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Presents comments on the study "Efficiency of the Silicate Pump at a Coastal Oligotrophic Site in the Mediterranean Sea" by K. Leblanc et al. Worthiness of the study; Issues that the authors should address regarding their study.

The author reflects on the assessment of the skill of the ten day operational ocean forecasts produced for the entire Mediterranean Sea. He refers to the results as lacking of rigorous assessment of the model's performance. He added that it only presents the forecast assessment but ignored the analysis assessment, focusing only on the root mean square error (rmse) and a "percentage" skill score (ssp). He also poses commentaries on the technical side of the paper.

In oceanic ecosystems, the nature of barriers to gene flow and the processes by which populations may become isolated are different from the terrestrial environment, and less well understood. In this study we investigate a highly mobile species (the sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus) that is genetically differentiated between an open North Atlantic population and the populations in the Mediterranean Sea. We apply high-resolution single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis to study the nature of barriers to gene flow in this system, assessing the putative boundary into the Mediterranean (Strait of Gibraltar and Alboran Sea region), and including novel analyses on structuring among sperm whale populations within the Mediterranean basin. Our data support a recent founding of the Mediterranean population, around the time of the last glacial maximum, and show concerted historical demographic profiles in both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In each region there is evidence for a population decline around the time of the founder event. The largest decline was seen within the Mediterranean Sea where effective population size is substantially lower (especially in the eastern basin). While differentiation is strongest at the Atlantic/Mediterranean boundary, there is also weaker but significant differentiation between the eastern and western basins of the Mediterranean Sea. We propose, however, that the mechanisms are different. While post-founding gene flow was reduced between the Mediterranean and Atlantic populations, within the Mediterranean an important factor differentiating the basins is probably a greater degree of admixture between the western basin and the North Atlantic and some level of isolation between the western and eastern Mediterranean basins. Subdivision within the Mediterranean Sea exacerbates conservation concerns and will require consideration of what distinct impacts may affect populations in the two basins., (© 2023 The Authors. Molecular Ecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Challengerids, phaeogromids rhizarian protists, are emblematic protists of the deep sea but are also enigmatic as they occur in very low concentrations. In previous studies, we reported on temporal changes in abundance at a near-shore mesopelagic site, but only as part of sampling of the entire microplankton assemblage, not well-suited for examining phaeogromids. Consequently, we turned to using a closing plankton net to provide material from large volumes of seawater, thus allowing for more robust estimates of concentrations and material for observations of living cells, to our knowledge the first made. Here, we report our results on the four most commonly occurring species: Challengeranium diadon, Challengereron willemoesii, Challengeria xiphodon, and Euphysetta lucani. In contrast to our previous report, we found that changes in concentrations were not related to water column stratification, and the four species roughly co-varied with time. Observations of live cells revealed that all four species deploy tentacle-like pseudopods and also very large unstructured webs of fine pseudopods. The similarities in feeding webs suggest similar prey are exploited, and the similar temporal changes in abundances suggest a common factor or factors (unknown at this time) govern their concentrations. Films of live cells are provided in Supplementary Files., (© 2023 International Society of Protistologists.)

This paper provides an inventory of non-indigenous bryozoan species (NIB) recorded in the Mediterranean Sea. Taking into account previous NIB lists and updated non-indigenous concept, a careful literature review was carried out, reporting data on 33 NIB from 14 Mediterranean countries (Algeria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Spain, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey). A total of 296 valid records were listed, including 6 yet unpublished. Other 62 records were labelled as uncertain and listed separately, until further analyses on taxonomic identity, non-indigenous status and distribution patterns of the species involved will clarify their status. The countries with the higher numbers of NIB and single records are Lebanon (20 and 78, respectively) and Italy (12 and 112, respectively). The distribution of NIB in the Mediterranean Sea appears scattered and no data are available at all for eight countries. Studies and monitoring efforts on bryozoans in the Mediterranean Sea are not evenly distributed, probably as a consequence of the decrease in number of expert taxonomists and the poor allocation of funds on biodiversity studies. The coordination among Mediterranean countries on standardised sampling methods is needed in order to create a comprehensive baseline knowledge on NIB distribution in the Mediterranean Sea and prioritise taxa and countries that are still poorly investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand the response of marine calcifying organisms under high CO2 scenarios, it is critical to study their calcification patterns in the natural environment. This paper focuses on a major calcifying phytoplankton group, the coccolithophores, through the analysis of water samples collected along a W-E Mediterranean transect during two research cruises, in April 2011 (Meteor cruise M84/3) and May 2013 (MedSeA cruise 2013). The Mediterranean Sea is a marginal sea characterized by large biogeochemical gradients. Currently, it is undergoing both warming and ocean acidification, processes which are rapidly modifying species distribution and calcification. The species Emiliania huxleyi largely dominates the total coccolithophore production in present day oceans and marine basins, including the Mediterranean Sea. A series of morphometric measurements were performed on the coccoliths of this species to estimate their mass, length and calculate a calcification index (proxy for the size-normalized calcification degree). The most abundant morphotype of E. huxleyi in the Mediterranean Sea is Type A. Coccoliths of this morphotype were additionally analyzed based on scanning electron microscopy images: four calcification varieties were quantified, according to the relationship between slit length-tube width, and the state of the central area (open or closed). The average E. huxleyi coccolith mass along the Mediterranean oceanographic transect depended strongly on both the average coccolith length and calcification index. The variability in average coccolith length and calcification index across samples reflected oscillations in the relative abundance of the calcification varieties. We also demonstrated that the distribution of the calcification varieties followed the main environmental gradients (carbonate chemistry, salinity, temperature, nutrient concentrations). Hence, shifts in the distribution of the calcification varieties and of the average E. huxleyi coccolith mass are to be expected in the Mediterranean Sea under climate change. These physiological and ecological responses will modulate the net coccolithophore calcification and, ultimately, the regional carbonate export to the seafloor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-constructions by Sabellaria worms play a key functional role in the coastal ecosystems being an engineer organism and for this reason are the object of protection. The most widespread reef building species along Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts