TY - JOUR
T1 - Mass mortality of the invasive alien echinoid Diadema setosum (Echinoidea: Diadematidae) in the Mediterranean Sea
AU - Zirler, Rotem
AU - Schmidt, Lisa Maria
AU - Roth, Lachan
AU - Corsini-Foka, Maria
AU - Kalaentzis, Konstantinos
AU - Kondylatos, Gerasimos
AU - Mavrouleas, Dimitris
AU - Bardanis, Emmanouil
AU - Bronstein, Omri
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors.
PY - 2023/5/24
Y1 - 2023/5/24
N2 - The sea urchin Diadema setosum is an ecological key species across its range, particularly on coral reefs. In 2006 D. setosum was first observed in the Mediterranean Sea, and since, it has proliferated to occupy the entire Levantine Basin. Here we report the mass mortality of the invasive D. setosum in the Mediterranean Sea. This is the first report of D. setosum mass mortality. The mortality spans over 1000 km along the Levantine coast of Greece and Turkey. The current mortality shows similar pathologies to previously reported Diadema mass mortality events, suggesting pathogenic infection as the cause of mortalities. Maritime transport, local currents, and fish predation of infected individuals may distribute pathogens at varying geographical scales. Due to the proximity of the Levantine Basin to the Red Sea, the risk of pathogen transport to the native Red Sea D. setosum population is imminent - with potentially catastrophic consequences.
AB - The sea urchin Diadema setosum is an ecological key species across its range, particularly on coral reefs. In 2006 D. setosum was first observed in the Mediterranean Sea, and since, it has proliferated to occupy the entire Levantine Basin. Here we report the mass mortality of the invasive D. setosum in the Mediterranean Sea. This is the first report of D. setosum mass mortality. The mortality spans over 1000 km along the Levantine coast of Greece and Turkey. The current mortality shows similar pathologies to previously reported Diadema mass mortality events, suggesting pathogenic infection as the cause of mortalities. Maritime transport, local currents, and fish predation of infected individuals may distribute pathogens at varying geographical scales. Due to the proximity of the Levantine Basin to the Red Sea, the risk of pathogen transport to the native Red Sea D. setosum population is imminent - with potentially catastrophic consequences.
KW - Diadema
KW - Levantine Basin
KW - alien species
KW - mass mortality event
KW - pathogens
KW - tropicalization
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85161061170
U2 - 10.1098/rsos.230251
DO - 10.1098/rsos.230251
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C2 - 37234498
AN - SCOPUS:85161061170
SN - 2054-5703
VL - 10
JO - Royal Society Open Science
JF - Royal Society Open Science
IS - 5
M1 - 230251
ER -