of Mass Mortality Events Hitting Gorgonians in the Western Mediterranean Sea (Modified and Updated from Calvo Et Al
    The following supplement accompanies the article Mass mortality hits gorgonian forests at Montecristo Island Eva Turicchia*, Marco Abbiati, Michael Sweet and Massimo Ponti *Corresponding author: [email protected] Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 131: 79–85 (2018) Table S1. Updated chronology of mass mortality events hitting gorgonians in the western Mediterranean Sea (modified and updated from Calvo et al. 2011). Year Locations Scale Depth range Species References (m) 1983 La Ciotat (Ligurian Sea) Local 0 to 20 Eunicella singularis Harmelin 1984 Corallium rubrum 1986 Portofino Promontory (Ligurian Local 0 to 20 Eunicella cavolini Bavestrello & Boero 1988 Sea) 1989 Montecristo Island (Tyrrhenian Local - Paramuricea clavata Guldenschuh in Bavestrello et al. 1994 Sea) 1992 Medes Islands (north-western Local 0 to 14 Paramuricea clavata Coma & Zabala 1992 Mediterranean Sea), Port-Cros 10 to 45 Harmelin & Marinopoulos 1994 National Park 1993 Strait of Messina (Tyrrhenian Local 20 to 39 Paramuricea clavata Mistri & Ceccherelli 1996 Sea), Portofino Promontory Bavestrello et al. 1994 (Ligurian Sea) 1999 Coast of Provence and Ligurian Regional 0 to 45 Paramuricea clavata Cerrano et al. 2000 Sea, Balearic Islands (north- Eunicella singularis Perez et al. 2000 western Mediterranean Sea), Eunicella cavolini Garrabou et al. 2001 Gulf of La Spezia, Port-Cros Eunicella verrucosa Linares et al. 2005 National Park, coast of Calafuria Corallium rubrum Bramanti et al. 2005 (Tyrrhenian Sea) Leptogorgia Coma et al. 2006 sarmentosa Cupido et al. 2008 Crisci et al. 2011 2001 Tavolara Island (Tyrrhenian Sea) Local 10 to 45 Paramuricea Calvisi et al. 2003 clavata Eunicella cavolini 2002 Ischia and Procida Islands Local 15 to 20 Paramuricea clavata Gambi et al.
    [Show full text]
  • DEEP SEA LEBANON RESULTS of the 2016 EXPEDITION EXPLORING SUBMARINE CANYONS Towards Deep-Sea Conservation in Lebanon Project
    DEEP SEA LEBANON RESULTS OF THE 2016 EXPEDITION EXPLORING SUBMARINE CANYONS Towards Deep-Sea Conservation in Lebanon Project March 2018 DEEP SEA LEBANON RESULTS OF THE 2016 EXPEDITION EXPLORING SUBMARINE CANYONS Towards Deep-Sea Conservation in Lebanon Project Citation: Aguilar, R., García, S., Perry, A.L., Alvarez, H., Blanco, J., Bitar, G. 2018. 2016 Deep-sea Lebanon Expedition: Exploring Submarine Canyons. Oceana, Madrid. 94 p. DOI: 10.31230/osf.io/34cb9 Based on an official request from Lebanon’s Ministry of Environment back in 2013, Oceana has planned and carried out an expedition to survey Lebanese deep-sea canyons and escarpments. Cover: Cerianthus membranaceus © OCEANA All photos are © OCEANA Index 06 Introduction 11 Methods 16 Results 44 Areas 12 Rov surveys 16 Habitat types 44 Tarablus/Batroun 14 Infaunal surveys 16 Coralligenous habitat 44 Jounieh 14 Oceanographic and rhodolith/maërl 45 St. George beds measurements 46 Beirut 19 Sandy bottoms 15 Data analyses 46 Sayniq 15 Collaborations 20 Sandy-muddy bottoms 20 Rocky bottoms 22 Canyon heads 22 Bathyal muds 24 Species 27 Fishes 29 Crustaceans 30 Echinoderms 31 Cnidarians 36 Sponges 38 Molluscs 40 Bryozoans 40 Brachiopods 42 Tunicates 42 Annelids 42 Foraminifera 42 Algae | Deep sea Lebanon OCEANA 47 Human 50 Discussion and 68 Annex 1 85 Annex 2 impacts conclusions 68 Table A1. List of 85 Methodology for 47 Marine litter 51 Main expedition species identified assesing relative 49 Fisheries findings 84 Table A2. List conservation interest of 49 Other observations 52 Key community of threatened types and their species identified survey areas ecological importanc 84 Figure A1.