is S. alveolata (L.), while the aggregations of S. spinulosa are typically limited to the North Sea coasts. This paper constitutes the first detailed description of unusual large S. spinulosa reefs in the Mediterranean Sea. Defining current health status and evaluating the most important threats and impacts is essential to address conservation needs and design management plans for these large biogenic structures. Present knowledge on Mediterranean reefs of S. alveolata is fragmentary compared to Northeast Atlantic reefs, and concerning S. spinulosa , this paper represents a focal point in the knowledge on Mediterranean reefs of this species. A one-year study on temporal changes in reef structure and associated fauna is reported. The annual cycle of S. spinulosa reef shows a spawning event in winter-early spring, a period of growth and tubes aggregation from spring-early summer to autumn and a degeneration phase in winter. The variations exhibited in density of the worm aggregation and the changes in the reef elevation highlight a decline and regeneration of the structure over a year. The many ecological roles of the S. spinulosa reef were mainly in providing a diversity of microhabitats hosting hard and sandy bottom species, sheltering rare species, and producing biogenic structures able to provide coastal protection. The Mediterranean S. spinulosa reef does not shelter a distinctive associated fauna; however the richness in species composition underscores the importance of the reef as a biodiversity hot-spot. Finally, the roles of the biogenic formations and their important biotic and physical dynamics support the adoption of strategies for conservation of Mediterranean S.spinulosa reefs, according to the aims of the Habitat Directive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three specimens (1 male and 2 females) of royal flagfin Aulopus filamentosus (Bloch, 1792) were caught at a depth of 184 m off Erdemli, Mersin Bay (northeastern Mediterranean, Turkey) in June 2015. The present paper reports the first occurrence and is the confirmation of royal flagfin A. filamentosus from the northeastern Mediterranean Sea, Turkey. Since it has been recorded only once in the last sixty years, this species could be considered as exceptionally rare in the easternmost area of the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the exchange through the Gibraltar Strait, which connects the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, over a 53 years period. The modeling mainly depends on geodetically corrected sea level difference across Gibraltar Strait. Water exchange through Gibraltar Strait is one of the main factors affecting the difference between Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean temperature, salinity and sea level. Vertical structure of temperature and salinity of Western and Eastern Mediterranean basins is simulated using the equation solver PROBE and available meteorological and hydrological data for the period 1958 to 2010 during different geodetically corrected scenarios. Direct comparison between modeled and observations of temperature and salinity is used to geodetically correct sea level datum across the strait. Finally, this paper gives an image of Mediterranean thermohaline structure during different scenario of water exchange through Gibraltar Strait. Sea level difference across the Gibraltar Strait ranges from 1 to 3.5 cm while the difference along the strait is about 0.5cm. Submaximal exchange has dominated the exchange through Gibraltar Strait. Around 7% of the year the surface flow through Gibraltar Strait is reversed to outflow water from Mediterranean to Atlantic. The simple PROBE-MED model can realistically describe the general features of the Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overall goal of the BOUM (Biogeochemistry from the Oligotrophic to the Ultraoligotrophic Mediterranean) experiment was to obtain a better representation of the interactions between planktonic organisms and the cycle of biogenic elements in the Mediterranean Sea (MS), in the context of global climate change and, more particularly, on the role of the ocean in carbon sequestration through biological processes. The BOUM experiment was organized around three main objectives: (1) to give a longitudinal description of the biogeochemistry and the biological diversity of the MS during the strongest stratified period, (2) to study processes at the centre of three anticyclonic eddies, and (3) to obtain a representation of the main biogeochemical fluxes and the dynamics of the planktonic trophic network. The international BOUM cruise took place between 16 June and 20 July 2008, involved 32 scientists on board, and covered around 3000 km in the MS from the south of Cyprus to Marseilles (France). This paper describes in detail the objectives of the BOUM experiment, the implementation plan of the cruise before giving an introduction of the 25 other papers published in this special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relative wind vorticity ω (hereafter vorticity) is a crucial parameter to understand the spatial features of the wind field. In the Mediterranean Sea, which is the area where this study is focused, these are particularly interesting because they are often the effects of the interaction between the airflow and the orography. Wind vorticity has been derived from both Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) and Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) 12.5-km scatterometer data downloaded from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Physical Oceanography Distributed Active Archive Center data archive, and compared in the period from March to November 2009. The monthly mean fields of the vorticity ω̅ show discrepancies which need to be understood. This paper thus aims to understand the nature of these differences, to make the two vorticity data sets compatible and usable as a common data set. Results have been provided in terms of the relative bias in vorticity 〈Δ̅ω̅〉, which is the mean difference between the ASCAT ω̅A and QuikSCAT ω̅Q monthly mean vorticities averaged over the entire Mediterranean Basin and the entire study period. This difference 〈Δ̅ω̅〉 = 0.093 ·10-5 ±0.05 ·10-5s-1) is mainly due to a relative vorticity bias in the cyclonic component of ω̅, rather than in the anticyclonic component, whose bias is four times smaller. This bias does not depend significantly on the variable accuracy of the wind speed and direction across the QuikSCAT swath. This study led us to define and analyze the so-called vorticity noise, which is present particularly in the QuikSCAT-derived vorticity, to understand if, and how, it can contribute to the relative bias in vorticity. The contribution of this kind of noise on ω̅ has been found relevant only for the cyclonic vorticity of ω̅Q. By applying a cyclonic denoising to each swath of QuikSCAT, 〈Δ̅ω̅〉 = -0.016 ·10-5 ±0.05 ·10-5s-1 is obtained, drastically reduced with respect to the initial value. This may be considered the typical bias over the Mediterranean Sea between ω̅A and (ω̅Q derived from the 12.5-km data, after applying the cyclonic denoising to QuikSCAT vorticity fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the main wave height characteristics in the Mediterranean Sea are studied from both observational and numerical perspectives. The numerical wave model WAM is employed on a high spatial resolution mode and in two different versions, one of which incorporates information for sea surface currents. Altimeter data obtained from all available satellite missions over the area are also utilized. The data sets are analyzed both by conventional statistical measures as well as by advanced techniques provided by a relatively new branch of mathematics, information geometry, in the framework of which the data under study and the distributions that they form are treated as elements of non Euclidean spaces. In this framework, novel ideas for the estimation of the deviations between the observed and modeled values are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ocean models require independent datasets to verify forecast accuracy. Glider data, within an appropriate reference