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The dominant molluscan speciesPatella caerulea was selected as a trace metals bio indicator. During winter and summer 2016, its specimens were scraped from El-Mex Bay. Concentrations of heavy metals in the water, sediments andPatella caerulea (shells and soft tissues) were determined. Cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) concentrations (conc.) during summer were higher than winter except for shells which had Cd conc. in summer lower than winter, water showed Cu conc. in winter more than summer, Fe appeared higher conc. in water and Patellacaerulea during winter more than summer, Mn had higher conc. in water and sediments than summer, Ni had higher conc. in water and soft tissues during winter than summer and Zn in water during summer is lower than winter. The bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) ofCd, Pb, Cu, Fe inPatellacaerulea shells were more than soft tissues, also they were more in winter than summer except that of Cu in winter was lower than summer, BAF of Fe in soft tissues was higher than shells also that of Mn and Zn in Patellacaerulea during winter were lower than summer, also BAFs of Mn in soft tissues and shells was nearly similar.The highest metal pollution index (MPI) for the studied species appeared in shells (105.95) followed by that of soft tissues during summer and winter (80.54 and 74.64, respectively). While MPI in shells during winter (46.13) came to the last.

Elemental analysis of biogeochemical archives is an established technique used to study climate in a range of applications, including ocean circulation, glacial/interglacial climates, and anthropogenic climate change. Data from mollusc archives are especially important because of their global abundance and sub-annual resolution. Despite this potential, they are underrepresented among palaeoclimate studies, due to enigmatic physiological influences skewing the elemental record. Understanding the patterns behind these influences will improve data interpretation and lead to the development of new climate proxies. Here, we show for the first time that extensive spatial mapping of multiple mollusc specimens using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) across a wider region can resolve enigmatic patterns within the elemental record caused by physiological influences. 2D elemental (Mg/Ca) maps of whole limpet shells (Patella caerulea) from across the Mediterranean revealed patterns of variability within individual mollusc records as well as within isochronous parts of specimens. By registering and quantifying these patterns, we established previously uninterpretable correlations with temperature (R2 > 0.8, p

Limpets are one of the most important herbivorous grazers of temperate rocky shores, promoting diversity and influencing the structure and functioning of intertidal communities. In the current cont...