    [Show full text]
  • RA01 Rev5.Pdf
    INTERVENTI DI MITIGAZIONE DEL RISCHIO IDRAULICO DEL BACINO DEL FIUME ENTELLA RELATIVAMENTE AL TRATTO TERMINALE – 1° LOTTO DALLA FOCE AL PROVINCIA DI GENOVA PONTE DELLA MADDALENA – 1° STRALCIO FUNZIONALE – PROGETTO DEFINITIVO REVISIONE GENERALE A SEGUITO DEL PARERE DEL C.T.B. REGIONALE DEL 08/03/2012 E DELLE INDICAZIONI EMERSE IN SEDE DI CONFERENZA DEI SERVIZI INDICE 1. PREMESSA .................................................................................................................. 2 2. ANALISI DELLO STATO DI FATTO ............................................................................ 4 2.1 INQUADRAMENTO TERRITORIALE ............................................................................... 4 2.2 ATTUALI COMPONENTI PAESAGGISTICHE .................................................................... 5 2.3 INDAGINI GEOARCHEOLOGICHE ................................................................................. 7 2.4 ASSETTO GEOLOGICO E GEOTECNICO ........................................................................ 8 2.5 ASSETTO AMBIENTALE............................................................................................ 11 3. DESCRIZIONE DELL’INTERVENTO .......................................................................... 12 4. STRUMENTI URBANISTICI E DI PIANIFICAZIONE E VERIFICA DI COMPATIBILITÀ CON GLI INTERVENTI DI PROGETTO ......................................... 17 4.1 PIANO TERRITORIALE DI COORDINAMENTO PAESISTICO (PTCP) ............................... 17 4.2 PIANO TERRITORIALE DI COORDINAMENTO
    [Show full text]
  • Patterns of Septal Biomineralization in Scleractinia Compared with Their 28S Rrna Phylogeny
    PBlackwell Publishingatterns Ltd. of septal biomineralization in Scleractinia compared with their 28S rRNA phylogeny: a dual approach for a new taxonomic framework JEAN-PIERRE CUIF, GUILLAUME LECOINTRE, CHRISTINE PERRIN, ANNIE TILLIER & SIMON TILLIER Accepted: 2 December 2002 Cuif, J.-P., Lecointre, G., Perrin, C., Tillier, A. & Tillier, S. (2003). Patterns of septal bio- mineralization in Scleractinia compared with their 28S rRNA phylogeny: a dual approach for a new taxonomic framework. — Zoologica Scripta, 32, 459–473. A molecular phylogeny of the Scleractinia is reconstructed from approximately 700 nucleo- tides of the 5′end of the 28S rDNA obtained from 40 species. A comparison of molecular phylogenic trees with biomineralization patterns of coral septa suggests that at least five clades are corroborated by both types of data. Agaricidae and Dendrophylliidae are found to be monophyletic, that is supported by microstructural data. Conversely, Faviidae and Caryophyl- liidae are found to be paraphyletic: Cladocora should be excluded from the faviids, whereas Eusmilia should be excluded from the caryophylliids. The conclusion is also supported by the positions, sizes and shapes of centres of calcification. The traditional Guyniidae are diphyletic, corroborating Stolarski’s hypothesis ‘A’. Some results from our most parsimonious trees are not strongly statistically supported but corroborated by other molecular studies and micro- structural observations. For example, in the scleractinian phylogenetic tree, there are several lines of evidence (including those from our data) to distinguish a Faviidae–Mussidae lineage and a Dendrophylliidae–Agaricidae–Poritidae–Siderastreidae lineage. From a methodological standpoint, our results suggest that co-ordinated studies creating links between biomineralization patterns and molecular phylogeny may provide an efficient working approach for a re- examination of scleractinian classification.