frame, can satisfy this constraint. In the present paper, profiles from the northwest Mediterranean Sea are re-gridded to allow evaluation of modelled deepwater formation episodes. Time-series analysis of temperature, salinity, mixed-layer depth and ocean heat content show that the simulated response to surface flux is consistent with observations and the evolution of convective events is well represented. However, discrepancies in the distributions of the simulated Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) and western Mediterranean deep water (WMDW) remain. A new 'sweep' methodology, developed in the present paper, indicates that the location and duration of the simulated convective events are consistent with that observed, but spatial variability is underrepresented. Variogram analysis ascribes integral scales similar to those observed for the mixed-layer depth, but suggests that simulated scalar fields are too diffuse. The ability to maximise the separation of temporal and spatial variability, inherent in this new methodology, confirms that glider data is suitable for validating high-resolution ocean models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remote sensing/satellite observation of land and oceans is a field of research that was developed during the second half of the 20th century, and its importance is widely recognised because of the amount of information it can provide to the scientific community and the general public. The outcomes of remote sensing/satellite observation can be used to address and study significant aspects of environmental concern, such as habitat destruction, environmental degradation, forest fires, oil spills, and climate change. There is continuous improvement of the methods and means of remote sensing observations in order to achieve more accurate and useful information. The main advantage is the possibility of observing large areas, and the main disadvantage is that it can observe only the water and land surface. The present paper is an effort to review the technologies used in remote sensing and the general applications in a comprehensive manner addressed to scientists who do not specialize in this area of research. Furthermore, this paper reviews case studies/applications in the Mediterranean Sea, an area affected by various polluting activities (industrial cities, agriculture, shipping, etc.) that should be continuously monitored so that the coastal countries are able to successfully manage this sensitive environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-elevation coastal areas and their populations are at risk during and after the appearance of a storm surge event. Coastal flooding as a result of storm surge events is investigated in this paper for a number of areas around the north-eastern (NE) Mediterranean coastal zone (Adriatic, Aegean and north Levantine seas). The sea level rise (SLR) due to storm surge events is examined for the period 2000-2004. Wind data, atmospheric pressure and wave data for this period as well as in situ sea elevation measurements (from stations around the Mediterranean coasts) were used. Potential inundation zones were then identified using a 90-m horizontal resolution digital elevation model (DEM). At these zones, the sea surface elevations were calculated for the study period, using the collected data and a 2D storm surge simulation model (1/10×1/10) output, examining the sea level alteration in specific coastal areas, where in situ measurements are absent and are characterised as 'risky' in inundation areas, due to their topography. In order to determine the level of storm track implication on major SLR incidents, the trajectories of the respective storm events were computed. The aim of this paper is to investigate the major storm surge events that appeared during the study period, identify the major 'risky' costal regions along the north-eastern Mediterranean coast and determine their hazard level due to inundation caused by storm surge phenomena. The combination of the risk level determination of an area and the calculation of sea level alteration is an important tool in terms of predicting and protecting the coastal area from extreme meteorological incidents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seawater desalination infrastructures require a careful material selection with high corrosion resistance. The high seawater temperatures in warm regions, where many desalination plants are developed, must be clearly considered regarding the corrosion of materials. To comply with the operational characteristics of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) process (high pressure, high chloride content and dissolved oxygen content at saturation values), the conventional material selection was stainless steel with sufficient pitting resistant equivalent number. However, many cases of corrosion failures of stainless steel in SWRO desalination units have been reported. In most cases the cause of the failures was attributed to the use of not enough alloyed grades. However, high alloy stainless steels are also susceptible to crevice and pitting corrosion in seawater. The operational corrosion risk will highly depend on the stainless steel composition, on the metallurgy (i.e. cast or wrought), on the service conditions, and on the geometrical configuration of the confined zones in contact with seawater. The present paper reviews the corrosion performance of metallic materials used for SWRO desalination plants. It focuses on the corrosion behaviour of several stainless steel grades. Recent corrosion failures of stainless steel pumps used in SWRO desalination plant in the Mediterranean Sea are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on general considerations and ideas on a Maritime Situational Awareness (MSA) system concept addressing specifically the surveillance of the Mediterranean Sea. It presents analysis of the main potentials and limits of existing Maritime Surveillance Systems (MSSs) operating on the Mediterranean Sea and identified technology gaps. The authors then propose MSA system architecture, applications, requirements and sensors. The paper concludes with a few considerations on signal processing and data fusion techniques, required for the implementation of the MSA system capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper develops an approach for probabilistic prediction of the future locations of a moving ocean acoustic source based on probability distributions for past source locations as determined by Bayesian acoustic tracking inversion. The Bayesian track estimation for past times considers both source and environmental parameters as unknown random variables constrained by noisy acoustic data and prior information, and numerically samples the posterior probability density (PPD) using Markov-chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods. Applying a probabilistic prediction model for constant-velocity source motion to each of the PPD samples produces source location probability distributions for future times. These prediction distributions account for both the uncertainty of the source-motion model and the uncertainty in the state of knowledge of past source locations including the effects of environmental uncertainty. Results of Bayesian track estimation and prediction are represented as a sequence of joint marginal probability distributions over source range and depth, and as the most probable track with uncertainties. Probability distribution for the time and range of the closest point of approach (CPA) are also computed for inbound tracks. The approach is illustrated with synthetic acoustic data at two noise levels and with measured data from a shallow-water site in the Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies Bayesian source tracking in an uncertain environment to Mediterranean Sea data, and investigates the resulting tracks and track uncertainties as a function of data information content (number of data time-segments, number of frequencies, and signal-to-noise ratio) and of prior information (environmental uncertainties and source-velocity constraints). To track low-level sources, acoustic data recorded for multiple time segments (corresponding to multiple source positions along the track) are inverted simultaneously. Environmental uncertainty is addressed by including unknown water-column and seabed properties as nuisance parameters in an augmented inversion. Two approaches are considered: Focalization-tracking maximizes the posterior probability density (PPD) over the unknown source and environmental parameters. Marginalization-tracking integrates the PPD over environmental parameters to obtain a sequence of joint marginal probability distributions over source coordinates, from which the most-probable track and track uncertainties can be extracted. Both approaches apply track constraints on the maximum allowable vertical and radial source velocity. The two approaches are applied for towed-source acoustic data recorded at a vertical line array at a shallow-water test site in the Mediterranean Sea where previous geoacoustic studies have been carried out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intense Saharan dust deposition occurs over large oligotrophic areas in the Mediterranean Sea and the Tropical Atlantic and its impact on the biogeochemical functioning of such oligotrophic ecosystems needs to be understood. However, due to the logistical difficulties to investigate in-situ natural dust events and due to the inherent limitations of microcosm laboratory experiments, new experimental approaches need to be developed. In this paper, we present a new experimental set up based on large clean mesocoms deployed in the frame of the DUNE (a DUst experiment in a low-Nutrient, low-chlorophyll Ecosystem) project. We demonstrate that these tools are highly rele vant and provide a powerful new strategy to in situ study the response of an oligotrophic ecosystem to chemical forcing by atmospheric deposition of African dust. First, we describe how to cope with the large amount of dust aerosol needed to conduct the seeding experiments, by producing an analogue from soil collection in a source area and performing subsequent appropriate physico-chemical treatment in the laboratory including an eventual processing by simulated cloud water. The comparison of physicochemical characteristics of produced dust analogues with the literature confirms that our experimental simulations are representative of dust, ageing during atmospheric transport, and subsequent deposition to the Mediterranean. Second, we demonstrate the feasibility in coastal area to installing in situ, a series of large (6x52m3) meso cosms without perturbing the local ecosystem. All the setup, containing no metallic part and with as less as possible induced perturbation during the sampling sequence, allows working with the required conditions for biogeochemical studies in oligotrophic environments where nutrient and micronutrients are at nano-or subnano-molar levels. Two distinct "seeding experiments" were conducted by deploying mesocosms in trip licates: three mesocosms serving as controls (CONTROLS-Meso = no addition) and three mesocosms being seeded with the same amount of Saharan dust (DUST-Meso = 10 gm2 of sprayed dust). A large panel of biogeochemical parameters was measured at 0.1 m, at 5m and 10m in all the mesocosms and at a selected site outside the mesocosms, before the seeding and at regular intervals after. Statistical analyses of the results show that data from triplicate mesocosms are highly reproducible (variability <30% among triplicates) and that there is no significant difference between data obtained from CONTROLS-Meso and from outside the mesocosms. 5 This paper demonstrates that the methodology developed in the DUNE project is suitable to quantify and parameterize the impact of atmospheric chemical forcing to a low-nutrient, low-chlorophyll (LNLC) ecosystem. Such large mesocosms can be considered as 1D ecosystem so that the parameterization obtained from those experiments can indeed be integrated into ecosystem models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Hydromorphological features are crucial in structuring habitats for freshwater organisms. The quantification of these variables is often performed through accurate measuring or detailed estimation, but their assessment is not always feasible for river management purposes. Economic and time constraints often lead to difficulty in creating simple summaries of collected data for practical use. The Lentic–lotic River Descriptor (LRD) was developed to identify the character of a river site in terms of local hydraulic conditions. Information about the presence of flow types, channel substrates, in-stream vegetation, organic debris and artificial features is included in its calculation. The main aim of this paper is to investigate whether the lentic–lotic character of a river site, as summarized with the LRD descriptor, is relevant to aquatic invertebrate communities in nearly natural river sites. Invertebrate data were collected with multi-habitat, proportional sampling and hydromorphological information was gained by applying the CARAVAGGIO method (river habitat survey technique) in the field. The dataset was generated from High or Good ecological status river sites located in Mediterranean areas of Italy. Correspondence Analysis was performed to relate the invertebrate community structure to a set of catchment-scale, reach-scale and chemical environmental variables. The results of the multivariate analysis indicate that LRD provides a persuasive explanation of the most important axis of variation in benthic data. This paper also presents the optimal LRD range for a set of invertebrate taxa, accompanied by a short discussion of their potential use in conservation issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the mean spatial features of the winds in the Mediterranean and Black Seas using the wind fields observed by the SeaWinds scatterometer. Five years (2000–04) of data have been analyzed on annual and seasonal basis, with particular attention paid to the meso- and local scales. The fields show the existence of structured regional wind systems—in particular, the mistral in the western Mediterranean and the etesians in the Levantine Basin, which are characterized, respectively, by high wind variability and moderate steadiness and by low wind variability and high steadiness. Estimated seasonal mean wind stress τ fields show that the values falling in the top range 0.15 < τ < 0.20 N m-2 affect a large portion of the Mediterranean Basin in winter, in the belt extending from the Gulf of Lion up to the Levantine Basin and the northern Black Sea. In the other seasons, only few regions experience such high values of τ. The analysis of the wind vorticity shows and quantifies the main cyclonic and anticyclonic circulations, and the study of the joint features of wind stress and vorticity has identified the strongest and most persisting local-scale wind circulations produced by the interaction between the wind flow and the orography. They occur at the lee side of Sardinia–Corse and Crete–Rhodos Islands and persist in all seasons, with some seasonal variation in strength and extent. The areas affected by the orographic disturbances are characterized by high values of wind stress and by a structure of vorticity showing alternating areas of cyclonic and anticyclonic circulations, whose strength is comparable to those of the regional-scale cyclones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a review and summary of data on fin whales ( Balaenoptera physalus ) in the recently established Pelagos Sanctuary for the Conservation of Mediterranean Marine Mammals. The data presented were collected by the Tethys Research Institute during summers of 1990–1999 during a long-term study on the habitat use and preferences of fin whales in this area, described as their major feeding ground in the Mediterranean. Data on the presence, distribution, habitat use, and diving behaviour are reviewed. The data presented here emphasize the crucial role that the pelagic portion of the western Ligurian Sea plays in the ecology of Mediterranean fin whales and provide impetus for the expeditious implementation of conservation and management measures in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the phenomenon of Neopagan 'pilgrimages', which are advertised on the Internet and directed to various ancient sacred sites in Greece and in the Mediterranean Sea. After showing how travellers to Greece in the Modern Age have been inspired by classical myths and have often represented their trips as 'pilgrimages', the paper examines how Neopagans, women belonging to the Goddess Spirituality Movement, use travels to ancient sacred places as a way to reconstruct their own identity. Therefore, the perception and representation of the tourist journey as 'pilgrimage' obscures the reality of the commodification of religious experiences, in a globalised context in which different consumers 'buy' different experiences of ancient Greece. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes and provides new records of the copepods hosted by the ahermatypic scleractinian Astroides calycularis (Pallas, 1766). This coral species is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea and protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES). The coral colonies were collected at both sides of the Strait of Gibraltar. Two new species, the poecilostomatoid Doridicola helmuti and the siphonostomatoid, Asterocheres astroidicola , are described and compared with their congeners. Furthermore, this paper represents the first record of the genus Doridicola associated with a scleractinian coral, the first time that Acontiophorus scutatus is found associated with Cnidaria, and the first report of an Asterocheres species living on scleractinian corals from the European coasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use the unstructured grid model SCHISM to simulate the thermohydrodynamics in a chain of baroclinic, interconnected basins. The model shows a good skill in simulating the horizontal circulation and vertical profiles of temperature, salinity, and currents. The magnitude and phases of the seasonal changes of circulation are consistent with earlier observations. Among the mesoscale and subbasin-scale circulation features that are realistically simulated are the anticyclonic coastal eddies, the Sebastopol and Batumi eddies, the Marmara Sea outflow around the southern coast of the Limnos Island, and the pathway of the cold water originating from the shelf. The superiority of the simulations compared to earlier numerical studies is demonstrated with the example of model capabilities to resolve the strait dynamics, gravity currents originating from the straits, high-salinity bottom layer on the shallow shelf, as well as the multiple intrusions from the Bosporus Strait down to 700 m depth. The warm temperature intrusions from the strait produce the warm water mass in the intermediate layers of the Black Sea. One novel result is that the seasonal intensification of circulation affects the interbasin exchange, thus allowing us to formulate the concept of circulation-controlled interbasin exchange. To the best of our knowledge, the present numerical simulations, for the first time, suggest that the sea level in the interior part of the Black Sea can be lower than the sea level in the Marmara Sea and even in some parts of the Aegean Sea. The comparison with observations shows that the timings and magnitude of exchange flows are also realistically simulated, along with the blocking events. The short-term variability of the strait transports is largely controlled by the anomalies of wind. The simulations demonstrate the crucial role of the narrow and shallow strait of Bosporus in separating the two pairs of basins: Aegean-Marmara Seas from one side and Azov-Black Seas from the other side. The straits of Kerch and Dardanelles provide sufficient interbasin connectivity that prevents large phase lags of the sea levels in the neighboring basins. The two-layer flows in the three straits considered here show different dependencies upon the net transport, and the spatial variability of this dependence is also quite pronounced. We show that the blocking of the surface flow can occur at different net transports, thus casting doubt on a previous approach of using simple relationships to prescribe (steady) outflow and inflow. Specific attention is paid to the role of synoptic atmospheric forcing for the basin-wide circulation and redistribution of mass in the Black Sea. An important controlling process is the propagation of coastal waves. One major conclusion from this research is that modeling the individual basins separately could result in large inaccuracies because of the critical importance of the cascading character of these interconnected basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The presence of species belonging to genus Paramphitrite (Terebellidae) has been recorded in the Temperate Northern Atlantic and Arctic regions (Iberian Atlantic, Norwegian and Russian seas). This paper describes the first occurrence of Paramphitrite birulai (Ssolowiew, 1899) in the Mediterranean Sea. Methods: Sampling surveys were carried out in the North Adriatic Sea about 30 nm offshore Chioggia (Italy) on soft seabed at depths ranging from 29 to 32 meters. The sampling plan provided 18 stations. Results: Seventy-four Paramphitrite birulai specimens were examined from a morphological point of view and described in comparison with the existing literature. The species was collected in sandy sediments. Conclusions: The record of P. birulai in the North Adriatic Sea represents the first report of the genus Paramphitrite in the Mediterranean Sea extending the distribution range of this species into different ecological and environmental conditions if compared with those where it was previously recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reliable and timely information on the environmental conditions at sea is key to the safety of professional and recreational users as well as to the optimal execution of their activities. The possibility of users obtaining environmental information in due time and with adequate accuracy in the marine and coastal environment is defined as sea situational awareness (SSA). Without adequate information on the environmental meteorological and oceanographic conditions, users have a limited capacity to respond, which has led to loss of lives and to large environmental disasters with enormous consequent damage to the economy, society and ecosystems. Within the framework of the TESSA project, new SSA services for the Mediterranean Sea have been developed. In this paper we present SeaConditions, which is a web and mobile application for the provision of meteorological and oceanographic observation and forecasting products. Model forecasts and satellite products from operational services, such as ECMWF and CMEMS, can be visualized in SeaConditions. In addition, layers of information related to bathymetry, sea level and ocean-colour data (chl a and water transparency) are displayed. Ocean forecasts at high spatial resolutions are included in the version of SeaConditions presented here. SeaConditions provides a user-friendly experience with a fluid zoom capability, facilitating the appropriate display of data with different levels of detail. SeaConditions is a single point of access to interactive maps from different geophysical fields, providing high-quality information based on advanced oceanographic models. The SeaConditions services are available through both web and mobile applications. The web application is available at www.sea-conditions.com and is accessible and compatible with present-day browsers. Interoperability with GIS software is implemented. User feedback has been collected and taken into account in order to improve the service. The SeaConditions iOS and Android apps have been downloaded by more than 105 000 users to date (May 2016), and more than 100 000 users have visited the web version. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an integrated geomorphological map of terrestrial and marine areas of northern Malta and Comino (central Mediterranean Sea) at 1:25,000 scale. The map is the result of terrestrial and marine analyses of different types of data such as aerial photos, digital terrain model of the seafloor and its acoustic backscatter image. The research is intended to emphasise the relationships and continuity of geomorphological features of both the land- and sea-scape, and outline their evolution. The map highlights the occurrence of fluvial, karst and gravity-induced landforms both on land and on the seafloor, such as palaeo-fluvial channels, sinkholes and landslides, which were shaped during sea level lowstands of the last glacial cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper we present a stereo visual odometry system developed for autonomous underwater vehicle localization tasks. The main idea is to make use of only highly reliable data in the estimation process, employing a robust keypoint tracking approach and an effective keyframe selection strategy, so that camera movements are estimated with high accuracy even for long paths. Furthermore, in order to limit the drift error, camera pose estimation is referred to the last keyframe, selected by analyzing the feature temporal flow. The proposed system was tested on the KITTI evaluation framework and on the New Tsukuba stereo dataset to assess its effectiveness on long tracks and different illumination conditions. Results of a live archaeological campaign in the Mediterranean Sea, on an AUV equipped with a stereo camera pair, show that our solution can effectively work in underwater environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the long-term taxonomic composition and distribution of the shallow-water sponge fauna from the meromictic–anchialine coastal basin Faro Lake (Southern Italy), comparing recent qualitative field data with literature data over a 50-year period. The Faro Lake shallow water currently hosts 24 conspicuous species of Porifera belonging to 21 genera, 18 families, eight orders, three subclasses and two classes, i.e. Demospongiae (23) and Calcarea (one). The comparison between the present and past status of the sponge fauna showed a high turnover, with 15 new colonizers and only nine persistent species. Thirteen species reported in the literature are missing, suggesting the occurrence of remarkable changes in the faunal composition during the last 50 years. The analysis of the geographic distribution of each species allowed us to outline the prevalent North Atlantic affinity of the sponge community. Worthy of note is the new record of the alien calcareous spongeParaleucilla magnaof cryptogenic origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Biological invasions are major contributors to global change and native biodiversity decline. However, they are overlooked in marine conservation plans. Here, we examine for the first time the extent to which marine conservation planning research has addressed (or ignored) biological invasions. Furthermore, we explore the change of spatial priorities in conservation plans when different approaches are used to incorporate the presence and impacts of invasive species. Location Global analysis with a focus on the Mediterranean Sea region. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review consisting of three steps: (1) article selection using a search engine, (2) abstract screening and (3) review of pertinent articles, which were identified in the second step. The information extracted included the scale and geographical location of each case study as well as the approach followed regarding invasive species. We also applied the software Marxan to produce and compare conservation plans for the Mediterranean Sea that either protect, or avoid areas impacted by invasives, or ignore the issue. One case study focused on the protection of critical habitats, and the other on endemic fish species. Results We found that of 119 papers on marine spatial plans in specific biogeographic regions, only three (2.5%) explicitly took into account invasive species. When comparing the different conservation plans for each case study, we found that the majority of selected sites for protection (ca. 80%) changed in the critical habitat case study, while this proportion was lower but substantial (27%) in the endemic fish species case study. Main conclusions Biological invasions are being widely disregarded when planning for conservation in the marine environment across local to global scales. More explicit consideration of biological invasions can significantly alter spatial conservation priorities. Future conservation plans should explicitly account for biological invasions to optimize the selection of marine protected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risso's dolphins are known for the persistency of their natural markings, possibly due to the loss of pigment during the healing process of skin wounds. Nonetheless, the actual longevity and reliability of each mark type has never been assessed. In this paper, we used photographs to investigate the etiology of skin marks in the species, analyze their distribution and temporal variability, and discuss implications for photo identification. Nineteen mark types were described on the dorsal fin of Risso's dolphin, including 2 new to the literature: the snakelike mark and the protruding fat. Longevity of skin marks ranged from 6 years for the protruding fat to several decades for scrapes and dots. Persistent and reliable marks were notch, tooth-rake, and thick single and parallel scrapes. Mark change was sufficiently low that all mark types could be used for photo identification, provided that backlit or underexposed images were discarded as photographs taken under suboptimal light conditions proved to be unreliable. Finally, mark distribution and variability were unequal between age classes; juveniles were less marked and showed a higher rate of mark change than older individuals so that, even if they possessed enough notches to be classified as reliably marked, they could be confidently matched over a time interval of up to 3 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea-level variability in the Mediterranean Sea was investigated by means of in-situ (tide-gauge) and satellite altimetry data over a period spanning two decades (from 1993 to 2012). The paper details the sea-level variations during this time period retrieved from the two data sets. Mean sea-level (MSL) estimates obtained from tide-gauge data showed root mean square differences (RMSDs) in the order of 40-50 % of the variance of the MSL signal estimated from satellite altimetry data, with a dependency on the number and quality of the in-situ data considered. Considering the individual time-series, the results showed that coastal tide-gauge and satellite sea-level signals are comparable, with RMSDs that range between 2.5 and 5 cm and correlation coefficients up to the order of 0.8. A coherence analysis and power spectra comparison showed that two signals have a very similar energetic content at semi-annual temporal scales and below, while a phase drift was observed at higher frequencies. Positive sea-level linear trends for the analysis period were estimated for both the mean sea-level and the coastal stations. From 1993 to 2012, the mean sea-level trend ( $$2.44\pm 0.5$$ mm year $$^{-1}$$ ) was found to be affected by the positive anomalies of 2010 and 2011, which were observed in all the cases analysed and were mainly distributed in the eastern part of the basin. Ensemble empirical mode decomposition showed that these events were related to the processes that have dominant periodicities of $$\sim$$ 10 years, and positive residual sea-level trend were generally observed in both data-sets. In terms of mean sea-level trends, a significant positive sea-level trend ( $$>$$ 95 %) in the Mediterranean Sea was found on the basis of at least 15 years of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One reversal dextral (right-sided) specimen occurred in the sample of 1070 individuals of four-spotted megrim Lepidorhombus boscii caught in the central Adriatic Sea from July 2020 to June 2021. This is the first documented occurrence of reversal in this species in the Adriatic Sea. Besides reverse symmetry, the individual showed similar morphological and morphometric characteristics as non-reversed individuals., (© 2022 Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

