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Mediterranean Marine Science
Vol. 9, 2008
Occurrence of the alien sea hare Aplysia
dactylomela Rang, 1828 (Opisthobranchia,
Aplysiidae) in Malta
SCHEMBRI P.J. Department of Biology,
University of Malta, Msida
MSD2080
https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.136
Copyright © 2008
To cite this article:
SCHEMBRI, P.J. (2008). Occurrence of the alien sea hare Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828 (Opisthobranchia,
Aplysiidae) in Malta. Mediterranean Marine Science, 9(2), 111-114. doi:https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.136
http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 25/12/2021 18:31:56 |Short Communication
Mediterranean Marine Science
Volume 9/2, 2008, 111-114
Occurrence of the alien sea hare Aplysia dactylomela Rang, 1828 (Opisthobranchia,
Aplysiidae) in Malta.
P.J. SCHEMBRI
Department of Biology, University of Malta, Msida MSD2080, Malta
e-mail: patrick.j.schembri@um.edu.mt
Abstract
The alien sea hare Aplysia dactylomela, which is already established in several localities in the cen-
tral and eastern Mediterranean, is recorded for the first time from Malta on the basis of a specimen pho-
tographed at Cirkewwa (northern Malta). It is hypothesised that the occurrence of this species in Malta is
a recent event and may be due to range expansion of the species.
Keywords: Alien Mollusca; Opisthobranchia; Maltese Islands; Mediterranean distribution.
Introduction 2008 (GRECO, 2008). This note reports
the presence of Aplysia dactylomela in
The sea hare Aplysia dactylomela has Malta.
a worldwide distribution in tropical to
warm temperate waters. The first Methods
Mediterranean record of this species was
from the central Mediterranean island of One individual was photographed
Lampedusa where it was first observed in close to the shore at Cirkewwa, north of
2002 (TRAINITO, 2003). Since then the the island of Malta, by underwater pho-
species has been recorded from eastern tographer Joseph Herbert on 17 July
Sicily in 2003 (SCUDERI & RUSSO, 2008. These images were sent to the
2005), Greece (many records since 2005; author for identification. The animal
ZENETOS et al., 2007), Croatia (TURK, depicted is clearly Aplysia dactylomela
2006), Cyprus (COOKE, 2005, YOKES, since it has all the gross morphological
2005) and southern Turkey (CINAR et characteristics of this species, particularly
al. 2006, YOKES, 2006). There are fur- the distinctive yellowish-brown ground
ther records from Sicily in 2006 coloration with dark rings and reticula-
(REITANO, 2006, GRECO, 2006) and tions (Fig. 1).
Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/2, 2008, 111-114 111
http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 25/12/2021 18:31:56 |Fig. 1: Underwater photograph of the specimen of Aplysia dactylomela from Cirkewwa, Malta, taken by
Joseph Herbert on 17 July 2008 at a depth of 9m. The animal is about 30cm long. [© Joseph Herbert
2008].
Results and Discussion ticed had it occurred elsewhere in the Mal-
tese Islands, at least in shallow water, given
The specimen photographed, which the hundreds of snorkelers and divers that
was the only one spotted, occurred on a frequent practically all the accessible
mixed bottom of sand and rock with algae, coastline of the islands. It is therefore very
at 9 m depth, and had a length while mov- probable that this species is a recent immi-
ing of about 30 cm (Joseph Herbert, per- grant to Malta.
sonal communication, 2008). Given that so far only one record of a
Cirkewwa is one of the most popular single specimen exists, it is difficult to
dive sites in the Maltese Islands and it is make any statement regarding its status,
unlikely that such a large and distinctive thus, employing the terminology of
animal would not have been noted had it ZENETOS et al. (2006), for the moment
occurred before, especially given its colour this species must be regarded as ‘casual’ in
scheme which is very different from that of Malta.
native anaspids. For the same reason, it is One can only speculate as to the mode
also unlikely that it would have gone unno- of introduction. Cirkewwa is frequented by
112 Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/2, 2008, 111-114
http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 25/12/2021 18:31:56 |pleasure craft and is close to the Malta- there and did the Mediterranean popula-
Gozo ferry route, but there are no ports or tions originate from immigrants from the
yacht marinas in the vicinity, and neither is Atlantic, or from the Red Sea through the
the site close to international shipping Suez Canal (RUDMAN, 2008)?
lanes. While marine traffic may be the vec-
tor, this species could also have reached Acknowledgements
the Maltese islands by natural dispersal
from the closest established populations, Thanks are due to Titian Schembri
which seem to be those on the islands of and Sonia Silvio for bringing Joseph Her-
Lampedusa and Sicily. It seems that there bert’s photographs of Aplysia dactylomela
has been a recent expansion of the Sicilian to my attention. I am most grateful to
population (GRECO, 2008), while the Joseph Herbert for allowing me to publish
veliger of Aplysia dactylomela spends a suf- his discovery, for information on the indi-
ficiently long time in the plankton (ca 30 vidual photographed, and for the image
days; SWITZER-DUNLAP, 1978) to that accompanies this note. I also thank Dr
allow transport to Malta from Sicilian pop- Argyro Zenetos (Hellenic Centre for
ulations or even those of the Pelagian Marine Research, Greece) for sharing the
islands, given the right sea surface cur- records from the Hellenic Centre for
rents. However, transport of larvae of any Marine Research’s database on Mediter-
benthic animal between Sicily and Malta is ranean marine alien species with me, Dr
not automatic since in general there is no Matthew Camilleri (FAO, Rome) for
mixing of water masses flowing past the information on currents in the Sicilian
two islands, but transport depends on Channel, and two anonymous referees
occasional movement of surface water whose comments on an earlier draft of this
from Sicily to Malta due to meandering of paper greatly improved the final version.
the Atlantic Ionian Stream, or the currents
set up by the Ionian Shelf Break Vortex, or References
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SORGENTE, in press). This may explain ÖZTURK, B. & CAN, A., 2006. New
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Aplysia dactylomela occurring in Sicily tine coast of Turkey. Aquatic Inva-
since at least 2003, it is only now that this sions, 1: 84-90
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Although this is quite a common sea lomela from Cyprus. [Message in] Sea
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http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 25/12/2021 18:31:56 |GRECO A., 2006. Segnalazione di Aplysia Holland Press.
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Submitted: August 2008
Accepted: September 2008
Published on line: October 2008
114 Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/2, 2008, 111-114
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