BioInvasions Records (2021) Volume 10, Issue 4: 885–893
Corsini-Foka et al. (2021), BioInvasions Records 10(4): 885–893, https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2021.10.4.13
885
CORRECTED PROOF
Rapid Communication
Invasive portunid crabs in Libyan waters: first record of the Atlantic blue crab
Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 and range expansion of the swimming blue
crab Portunus segnis (Forskål, 1775)
Maria Corsini-Foka 1 , Abdulghani Abdulghani 2 , Sara A.A. Al Mabruk 3,4 , Abdulrraziq A. Abdulrraziq 5 , Sami M. Ibrahim 5 ,
Danilo Scannella 6 , Bruno Zava 7,8, *, Alan Deidun 9 and Paola Gianguzza 10
1 Institute of Oceanography, Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research. Cos Street, 85100 Rhodes, Greece
2 Department of Marine Resources, Omar Al-Moukhtar University, El Bayda, Libya
3 Department of General Nursing Technology, Higher institute of Science and Technology, Cyrene, Libya
4 Marine Biology in Libya Society, El Bayda, Libya
5 College of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Tobruk University, Libya
6 Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology (IRBIM), National Research Council–CNR, Via Luigi Vaccara, 61, Mazara del
Vallo (TP), Italy
7 Wilderness studi ambientali, via Cruillas 27, 90146 Palermo, Italy
8 Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Comiso, Via degli Studi 9, Comiso (Rg), Italy
9 Department of Geosciences, University of Malta, Msida MSD 2080, Malta
10 Department of Earth and Marine Science, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, Palermo, Italy
*Corresponding author
E-mail: wildernessbz@hotmail.com
Abstract
The occurrence of the portunid Callinectes sapidus is documented for the first time
from Libyan waters. The record fills a gap of knowledge concerning the distribution
of this non-indigenous crab of Atlantic origin, that currently has invaded almost all
the Mediterranean basin. Recent records of the Lessepsian crab Portunus segnis,
already known from Libyan waters, ascertain furthermore its establishment within
and its range expansion along the coastline of the country.
Key words: bio-invasion, non-indigenous species, Portunidae, Mediterranean Sea,
citizen science
Introduction
The invasion by non-indigenous species (NIS, also known as non-native,
alien, allochthonous or exotic organisms) in the Mediterranean Sea is often
listed among the components of a deleterious cocktail to biodiversity,
ecosystem services and public health (Coll et al. 2010; Katsanevakis et al.
2014). Much research has focused on ecological impacts, but the role of NIS
for livelihoods and human well-being is less well known. Some NIS, for
example, may constitute an additional biological resource and even represent
a commercial value for local human populations (Katsanevakis et al. 2014).
Knowledge on NIS introduced to Libyan waters has been increasing in
recent years, through the intensification of research projects but also
through the enhanced contribution of citizen science (Shakman et al. 2019;
Citation: Corsini-Foka M, Abdulghani A,
Al Mabruk SAA, Abdulrraziq AA, Ibrahim
SM, Scannella D, Zava B, Deidun A,
Gianguzza P (2021) Invasive portunid
crabs in Libyan waters: first record of the
Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus
Rathbun, 1896 and range expansion of the
swimming blue crab Portunus segnis
(Forskål, 1775). BioInvasions Records
10(4): 885–893, https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.
2021.10.4.13
Received: 12 June 2021
Accepted: 23 July 2021
Published: 27 October 2021
Handling editor: Jasmine Ferrario
Thematic editor: Stelios Katsanevakis
Copyright: © Corsini-Foka et al.
This is an open access article distributed under terms
of the Creative Commons Attribution License
(Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0).
OPEN ACCESS.
Corsini-Foka et al. (2021), BioInvasions Records 10(4): 885–893, https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.2021.10.4.13
885
CORRECTED PROOF
Rapid Communication
Invasive portunid crabs in Libyan waters: first record of the Atlantic blue crab
Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896 and range expansion of the swimming blue
crab Portunus segnis (Forskål, 1775)
Maria Corsini-Foka 1 , Abdulghani Abdulghani 2 , Sara A.A. Al Mabruk 3,4 , Abdulrraziq A. Abdulrraziq 5 , Sami M. Ibrahim 5 ,
Danilo Scannella 6 , Bruno Zava 7,8, *, Alan Deidun 9 and Paola Gianguzza 10
1 Institute of Oceanography, Hydrobiological Station of Rhodes, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research. Cos Street, 85100 Rhodes, Greece
2 Department of Marine Resources, Omar Al-Moukhtar University, El Bayda, Libya
3 Department of General Nursing Technology, Higher institute of Science and Technology, Cyrene, Libya
4 Marine Biology in Libya Society, El Bayda, Libya
5 College of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, Tobruk University, Libya
6 Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology (IRBIM), National Research Council–CNR, Via Luigi Vaccara, 61, Mazara del
Vallo (TP), Italy
7 Wilderness studi ambientali, via Cruillas 27, 90146 Palermo, Italy
8 Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Comiso, Via degli Studi 9, Comiso (Rg), Italy
9 Department of Geosciences, University of Malta, Msida MSD 2080, Malta
10 Department of Earth and Marine Science, University of Palermo, CoNISMa, Palermo, Italy
*Corresponding author
E-mail: wildernessbz@hotmail.com
Abstract
The occurrence of the portunid Callinectes sapidus is documented for the first time
from Libyan waters. The record fills a gap of knowledge concerning the distribution
of this non-indigenous crab of Atlantic origin, that currently has invaded almost all
the Mediterranean basin. Recent records of the Lessepsian crab Portunus segnis,
already known from Libyan waters, ascertain furthermore its establishment within
and its range expansion along the coastline of the country.
Key words: bio-invasion, non-indigenous species, Portunidae, Mediterranean Sea,
citizen science
Introduction
The invasion by non-indigenous species (NIS, also known as non-native,
alien, allochthonous or exotic organisms) in the Mediterranean Sea is often
listed among the components of a deleterious cocktail to biodiversity,
ecosystem services and public health (Coll et al. 2010; Katsanevakis et al.
2014). Much research has focused on ecological impacts, but the role of NIS
for livelihoods and human well-being is less well known. Some NIS, for
example, may constitute an additional biological resource and even represent
a commercial value for local human populations (Katsanevakis et al. 2014).
Knowledge on NIS introduced to Libyan waters has been increasing in
recent years, through the intensification of research projects but also
through the enhanced contribution of citizen science (Shakman et al. 2019;
Citation: Corsini-Foka M, Abdulghani A,
Al Mabruk SAA, Abdulrraziq AA, Ibrahim
SM, Scannella D, Zava B, Deidun A,
Gianguzza P (2021) Invasive portunid
crabs in Libyan waters: first record of the
Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus
Rathbun, 1896 and range expansion of the
swimming blue crab Portunus segnis
(Forskål, 1775). BioInvasions Records
10(4): 885–893, https://doi.org/10.3391/bir.
2021.10.4.13
Received: 12 June 2021
Accepted: 23 July 2021
Published: 27 October 2021
Handling editor: Jasmine Ferrario
Thematic editor: Stelios Katsanevakis
Copyright: © Corsini-Foka et al.
This is an open access article distributed under terms
of the Creative Commons Attribution License
(Attribution 4.0 International - CC BY 4.0).
OPEN ACCESS.