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A large specimen (550 mm TL) of the longfinned bullseye Cookeolus japonicus (Cuvier, 1829) was caught in June 2011 by an otter trawl off Civitavecchia (Rome), Central Tyrrhenian Sea. It represented the first record of this pantropical monotypic genus in the Mediterranean and also the northernmost record in the FNAM area for the family Priacanthidae. The fish is preserved in the ichthyological collection of the Natural History Museum in Genoa, Italy.

The authors, on the basis of the research they have been carrying out since the seventies, summarise the main characteristics of the Pelagos Sanctuary in terms of its bathyal and mesopelagic communities as well as its pelagic food webs. At the macrofaunal level of these webs, Meganyctiphanes norvegica is the key species and a M. norvegica - Pasiphaea sivado system regards a sizeable vertical space. Two basic oceanographic processes that generate upwelling are at the basis of a high biodiversity, which includes large charismatic pelagic species such as fin whale and bluefin tuna., BELS - Bulletin of Enviromental and Life Sciences, V. 1, N. 1 (2019): Bulletin of Environmental and Life Sciences

In 2002 CIESM published the first in its series of Atlases of Exotic Species in the Mediterranean, first on Fihes and on Decapods, then two years later on Molluscs. The Atlases provide user-friendly access to detailed and authoritative information on Mediterranean biodiversity to both amateurs and experts and raise the level of awareness of these important issues. a survey of eletronic databases has revealed that the CIESM Atlas of Exotic Species: Fishes has been cited by close tp 20 scientific articles.

The rate of fish invasion into the Mediterranean has continued without showing any sign of deceleration. Since the publication of the CIESM Exotic Fish Atlas in 2002, 18 new exotic fish species have been recorded and many species have extended their distribution range. Two distinct periods (1997-1982 and 2000-2005) of population explosion were documented for nine cases of invasive fish species just following intiation of invasion. in light of the supposition that the rate of invasion will continue steadily, it is suggested that future research should concentrate on comparative studies of the ecology and life history strategies of the invasive species and their closely related Mediterranean indigeneous species as well as application of population dynamics and genetics.

The application of statistical models on a time series of data arising from the MEDITS International Trawl Survey, an experimental demersal resources survey carried out during six years (1994-1999) in the same season of the year (late spring - early summer) using the same fishing gear in a large part of the Mediterranean, has allowed for a study to compare, for the first time, the space-time distribution, abundance, and size structure of the two Aristeids Aristaeomorpha foliacea and Aristeus antennatus throughout most of the Mediterranean Sea. This research has shown a large variability among the six reference areas, that were arbitrarily defined within the basin. In particular the two shrimps do not seem to present any correlation or yield continuity in the years. The same lack of homogeneity was also observed in the time trend of the abundances and frequencies of each of the two species. These data seem to confirm the intrinsic variability of the species, the cause of which is still unknown and undocumented. Nevertheless, a longitudinal gradient of catches has been observed where A. antennatus is more abundant in the west and A. foliacea in the east of the basin., No disponible

