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Status of the ‘Mangrove tunicate’ Ecteinascidia turbinata (Ascidiacea: Perophoridae) in the Mediterranean Sea

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 April 2016

Sutherland K. Maciver ,
Julian Evans ,
Joseph A. Borg ,
Alfonso A. Ramos-Esplá  and
Patrick J. Schembri
Sutherland K. Maciver*
Affiliation:
Centre for Integrative Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, Scotland
Julian Evans
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Malta, Msida, MSD2080, Malta
Joseph A. Borg
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Malta, Msida, MSD2080, Malta
Alfonso A. Ramos-Esplá
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciencias del Mar y Biología Aplicada, Universidad de Alicante, 03080 Alicante, Spain
Patrick J. Schembri
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Malta, Msida, MSD2080, Malta
*
Correspondence should be addressed to:S.K. Maciver, Centre for Integrative Physiology, School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9XD, Scotland email: smaciver@ed.ac.uk
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Abstract

The ascidian Ecteinascidia turbinata is reported from Maltese waters for the first time. Mature colonies were recorded on artificial substrata at two different sites (and on natural substrata at one of these), 4 km apart, during the summer months. The appearance of this ascidian is expected to be seasonal as the winter temperature in Malta may fall below that required for the maintenance of zooid growth. A second species, E. moorei, which was described in 1890 is here confirmed to be the same as E. turbinata, meaning that the species has existed in the Mediterranean since at least ~1880. The possibility that the Mediterranean population is a relic one from warmer periods cannot yet be excluded, so it is best described as being cryptogenic. The species appears to be spreading slowly, perhaps as a result of the rise in surface sea temperature. The Maltese sites offer an opportunity to monitor the species as they are accessible dive sites. This will allow assessment of whether this species remains restricted to these sites, or if it spreads perhaps to impact other species.

Keywords

Non-indigenous speciescryptogenic speciesmarine foulingbiodiversityascidiansEcteinascidiaMediterranean Sea
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 97 , Issue 2 , March 2017 , pp. 369 - 376
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2016 

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