Large-Scale Distribution of the European Seahorses ( Rafinesque, 1810): A Systematic Review.

Human pressures on marine ecosystems have caused extensive degradation of marine habitats and several local extinctions. Overexploitation and destructive fishing practices are responsible for biodiversity loss in many coastal ecosystems. The definition of conservation programs in marine fish requires comprehensive knowledge on large-scale geographical distribution, while considering distribution/abundance patterns in relation to key environmental variables.

Evaluating the Efficiency of DNA Metabarcoding to Analyze the Diet of (Teleostea: Syngnathidae).

Seahorses are considered a flagship species for conservation efforts and due to their conservation status, improving knowledge on their dietary composition while applying a non-invasive approach, could be useful. Using as a case study, the present study represents pioneering research into investigating the diet of seahorses by NGS-based DNA metabarcoding of fecal samples. The study developed and tested the protocol for fecal DNA metabarcoding during the feeding trials where captive seahorses were fed on a diet of known composition; the process was subsequently applied on fecal samples collected from wild individuals.

Ontogenetic trophic segregation between two threatened smooth-hound sharks in the Central Mediterranean Sea.

Elasmobranchs are among the species most threatened by overfishing and a large body of evidence reports their decline around the world. As they are large predators occupying the highest levels of marine food webs, their removal can alter the trophic web dynamic through predatory release effects and trophic cascade. Suitable management of threatened shark species requires a good understanding of their behaviour and feeding ecology.

Data on the diet composition of cuvier, 1829: Different prey preferences among habitats.

The data presented here support research article entitled 'Trophic flexibility and prey selection of the wild long-snouted seahorse Cuvier, 1829 in three coastal habitats'' Ape et al., 2019. Determinations of the dietary composition, differences in prey selection and potential prey abundance and availability among three habitats at Taranto Mar Piccolo were based on the analysis of gut contents of seahorses and sediment samples.

Biogenic habitat shifts under long-term ocean acidification show nonlinear community responses and unbalanced functions of associated invertebrates.

Experiments have shown that increasing dissolved CO concentrations (i.e. Ocean Acidification, OA) in marine ecosystems may act as nutrient for primary producers (e.

Benthic-pelagic coupling mediates interactions in Mediterranean mixed fisheries: An ecosystem modeling approach.

Benthic-pelagic coupling plays a pivotal role in aquatic ecosystems but the effects of fishery driven interactions on its functioning has been largely overlooked. Disentangling the benthic-pelagic links including effects of mixed fisheries, however, needs sketching a whole description of ecosystem interactions using quantitative tools. A holistic food web model has been here developed in order to understand the interplay between the benthic-pelagic coupling and mixed fisheries in a Mediterranean system such as the Strait of Sicily.

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish, crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms from the Tuscany coast.

The concentration of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn were analyzed in the edible part of several species of fish, crustaceans, molluscs and echinoderms collected in sensitive areas of the Tuscany coast (northern Italy). The concentration of As (0.39-78.

Species distribution models of two critically endangered deep-sea octocorals reveal fishing impacts on vulnerable marine ecosystems in central Mediterranean Sea.

Deep-sea coral assemblages are key components of marine ecosystems that generate habitats for fish and invertebrate communities and act as marine biodiversity hot spots. Because of their life history traits, deep-sea corals are highly vulnerable to human impacts such as fishing. They are an indicator of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), therefore their conservation is essential to preserve marine biodiversity.

Ocean acidification affects fish spawning but not paternity at CO2 seeps.

Fish exhibit impaired sensory function and altered behaviour at levels of ocean acidification expected to occur owing to anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions during this century. We provide the first evidence of the effects of ocean acidification on reproductive behaviour of fish in the wild. Satellite and sneaker male ocellated wrasse (Symphodus ocellatus) compete to fertilize eggs guarded by dominant nesting males.

Contrasting habitat selection amongst cephalopods in the Mediterranean Sea: When the environment makes the difference.

Conservation of fish habitat requires a deeper knowledge of how species distribution patterns are related to environmental factors. Habitat suitability modelling is an essential tool to quantify species' realised niches and understand species-environment relationships. Cephalopods are important players in the marine food web and a significant resource for fisheries; they are also very sensitive to environmental changes.

Influence of fish aggregating devices (FADs) on anti-predator behaviour within experimental mesocosms.

Commercial fishers have used fish aggregating devices throughout the Mediterranean Sea for over 40 years. These devices attract numerous predatory and forage species in both coastal and offshore environments. This study examined the influence of fish aggregating devices on schooling and aggregating behaviour by small forage fish in quasi-natural mesocosms.

Predictive habitat suitability models to aid conservation of elasmobranch diversity in the central Mediterranean Sea.

Commercial fisheries have dramatically impacted elasmobranch populations worldwide. With high capture and bycatch rates, the abundance of many species is rapidly declining and around a quarter of the world's sharks and rays are threatened with extinction. At a regional scale this negative trend has also been evidenced in the central Mediterranean Sea, where bottom-trawl fisheries have affected the biomass of certain rays (e.

Multiple paternity and hybridization in two smooth-hound sharks.

Multiple paternity appears to be a common trait of elasmobranch mating systems, with its occurrence likely driven by convenience, due to females seeking to minimize the stress of male harassment. Here we use molecular markers to analyse the frequency of multiple paternity in two related viviparous sharks, Mustelus mustelus and Mustelus punctulatus. We first applied molecular methods to assign pregnant females, embryos and additional reference adults (N = 792) to one of the two species.

Seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) distribution and trajectories of change.

Posidonia oceanica meadows are declining at alarming rates due to climate change and human activities. Although P. oceanica is considered the most important and well-studied seagrass species of the Mediterranean Sea, to date there has been a limited effort to combine all the spatial information available and provide a complete distribution of meadows across the basin.

SMART: a spatially explicit bio-economic model for assessing and managing demersal fisheries, with an application to italian trawlers in the strait of sicily.

Management of catches, effort and exploitation pattern are considered the most effective measures to control fishing mortality and ultimately ensure productivity and sustainability of fisheries. Despite the growing concerns about the spatial dimension of fisheries, the distribution of resources and fishing effort in space is seldom considered in assessment and management processes. Here we propose SMART (Spatial MAnagement of demersal Resources for Trawl fisheries), a tool for assessing bio-economic feedback in different management scenarios.

Climate change exacerbates interspecific interactions in sympatric coastal fishes.

Biological responses to warming are presently based on the assumption that species will remain within their bioclimatic envelope as environmental conditions change. As a result, changes in the relative abundance of several marine species have been documented over the last decades. This suggests that warming may drive novel interspecific interactions to occur (i.

Characterization of chitinolytic bacteria and histological aspects of Shell Disease Syndrome in European spiny lobsters (Palinurus elephas) (Fabricius 1787).

The present research reports the first description of Shell Disease Syndrome in European spiny lobsters Palinurus elephas (Fabricius 1787), which occurred in an experimental aquaculture facility in Sicily (Italy). Both bacterial characterization and histopathological examination of the exoskeleton at site of lesions was carried out. Infected specimens showed tail fan erosions, and in one case uropod ulceration and complete loss of periods.

Phylogeography of the European spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas): Influence of current oceanographical features and historical processes.

The European spiny lobster (Palinurus elephas) is a suitable model organism to study the effects of past history and current oceanographic processes on the genetic diversity and population structure of marine species with a long-lived larval phase. A portion of the COI gene was sequenced in 227 individuals from 11 localities, covering most of the present distribution of the species. Divergence was found between Atlantic and Mediterranean regions, which could be explained by restricted gene flow between populations.