The main aspects of reproduction - namely times of ovarian maturation, brooding and hatching, sizes of maturation and fecundity - were studied in female Norway lobsters in seven areas of the Mediterranean biogeographic subprovince: the Algarve Sea, the Alboran Sea, the Catalan Sea, the Ligurian Sea, the Northern Tyrrhenian Sea, the Adriatic Sea and the Gulf of Euboikos. These included both shelf and slope populations within a latitudinal range of 8°. The reproduction showed clear seasonality with some small differences between areas: maturation delayed by 1-2 months in northern areas (Ligurian, N. Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas) compared to southern areas; absence of embryos for periods of 4-5 months in slope females and for less clearly defined periods in shelf females. The case study of the Ligurian Sea was used to illustrate the ovarian cycle and to describe the pre- and post-puberal growth of the female. First mating occurs at an average size of 32 mm CL, which corresponds to age 3+ of the female and the hatching of the first brood corresponds to age 4. Differences were registered in reproductive sizes in the study areas, with a range of 23-30 mm CL for the smallest berried females and a range of 30-36 mm CL in the 50% maturity size. These differences were ascribed to local factors, whereas ages of the basic steps of reproduction were assumed to be unchanged. Females of age 2 formed the most abundant share of the fished stock. An estimate of fecundity was made in terms of brood size (embryos were counted at an early stage of development): the range was 1119-1834 embryos in a standard female of 35 mm CL. Reproductive potential, calculated on the basis of a virtual population analysis, was strongly influenced by the size structure of the female population in each area and there was a ratio of about 14:1 between the least (Ligurian) and the most exploited (Catalan) fishing grounds., En siete áreas de la subprovincia biogeográfica Mediterránea: costas de Algarve, Alborán, mar Catalán, mar Ligur, norte del Tirreno, Adriático y golfo de Euboikos, se estudian los principales aspectos de la reproducción (período de maduración ovárica, incubación y eclosión, talla de primera maduración y fecundidad) de la cigala. Las poblaciones estudiadas proceden tanto de la plataforma como del talud continental abarcando un rango latitudinal de 8º. La reproducción muestra una clara estacionalidad con pequeñas diferencias entre áreas: la maduración puede presentarse retrasada en 1–2 meses en las áreas más septentrionales (Liguria, Tyrrheno y Adriático), respecto a las áreas más meridonales; ausencia de embriones durante 4-5 meses en hembras del talud y períodods menos claramente definidos en las hembras de la plataforma. Se presenta como ejemplo el caso concreto del mar Ligur con el fin de ilustrar el ciclo gonadal y describir el crecimiento pre y post pubertal de las hembras. La primera cópula ocurre alrededor de los 32 mm CL, lo que corresponde a una edad de 3+ años, mientras que la primera eclosión de los huevos corresponderá a los 4 años. También se observaron diferencias en las tallas reproductivas de las hembras entre las distintas zonas, desde un rango de entre 23 y 30 mm CL para las hembras ovadas más pequeñas, hasta un rango de entre 30-36 mm CL, para las hembras en la talla del 50% de madurez. Estas diferencias se atribuyen a factores locales asumiendo que el patrón reproductor básico es el mismo. Las hembras de edad 2 constituyen la mayor parte del stock pescado. La estimación de la fecundidad se establece en base al tamaño de la puesta (embriones contados en los primeros estados de desarrollo). Para hembras estándar de 35 mm de CL, se estimaron un número de huevos entre 1119 y 1834. El potencial reproductor se calculó en base al análisis de la población virtual y fue estrechamente influenciado por la estructura de tallas de la población de hembras en cada área. La máxima diferencia encontrada, con una proporción de 14:1, fue entre Liguria y Cataluña, esta última como zona más explotada.

Until 2014, the management of invasive alien species has been poorly addressed in Europe. Recently, the Regulation 1143/14 on invasive alien species (IAS) was issued by the European Community. A first list of "IAS of Union Concern" was presented in 2016 and subsequently updated in 2017. The species included in that list are subjected to a number of commercial restrictions, and EU member states are required to control or eradicate them. The inclusion of an IAS in this list is based on the results of a risk-assessment procedure. At present, this list contains 49 IAS, none of which marine. Member states can decide either to adopt the EU list as it is, or to integrate it with additional "IAS of national concern". Italy has opted for the second way and is currently developing its own national list, which may eventually include marine IAS. Italy is a major "first hub" for marine introductions in the Mediterranean Sea, with over 200 multicellular marine alien species reported so far. Italy, with its central position in the Mediterranean Sea, shares several species with the Western European countries, carried by ships or with shellfish stocks, as well as a number of Indo-Pacific species with the Eastern Mediterranean countries, entered through the Suez Canal. Therefore, the roadmap that Italy is currently tracing towards the possible inclusion of marine species in the list of IAS to be managed and controlled, is also relevant for other European and Mediterranean countries. This presentation will show how the process has been organized and conducted, and the preliminary outcomes