The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus occurs as an invasive alien species in the Mediterranean, where it has successfully colonized the entire basin, exerting a negative impact on fisheries in some areas. This paper presents the results of a study on the movement ecology of blue crabs in the S’Ena Arrubia lagoon, a shallow, oligohaline, semi-enclosed water body used for extensive aquaculture in Sardinia (western Mediterra...

The non-indigenous crustaceans Erugosquilla massavensis (Stomatopoda, Squillidae), Penaeus aztecus (Decapoda, Penaeidae) and Portunus segnis (Decapoda, Portunidae) are reported for the first time from the southern Tyrrhenian Sea (Gulf of Castellammare, NW Sicily) as a consequence of distribution range expansion. Their size and weight are provided along with the main distinguishing morphological characters. The presumed impacts...

In this study, we investigate the habitat suitability and distribution patterns of two invasive alien crab species, Callinectes sapidus and Portunus segnis, in the Mediterranean basin. Using a comprehensive dataset compiled from multiple sources, including bibliographic records, online databases, and online informal sources, we mapped the occurrences of these species and overlaid them with environmental variables obtained from...

This collective study presents information on fifteen (15) species recorded across five countries (Greece, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, and Türkiye) and four (4) ecoregions, ranging from the Alboran Sea to the Aegean Sea. The recorded species belong to three phyla: Mollusca (3 species), Arthropoda (3 species), and Chordata (9 species). Among mollusks, Martadoris mediterranea is reported for the first time in the Aegean Sea at two d...

The white seabream Diplodus sargus (L., 1758) (Osteichthyes, Sparidae) is a littoral species living mainly in rocky habitats and distributed in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. This species is targeted by artisanal and recreational fisheries and presents a high commercial importance. Although classified by IUCN as a “least concern” species, it has been the object of marine ranching and restocking initiatives to coun...

Disentangling the effects of mixed fisheries and climate change across entire food-webs requires a description of ecosystems using tools that can quantify interactive effects as well as bio-economic aspects. A calibrated dynamic model for the Sicily Channel food web, made up of 72 functional groups and including 13 fleet segments, was developed. A temporal simulation until 2050 was conducted to evaluate the bio-economic intera...

The re-examination of marine alien species or Non-indigenous species (NIS) reported in Italian Seas by December 2018, is here provided, particularly focusing on establishment success, year of first record, origin, potential invasiveness, and likely pathways. Furthermore, their distribution is assessed according to marine subregions outlined by the European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Adriatic Sea (ADRIA), I...

This paper presents the results of the application of an ultrasonic telemetry system to the investigation of short‐term movements in the European spiny lobster, Palinurus elephas , in a coastal area of NW Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea). Ten lobsters were tagged with miniaturized transmitters and released over a favourable habitat and their movements then recorded by means of nine automated receivers with the objective of i...