Il progetto di dottorato � stato principalmente focalizzato sull?implementazione delle tecniche di riproduzione controllata nel genere Patella. Le specie oggetto di studio sono state P. caerulea e pi� in particolare P. ferruginea, specie protetta e in via di estinzione, il cui ripopolamento � oggetto del progetto europeo ReLife (LIFE15 NAT/IT/000771). Essendo P. ferruginea una specie protetta, inizialmente abbiamo preferito testare i trattamenti di induzione non letale su una specie cogenerica, P. caerulea, comune e abbondante lungo le coste italiane. I vari trattamenti testati hanno dato ottimi risultati, e il trattamento del ?bubbling? � risultato il migliore, sia in termini di tempo di risposta alla stimolazione degli esemplari, sia perch� si tratta di un metodo poco costoso e facilmente ripetibile. � stato possibile stilare un protocollo di spawning non letale, ed effettuare una fecondazione artificiale con successivo sviluppo larvale e insediamento dei giovanili (Ferranti et al., 2018). Inoltre, sono stati condotti dei monitoraggi lungo la costa ligure, che hanno permesso di riportare la presenza di esemplari di P. ferruginea, considerata estinta lungo queste coste (Espinosa et al., 2014). La distribuzione di P. ferruginea, lungo le coste liguri, � estremamente scarsa e frammentata, infatti la specie � stata rinvenuta come esemplari isolati o piccoli gruppi, come nell'AMP delle Cinque Terre. Questi ritrovamenti hanno per� permesso di ampliare la mappatura della presenza di P. ferruginea lungo le coste del Mediterraneo (Ferranti et al., 2019). Inoltre, per comprendere meglio il ciclo riproduttivo e i tempi di rilascio dei gameti in P. ferruginea alle nostre latitudini, abbiamo posizionato degli esemplari in mare per la maturazione in condizioni naturali, fino all?inizio del periodo riproduttivo. Gli esemplari successivamente sono stati sottoposti a biopsia della gonade sia prima di essere messi in mare per determinare il sesso (Guallart et al., 2013a), che all'inizio del periodo riproduttivo previsto per comprendere lo stadio di maturazione. L?osservazione del materiale ottenuto tramite biopsia ha permesso di determinare che gli esemplari avevano raggiunto la maturazione gonadica e che uno di loro aveva effettuato il cambio di sesso, evento noto in letteratura, ma osservato qui per la prima volta alla latitudine del Mediterraneo nord-occidentale (Ferranti et al., 2021). Tali risultati implicano che la specie pu� completare il suo ciclo riproduttivo lungo le coste liguri. Sempre al fine di comprendere meglio i tempi di maturazione delle gonadi, abbiamo applicato le tecniche della Risonanza Magnetica su esemplari di patelle. La Risonanza Magnetica, attraverso un approccio non invasivo, ha permesso di osservare lo spessore della gonade e anche di capire se un esemplare avesse rilasciato o meno gameti, al fine di applicare eventualmente tecniche di stimolazione al rilascio dei gameti solo al momento giusto. I risultati indicano che la risonanza magnetica pu� essere molto utile come strumento aggiuntivo, sia per valutare la maturit� sessuale di P. ferruginea, che per ridurre al minimo il numero di prove di induzione per ogni esemplare, e di conseguenza lo stress (Guallart et al., 2020). Ancora pi� rilevante � l'aver fornito l?evidenza, per la prima volta, che l?emissione delle uova pu� essere indotta in P. ferruginea e dimostrare che � possibile ottenere giovanili, in condizioni controllate, attraverso metodi non invasivi. Questi risultati hanno permesso di elaborare un protocollo preliminare sull'induzione all?emissione spontanea dei gameti da parte di P. ferruginea, senza sacrificare i riproduttori di una specie protetta. Inoltre, questo ci ha permesso di effettuare una fecondazione artificiale che ha portato allo sviluppo, insediamento, metamorfosi e crescita larvale di un numero piuttosto elevato di individui giovanili di P. ferruginea (Ferranti et al., in prep.). Di conseguenza, sapendo che la specie � presente lungo la costa ligure, che riesce a raggiungere la maturit� anche a queste latitudini e che � possibile riprodurre P. ferruginea in condizioni controllate fino allo stadio giovanile, possiamo affermare che esiste la possibilit� di ripopolamento e reintroduzione in ambiente naturale di esemplari di P. ferruginea, recuperando questa specie nell?area in oggetto, come previsto dal progetto ReLife. Inoltre, la reintroduzione realizzata da esemplari ottenuti mediante tecniche di acquacoltura, senza influenzare sostanzialmente le popolazioni donatrici, � anche in accordo con la strategia spagnola per la conservazione della specie (MMAMRM, 2008), e in generale, le azioni di ripopolamento attraverso la riproduzione controllata, potrebbero consentire in futuro di ripopolare altre aree costiere, dove le popolazioni di P. ferruginea sono scomparse e/o in regressione, per un recupero della specie a livello globale.

Limpets are common inhabitants of the midlittoral and upper infralittoral zones and play an important ecological role in the coastal ecosystem. The study aimed to assess growth, meat yield, morphological aspects, condition and reproduction features of Patella caerulea. About 58% of collected Mediterranean limpets were concentrated in the 25.0-34.9 mm shell length group. The average meat yield ratio was calculated as 39.34%. Mean growth increments for shell length (SL) and total weight (TW) were 23.99% and 97.99%, respectively. Results exhibited relatively high correlation coefficients among variables. Mean condition factor value was calculated as 14.2. Spawning occurs over a short period with ovigerous females observed on two month periods. Mean fecundity was calculated as 90,983±28,675 eggs/g whereas mean egg diameter was estimated as 160.6 μm. This study presents first baseline information about biological and morphological of Mediterranean Limpets population in Black Sea.

