Comments on “The Mediterranean sea as a gateway for invasion of the red sea: The case of the Indo-West Pacific head-shield slug Chelidonura fulvipunctata Baba, 1938” by Manuel António E. Malaquias, Andrea Zamora-Silva, Dyana Vitale, Andrea Spinelli, Sergio De Matteo, Salvatore Giacobbe, Deneb Ortigosa and Juan L. Cervera, Aquatic Invasions, 2016

Bella S. Galil, Jacob Douek, Henk K. Mienis, Baruch Rinkevich

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In a recent article, Malaquias et al. (2016) use molecular tools to test the conspecificity of the aglajid sea slug Chelidonura fulvipunctata Baba, 1938 populations from two sites in the Mediterranean (Cyprus, Italy) and the Indo-West Pacific (Mozambique, Lizard Island, Australia, and Marshall Islands). The authors then postulate that the species has entered the Red Sea from the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal, the latter acting as a “revolving door” that can allow species of Indo-Pacific origin to enter the Mediterranean, and species established in the Mediterranean to move into the Red Sea. In this response evidence is offered that questions, if not refutes, the authors’ premises. The veracity and accuracy of the geographic origin and the pathways of introduction are of major importance for management of bioinvasions. For appropriate management measures to be prioritized, devised, and implemented, care should be taken to provide scientists, regulators and stakeholders with as accurate information as possible.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)351-354
Number of pages4
JournalAquatic Invasions
Volume11
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2016
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 The Author(s). Journal compilation, 2016 REABIC.

Keywords

  • Aglajidae
  • COI
  • DNA barcoding
  • Mollusca
  • Non-indigenous species
  • Suez canal

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Aquatic Science
  • Water Science and Technology

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