Ildır Körfezi (Ege Denizi, Türkiye) Akuakültür Ağlarında Midyelerle İlişkili FoulingTopluluklarındaki Amfipod Çeşitliliği

Abstract

Bu çalışma, Ege Denizi’nde, Ildır Körfezi’nde yer alan üç ticari balık çiftliğinin akuakültür ağlarında Mytilus galloprovincialis ile ilişkili fouling amfipod topluluklarının çeşitliliğini ve ekolojik özelliklerini araştırmaktadır. Toplamda dört familyaya ait sekiz amfipod türü teşhis edilmiştir. Bu türler arasındaCaprellidae familyasından (Caprella dilatata, Caprella equilibra ve Caprella scaura), Ischyroceridae familyasından (Ericthonius argenteus, Ericthonius brasiliensis ve Jassa marmorata), Maeridae familyasından (Elasmopus rapax) ve Photidae familyasından (Gammaropsis maculata) temsilciler yer almaktadır. Kaydedilen türlerin birçoğu kriptik (C. scaura, E. brasiliensis, E. rapax ve G. maculata) veya yabancı köken (C. scaura) türlerdir. Türlerin bir kısmının yapay substratlara eğilim göstermesi, bu biofouling izleme ve biyoçeşitlilik değerlendirmeleri açısından önemini ortaya koymaktadır. Akdeniz genelindeki önceki çalışmalarla yapılan karşılaştırmalar, birçok taksonun akuakültür alanlarında baskınlığını doğrularken, E. argenteus ve E. brasiliensis’in tespiti bölgesel özgünlüğe işaret etmektedir. Dikkat çekici olarak, aynı bölgede sediman habitatlarından daha önce kaydedilen amfipodlar ile fouling topluluklarında yaşayan türler arasında hiçbir örtüşme gözlenmemiştir. Bu durum, topluluk yapısında güçlü substrat temelli farklılaşmayı ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışma, amfipod dağılım desenlerini anlamada çoklu habitat örneklemesinin ekolojik önemini vurgulamakta ve akuakültür altyapılarının amfipod kolonizasyonunu kolaylaştırıcı rolüne dikkat çekmektedir. Bu bulgular, Akdeniz’de fouling ekolojisine dair genişleyen bilgi birikimine katkı sağlamakta ve akuakültür sistemlerinde biyokirlenmenin gelecekteki yönetimi için bir temel oluşturmaktadır.

Keywords

• Biyofouling
• akuakültür
• kriptik
• Ildır Körezi
• biyoçeşitlilik

Amphipod Diversity in Mussel-Associated Fouling Communities of Aquaculture Nets in Ildır Bay (Aegean Sea, Türkiye)

Abstract

This study investigates the diversity and ecological characteristics of fouling amphipod communities associated with Mytilus galloprovincialis on the aquaculture nets of three commercial fish farms in Ildır Bay, located in the Aegean Sea, Türkiye. A total of eight amphipod species, belonging to four families, were identified. These species include representatives from the Caprellidae family (Caprella dilatata, Caprella equilibra, and Caprella scaura), Ischyroceridae family (Ericthonius argenteus, Ericthonius brasiliensis, and Jassa marmorata), Maeridae family (Elasmopus rapax), and Photidae family (Gammaropsis maculata). Many recorded species are cryptic (C. scaura, E. brasiliensis, E. rapax, and G. maculata) or non-indigenous (C. scaura). Several of these species show affinities for artificial substrates, underscoring their relevance for biofouling monitoring and biodiversity assessments. Comparative analysis with previous Mediterranean-wide studies confirmed the dominance of several taxa across aquaculture sites, while the detection of E. argenteus and E. brasiliensis suggests regional uniqueness. Notably, no overlap was observed between amphipods inhabiting fouling assemblages and those previously recorded from sediment habitats in the same area, underscoring strong substrate-driven differentiation in community structure. The study emphasizes the ecological importance of multi-habitat sampling for understanding amphipod distribution patterns and highlights the role of aquaculture infrastructure as a facilitator of amphipod colonization. These findings contribute to the expanding knowledge of Mediterranean fouling ecology and establish a baseline for future management of biofouling in aquaculture systems.

