Snapshot of the Distribution and Biology of Alien Jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda (Forsskal, 1775) in a Mediterranean Touristic Harbour.

ABSTRACT: Harbors are hotspots for the introduction of alien species, and, usually, investigations on their host populations help fill the knowledge gap in their pathways of invasion and in their impacts on marine biodiversity and ecosystems. In 2014, the upside-down alien jellyfish Cassiopea andromeda invaded a Mediterranean touristic harbor ("Cala"), and its abundance has since increased over time. In the present study, the distribution and trophic behavior of C. andromeda in Cala were investigated for the years 2017-2018 through visual sampling, and GIS-based statistical and stable isotope analyses. Since Cala is a hard-to-reach area (with many anchor cables and boats), Megabenthos Underwater Video was used to count the number and estimate the size of jellyfishes. The variations in size throughou

SUBMITTER: Cillari T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8868670 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature