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One of the most extensively documented marine bioinvasion phenomena is the invasion of Red Sea species to the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal. The present study reports the occurrence of seven non-indigenous ascidian species along the Mediterranean coast of Israel: Ecteinascidia thurstoni, Ascidia cannelata, Phallusia nigra, Rhodosoma turcicum, Symplegma brakenhielmi, Microcosmus exasperatus and Herdmania momus. Five of these species (excluding P. nigra, and R. turcicum) probably reached the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal, since they have an extra-tropical Indo-Pacific distribution and a restricted distribution in the eastern Mediterranean. This is the first record of E. thurstoni in the Mediterranean. The accumulating evidence for the negative impact of non-indigenous ascidians on local species and habitats raises the necessity for long-term studies and monitoring of this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global increase in the use of pharmaceutically-active compounds (PhACs), and their insufficient removal in wastewater treatment plants, have resulted in their continuous release into the marine environment. We investigated the use of the solitary ascidians Herdmania momus , Microcosmus exasperatus , and Styela plicata as bioindicators of three common PhACs in the Israeli coastal waters: Bezafibrate, carbamazepine and diclofenac. Both the Mediterranean and the Red-Sea coasts were found contaminated with PhACs, detected at all 11 sampling sites, with four sites contaminated with all three studied PhACs. Diclofenac was most frequent, present in nine of the 11 sites with concentrations reaching 51.9 ng/g of dry weight sample (dw). Bezafibrate and carbamazepine reached concentrations of 47.8 ng/g dw and 14.3 ng/g dw, respectively. The alarming detection of such high concentrations of PhACs in ascidians along Israel's coasts demonstrates both the extent of PhACs contamination in the region, and the potential of ascidians as bioindicators, and emphasizes the urgent need for additional research into PhAC contamination sources and effects. • Novel use of ascidians as bio-indicators for PhAC contamination. • First assessment of PhAC contamination of biota in this region. • BZF, CBZ, and DCF were detected at 11 sites, some with alarming concentrations. • DCF was the most frequently detected compound. • DCF presented the highest concentration (52 ng/g dw). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]