Keywords

• Biofouling
• aquaculture
• cryptic
• Ildır Bay

References

1. Ashton, G. V., Willis, K. J., Cook, E. J., & Burrows, M. (2007). Distribution of the introduced amphipod, Caprella mutica Schurin, 1935 (Amphipoda: Caprellida: Caprellidae) on the west coast of Scotland and a review of its global distribution. Hydrobiologia, 590(1): 31-41. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-007-0754-y
2. Atalah, J., Fletcher, L. M., Davidson, I. C., South, P. M., & Forrest, B. M. (2020). Artificial habitat and biofouling species distributions in an aquaculture seascape. Aquaculture Environment Interactions, 12: 495-509. https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00380
3. Bakır, K., & Katağan, T. (2011). On the occurrence of Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 (Crustacea: Amphipoda) in Turkish waters. Zoology in the Middle East, 52(1): 125-126. https://doi.org/10.1080/09397140.2011.10638491 Beermann, J. (2013). Ecological differentiation among amphipod species in marine fouling communities. Ph.D. Thesis. Freie Universität Berlin, Germany.
4. Bickford, D., Lohman, D. J., Sodhi, N. S., Ng, P. K. L., Meier, R., Winker, K., Ingram, K. K., & Das, I. (2007). Cryptic species as a window on diversity and conservation. Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 22(3): 148–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2006.11.004
5. Cabezas, M. P., Xavier, R., Branco, M., Santos, A. M., & Guerra-García, J. M. (2014). Invasion history of Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 (Amphipoda: Caprellidae) in the Iberian Peninsula: Multiple introductions revealed by mitochondrial sequence data. Biological Invasions, 16(10): 2221-2245. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-014-0660-y
6. Conlan, K. E. (1990). Revision of the crustacean amphipod genus Jassa Leach (Corophioidea: Ischyroceridae). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 68(10): 2031-2075. https://doi.org/10.1139/z90-288
7. Conlan, K. E. (1994). Amphipod crustaceans and environmental disturbance: A review. Journal of Natural History, 28(3): 519-554. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222939400770241
8. Conlan, K. E., Desiderato, A., & Beermann, J. (2021). Jassa (Crustacea: Amphipoda): A new morphological and molecular assessment of the genus. Zootaxa 4939(1): 1-191. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4939.1.1

