Phyllorhiza punctata (Scyphozoa: Rhizostomeae) expands its distributional range to the North Aegean Sea

Melih Ertan Çınar, Okan Akyol, Aytaç Özgül

ORCID IDs: M.E.Ç. 0000-0002-1802-2801; O.A. 0000-0001-7738-2156; A.Ö. 0000-0001-7706-9012

Faculty of Fisheries, Ege University, 35440 Urla, İzmir, TÜRKİYE
SERPULA Marine Research Limited Company, Teknopark İzmir, İzmir, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

A single specimen of the invasive alien species Phyllorhiza punctata was found in Urla (İzmir Bay), constituting its new record in the North Aegean Sea, and indicating its northward distributional expansion. The specimen was juvenile, with a bell diameter of 70 mm. As blooms of this species might cause economic losses and adverse ecosystem changes, its establishment success in the region should be continuously monitored.

Keywords: Non-indigenous species, Scyphozoa, Izmir Bay, Aegean Sea

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