    [Show full text]
  • (Approx) Mixed Micro Shells (22G Bags) Philippines € 10,00 £8,64 $11,69 Each 22G Bag Provides Hours of Fun; Some Interesting Foraminifera Also Included
    Special Price £ US$ Family Genus, species Country Quality Size Remarks w/o Photo Date added Category characteristic (€) (approx) (approx) Mixed micro shells (22g bags) Philippines € 10,00 £8,64 $11,69 Each 22g bag provides hours of fun; some interesting Foraminifera also included. 17/06/21 Mixed micro shells Ischnochitonidae Callistochiton pulchrior Panama F+++ 89mm € 1,80 £1,55 $2,10 21/12/16 Polyplacophora Ischnochitonidae Chaetopleura lurida Panama F+++ 2022mm € 3,00 £2,59 $3,51 Hairy girdles, beautifully preserved. Web 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Ischnochitonidae Ischnochiton textilis South Africa F+++ 30mm+ € 4,00 £3,45 $4,68 30/04/21 Polyplacophora Ischnochitonidae Ischnochiton textilis South Africa F+++ 27.9mm € 2,80 £2,42 $3,27 30/04/21 Polyplacophora Ischnochitonidae Stenoplax limaciformis Panama F+++ 16mm+ € 6,50 £5,61 $7,60 Uncommon. 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Acanthopleura gemmata Philippines F+++ 25mm+ € 2,50 £2,16 $2,92 Hairy margins, beautifully preserved. 04/08/17 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Acanthopleura gemmata Australia F+++ 25mm+ € 2,60 £2,25 $3,04 02/06/18 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Acanthopleura granulata Panama F+++ 41mm+ € 4,00 £3,45 $4,68 West Indian 'fuzzy' chiton. Web 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Acanthopleura granulata Panama F+++ 32mm+ € 3,00 £2,59 $3,51 West Indian 'fuzzy' chiton. 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Chiton tuberculatus Panama F+++ 44mm+ € 5,00 £4,32 $5,85 Caribbean. 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Chiton tuberculatus Panama F++ 35mm € 2,50 £2,16 $2,92 Caribbean. 24/12/16 Polyplacophora Chitonidae Chiton tuberculatus Panama F+++ 29mm+ € 3,00 £2,59 $3,51 Caribbean.
    [Show full text]
  • Ica Nature Park (Adriatic Sea, Croatia)
    NAT. CROAT. VOL. 16 No 4 233¿266 ZAGREB December 31, 2007 original scientific paper / izvorni znanstveni rad ANTHOZOAN FAUNA OF TELA[]ICA NATURE PARK (ADRIATIC SEA, CROATIA) PETAR KRU@I] Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Rooseveltov trg 6, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia ([email protected]) Kru`i}, P.: Anthozoan fauna of Tela{}ica Nature Park (Adriatic Sea, Croatia). Nat. Croat., Vol. 16, No. 4., 233–266, 2007, Zagreb. Sixty-five anthozoan species were recorded and collected in the area of Tela{}ica Nature Park during surveys from 1999 to 2006. General and ecological data are presented for each species, as well as distribution and local abundance. The recorded species account for about 56% of the antho- zoans known in the Adriatic Sea, and for about 38% of the anthozoans known in the Mediterra- nean Sea. From Tela{}ica Nature Park, 16 species are considered to be Mediterranean endemics. The heterogeneity of the substrates and benthic communities in the bay and cliffs is considerable in Tela{}ica Nature Park; anthozoans are present on most of the different kinds of substrates and in a wide range of benthic communities. Key words: marine fauna, Anthozoa, Tela{}ica Nature Park, Adriatic Sea. Kru`i}, P.: Fauna koralja Parka prirode Tela{}ica (Jadransko more, Hrvatska). Nat. Croat., Vol. 16, No. 4., 233–266, 2007, Zagreb. Prilikom istra`ivanja podmorskog dijela Parka prirode Tela{}ica u razdoblju od 1999. do 2006. godine zabilje`eno je i sakupljeno 65 vrsta koralja. Za svaku vrstu izneseni su op}i i ekolo{ki podaci, te su zabilje`eni nalazi i lokalna brojnost.