9. Conradi, M., López-González, P. J., & García-Gomez, C. (1997). The amphipod community as a bioindicator in Algeciras Bay (Southern Iberian Peninsula) based on a spatio-temporal distribution. Marine Ecology, 18(2): 97-111. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0485.1997.tb00430.x
10. Cook, E. J., Black, K. D., Sayer, M. D. J., Cromey, C. J., Angel, D. L., Spanier, E., Tsemel, A., Katz, T., Eden, N., Karakassis, I., Tsapakis, M., Apostolaki, E. T., & Malej, A. (2006). The influence of caged mariculture on the early development of sublittoral fouling communities: A pan-European study. ICES Journal of Marine Science, 63: 637-649. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.icesjms.2005.12.007
11. Costa, F. O., Henzler, C. M., Lunt, D. H., Whiteley, N. M., & Rock, J. (2009). Probing marine Gammarus (Amphipoda) taxonomy with DNA barcodes. Systematics and Biodiversity, 7(4): 365-379. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1477200009990120
12. Çınar, M. E., Bilecenoğlu, M., Yokeş, M. B., Öztürk, B., Taşkin, E., Bakir, K., Doğan, A., & Açik, Ş. (2021). Current status (as of end of 2020) of marine alien species in Turkey. PLoS ONE, 16(5):1-46. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251086
13. Çınar, M. E., Kataǧan, T., Koçak, F., Öztürk, B., Ergen, Z., Kocatas, A., Önen, M., Kirkim, F., Bakir, K., Kurt, G., Daǧli, E., Açik, S., Doǧan, A., & Özcan, T. (2008). Faunal assemblages of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis in and around Alsancak Harbour (Izmir Bay, eastern Mediterranean) with special emphasis on alien species. Journal of Marine Systems, 71(1-2): 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmarsys.2007.05.004
14. Duman, M., Küçüksezgin, F., Akçalı, B., & Kaboğlu, G. (2018). Ege Kıyı Sularında Deniz Taban Yapılarının Sınıflandırılması ve Haritalanması. TÜBİTAK Project number: 115Y180.
15. Eronat, C., & Sayın, E. (2014). Temporal evolution of the water characteristics in the bays along the eastern coast of the Aegean Sea: Saros, Izmir, and Gökova bays. Turkish Journal of Earth Sciences, 23(1): 53-66. https://doi.org/10.3906/yer-1307-4
16. Fernandez-Gonzalez, V., & Sanchez-Jerez, P. (2017). Fouling assemblages associated with off-coast aquaculture facilities: An overall assessment of the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Marine Science, 18(1): 87-96. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.1806
17. Fitridge, I., Dempster, T., Guenther, J., & de Nys, R. (2012). The impact and control of biofouling in marine aquaculture: A review. Biofouling: The Journal of Bioadhesion and Biofilm Research, 28(7): 649-669. https://doi.org/10.1080/08927014.2012.700478
18. Franz, D. R., & Mohamed, Y. (1989). Short-distance dispersal in a fouling community amphipod crustacean, Jassa marmorata Holmes. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 133: 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-0981(89)90154-8
19. Giangrande, A., Lezzi, M., Del Pasqua, M., Pierri, C., Longo, C., & Gravina, M. F. (2020). Two cases study of fouling colonization patterns in the Mediterranean Sea in the perspective of integrated aquaculture systems. Aquaculture Reports, 18: 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aqrep.2020.100455
20. Giari, L., Fano, E. A., Castaldelli, G., Grabner, D., & Sures, B. (2020). The ecological importance of amphipod-parasite associations for aquatic ecosystems. Water, 12: 1-22. https://doi.org/10.3390/w12092429
21. Gouillieux, B., Ariyama, H., Costa, A. C., Daffe, G., Marchini, A., Micael, J., & Ulman, A. (2020). New records of Ericthonius didymus Krapp-Schickel, 2013 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Ischyroceridae) in European waters with a focus in Arcachon Bay, France and key to Ericthonius species. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 100(3): 401-412. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0025315420000247
22. Greene, J. K., & Grizzle, R. E. (2007). Successional development of fouling communities on open ocean aquaculture fish cages in the western Gulf of Maine, USA. Aquaculture, 262: 289-301. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2006.11.003
23. Greze, I. I. (1968). Feeding habits and food requirements of some amphipods in the Black Sea. Marine Biology, 1(4): 316-321. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00360783
