Tracing the westward front: molecular and morphological evidence of the expansion of the non-native oyster Dendostrea cf. crenulifera (Ostreidae) in the Mediterranean Sea

Daniele Salvi; Matteo Garzia; Salvatore Giacobbe; Marina Morabito; Nathan Delcour; Giulia Furfaro; Paolo Mariottini; Paolo G.  Albano

doi:10.3989/scimar.05730.122

Autores/as

Daniele Salvi Department of Health, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3804-2690
Matteo Garzia Department of Health, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0918-9925
Salvatore Giacobbe CNR-IRBIM https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4619-4862
Marina Morabito Department Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0224-2113
Nathan Delcour Department of Health, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8203-9301
Giulia Furfaro Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies - DiSTeBA, University of Salento https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8184-2266
Paolo Mariottini Department of Science, University of “Roma Tre” https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1044-7108
Paolo G. Albano Department of Marine Animal Conservation and Public Engagement, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9876-1024

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3989/scimar.05730.122

Palabras clave:

mar Mediterráneo, invasiones biológicas, Ostreidae, Dendostrea cf. crenulifera, identificación molecular, expansión del área de distribución, transporte mediado por buques, cox1

Resumen

El mar Mediterráneo constituye un importante centro de concentración de especies no indígenas, muchas de las cuales llegan a través del canal de Suez y se dispersan mediante el transporte asociado a embarcaciones. Entre ellas, la ostra tropical Dendostrea cf. crenulifera ha estado durante largo tiempo afectada por incertidumbre taxonómica. Mediante la integración de caracteres morfológicos con secuencias mitocondriales de cox1 procedentes de 38 ejemplares recolectados en nueve localidades de Grecia, Croacia e Italia, aportamos la primera evidencia validada molecularmente de su presencia fuera de la cuenca levantina. Nuevos registros en el mar Egeo, el mar de Libia, el mar Jónico, el mar Adriático y el sur del mar Tirreno amplían su distribución conocida en más de 1.000 km hacia el oeste. Los ejemplares de Creta se encontraron sobre sustratos rocosos naturales, mientras que los de todas las localidades occidentales aparecieron exclusivamente sobre estructuras artificiales en puertos y marinas, lo que respalda la incrustación en cascos como principal vector de dispersión. La capacidad de esta ostra tropical para establecerse en cuencas ambientalmente diversas, incluidas áreas donde habitan ostras nativas, sugiere un potencial solapamiento espacial y posibles interacciones competitivas. La detección temprana de esta expansión de rango ofrece oportunidades para su seguimiento y para la evaluación de sus implicaciones ecológicas.

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