Abstract
The alien cup-coral Tubastraea spp. has been increasingly reported in the Southwestern Atlantic since the 1980s. More recently it was observed on the East coast of Brazil, the area with the highest biodiversity in the Southwest Atlantic. In the present study, we report the actual distribution of Tubastraea tagusensis and Tubastraea coccinea around Todos os Santos Bay (TSB), an important system in the Southwest Atlantic coast. We mapped the geographic expansion of Tubastraea tagusensis and Tubastraea coccinea at 11 sites in estuarine and 2 in reef systems at TSB. The findings from our study will contribute to monitor alien expansion and implement management actions to control these invasions on the Brazilian coast.
Highlights
T. coccinea and T. tagusensis were reported in Todos os Santos Bay (TSB), Bahia state in Eastern Brazil (Sampaio et al, 2012)
We report the actual distribution of Tubastraea tagusensis and Tubastraea coccinea around TSB, an important system in the Southwest Atlantic coast
Our survey showed that the alien species Tubastraea tagusensis and Tubastraea coccinea were present in 18 sites and absent in 32 sites around TSB (Figs. 1 and 2)
Summary
The native Indo-Pacific cup coral, Tubastraea Lesson, 1829 (Scleractinia: Dendrophylliidae) is one the most widely distributed azooxanthellate coral genera in the world and its non-native range extends to the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and Western Atlantic (Cairns, 2000; Castro & Pires, 2001; Ferreira, 2003; de Paula & Creed, 2004; Fenner & Banks, 2004; Mantelatto et al, 2011; Sampaio et al, 2012). T. coccinea and T. tagusensis were reported in Todos os Santos Bay (TSB), Bahia state in Eastern Brazil (Sampaio et al, 2012) This bay is considered a priority for conservation due to its high levels of coral endemism and to the great diversity of natural systems (Leão et al, 2003; Barros et al 2012a, b; Vila-Nova et al, 2014; Cruz et al, 2015). The alien cup-coral Tubastraea spp. has been increasingly reported in the Southwestern Atlantic since the 1980s More recently it was observed on the East coast of Brazil, the area with the highest biodiversity in the Southwest Atlantic. Conclusions: The findings from our study will contribute to monitor alien expansion and implement management actions to control these invasions on the Brazilian coast.
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