    [Show full text]
  • Portadas 21 (1)
    © Sociedad Española de Malacología Iberus , 21 (1): 115-127, 2003 Four new Euthria (Mollusca, Buccinidae) from the Cape Verde archipelago, with comments on the validity of the genus Cuatro nuevas Euthria (Mollusca, Buccinidae) del archipiélago de Cabo Verde con comentarios sobre la validez del género Emilio ROLÁN *, António MONTEIRO ** and Koen FRAUSSEN *** Recibido el 2-XII-2002. Aceptado el 22-I-2003 ABSTRACT Four species, collected in the Cape Verde Islands, are described as new and assigned to the genus Euthria M. E. Gray, 1830. The new species are compared with other taxa from the Mediterranean Sea and the Cape Verde Archipelago. The genera Euthria , and Buccin - ulum are compared and the significance of the differences between them is discussed, leading to the conclusion that both genera are valid and should be kept separated. RESUMEN Se describen cuatro especies nuevas del género Euthria M. E. Gray, 1830 recogidas en aguas circalitorales del archipiélago de Cabo Verde. Las nuevas especies son compara - das con otros taxones congenéricos existentes en el Mediterráneo y en el propio archip - iélago. Recientemente, el género Euthria, únicamente conocido del Atlántico oriental, ha sido sinonimizado con Buccinulum , que posee especies en el Indo-Pacífico, por lo que se comparan ambos géneros y se discute el valor de las diferencias entre ellos, considerando finalmente que ambos son válidos, y deben mantenerse separados. KEY WORDS: Euthria , Buccinulum , Cape Verde Archipelago, new taxa. PALABRAS CLAVE : Euthria , Buccinulum , Archipiélago de Cabo Verde, nuevos táxones. INTRODUCTION During the last few years, the genus them separate, as commented upon in Euthria Gray, 1850 has frequently been “Remarks” of this paper.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of the Molluscan Biota of Sabaudia Lake: a Matter of Human History
    SCIENTIA MARINA 77(4) December 2013, 649-662, Barcelona (Spain) ISSN: 0214-8358 doi: 10.3989/scimar.03858.05M The evolution of the molluscan biota of Sabaudia Lake: a matter of human history ARMANDO MACALI 1, ANXO CONDE 2,3, CARLO SMRIGLIO 1, PAOLO MARIOTTINI 1 and FABIO CROCETTA 4 1 Dipartimento di Biologia, Università Roma Tre, Viale Marconi 446, I-00146 Roma, Italy. 2 IBB-Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Center for Biological and Chemical Engineering, Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal. 3 Departamento de Ecoloxía e Bioloxía Animal, Universidade de Vigo, Lagoas-Marcosende, Vigo E-36310, Spain. 4 Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, I-80121 Napoli, Italy. E-mail: [email protected] SUMMARY: The evolution of the molluscan biota in Sabaudia Lake (Italy, central Tyrrhenian Sea) in the last century is hereby traced on the basis of bibliography, museum type materials, and field samplings carried out from April 2009 to Sep- tember 2011. Biological assessments revealed clearly distinct phases, elucidating the definitive shift of this human-induced coastal lake from a freshwater to a marine-influenced lagoon ecosystem. Records of marine subfossil taxa suggest that previous accommodations to these environmental features have already occurred in the past, in agreement with historical evidence. Faunal and ecological insights are offered for its current malacofauna, and special emphasis is given to alien spe- cies. Within this framework, Mytilodonta Coen, 1936, Mytilodonta paulae Coen, 1936 and Rissoa paulae Coen in Brunelli and Cannicci, 1940 are also considered new synonyms of Mytilaster Monterosato, 1884, Mytilaster marioni (Locard, 1889) and Rissoa membranacea (J.