24. Guerra-García, J. M., Ros, M., Dugo-Cota, A., Burgos, V., Flores-León, A. M., Baeza-Rojano, E., Cabezas, M. P., & Núñez, J. (2011). Geographical expansion of the invader Caprella scaura (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) to the East Atlantic coast. Marine Biology, 158(11): 2617-2622. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-011-1754-z Havermans, C. (2016). Have we so far only seen the tip of the iceberg? Exploring species diversity and distribution of the giant amphipod Eurythenes. Biodiversity, 17(1-2): 12-25. https://doi.org/10.1080/14888386.2016.1172257
25. Hughes, L. E., & Lowry, J. K. (2010). Establishing a neotype for Elasmopus rapax Costa, 1853 and its presence as an invasive species in temperate Australian waters. Journal of Crustacean Biology, 30(4): 699-709. https://doi.org/10.1651/10-3290.1
26. Knowlton, N. (1993). Sibling species in the sea. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 24: 189-216. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.24.1.189
27. Knowlton, N. (2000). Molecular genetic analyses of species boundaries in the sea. Hydrobiologia, 420: 73-90. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1003933603879
28. Krapp-Schickel, G., & Myers, A. A. (1979). The Mediterranean species of Gammaropsis. Bollettino Del Museo Civico Di Storia Naturale Di Verona, 6: 441-467.
29. Krapp-Schickel, T. (2013). New or amended data on Mediterranean amphipoda: Genera Dexamine, Ericthonius and Stenothoe. Zootaxa, 3613(2), 125–145. http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3613.2.2
30. Krapp-Schickel, V. G. (1994). Ericthonius argenteus n. sp. (Amphipoda, Corophiidae) from the Island of Crete. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 232(3/4): 129-136.
31. Krapp, T., Lang, C., Libertini, A., & Melzer, R. R. (2006). Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 sensu lato (Amphipoda: Caprellidae) in the Mediterranean. Organisms Diversity and Evolution, 6: 77-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ode.2005.04.004
32. Lefébure, T., Douady, C. J., Gouy, M., & Gibert, J. (2006). Relationship between morphological taxonomy and molecular divergence within Crustacea: Proposal of a molecular threshold to help species delimitation. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 40(2): 435-447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2006.03.014
33. Martínez, J., & Adarraga, I. (2008). First record of invasive caprellid Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 sensu lato (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) from the Iberian Peninsula. Aquatic Invasions, 3(2): 165-171. https://doi.org/10.3391/ai.2008.3.2.6
34. Masunari, S., & Takeuchi, I. (2006). Redescription of Caprella dilatata Kroyer, 1843 (Caprellidae: Amphipoda: Crustacea) from Brazil, with note on its biogeographical distribution in South America. Zootaxa, 1298: 49-60. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1298.1.5
35. McCain, J. C. (1964). The Caprellidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of Virginia and a partial revision of Mayer’s varieties of Caprella acutifrons Latreille. Master thesis. College of William and Mary, Virginia, America. McCain, J. C. (Ed.) (1968). The Caprellidae (Crustacea: Amphipoda) of Western North Atlantic. United States: National Museum Bulletin 278. Smithsonian Institution Press. 145 p.
36. Montalto, V., Rinaldi, A., Ape, F., Mangano, M. C., Gristina, M., Sarà, G., & Mirto, S. (2020). Functional role of biofouling linked to aquaculture facilities in Mediterranean enclosed locations. Aquaculture Environment Interactions, 12: 11-22. https://doi.org/10.3354/aei00339
37. Myers, A. A. (2009). Photidae. Zootaxa, 799(2260): 771-799. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2260.1.43 Myers, A. A., & McGrath, D. (1982). Taxonomic studies on British and Irish Amphipoda. The genus Gammaropsis. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 62(1): 93-100. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315400020129
38. Myers, A. A., & McGrath, D. (1984). A revision of the North-East Atlantic species of Ericthonius (Crustacea: Amphipoda). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 64(2): 379-400. https://doi.org/10.1017/S002531540003006X
39. Ozaydinli, M., & Bizsel, K. C. (2020). Crustacean diversity of Ildırı Bay (Izmir, Turkey). Journal of Wildlife and Biodiversity, Special issue: 41-49. https://doi.org/10.22120/jwb.2020.131461.1164