The objective of this study is to increase the spatial resolution of data on the level of chlorophyll-a in the Mediterranean Sea using satellite images and ground measurements. The goal of this study is to develop an information technology based on machine learning to create chlorophyll-a concentration maps with high spatial resolution for the pilot areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Traditional ground-based methods for measuring chlorophyll-a are time-consuming, expensive, and have limited spatial and temporal coverage. Therefore, satellite observations have become an effective tool for monitoring chlorophyll-a over large areas. Low spatial resolution satellite data such as GCOM-C/SGLI and Sentinel-3 OLCI allow measurements of chlorophyll-a concentration at the sea surface. However, these data have limited accuracy and spatial resolution, which creates challenges for monitoring local changes in coastal zones and small water areas. Tasks: to analyze available satellite data and ground-based measurements of chlorophyll-a for the Mediterranean Sea; to investigate the correlation between satellite data of different spatial resolutions and ground measurements; to select informative features from satellite data for building machine learning models; and to develop models for increasing the spatial resolution of chlorophyll-a based on regression and machine learning algorithms. Obtained results: information technology combining satellite data with ground measurements in the Google Earth Engine cloud platform is proposed; correlations between satellite measurements of chlorophyll-a and ground data are investigated; models based on Random Forest and Multilayer Perceptron with coefficients of determination up to 0.36 and correlation of 0.6 with test data are built; chlorophyll-a maps with a spatial resolution of 10 m are created for the pilot area near Cyprus. Conclusions. The developed information technology allows the effective combination of satellite data of different spatial resolutions and ground measurements to increase the accuracy and detail of chlorophylla maps in the Mediterranean Sea. Further research involves improving the preprocessing of satellite data, using more features, involving data from other regions, and applying more sophisticated machine learning models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The devil firefish Pterois miles (Bennett 1828) is recognized as one of the 100 worst invasive alien species (IAS) in the Mediterranean Sea with significant socioeconomic and ecological implications. A total of 363 individuals were collected between April 2021 and March 2022 from the Levantine Sea (the Eastern Mediterranean), aiming to assess the current progression of the population. The male to female ratio (1:1.03) did not significantly depart from 1:1, with length–weight relationships exhibiting positive allometric growth. Five age groups were identified, with the third and fourth age groups being the predominant (74% of the population). The highest reproductive intensity was observed during summer followed by autumn. The onset of sexual maturity (L50) for the total population was estimated at 22.44 cm in total length (2.1 years). The asymptotic length was estimated at 45.35 cm for the total population, with males growing larger than females. Longevity was estimated at 14.4 years for the total population. The inflection point was estimated at 4.31 years for the total population. Length with a 50% probability of capture (LC50) was estimated at 23.03 cm, with the respective age (t50) of 2.2 years. The exploitation rate (E = 0.48) indicated that the population is underexploited. The optimum (Fopt) and target (Flim) fishing mortality were higher in comparison with the present fishing mortality (F = 0.41), indicating a potential for commercial exploitation of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing for swordfish, mainly of immature specimens, are known to be the highest threats for this resource. This study provide a simple and useful tool for the maritime security service to recognize illegal landing sizes (<140 total length) of swordfish even when the specimens are deprived of their bills in order to elude the Italian law (Decreto del Presidente della Repubblica, /68). The purpose of the present paper is to reduce the illegal swordfish fishing in the Mediterranean Sea by supplying an alternative approach to calculate the total length, starting from the lower jaw fork length ( LJFL). In order to do this, the relationships of LJFL- FL and FL- TL of 214 specimens caught in the central Mediterranean Sea were examined by linear regression. Both linear models fit the data significantly at the P < 0.001 level. As the values of R2 were very close to 1, starting from the lower jaw-fork length of swordfish specimens and using these equations, it is possible to estimate the value of total length with a 99% approximation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spanish territory offers a remarkable location to study the Messinian salinity crisis (MSC). So much so, that sub-basins and open margins to the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean can be studied from outcrop data, 2D and 3D seismic surveys, and well logs. From the analysed data, it can be determined that the Messinian sediments are involved in three third-order depositional sequences: (1) Late Tortonian-Messinian, with temperate carbonates, coral reefs and sandy turbidities; (2) Messinian, with on- and offshore deposition of shallow-marine evaporate and isotopic freshwater facies; and (3) Messinian- Early Pliocene, comprising deposits of sandy (Atlantic) and gypsum-sandy turbidites (Mediterranean) that filled incised valleys. From seismic images, the best exploration opportunities involve the lowstand systems tracts (LST), the carbonates and different facies under deep-water evaporates. For these, however, the problem is to establish the source rock, by: (a) the presence of Messinian deep-water paper shales; (b) the gas having to be biogenic in the absence of paper shales; and (c) reaching the maturity level in areas with limestone and coral reef prospects. The above possibilities come from our conception of the Messinian crisis, which was caused by two different episodes: climatic change in a restricted, but not desiccated, Mediterranean Sea, following by multiple sea-level falls and the deposition of their correlative LST turbiditic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical reanalysis component of the Mediterranean Forecasting System is used to construct a high-resolution three-dimensional atlas of the Turner Angle. An assessment of the model quality shows a maximum degree of agreement with observations in the water column between 150 and 1000 m depth. The mean state of the favourable conditions for double diffusion processes is evaluated and the recent decadal variability is studied in terms of changes in the water mass properties. The results show that approximately 50% of the Mediterranean Sea is favourable to double diffusion processes, from which around 47% is associated with salt fingering. The Tyrrhenian, Ionian and southwestern Mediterranean are the most vulnerable basins to salt fingering, and the strongest processes can occur in the Tyrrhenian deep waters. Diffusive convection is most likely to occur in the Ionian, Aegean and eastern Mediterranean at vertical levels deeper than 1000 m. The observed gradual warming and salinification of the Mediterranean after 1997 decreased and increased the possibilities of the occurrence of salt fingers and double diffusive convections, respectively. The climatological atlas that is presented in this paper provides a three-dimensional picture of the regions that are either doubly stable or favourable to double diffusion instability and allows for the characterization of the diffusive properties of the water masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present a comparison between Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and Agassiz trawling methods for sampling deep-water fauna in three submarine canyons of the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea and describe the behavioural reactions of fishes and crustacean decapods to ROV approach. 