New and confirmed records of a deep-water decapod (family Acanthephyridae), and five deep-sea fishes (families Alepocephalidae, Gonostomatidae, Myctophidae, and Nemichthyidae) from Maltese waters

Öz

Recent routine monitoring efforts conducted in 2018 and 2022 under the European Union’s Data Collection Multi-Annual Program (DC-MAP) have yielded specimens confirming the presence of six deep-sea species in Maltese waters (FAO GFCM Geographical Sub-Area 15), which were previously either unreported or only dubiously recorded. The first of these species is the decapod crustacean, Acanthephyra purpurea A. Milne-Edwards, 1881. The remaining five consist of the teleost fishes: Alepocephalus rostratus Risso, 1820; Gonos-toma atlanticum Norman, 1930; Ceratoscopelus maderensis (Lowe, 1839); Hygophum hygomii (Lütken, 1892); and Nemichthys scolopaceus Richardson, 1848. This contribution, which includes first confirmed na-tional records and verifications of previously questionable reports, provides valuable information about the deep-sea biodiversity of the Central Mediterranean region, underscoring the importance of ongoing monitor-ing efforts.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Malta
• Central Mediterranean
• MEDITS
• trawling
• Decapoda
• Teleostei

Kaynakça

1. Albano, P.G., Steger, J., Bošnjak, M., Dunne, B., Guifarro, Z., Turapova, E., Hua, Q., Kaufman, D.S., Rilov, G., Zuschin, M. (2021) Native biodiversity collapse in the eastern Mediterranean. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B 288: 20202469. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.2469
2. Bianchi, C.N., Caroli, F., Guidetti, P., Morri, C. (2018) Seawater warming at the northern reach for southern species: Gulf of Genoa, NW Mediterranean. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 98: 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315417000819.
3. Bianchi, C.N., Morri, C. (2003) Global sea warming and ‘tropicalization’ of the MediterraneanSea: biogeographic and ecological aspects. Biogeographia, 24: 319–327. https://doi.org/10.21426/B6110129
4. Coll, M., Piroddi, C., Steenbeek, J., Kaschner, K., Lasram, FBR., Aguzzi, J., et al. (2010) The biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea: estimates, patterns, and threats. PloS one, 5(8):e11842. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0011842 PMID: 20689844
5. 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:e0251086. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0251086
6. Çınar, M.E. (2013) Alien polychaete species worldwide: current status and their impacts. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 93(5):1257. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315412001646
7. Çınar, M.E., Bilecenoglu, M., Ozturk, B., Katagan, T., Yokes, M.B., Aysel, V., et al. (2011) An updated review of alien species on the coasts of Turkey. Mediterranean Marine Science, 12(2): 257–315. https://doi.org/10.12681/ mms.34
8. Çınar, M.E., Bilecenglu, M., Öztürk, B., Can, A. (2006) New records of alien species on the Levantine coast of Turkey. Aquatic Invasions, 1: 84–90. https://doi.org/10.3391/ai.2006.1.2.6

