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Recent studies have suggested that Mediterranean indigenous fish species are affected by bioactive metabolites coming from marine invasive species via food web interactions. In particular, both physiological and behavioural changes in the white sea bream Diplodus sargus were related to caulerpin (CAU), a bisindolic alkaloid particularly abundant in the invasive alga Caulerpa cylindracea, on which the fish actively feed. Dietary administration of CAU decreased aggressiveness in D. sargus, suggesting an anxiolytic-like effect of CAU possibly mediated by endogenous anxiolytic agents. This hypothesis is supported here by the finding of a significant increase of NPY transcriptional expression in the brain of fish fed with CAU enriched food, shedding more light on the neural mechanisms behind the altered behaviour of D. sargus. Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia - FCT; FEDER info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The biological invasion of the green algae Caulerpa cylindracea represents a serious scientific and public issue in the Mediterranean Sea, essentially due to strong modifications both to habitat structure and native benthic communities. Although alterations in health status and changes in flesh quality of some marine species (dietary exposed to C. cylindracea) have been observed, no studies on cause-effect relationships have been carried out. Here, for the first time, through a controlled feeding experiment followed by 1H NMR Spectroscopy and multivariate analysis (PCA, OPLS-DA), we showed that caulerpin taken with diet is directly responsible of changes observed in metabolic profile of fish flesh, including alteration of lipid metabolism, in particular with a reduction of &omega, 3 PUFA content. The potential of caulerpin to directly modulate lipid metabolism opens up new questions about causal mechanism triggered by algal metabolite also in view of a possible exploitation in the nutraceutical/medical field.

Although the chemical warfare between invasive and native species has become a central problem in invasion biology, the molecular mechanisms by which bioactive metabolites from invasive pests influence local communities remain poorly characterized. This study demonstrates that the alkaloid caulerpin (CAU)&mdash, a bioactive component of the green alga Caulerpa cylindracea that has invaded the entire Mediterranean basin&mdash, is an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). Our interdisciplinary study started with the in silico prediction of the ligand-protein interaction, which was then validated by in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro assays. On the basis of these results, we candidate CAU as a causal factor of the metabolic and behavioural disorders observed in Diplodus sargus, a native edible fish of high ecological and commercial relevance, feeding on C. cylindracea. Moreover, given the considerable interest in PPAR activators for the treatment of relevant human diseases, our findings are also discussed in terms of a possible nutraceutical/pharmacological valorisation of the invasive algal biomasses, supporting an innovative strategy for conserving biodiversity as an alternative to unrealistic campaigns for the eradication of invasive pests.

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model of multiple sclerosis. EAE is mainly mediated by adaptive and innate immune responses that leads to an inflammatory demyelization and axonal damage. The aim of the present research was to examine the therapeutic efficacy of D-aspartic acid (D-Asp) on a mouse EAE model. EAE induction was performed in female C57BL/6 mice by myelin 40 oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (35-55) in a complete Freund's adjuvant emulsion, and D-Asp was used to test its efficiency in the reduction of EAE. During the course of study, clinical evaluation was assessed, and on Day 21, post-immunization blood samples were taken from the heart of mice for the evaluation of interleukin 6 and other chemical molecules. The mice were sacrificed, and their brain and cerebellum were removed for histological analysis. Our findings indicated that D-Asp had beneficial effects on EAE by attenuation in the severity and delay in the onset of the disease. Histological analysis showed that treatment with D-Asp can reduce inflammation. Moreover, in D-Asp-treated mice, the serum level of interleukin 6 was significantly lower than that in control animals, whereas the total antioxidant capacity was significantly higher. The data indicates that D-Asp possess neuroprotective property to prevent the onset of the multiple sclerosis.

Olfaction is considered a distance sense; hence, aquatic olfaction is thought to be mediated only by molecules dissolved in water. Here, we challenge this view by showing that shrimp and fish can recognize the presence of hydrophobic olfactory cues by a “tactile” form of chemoreception. We found that odiferous furanosesquiter- penes protect both the Mediterranean octocoral Maasella edwardsi and its specialist predator, the nudibranch gastropod Tritonia striata, from potential predators. Food treated with the terpenes elicited avoidance responses in the cooccurring shrimp Palaemon elegans. Rejection was also induced in the shrimp by the memory recall of postingestive aversive effects (vomiting), evoked by repeatedly touching the food with chemosensory mouthparts. Consistent with their emetic properties once ingested, the compounds were highly toxic to brine shrimp. Further experiments on the zebrafish showed that this vertebrate aquatic model also avoids food treated with one of the terpenes, after having experienced gastrointestinal malaise. The fish refused the food after repeatedly touching it with their mouths. The compounds studied thus act simultaneously as (i) toxins, (ii) avoidance-learning inducers, and (iii) aposematic odorant cues. Although they produce a characteristic smell when exposed to air, the compounds are detected by direct contact with the emitter in aquatic environments and are perceived at high doses that are not compatible with their transport in water. The mouthparts of both the shrimp and the fish have thus been shown to act as “aquatic noses,” supporting a substantial revision of the current definition of the chemical senses based upon spatial criteria.