The Eastern Mediterranean Sea hosts more non-indigenous species than any other marine region, yet their impacts on the native biota remain poorly understood. Focusing on mollusks from the Israeli rocky intertidal, we explored the hypothesis that this abiotically harsh habitat supports a limited trait diversity, and thus may promote niche overlap and competition between native and non-indigenous species. Indeed, native and non-indigenous assemblage components often had a highly similar trait composition, caused by functionally similar native (Patella caerulea) and non-indigenous (Cellana rota) limpets. Body size of P. caerulea decreased with increasing C. rota prevalence, but not vice versa, indicating potential asymmetric competition. Although both species have coexisted in Israel for >15 years, a rapid ‘replacement’ of native limpets by C. rota has been reported for a thermally polluted site, suggesting that competition and regionally rapid climate-related seawater warming might interact to progressively erode native limpet performance along the Israeli coast.

Limpets are pivotal for structuring and regulating the ecological balance of littoral communities and are widely collected for human consumption and as fishing bait. Limpets of the species Patella caerulea were collected between April 2016 and April 2017 from two sites, and two samplings per each site with varying degree of exposure to wave action and anthropogenic pressure, in Eastern Mediterranean (Pagasitikos Gulf, Central Greece). This study addresses a knowledge gap on population characteristics of P. caerulea populations in Eastern Mediterranean, assesses population structure, allometric relationships, and reproductive status. Morphometric characteristics exhibited spatio-temporal variation. Population density was significantly higher at the exposed site. Spatial relationship between members of the population exhibited clumped pattern of dispersion during spring. Broadcast spawning of the population occurred during summer. Seven dominant age groups were identified, with the dominant cohort in the third-year class. Significant negative allometric relationships were exhibited between morphometric characteristics. Differences in growth patterns among populations were indicated.

Aim: The Mediterranean Sea is a biodiversity hotspot, hosting a wide variety of habitats and organisms resulting from its complex past history and present-day processes. Although several biogeographical areas are defined within the Mediterranean Sea, a comprehensive description of the main connectivity patterns among these areas is still lacking. In the present work, we describe the main features structuring the past and present genetic diversity and connectivity in a shallow subtidal limpet across the Mediterranean Sea. Location: Mediterranean Sea. Methods: The genetic diversity and structure of the common and widespread limpet Patella caerulea were analysed in 32 locations across the Mediterranean Sea using two mitochondrial markers (COI and 16S) and five nuclear microsatellite loci. Demographic history and phylogenetic analyses were carried out using mitochondrial markers, and assignment tests were performed on nuclear markers. Results: Two main evolutionary units were detected according to both mitochondrial markers. The most significant genetic differentiation was located between the southern tip of Sicily and the Calabria Peninsula. However, the full transition between the Western and Eastern basins is broadly located in the area between the Siculo-Tunisian Strait and the eastern Ionian Sea. Highly variable nuclear markers revealed further complexity related to current connectivity patterns, showing a genetic structure in the Sicily Channel and the Tyrrhenian-Ligurian transition and gene flow across the Messina Strait. The three markers showed a consistent pattern of isolation by distance only in the Eastern basin. Main conclusions: Complex connectivity patterns in the central Mediterranean confirm that this area represents a genetic diversity hotspot for limpets, reflecting the interplay of the past and present processes. For this crucial area, we propose to use the term "transition area," which may better reflect its complexity and so avoid further debate on the location of a single "genetic barrier."

