Distribution of invasive red alga Womersleyella setacea (Hollenberg) R.E. Norris (Rhodophyta, Ceramiales) in the Adriatic Sea

• Published in: Acta Adriatica Vol. 51; no. 2; pp. 195 - 202
• Main Authors: NIKOLIC, Vedran, ZULJEVIC, Ante, ANTOLIC, Boris, DESPALATOVIC, Marija, CVITKOVIC, Ivan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Split Institute of Oceanography and fisheries 01.12.2010
• Subjects: Algae; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Ceramiales; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Marine; Rhodophyta; Sea water ecosystems; Synecology; Womersleyella setacea; Mediterranean Sea; Adriatic Sea; MED, Adriatic Sea; MED, Italy; Marine environment; Rhodophyta; Invasive species; Biological invasion; Algae; Womersleyella setacea; distribution; Adriatic Sea
• ISSN: 0001-5113; 1846-0453

Womersleyella setacea (Hollenberg) R.E. Norris (Rhodophyta, Ceramiales) is an invasive macrophyte in the Mediterranean Sea, first recorded from the coast of Italy in 1986. This is a review of the geographic distribution and depth limits of W. setacea invasion in the Adriatic Sea since its first record in 1997. Algal turfs were collected and examined from different locations in the Croatian part of the Adriatic Sea from 2005 to 2009 by SCUBA diving and grab sampling. A total of 50 sites invaded by W. setacea were recorded in the Adriatic Sea; 40 new sites in this research and 10 from the literature records. Womersleyella setacea was recorded from 7 to 72 meters depth. Only sterile specimens without any reproductive structures were found. The magnitude of the invasion is discussed.Original Abstract: Womersleyella setacea (Hollenberg) R.E. Norris (Rhodophyta, Ceramiales) je invazivna crvena alga, koja je u Sredozemnom moru prvi put zabiljezena u Italiji 1986. godine. U ovom radu prikazana je geografska i dubinska rasprostranjenost ove invazivne vrste u Jadranskom moru od prvog nalaza na podrucju sjevernog Jadrana 1997. godine. Uzorci zajednica alga su sakupljeni na razlicitim postajama u hrvatskom dijelu Jadranskog mora u razdoblju od 2005. do 2009. godine autonomnim ronjenjem i grabilom. Ukupno je zabiljezeno 50 lokaliteta s vrstom W. setacea, 40 tijekom ovog istrazivanja i 10 iz literaturnih podataka. Womersleyella setacea je pronadjena na dubinama od 7 do 72 metra. Zabiljezeni su samo sterilni primjerci bez prisutnih reproduktivnih struktura. U radu se raspravlja o razmjerima invazije.