9. Çınar, M., Bilecenoglu, M., Ozturk, B., Katagan, T., Aysel, V. (2005) Alien species on the coasts of Turkey. Mediterr. Mar. Sci., 6(2): 119–46. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.187
10. EC (European Commission). Report from the commission to the European Parliament and the council. The mid-term review of the EU biodiversity strategy to 2020. Brussels: European Commission Report; 2014. p.19.
11. Fraschetti, S., Guarnieri, G., Bevilacqua, S., Terlizzi, A., Claudet, J., Russo, G.F., Boero, F. (2011) Conservation of Mediterranean habitats and biodiversity countdowns: What information do we really need?. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 21:299–306. DOI: 10.1002/aqc.v21.3.
12. Galanidi, M., Zenetos, A., Bacher, S. (2018) Assessing the socio-economic impacts of priority marine invasive species in the Mediterranean with the newly proposed SEICAT methodology. Mediterranean Marine Science, 19 (1): 107-123.
13. Galil, B., Boero, F., Fraschetti, S., Piraino, S., Campbell, M., Hewitt, C., et al. (2015) The Enlargement of the Suez Canal and Introduction of Non-Indigenous Species to the Mediterranean Sea. Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin, 24(2): 43–5. https://doi.org/10.1002/lob.10036
14. Garrabou, J., Gómez-Gras, D., Medrano, A., Cerrano, C., Ponti, M., et al. (2022) Marine heatwaves drive recurrent mass mortalities in the Mediterranean Sea. Global Change Biology, 28: 5708–5725. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.16301
15. Giakoumi, S., Brown Christopher, J., Katsanevakis, S., Saunders, M.I., Possingham, H.P. (2015) Using threat maps for cost-effective prioritization of actions to conserve coastal habitats. Marine Policy, 61: 95-102. doi: 10.1016/j.marpol.2015.07.004
16. Güreşen, A., Okudan, E..Ş, Dural, B., Aysel, V. (2015) An updated checklist of marine flora on the continental shelf of Gokceada island (northern Aegean Sea, Turkey). Journal of Aquaculture Engineering and Fisheries Research, 3(4):171–87. https://doi.org/10.3153/JAEFR17020
17. Katsanevakis, S., Poursanidis, D., Hoffman, R., Rizgalla, J., Rothman, SB-S., et al. (2020) Unpublished Mediterranean records of marine alien and cryptogenic species. BioInvasions Records, 9: 165–182. https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2020.9.2.01
18. Katsanevakis, S,, Rilov, G., Edelist, D. (2018) Impacts of marine invasive alien species on European fisheries and aquaculture - plague or boon? In: Briand F (eds), CIESM Monograph 50 -Engaging marine scientists and fishers to share knowledge and perceptions – early lessons. CIESM Publisher, Monaco and Paris, pp 125–132.
19. Kleitou, P., Agius, D., Akalın, S., Albano, M., Ammar, I., Aydın, C., Azzurro, E., Bellomo, L., Bonifazi, A., Capillo, G., Crocetta, F., Cvitkovic, I., Fortič, A., Giakoumi, S., Grech, D., Hasan, H., Laspina, F., Lezzi, M., Lučić, P., Ante, Z. (2025) New records of introduced species in the Mediterranean Sea (February 2025). Mediterranean Marine Science, 26: 175-198. 10.12681/mms.40523.
20. Langeneck, J., Bakiu, R., Chalari, N., Chatzigeorgiou, G., Crocetta, F., Doğdu, S.A., Durmishaj, S., García-Charton, J.A., Gül¸sahin, A., Hoffman, R., et al. (2023) New records of introduced species in the Mediterranean Sea (November 2023). Mediterr. Mar. Sci., 24: 610–632.
21. Rilov, G., Galil, B. (2009) Marine bioinvasions in the Mediterranean Sea–history, distribution and ecology. Biological invasions in marine ecosystems. Springer, p. 549–75.
22. Seebens, H., Blackburn, T.M., Dyer, E.E., Genovesi, P., Hulme, P.E., Jeschke, J.M., et al. (2017) No saturation in the accumulation of alien species worldwide. Nat Commun., 8(1):1–9.
23. Sini, M., Katsanevakis, S., Koukourouvli, N., Gerovasileiou, V., Dailianis, T., Buhl-Mortensen, L., Damalas, D., Dendrinos, P., Dimas, X., Frantzis, A., et al. (2017) Assembling Ecological Pieces to Reconstruct the Conservation Puzzle of the Aegean Sea. Front. Mar. Sci., 4: 347.
24. Taşkın, E. (2021) National action plan for the conservation of marine vegetation in special environmental protection areas of Turkey. Specially Protected Areas Regional Activity Centre (SPA/RAC), Ankara, p. 61.
25. Taşkın, E., Evcen, A., Bilgiç, F. (2023) Further expansion of the alien marine green macroalga Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla (Sonder) Verlaque, Huisman & Procacini in Türkiye. J. Black Sea/Mediterranean Environment, 29(1): 121–126.
26. Tsiamis, K., Palialexis, A., Stefanova, K., Gladan, Ž.N., Skejić, S., Despalatovi, M., et al. (2019) Non-indigenous species refined national baseline inventories: a synthesis in the context of the European Union's marine strategy framework directive. Mar Pollut Bull.,145:429–35.
27. Tsirintanis, K., Azzurro, E., Crocetta, F., Dimiza, M., Froglia, C., Gerovasileiou, V., Langeneck, J., Mancinelli, G., Rosso, A., Stern, N., Triantaphyllou, M., Tsiamis, K., Turon, X., Verlaque, M., Zenetos, A., Katsanevakis, S. (2022) Bioinvasion impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health in the Mediterranean Sea. Aquatic Invasions, 17: 308–352. https://doi.org/10.3391/ai.2022.17.3.01
28. Tsiamis, K., Azzurro, E., Bariche, M., Çinar, M.E., Crocetta, F., De Clerck, O., et al. (2020) Prioritizing marine invasive alien species in the European Union through horizon scanning. Aquat Conserv., 30(4):794–845.
29. Zenetos, A., Albano, P.G., Lopez Garcia, E., Stern, N., Tsiamis, K., Galanidi, M. (2022) Established non-indigenous species increased by 40% in 11 years in the Mediterranean Sea. Mediterranean Marine Science, 23(1). https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.29106
30. Zenetos, A., Galanidi, M. (2020) Mediterranean non indigenous species at the start of the 2020s: recent changes. Marine Biodiversity Records, 13:10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41200-020-00191.
31. Zenetos, A., Çinar, M.E., Crocetta, F., Golani, D., Rosso, A., Servello, G., Shenkar, N., Turon, X., Verlaque, M. (2017) Uncertainties and validation of alien species catalogues: The Mediterranean as an example. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 191: 171–187. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2017.03.031
32. Zenetos, Α., Gofas, S., Morri, C., Rosso, A., Violanti, D., Raso, J.G., et al. (2012) Alien species in the Mediterranean Sea by 2012. A contribution to the application of European Union’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Part 2. Introduction trends and pathways. Mediterranean Marine Science, 13(2):328–52. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.327.
33. Zenetos, A., Katsanevakis, S., Poursanidis, D., Crocetta, F., Damalas, D., Apostolopoulos, G., Gravili, C., Vardala-Theodorou, E., Malaquias, M. (2011) Marine alien species in Greek Seas: additions and amendments by 2010. Mediterranean Marine Science, 12: 95–120. https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.55
34. Zenetos, A., Konstantinou, F., Konstantinou, G. (2009) Towards homogenization of the Levantine alien biota: additions to the alien molluscan fauna along the Cypriot coast. Marine Biodiversity Records, 2: 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1755267209990832