The last observation of the long-spined exotic Sea Urchin (Diadema setosum) in the Gulf of Antalya

Mehmet Gokoglu, Ferhat Çağıltay, Mustafa Gürdal, Alper Yıldız

Abstract


Diadema setosum, a Red Sea migrant, was first identified on the shores of the Kaş Peninsula in the Mediterranean. Approximately a year after this observation, the same species was reported for the second time from Konyaaltı Beach in Antalya Bay. This sea urchin rapidly multiplied and expanded its distribution along the coasts of the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, reaching as far as the Marmara Sea. Some individuals of this sea urchin, which expanded distribution to coastal areas posing a risk to swimmers, were observed to start dying in the summer months of 2022. Scuba diving surveys were conducted in five different areas with rocky and stony seabed structures in the Gulf of Antalya during the winter season (Cliffs, Konyaaltı Beach, Sıçan Island surroundings, Çaltıcak region, and Kemer Ağva Cape), and it was determined that 99% of the D. setosum population had died in February and March. No living individuals were encountered during scuba diving surveys conducted in the same stations in April and May. In conclusion; mass mortalities have occurred in the D. setosum population in the rocky areas of the Gulf of Antalya, including the cliffs, Konyaaltı beach, Sıçan island surroundings, Caltıcak region, and Kemer Ağva Cape. This study presents the first report on matter.

Keywords: Diadema setosum; Gulf of Antalya; Sea urchin.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Benítez-Villalobos, F., Díaz Martínez, J.P., and Martínez-García, M. 2009. Mass mortality of the sea urchin Diadema mexicanum in La Entrega at Bahias de Huatulco, Western Mexico. Coral Reefs, 28: 1017. (doi:10.1007/s00338-009-0541-5).

Clemente, S., Lorenzo-Morales, J., Mendoza, J.C., López, C., Sangil, C., Alves, F., Kaufmann, M., and Hernández, J.C. 2014. Sea urchin Diadema africanum mass mortality in the subtropical eastern Atlantic: role of waterborne bacteria in a warming ocean. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 506: 1–14. (doi:10.3354/meps10829).

Cagiltay, F., Gokoglu, M., Yilmaz, R., and Yildiz, A. 2022. Some fish species showing commensalism traits with Long-spined Sea Urchin (Diadema setosum Leske, 1778) in Gulf of Antalya. Ind. Fish. Res. J., 28(1): 33-39 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15578/ifrj.28.1.2022.%25p.

Hernández, J.C., Sangil, C., and Lorenzo-Morales, J. 2020. Uncommon southwest swells trigger sea urchin disease outbreaks in Eastern Atlantic archipelagos. Ecol. Evol., 10: 7963–7970. (doi:10. 1002/ece3.6260).

Hewson, I., et al. 2023. A scuticociliate causes mass mortality of Diadema antillarum in the Caribbean Sea. Sci. Adv., 9(16): eadg3200. (doi:10. 1126/sciadv.adg3200).

Gökoğlu, M., Balcı, B.A., Çolak, H., and Banbul Acar, B.A. 2007. Akdeniz’de uzun dikenli denizkestanesinin (Diadema setosum; Leske 1778) ikinci kaydı. SBT 2007, 11, Underwater Science and Technology Meeting, Istanbul.

Nader, M.R., and Indary S.I. 2011. First record of Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) (Echinodermata, Echinoidea, Diadematidae) from Lebanon, Eastern Mediterranean. Aquat. Invas., 6: S23−S25.

Nour, O.M., Al Mabruk, S.A.A., Adel, M., Corsini-Foka, M., Zava, B., Deidun, A., and Gianguzza, P. 2022. First occurrence of the needle-spined urchin Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) (Echinodermata, Diadematidae) in the southern Mediterranean Sea. BioInvasions Records, 11(1): 199–205, https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2022.11.1.20.

Sangil, C., and Hernández, J.C. 2022 Recurrent largescale sea urchin mass mortality and the establishment of a long-lasting alternative macroalgae-dominated community state. Limnol. Oceanogr., 67: S430–S443. (doi:10.1002/lno.11966).

Turan, C., Erguden, D., and Uygur, N. 2011. On the occurrence of Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) in Antakya Bay, Eastern Mediterranean Sea. J. Black Sea/Mediterr Environ., 17: 78−82.

Yokes, B., and Galil, B.S. 2006. The first record of the needle-spined urchin Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea: Diadematidae) from the Mediterranean Sea. Aquat. Invasions, 1: 188–190. (doi:10.3391/ai. 2006.1.3.15).

Zirler, R., Schmidt, L-M., Roth, L., Corsini-Foka, M., Kalaentzis, K., Kondylatos, G., Mavrouleas, D., Bardanis, E., and Bronstein, O. 2023. Mass mortality of the invasive alien echinoid Diadema setosum (Echinoidea: Diadematidae) in the Mediterranean Sea. R. Soc. Open Sci., 10: 230251. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.230251.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.29103/aa.v10i3.12957

Article Metrics

 Abstract Views : 282 times
 PDF Downloaded : 10 times

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) Acta Aquatica: Aquatic Sciences Journal   

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.