engleski

First record of the alien red alga Lophocladia lallemandii in Croatian part of Adriatic Sea

The Indo-Pacific red alga Lophocladia lallemandii (Montagne) F. Schmitz 1893, has been probably introduced in the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. It was first recorded in Greece and Lybia in 1908, and since then, over a wide area of the Mediterranean Sea. In some locations, L. lallemandii shows invasive behavior with negative consequences on Posidonia oceanica meadows, native macroalgae and marine invertebrate. It is considered one of the 100 most dangerous alien Mediterranean marine species. In the Adriatic Sea it was found only in few locations: at the entrance to the Adriatic Sea - Sazani Island (Albania), Tremiti Islands (Italy) and the Gulf of Trieste (Italian and Slovenian side). According to recent information, in the northern Adriatic is not present anymore. Here we report a new location for the Adriatic Sea which we discovered in October 2012 on Blitvenica Island (Middle Adriatic). It was found as an extensively developed species. This represents the first record in the East part of the Middle Adriatic which is also one of the northern locations in Mediterranean. Since the first observation, L. lallemandii was constantly present with full development in autumn. Seawater bottom temperature at 15 m measured by data loggers from October 2014 till October 2016 has average values of 18.2 C°, with the minimum 12.8 C° in March 2015 and maximum 26.1 C° in July and August 2016. Species develops between 1 and 30 m, mainly as an epiphyte on Cystoseira and Sargassum species. In October 2016, the maximum coverage of 12% between 5 and 15 m depth was found. Reproductive structures were noted: trichoblasts and slightly spirally twisted tetrasporangial stichidias occurred on basal cells of trichoblasts. Based on previous studies on invasive behavior of this species in other parts of the Mediterranean and extensive development on Blitvenica Island, we believe that this species could negatively affect the special composition of the communities of the region where some very rare species exist, such as Cystoseira jabukae. Also, there is a possibility of further spreading across the Adriatic Sea, where it could have an impact on the native benthic biota and habitats.

alien species ; Lophocladia lallemandii ; macroalgae ; Adriatic Sea

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