Butterfly communities can be modified by the activities of large mammals. The wild boar (Sus scrofa) is one of the most common mammals in Europe and has notably expanded its distribution range in recent decades. The present work aimed to investigate the possible effect of wild boar rooting activity on butterflies in olive groves inside the “Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni” National Park. Butterflies were surveyed in five Rooted (R) and five Control areas (C). Transects were made from April to September in 2011 and 2012. Forty-three species and 3659 individuals were found, of which 39 species and 2426 individuals were detected in C areas and 31 species and 1233 individuals in R areas. A community-level approach showed a significantly higher abundance, richness and Shannon–Wiener index in C than in R. An ecological-level approach indicated that more specialised butterflies were significantly more affected by wild boar activity. Finally, the response of single species was investigated: two species (Colias croceus and Polyommatus icarus) were significantly more represented in R, whereas six species (Aricia agestis, Hipparchia statilinus, Lasiommata megera, Melanargia arge, Pyronia cecilia and Thymelicus acteon) were significantly more abundant in C. Three species considered at risk (M. arge; Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC; H. statilinus and T. acteon: European Red List) were less represented in rooted areas. Overall, the intensive wild boar activity negatively correlated with butterflies in the olive groves studied.

The nervus terminalis (NT) is the most anterior of the vertebrate cranial nerves. In teleost fish, the NT runs across all olfactory components and shows high morphological variability within this taxon. We compare the anatomical distribution, average number and size of the FMRFamide-immunoreactive (ir) NT cells of fourteen teleost species with different positions of olfactory bulbs (OBs) with respect to the ventral telencephalic area. Based on the topology of the OBs, three different neuroanatomical organizations of the telencephalon can be defined, viz., fish having sessile (Type I), pseudosessile (short stalked; Type II) or stalked (Type III) OBs. Type III topology of OBs appears to be a feature associated with more basal species, whereas Types I and II occur in derived and in basal species. The displacement of the OBs is positively correlated with the peripheral distribution of the FMRFamide-ir NT cells. The number of cells is negatively correlated with the size of the cells. A dependence analysis related to the type of OB topology revealed a positive relationship with the number of cells and with the size of the cells, with Type I and II topologies of OBs showing significantly fewer cells and larger cells than Type III. A dendrogram based on similarities obtained by taking into account all variables under study, i.e., the number and size of the FMRFamide-ir NT cells and the topology of OBs, does not agree with the phylogenetic relationships amongst species, suggesting that divergent or convergent evolutionary phenomena produced the olfactory components studied. The nervus terminalis (NT) is the most anterior of the vertebrate cranial nerves. In teleost fish, the NT runs across all olfactory components and shows high morphological variability within this taxon. We compare the anatomical distribution, average number and size of the FMRFamide-immunoreactive (ir) NT cells of fourteen teleost species with different positions of olfactory bulbs (OBs) with respect to the ventral telencephalic area. Based on the topology of the OBs, three different neuroanatomical organizations of the telencephalon can be defined, viz., fish having sessile (Type I), pseudosessile (short stalked; Type II) or stalked (Type III) OBs. Type III topology of OBs appears to be a feature associated with more basal species, whereas Types I and II occur in derived and in basal species. The displacement of the OBs is positively correlated with the peripheral distribution of the FMRFamide-ir NT cells. The number of cells is negatively correlated with the size of the cells. A dependence analysis related to the type of OB topology revealed a positive relationship with the number of cells and with the size of the cells, with Type I and II topologies of OBs showing significantly fewer cells and larger cells than Type III. A dendrogram based on similarities obtained by taking into account all variables under study, i.e., the number and size of the FMRFamide-ir NT cells and the topology of OBs, does not agree with the phylogenetic relationships amongst species, suggesting that divergent or convergent evolutionary phenomena produced the olfactory components studied.

The invasive green alga Caulerpa cylindracea has become an important component of the diet of the Mediterranean white seabream Diplodus sargus. As a consequence of this “exotic diet”, the algal bisindolic alkaloid caulerpin accumulates in the fish tissues. Although the compound shows structural similarity to endogenous indolamines that modulate animal behaviour, the potential impact of caulerpin on fish behaviour still remains unexplored. In this report, behavioural experiments both on groups and on single fish responding towards a mirror were performed under different doses of dietary caulerpin. Differences between treated and control groups for each behaviour and for the overall aggressive pattern during the different experimental phases showed that the aggressiveness of D. sargus decreased with the administration of caulerpin. These results call the attention to a still unexplored potential ability of bioactive metabolites from marine invasive species, to alter the behaviour on native species, with putative negative effects on patterns of fish growth and population dynamics. © 2017 Magliozzi et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

In the Mediterranean landscapefires are common, sometimes arising due to human activity. Fire influences the amount of sunlight that reaches the ground, thus affecting the diversity and distribution of animal and plant species. In this study, we analysed the effect offire on butterfly diversity at the Site of Community Importance (SCI)“Monti di Lauro”(IT8040013) in southern Italy (Campania). The area covers 7040 ha and is mainly characterised by Mediterranean maquis and woody vegetation. We compared theflight activity of butterflies before and after a fire incident in October 2008. Weekly transects were made from April to September in 2008 and 2009. From the transect data, we calculated several diversity indices. We surveyed 55 species and 5052 individuals (2008: 43 species, 1764 individuals; 2009: 49 species, 3288 individuals). Inter-year comparisons showed that richness was significantly lower in 2008 than in 2009, as well as the abundance; the evenness index was significantly higher in 2008 than in 2009. Intra-year comparisons beforefire (2008) showed significant differences among months in all indices analysed, whereas afterfire (2009), only evenness differed significantly. Our results show that afterfire in the Mediterranean maquis, a rapid change in butterfly community structure occurred, increasing both species and individual abundance. Nevertheless, a lower evenness indicates a less balanced butterfly community afterfire. Notably, Melanargia arge, a protected species by the Habitats Directive, was not observed following the fire