Aquatic Invasions (2009) Volume 4, Issue 3: 501-506 DOI 10.3391/ai.2009.4.3.11 © 2009 The Author(s) Journal compilation © 2009 REABIC (http://www.reabic.net) This is an Open Access article Short communication Alien species in the Guadiana Estuary (SE-Portugal/SW-Spain): Blackfordia virginica (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) and Palaemon macrodactylus (Crustacea, Decapoda): potential impacts and mitigation measures Maria Alexandra Chícharo1*, Tânia Leitão1, Pedro Range1, Cristina Gutierrez2, Jesus Morales2, Pedro Morais1 and Luís Chícharo1 1CIMAR/CCMAR – Centro de Ciências do Mar, Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Campus de Gambelas, Universidade do Algarve, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal 2Instituto Andaluz de Investigación y Formación Agraria, Pesquera, Alimentaria y de la Producción Ecológica (IFAPA) Centro “Agua del Pino”, Ctra. Punta Umbria-Cartaya s/n. 21450 Cartaya, Huelva, España E-mail:
[email protected] (MAC),
[email protected] (TL),
[email protected] (PR),
[email protected] (PM),
[email protected] (LC),
[email protected] (JM),
[email protected] (CG) *Corresponding author Received 9 May 2009; accepted in revised form 6 August 2009; published online 10 August 2009 Abstract The cnidarian Blackfordia virginica and the adult of the caridean prawn, Palaemon macrodactylus are first recorded from the Guadiana Estuary. The habitats and environmental conditions under which these species were found are described and the potential impacts and mitigation measures for their introduction are discussed. The first observations of adults of these species were made in July 2008, at the transitional zone of the estuary (brackish area). Most samples taken in the middle-estuary were characterized by large densities of B.