10 ROV dives, where 3583 individuals were observed and identified to species level, and 8 Agassiz trawls were carried out in a depth range of 750–1500 m. As noticed in previous studies, abundances of fishes and decapod crustaceans were much higher in the ROV videos than in Agassiz trawl samples, as the latter are designed for the retrieval of benthic, less motile species in permanent contact with the bottom. In our observations fish abundance was one order of magnitude higher with ROV (4110.22 ind/km 2 ) than with Agassiz trawl (350.88 ind/km 2 ), whereas decapod crustaceans were six times more abundant in ROV videos (6362.40 ind/km 2 ) than in Agassiz samples (1364.52 ind/km 2 ). The behaviour of highly motile fishes was analysed in terms of stationary positioning over the seafloor and avoidance or attraction to ROV approach. The most frequently occurring fish species Coelorinchus mediterraneus , Nezumia aequalis , Bathypterois dubius , Lepidion lepidion , Trachyrincuss scabrus and Polyacanthonotus rissoanus did not react to the presence of the ROV in most cases (>50%). Only B. dubius (11%), Lepidion lepidion (14.8%), P. rissoanus (41%) and T. scabrus (14.3%) reacted to ROV approach. More than 60% of less motile species, such as crustacean decapods, did not respond to ROV presence either. Only 33.3% of Geryon longipes , 36.2% of Munida spp. and 29.79% of Pagurus spp. were observed avoiding or defensively reacting to the ROV. The comparison of results obtained with ROV and trawl sampling is of ecological relevance since ROV can report observations in areas where trawling is technically unfeasible. The lack of reaction by most fish and crustacean decapod specimens further confirms that ROV surveying is an efficient technique to assess abundance and species composition in deep-sea waters for these motile species and questions trawl-based estimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

VISIR (discoVerIng Safe and effIcient Routes) is an operational decision support system (DSS) for optimal ship routing designed and implemented in the frame of the TESSA (TEchnology for Situational Sea Awareness) project. The system is aimed to increase safety and efficiency of navigation through the use of forecast environmental fields and route optimization. VISIR can be accessed through a web interface (www.visir-nav.com) and mobile applications for both iOS and Android devices. This paper focuses on the technological infrastructure developed for operating VISIR as a DSS. Its main components are described, the performance of the operational system is assessed through experimental measurements, and a few case studies are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neanderthal shell tools have been discovered in several coastal sites along the Mediterranean Sea in the past 50 years. These technological artefacts have rarely been investigated, and only typological considerations have been published. Recent studies have investigated retouched shell tools at Grotta del Cavallo with a new multidisciplinary methodology, and they have found that the use of Callista chione valves was not related to subsistence strategies but rather to the search for a specific cutting edge, reconstructing the whole chaîne opératoire . In this paper, we focus on some technical aspects of shell tool production that have not been investigated to date: (i) the technical reaction of the shell to retouching on the basis of its microstructural and physical properties, (ii) the identification of technical gestures used during production and (iii) the economic value of shell technology from a technical perspective. The experiments were conducted along with the analysis of the whole lithic assemblage and the economic, technological and technical characteristics of the lithic techno-complex are presented. The results of shell analysis and shell integration within the stone tool techno-economical strategies clearly show that at Grotta del Cavallo, this Neanderthal technical adaptation to coastal resources could be considered an expression of the Quina system. The data presented in this study are discussed in relation to Middle Palaeolithic behavioural variability, and we emphasise four primary, strictly interdependent concepts: mobility strategies, flexibility of the Quina techno-economic system, social organisation and cognitive features of human groups. The Quina shell technology is the result of a complex modality of adaptation to environmental diversity, and it is related to the Neanderthal capacity for innovation. In this paper, we discuss how and why the innovation of shell technology might have occurred within the Quina system. The data presented in this study represent the first investigation of the technical modalities of Neanderthal adaptation to the seashore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perhaps only in the time of the crusades the Western rhetoric has been more concerned with the people of Muslim origin. With the Middle East turned into a warring zone by various factions, and the Western world scared of the menace Islamic extremists present, the subject discussed in our paper is very timely. Thousands of people have filed to flight alongside extremist organizations such as ISIS, European far-right parties are on the rise and refugees are washing off the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. But no Western country is under greater distress than France with its nation troubled by terrorist attacks and by the latest outburst of protests. Analyzing the legal framework within which the French Model of integrating immigrants works, we attempted to assess its effectiveness and lack thereof, in order to try and explain why France is only preceded by Russia when it comes to the number of Westerners joining the rows of ISIL. Our findings include clear evidence about the low quality of life that people of immigrant descent have, the lack of possibilities to overcome their condition, the lack of sustainability that the model exhibits and the escalating effect that the current State of Emergency has on it all. And since all of these constitute drivers for extremism, we consider France to be in urgent need of policy developments that would slow down and even stop the radicalizing trends that we believe are in motion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present note reports a new record ofRosalinda incrustans(Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) since its last reliable record in the Mediterranean Sea in 1958. Several colonies were recorded on the spider crabAnamathia rissoanaoff the Balearic Islands. The taxonomic history ofR. incrustans, considered a putatively extinct species in a recent paper, is reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mediterranean Sea is currently facing dramatic changes and threats, including change in native species and accidental introductions. The introduced green alga Codium fragile subsp. fragile (Suringar) Hariot influences diversity and community structure in some parts of the world. This paper documents the distribution of this species in Tunisia and provides a morphological description of C. fragile subsp. fragile in Northern Tunisia. Results confirm the identity of Tunisian specimens as the invasive subspecies C. fragile subsp. fragile. This is the first morphological characterization of this subspecies in Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper investigates the diet and the food composition ofTrachinotus ovatusin the central Mediterranean Sea (Strait of Messina). Moreover, the first documented data on plastic ingestion byT. ovatusare also reported. Samples ranging between 16.5 and 28.0 cm fork length were collected between May and November 2012 in the Strait of Messina (central Mediterranean Sea) by trolling lines.T. ovatusfed mainly on pelagic crustaceans and fishes, although the contribution of mollusks was also important. The absence of dominant prey indicated a generalist feeding behavior. The plastic debris was found in the stomach content ofT. ovatuswith a high percentage of occurrence (%O = 24.3%). Considering the commercial interest thatT. ovatushas in some small-scale fishery markets, the potential impact of plastics on the trophic web and human consumption should be investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]