Limpet shells are common components of many archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. To test whether δ18O values from archaeological Patella caerulea shells can serve as a reliable palaeothermometer for the Mediterranean and a reliable archive of season of collection information, we collected live P. caerulea from eight Mediterranean locations in Croatia, Israel, Libya, Malta, Tunisia, and Turkey. Shell growth patterns were studied in section, and samples for oxygen isotope analysis were milled from the shells and used to calculate sea surface temperature (SST). As with other species of limpet, SST reconstructed from P. caerulea δ18O values were lower than expected from observational records. However, when a correction factor of − 0.72‰ was applied, the shells recorded SST within the range of instrumental SST. SST calculated from δ18Oshell values of the most recently formed shell portion of monthly-collected shells from one site in Libya were strongly and significantly correlated with instrumental SST in the region (R2 = 0.95). Oxygen isotope curves from individual shells sampled at high resolution from each of the study sites across the Mediterranean exhibited sinusoidal patterns. Annual growth lines correlated with the lowest δ18Oshell values and were thus formed in summer. However, shell growth rates varied markedly between the sites. Some sites with larger shells recorded less than a year of growth in broad, highly irregularly shaped increments. At other sites, medium sized shells recorded several years of growth with clear, regular growth increments. A sclerochronological approach can therefore be used to pre-screen limpet shell sections before geochemical sampling. The δ18Oshell values from shells sampled at high-resolution recorded the full seasonal range of instrumental SST at each collection site. This reinforces the potential of this species as one of the few sub-seasonal resolution palaeoenvironmental archives in the region. Additionally, the pattern of δ18Oshell variation from the last formed shell portion was studied to determine whether accurate season of collection information could be identified from P. caerulea shells. The correct season was interpreted > 80% of the time indicating that this species is a good candidate for seasonal shellfish foraging studies using archaeological shells.

Aquaculture plays a major role in the coastal economy of the Mediterranean Sea. This raises the issue of the impact of fish cages on the surrounding environment. Here, we explore the impact of aquaculture on the composition of the digestive gland microbiome of a representative locally dwelling wild holobiont, the grazer gastropod Patella caerulea, at an aquaculture facility located in Southern Sicily, Italy. The microbiome was assessed in individuals collected on sea bream aquaculture cages and on a rocky coastal tract located about 1.2 km from the cages, as the control site. Patella caerulea microbiome variations were explained in the broad marine metacommunity context, assessing the water and sediment microbiome composition at both sites, and characterizing the microbiome associated with the farmed sea bream. The P. caerulea digestive gland microbiome at the aquaculture site was characterized by a lower diversity, the loss of microorganisms sensitive to heavy metal contamination, and by the acquisition of fish pathogens and parasites. However, we also observed possible adaptive responses of the P. caerulea digestive gland microbiome at the aquaculture site, including the acquisition of putative bacteria able to deal with metal and sulfide accumulation, highlighting the inherent microbiome potential to drive the host acclimation to stressful conditions.

The current scenario of global change and the increase of human population in coastal areas is leading to the introduction of numerous man-made structures into the coastal environment. Those artificial structures provide different services at the expenses of habitat loss and a range of widely documented ecological impacts. Limpets are keystone species that are worldwide established in these artificial habitats. However, little is known about the impact of artificial coastal defence structures on the diet of limpets. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate if different kinds of artificial structures (cubes, rip-raps, seawalls and tetrapods) across a geographical gradient (western to eastern Alboran Sea), could affect the food consumption of the limpet Patella caerulea by using carbon and nitrogen isotopes analysis. Our results suggested that for certain localities, there was a shift in the trophic niche of P. caerulea inhabiting artificial substrates in comparison with the nearest natural rocky shore. However, patterns were not consistent for all localities and different types of artificial structures, which reinforces the importance of considering local scales for conservation and management purposes. Finally, δ 15 N ratio in P. caerulea is a good indicator of eutrophication at regional scales, by showing a gradient of enrichment in the limpet tissues from oligotrophic to eutrophic waters within the Alboran Sea.

Specimens of the patellogastropod limpet Patella caerulea were collected within (pHlow-shells) and outside (pHn-shells) a CO2 vent site at Ischia, Italy. Four pHlow-shells and four pHn-shells were sectioned transversally and scanned for polymorph distribution by means of confocal Raman microscopy. The pHlow-shells displayed a twofold increase in aragonite area fraction and size-normalised aragonite area. Size-normalised calcite area was halved in pHlow-shells. Taken together with the increased apical and the decreased flank size-normalised thickness of the pHlow-shells, these data led us to conclude that low-pH-exposed P. caerulea specimens counteract shell dissolution by enhanced shell production. This is different from normal elongation growth and proceeds through addition of aragonitic parts only, while the production of calcitic parts is confined to elongation growth. Therefore, aragonite cannot be regarded as a disadvantageous polymorph per se under ocean acidification conditions.