40. Ragkousis, M., Zenetos, A., Souissi, J. Ben, Hoffman, R., Ghanem, R., Taşkın, E., Muresan, M., Karpova, E., Slynko, E., Dağlı, E., Fortič, A., Surugiu, V., Mačić, V., Trkov, D., Bahri, W. R., Tsiamis, K., Ramos-Espla, A. A., Petović, S., Ferrario, J., … Katsanevakis, S. (2023). Unpublished Mediterranean and Black Sea records of marine alien, cryptogenic, and neonative species. BioInvasions Records, 12(2): 339-369. https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2023.12.2.01
41. Ramalhosa, P., & Canning-Clode, J. (2015). The invasive caprellid Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) arrives on Madeira Island, Portugal. BioInvasions Records, 4(2): 97-102. https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2015.4.2.05
42. Ros, M., Guerra-García, J. M., & Hoffman, R. (2016). First record of the exotic caprellid amphipod Paracaprella pusilla Mayer, 1890 in the eastern Mediterranean. Marine Biodiversity, 46(1): 281-284. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-015-0311-2
43. Ros, M., Guerra-García, J. M., Navarro-Barranco, C., Cabezas, M. P., & Vázquez-Luis, M. (2013). The spreading of the non-native caprellid (Crustacea: Amphipoda) Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 into southern Europe and northern Africa: A complicated taxonomic history. Mediterranean Marine Science, 15(1): 145-155. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.469
44. Ros, M., Tierno de Figueroa, J. M., Guerra-García, J. M., Navarro-Barranco, C., Lacerda, M. B., Vázquez-Luis, M., & Masunari, S. (2014). Exploring trophic strategies of exotic caprellids (Crustacea: Amphipoda): Comparison between habitat types and native vs introduced distribution ranges. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 139: 88-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2013.12.033
45. Ruffo, S. (Ed.) (1982). The Amphipoda of the Mediterranean, Part I Gammaridea (Acanthonotozomatidae to Gammaridae). Memoires-Institut Oceanographique. Memories De’L Institut Oceanographique. 364 p.
46. Ruffo, S. (Ed.) (1989). The Amphipoda of the Mediterranean: Part II Gammaridea (Haustoriidae to Lysianassidae) Memoires-Institut Oceanographique. Memories De’L Institut Oceanographique. 365-576 p.
47. Ruffo, S. (Ed.) (1993). The Amphipoda of the Mediterranean Part III: Gammaridea (Melphidippidae to Talitridae). Memoires-Institut Oceanographique. Memories De’L Institut Oceanographique. 577-666 p.
48. Ruffo, S. (Ed.) (1998). The Amphipoda of the Mediterranean Part IV. Memoires de l’ Institut océanographique. Memoires de l’ Institut Océanographique. 667-950 p.
49. Sánchez-Moyano, J. E., García-Asencio, I., & Guerra-García, J. M. (2015). Littoral caprellids (Crustacea: Amphipoda) from the Mexican Central Pacific coast, with the description of four new species. Journal of Natural History, 49(1–2): 77-127. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2014.937366
50. Sarà, G., Lo Martire, M., Buffa, G., Mannino, A. M., & Badalamenti, F. (2007). The fouling community as an indicator of fish farming impact in Mediterranean. Aquaculture Research, 38: 66-75. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2109.2006.01632.x
51. Scipione, M. B. (2013). Do studies of functional groups give more insight to amphipod biodiversity? Crustaceana, 86(7-8): 955-1006. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685403-00003209
52. Seed, R., & Suchanek, T. H. (1992). Population and community ecology of Mytilus, pp. 87-169. In: Gosling, E. (Ed.), The Mussel Mytilus: Ecology, Physiology, Genetics and Culture. Elsevier Press.
53. Soyer, T. (1970). Bionomie benthique du plateau continental de la cote catalana Francaise. III: les peuplements de Copepodes Harpacticoides (Crustacea). Vie Milieu, 21: 377-511.
54. Türkmen, G. (2022). Denizel su ürünleri yetiştiriciliği sektörüne özel denizel istilacı yabancı türler protokolleri ve karantina mekanizmları hakkında rehber. MARIAS project: Önemli Denizel Biyolojik Çeşitlilik Alanlarında İstilacı Yabancı Türlerin Tehditlerinin Değerlendirilmesi. pp. 1-44.
55. Witt, J. D. S., Threloff, D. L., & Hebert, P. D. N. (2006). DNA barcoding reveals extraordinary cryptic diversity in an amphipod genus: Implications for desert spring conservation. Molecular Ecology, 15: 3073-3082. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294X.2006.02999.x
56. WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species. (n.d.). Accessed 23 September 2025, from https://www.marinespecies.org/index.php