    [Show full text]
  • CNIDARIA Corals, Medusae, Hydroids, Myxozoans
    FOUR Phylum CNIDARIA corals, medusae, hydroids, myxozoans STEPHEN D. CAIRNS, LISA-ANN GERSHWIN, FRED J. BROOK, PHILIP PUGH, ELLIOT W. Dawson, OscaR OcaÑA V., WILLEM VERvooRT, GARY WILLIAMS, JEANETTE E. Watson, DENNIS M. OPREsko, PETER SCHUCHERT, P. MICHAEL HINE, DENNIS P. GORDON, HAMISH J. CAMPBELL, ANTHONY J. WRIGHT, JUAN A. SÁNCHEZ, DAPHNE G. FAUTIN his ancient phylum of mostly marine organisms is best known for its contribution to geomorphological features, forming thousands of square Tkilometres of coral reefs in warm tropical waters. Their fossil remains contribute to some limestones. Cnidarians are also significant components of the plankton, where large medusae – popularly called jellyfish – and colonial forms like Portuguese man-of-war and stringy siphonophores prey on other organisms including small fish. Some of these species are justly feared by humans for their stings, which in some cases can be fatal. Certainly, most New Zealanders will have encountered cnidarians when rambling along beaches and fossicking in rock pools where sea anemones and diminutive bushy hydroids abound. In New Zealand’s fiords and in deeper water on seamounts, black corals and branching gorgonians can form veritable trees five metres high or more. In contrast, inland inhabitants of continental landmasses who have never, or rarely, seen an ocean or visited a seashore can hardly be impressed with the Cnidaria as a phylum – freshwater cnidarians are relatively few, restricted to tiny hydras, the branching hydroid Cordylophora, and rare medusae. Worldwide, there are about 10,000 described species, with perhaps half as many again undescribed. All cnidarians have nettle cells known as nematocysts (or cnidae – from the Greek, knide, a nettle), extraordinarily complex structures that are effectively invaginated coiled tubes within a cell.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Saved from the Sordid Axe': Representation and Understanding
    1 ‘Saved from the sordid axe’: representation and understanding of pine trees by English visitors to Italy in the eighteenth and nineteenth century Pietro Piana, Charles Watkins and Ross Balzaretti Abstract Pine trees were frequently depicted and celebrated by nineteenth century English artists and travellers in Italy. The amateur artist and connoisseur Sir George Beaumont was horrified to discover in 1821 that many Roman stone pines were being felled and paid a landowner to preserve a prominent tree on Monte Mario. William Wordsworth saw this tree in 1837 and celebrated that it had been ‘Saved from the sordid axe by Beaumont's care’. Pines continued to be painted by amateurs and professionals including Elizabeth Fanshawe, William Strangways, Edward Lear, John Ruskin. These trees were also an important element of local agriculture; in parts of Liguria they were grown in vineyards in an unusual type of coltura promiscua providing both support for the vines and fertiliser from pine needles; in Tuscany and Ravenna pine plantations and forests were an important source of pine nuts. In this paper we combine the analysis of local land management records, paintings and traveller’s accounts to reclaim differing understandings of the role of the pine in nineteenth century Italy. Introduction: Sir George Beaumont, Wordsworth and the pines of Rome With the final defeat of Napoleon at Waterloo in June 1815 Italy, especially Rome, once again became a favourite destination for British cultural tourists (Buzard, 1993, Liversidge and Edwards, 1996, Black,
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography on the Scyphozoa with Selected References on Hydrozoa and Anthozoa
    W&M ScholarWorks Reports 1971 Bibliography on the Scyphozoa with selected references on Hydrozoa and Anthozoa Dale R. Calder Virginia Institute of Marine Science Harold N. Cones Virginia Institute of Marine Science Edwin B. Joseph Virginia Institute of Marine Science Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports Part of the Marine Biology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation Calder, D. R., Cones, H. N., & Joseph, E. B. (1971) Bibliography on the Scyphozoa with selected references on Hydrozoa and Anthozoa. Special scientific eporr t (Virginia Institute of Marine Science) ; no. 59.. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://doi.org/10.21220/V59B3R This Report is brought to you for free and open access by W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Reports by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BIBLIOGRAPHY on the SCYPHOZOA WITH SELECTED REFERENCES ON HYDROZOA and ANTHOZOA Dale R. Calder, Harold N. Cones, Edwin B. Joseph SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC REPORT NO. 59 VIRGINIA INSTITUTE. OF MARINE SCIENCE GLOUCESTER POINT, VIRGINIA 23012 AUGUST, 1971 BIBLIOGRAPHY ON THE SCYPHOZOA, WITH SELECTED REFERENCES ON HYDROZOA AND ANTHOZOA Dale R. Calder, Harold N. Cones, ar,d Edwin B. Joseph SPECIAL SCIENTIFIC REPORT NO. 59 VIRGINIA INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCE Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062 w. J. Hargis, Jr. April 1971 Director i INTRODUCTION Our goal in assembling this bibliography has been to bring together literature references on all aspects of scyphozoan research. Compilation was begun in 1967 as a card file of references to publications on the Scyphozoa; selected references to hydrozoan and anthozoan studies that were considered relevant to the study of scyphozoans were included.
    [Show full text]