Controlled reproduction is a requirement for developing effective mollusc cultivation for commercial or restoration purposes. In this study, a protocol for spawning induction using noninvasive methods in limpets was developed, using the common Mediterranean species, Patella caerulea Linnaeus, 1758. Six nonlethal spawning induction treatments were tested: three chemical (two concentrations of H₂O₂ and KCl) and three physical (bubbling, warm and cold thermal shock). All treatments, except thermal shocks, induced the spawning of fertile gametes. Bubbling resulted the best treatment in providing spawning response, being the easiest and least invasive method tested. After eggs fertilization, larval development was followed until metamorphosis, testing fed and unfed conditions. Settlement took place after 7 days. The developed protocol represents a benchmark for further application to other limpets, for aquaculture or repopulation.

Our work is a contribution to the study of the morphometric dissimilarity of the limpet Patella caerulea (Linnaeus, 1758) inhabiting the seashore of the western Mediterranean Sea. For this study, 438 individuals of this species were sampled in 24 stations and separated into 2 groups of individuals: the first group (G1) originating from the upper infralittoral and the lower mediolittoral areas, and the second group (G2) originating from the upper mediolittoral area. The biometry of P. caerulea has been studied by considering the total length (L), the total width (W), and the total height (H) of the shell. These parameters revealed a strong positive correlation, and were used for the principal component analysis (PCA). Other combined parameters (L/W, L/H, and W/H) were added for the discriminant function analysis (DFA). Both multivariate analyses showed that both groups (G1 and G2) were well separated. The morphometric survey based on the calculation of the geometric mean (GM) and the gibbosity index (GIB) revealed the existence of a morphological dissimilarity between the shells of groups G1 (flattened and stocky) and G2 (high and short). This morphological dissimilarity is discussed and compared with the results of other works on the same species and other related species.

Cardiac activity (Arrhenius breakpoint temperatures and Q10 relationships) and heat shock response (hsp70 expression) were measured in the congeneric limpets Patella rustica, P. caerulea and P. ulyssiponensis in order to test the relationship between their vertical distribution and physiological thermal tolerance. These species exhibit different vertical distributions along Mediterranean shores and despite the narrow tidal range in the Mediterranean, they experience different environmental conditions and consequently had specific thermal windows. Cardiac activity of the upper zoned P. rustica was maintained at higher temperatures than its mid- or low shore counterparts, P. caerulea and P. ulyssiponensis. P. rustica had the highest Arrhenius breakpoint temperature (37.9 ± 2.1 °C, mean ± SD), followed by P. caerulea (35.9 ± 2.6 °C), and finally the low-zoned P. ulyssiponensis (32.2 ± 2.3 °C). The same pattern was found for Q10 relationships. Expression of hsp70 increased at 34 °C and kept increasing with temperature in P. rustica. In P. caerulea, expression reached a maximum at 36 °C and decreased at 38 °C, suggesting that hsp70 expression in P. rustica provides a more efficient defence against thermal stress than in P. caerulea. As summer environmental temperatures in the Mediterranean regularly reach 35 to 38 °C, performances of these limpets suggest that they are already living at the edges of their thermal window, and further temperature changes may have large-scale consequences for these keystone species.

Coastal environments are often exposed to different anthropogenic contaminants that can cause evident differences in coastal ecosystems. For this reason the use of various organisms as an indicator offers an important ecological study. In this survey the limpet Patella caerulea was examined as a potential anthropogenic bioindicator in coastal marine ecosystems using nitrogen isotope composition measurements. The results indicated generally significant variations between sampling sites. Lower δ15N values were measured in less polluted areas, while at potentially polluted sites δ15N enrichment was observed. The lowest δ15N values were observed near a larger town where a well-regulated purification plant system was in operation and removing undesirable substances (i.e. nitrates) from the sewage. The results suggest that the limpets are useful indicators for tracing anthropogenically derived organic matter from coastal areas in marine ecosystems. Additionally, relatively small differences in δ15N values were observed in different sizes of limpets, which suggest a rather uniform diet over the organism's size spectrum. δ15N variations between tissues in an individual organism were practically negligible.

