The invasive caprellid Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Caprellidae) arrives on Madeira Island, Portugal

Patrício Ramalhosa,João Canning-Clode

doi:10.3391/bir.2015.4.2.05

Abstract

A survey to monitor for marine non-indigenous species in two marinas of the Archipelago of Madeira (Portugal) has detected the invasive caprellid Caprella scaura Templeton, 1836 in Madeira Island. This species was first described from Mauritius in the western Indian Ocean. During the 20 th century, Caprella scaura has been detected in numerous locations worldwide (Australia, California, Mediterranean) and most recently reported in southern Europe and northern Africa. Hull fouling was the most likely vector for the introduction of C. scaura to Madeira Island.

Highlights

The spread of non-indigenous species (NIS) via global maritime network is still today an inevitable occurrence and represents a great threat to coastal marine ecosystems worldwide (Clarke Murray et al 2014)
In Madeira Island, located in the north-eastern Atlantic, several NIS have been detected in recent years, in marinas (e.g. Wirtz and Canning-Clode 2009; Canning-Clode et al 2013; Ramalhosa et al 2014)
Specimens of Caprella scaura were collected on settling plates from both marinas

Summary

Introduction

The spread of non-indigenous species (NIS) via global maritime network is still today an inevitable occurrence and represents a great threat to coastal marine ecosystems worldwide (Clarke Murray et al 2014). The arrival of these NIS into new regions is mainly caused by transport in ships ballast tanks and as hull fouling (Ruiz et al 2000; Kaluza et al 2010). Wirtz and Canning-Clode 2009; Canning-Clode et al 2013; Ramalhosa et al 2014) Most of these NIS are bryozoans, tunicates, or polychaetes and seem to have been introduced to the island via hull fouling (Canning-Clode et al 2013). Caprellids have reduced appendages on the abdomen and lack planktonic larval stage and, as a result, the cosmopolitan distribution of these small animals is often explained by their association with fouling communities on floating objects and as hull-fouling on vessels (Thiel et al 2003; Ros et al 2013)

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Results

Conclusion