Grazing activity of the Mediterranean rocky shore limpet Patella caerulea was measured in the laboratory to establish the presence of endogenous components of behaviour and how these are entrained by external cues. After acclimation to laboratory conditions, limpets were exposed to one of the following experimental treatments for 5 consecutive days: (1) natural tidal oscillation and illumination cycle; (2) constant submergence and natural illumination cycle; (3) constant submergence and constant light. Under natural illumination and tidal regimes, grazing activity, measured as rasping rate, followed a circatidal rhythm, but was also influenced by light changes since it was concentrated during nighttime high-tide periods. Periodogram analysis detected significant activity peaks corresponding to 12.4/24.8 hr. When limpets were exposed to constant submergence and natural illumination, activity took on a circadian periodicity, with significant peaks at 12 and 24 hr. Finally, in the absence of any external cue...

Glycoconjugates secreted by the pedal system of the rayed limpet, Patella caerulea, were characterised in situ by histochemical and lectin-histochemical methods in individuals collected around the annual cycle, in November, March, and June. Stainings with periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Alcian blue pH 2.5 (AB pH 2.5), Alcian blue pH 1.0 (AB pH 1.0), high-iron diamine-Alcian blue pH 2.5 and lectin binding assays with 9 lectins (Con A, WGA, succinylated-WGA, PNA, DBA, SBA, AAA, UEA-I, LTA) were performed. Four secreting cell types were observed in the sole, one in the peripheric region, and two in the sidewall. Glycoconjugate composition varied among cell types and also in one and the same cell type throughout the year. β-Elimination followed by PAS and AB pH 2.5 stainings indicated that most saccharidic chains were O-linked to the protein backbone. Secretion by sole and peripheric region was acidic, carboxylated and/or sulfated, whereas that of the sidewall was neutral. Glucosaminylated and 1,4-fucosylated residuals were predominant in the cell types along the year, 1,2-fucosylated residuals being observed only in the sidewall cells in June. Mannosylated and/or glycosylated residuals were observed in all cells mostly in November. Galactosylated/galactosaminylated residuals were present mostly in the sidewall cells and in the sole subepidermal mucocytes in June. Mannosylated and/or glycosylated residuals in November are probably linked to gonad maturation or to higher locomotion and foraging activity, whereas galactosaminylation in the sole cells and 1,2-fucosylation and glucosaminylation in the sidewall cells in June are linked to a prolonged stationary state, increasing water adsorption to counteract dehydration and/or to modulate microbial interactions.

It has been reported that endocrine disrupter compounds (EDCs) interfere with the endocrine system, mimicking the action of sex steroid hormones in different species of mollusks. Prosobranchs are frequently used as a reliable bioindicator to evaluate EDC exposure. In this article, we evaluate the effects of the xenoestrogen 4-n-nonylphenol (NP) in the prosobranch gastropod Patella caerulea, which exhibits protandrous hermaphroditism as its reproductive strategy. We isolated a partial sequence of a GnRH-like molecule from the gonads of Patella caerulea. The deduced amino acid sequence is highly homologous to that reported for the Lottia gigantea GnRH. Patella caerulea GnRH (pGnRH) mRNA expression is widespread in both male and female germ lines during gametogenesis. We suggest pGnRH as a novel biomarker for the early assessment of presence of EDCs and monitoring short and long-term impacts on Patella caerulea community structure.

WOS: 000405162300026, Science Citation Index Expanded, In this study, heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cd, Cu, Co, Ni, Mn, Pb and Cr) and aluminium (Al) were determined in tissue of Patella caerulea from various population in Iskenderun Bay, Turkey. Our study focused on seasonal variation of some heavy metals and aluminium in Patella caerulea L., 1758 tissues collected from eight different sampling stations of Iskenderun Bay. The concentration of heavy metal in P caerulea tissues tended to vary significantly between season and stations. The distribution of heavy metals in P caerulea followed in their muscular tissues in order; cevlik > Kalekoy> Payas > Arsuz > Dortyol > Konacik > Yumurtahk > Iskenderun for spring and Kalekoy > Payas > Iskenderun > Arsuz > Dortyol > Yumurtalik > Konacik > cevlik for autumn. It was found that the accumulation of heavy metals at different parts of P. caerulea changes with respect to season and the type of heavy metal., Mustafa Kemal University Scientific Project Office [8240], This research was supported by the funding from Mustafa Kemal University Scientific Project Office (Project No: 8240). The authors would like to thank the Marine Science and Technology Faculty staff for their assistance during the study. The authors also want to thank to Dr. Yavuz Mazlum review this manuscript.

In this study, we tested the aptitude of the gastropod mollusk Patella caerulea as biomonitor of elemental pollution in seawater of a central Tyrrhenian ecosystem (Pontine Islands archipelago and Lazio region coastal sites, Italy). Concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn were measured in 120 individuals collected in six strategic locations in two sampling campaigns during 2011 and 2012. Samples of surrounding seawater were also collected in the same sites and tested for the same metals in order to obtain the respective concentration factors (CFs). Then, we analyzed the evolution of contamination in the selected sites and compared our results with the baseline levels (control charts) previously established for Tyrrhenian seas (Conti et al. Environ Sci Pollut R 22:3640–3651,2015). With this purpose, we defined six new variables (one for each metal) and then we applied multivariate statistics, i.e., cluster analysis and discriminant analysis on the principal component analysis factors in order to obtain more reliable results. Patella resulted to be a strong bioaccumulator of Cd (CFs = 8990) and a good accumulator of Cr, Pb, and Zn. The levels of the majority of metals (i.e., Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in Patella decreased in the range from −13.06% of Zn to −42.51% of Ni in Fiumicino harbor, Anzio beach, and Ponza Harbor from 2011 to 2012. In general, the metal levels in these marine areas are low and within the previously established baseline ranges for Tyrrhenian Sea (control charts). Here, we found a not univocal trend of metal bioaccumulation patterns between the two sampling campaigns (2011–2012) in the selected sites. No one site resulted to be clearly more contaminated than another (i.e., harbor sites as expected). For instance, for Cd, we detected a relevant increase of its levels (+118%) in the harbors and Anzio beach sites from 2011 to 2012; however, they remained at lower levels of the lower limit (Q 2.5) of the control chart. Higher Pb levels with respect to the baseline values were observed for the majority of samples in the Ponza Cala Fonte site. Patella confirmed its usefulness as a cosmopolitan trace metal biomonitor in marine Mediterranean areas. The possibility of employing these results as a baseline level for comparative purposes in other marine areas is fully debated.

Increasing human pressure along Mediterranean coastlines raises the need to define sensitive bioindicators that provide an early response to nutrient enrichment. We performed multiscale carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analyses on the limpet Patella caerulea, the snail Monodonta turbinata, epilithic biofilms, and the macroalga Rissoella verruculosa inhabiting the rocky midlittoral zone. Samples were seasonally collected in 2006 from 5 sites exposed to a range of anthropogenic discharges in the Revellata Bay area and in Marseille harbour (France). All bioindicators exhibited strongly elevated d15N values at impacted sites compared to pristine ones, which revealed the biological availability of anthropogenically derived nutrients. Only epilithic biofilms tended to show both the occurrence of nutrient pulses during the tourist season and a d13C response at impacted sites. In contrast to macroalgae, which exhibited a somewhat equivocal signal, gastropods and especially M. turbinata provided the best time-integrated picture of the graduated exposure of the 5 sites to anthropogenic impact. Results also showed first evidence of large isotopic variability at a scale of tens of metres, close to that found at the kilometre scale. The intra-and interspecific isotopic variability in gastropods may be explained by the patchiness of resources and specific morphological and behavioural features, but these factors do not greatly hamper their potential as early bioindicators of wastewater disturbances.

Human-made structures are increasingly found in marine coastal habitats. The aim of the present study was to explore whether urban coastal structures can affect the genetic variation of hard-bottom species. We conducted a population genetic analysis on the limpet Patella caerulea sampled in both natural and artificial habitats along the Adriatic coast. Five microsatellite loci were used to test for differences in genetic diversity and structure among samples. Three microsatellite loci showed strong Hardy–Weinberg disequilibrium likely linked with the presence of null alleles. Genetic diversity was significantly higher in natural habitat than in artificial habitat. A weak but significant differentiation over all limpet samples was observed, but not related to the type of habitat. While the exact causes of the differences in genetic diversity deserve further investigation, these results clearly point that the expansion of urban structures can lead to genetic diversity loss at regional scales.

Tutunma ve kayma hareketleri gösteren Patella türlerinin oluşturduğu mukus salgısı mikroorganizmalar için bir yapışma ortamıdır. Türlere göre mukus salgısının bakterilerin çoğalma potansiyellerine etkisinin araştırılması amaçlanmış, deniz suyundan izole edilen Vibrio fluvialis ve V. furnissii türleri Patella caerulea ve P. rustica mukusuna aşılanmıştır. Yapışma yoğunlukları karşılaştırmalı olarak kristal viyole ile boyanmış lamlarda ışık mikroskobu düzeyinde belirlenmiştir. Vibrio türlerinin mukus tercihleri Patella türlerine göre farklılık göstermiştir. Bu çalışma bulguları, Patella sp. mukus tabakasının kaya üzerinde denizel bakterilerin yerleşimi açısından önemini ve bu bakterilerin diğer organizmalar için uyarıcı etki oluşturabileceğini düşündürmektedir

The Mediterranean limpet Patella caerulea was collected along a gradient of metal pollution. On the basis of monitoring data released by the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection of Tuscany, the following four sites range from strongly polluted to unpolluted: Porto di Livorno (PL), Marina di Pisa (MP), Quercianella (Q) and Castiglioncello (C). Measurements of body concentrations of copper and zinc — the two metals eliciting cardiac variations in limpets — confirmed that the four sites lie along a gradient of metal bioavailability. Non-invasive recordings of cardiac activity showed that bradycardia induced by copper (0.25 and 0.5 mg l-1; up to 6 hr) was higher in limpets from Q and C than in those from PL and MP. These results suggest that the cardiac response to copper can be used to assess the degree of exposure of native limpet populations to trace metals.

The increasing spread of invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea determines several alterations in local food webs, changing the feeding habits of native organisms. The whelk Stramonita haemastoma is a widespread Mediterranean gastropod that consumes bivalves, barnacles and limpets. Previous studies showed a shift in its diet from the bivalve Mytilaster minimus to the invasive mussel Brachidontes pharaonis, presumably due to a higher energy gain. Here we tested whelks’ preference among natives and a novel prey, calculating the profitability ratio, and integrating those results with biochemical analysis on prey tissues and the routine metabolism of the whelks. Further, we used the scaled functional response as a theoretical tool to describe whelk ability to obtain energy from their environment by using four different prey species: B. pharaonis, Mytilus galloprovincialis, M. minimus and Patella caerulea. Whelks evidenced a Type II functional response for all prey, while Brachidontes displayed a lower attack rate and a higher handling time. Stramonita showed a greater preference for Brachidontes, that resulted as the prey with the higher energetic content, and the second most profitable after Patella. This suggests that the higher energy gain is behind the change in the predator’s diet, with possible effects on its energy budget.

A magnesium-dependent cysteinyl-glycine hydrolyzing enzyme from the gastropod mollusk Patella caerulea was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity through a simple and rapid purification protocol. The molecular masses of the native protein and the subunit suggest that the enzyme has a homohexameric structure. Structural data in combination with kinetic parameters determined with Cys-Gly and compared with Leu-Gly as a substrate, indicate that the purified enzyme is a member of the peptidase family M17. The finding that an enzyme of the peptidase family M17 is responsible also in mollusks for the breakdown of Cys-Gly confirms the important role of this peptidase family in the glutathione metabolism.