Stygofaunal inventory of marine caves in Karaburun-Ildır Special Environmental Protected Area (SEPA) (Aegean Sea, Türkiye)

09/02/2025 Arda Tonay

Stygofaunal inventory of marine caves in Karaburun-Ildır Special Environmental Protected Area (SEPA) (Aegean Sea, Türkiye)

Tancrède Barraud, Bayram Öztürk

ORCID IDs: T.B. 0000-0001-6621-0922; B.Ö. 0000-0001-7844-2448

Marine Biology Programme, Institute of Graduate Studies in Sciences, Istanbul University, 34116 Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Marine Biology Department, Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University, 34134 Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV), P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

The diversity of stygofauna harboured inside three marine caves (MCs) of Karaburun Ildır Bay Special Environmental Protected Area (KISEPA) was investigated. Overall, 59 stygofaunal taxa are reported inside the MCs with Porifera (37.29%), Chordata (20.34%) and Annelida (13.56%) being the most prevalent phyla. Ecological data extracted from online databases (WoRMS, IUCN, Sealifebase, OBIS, EASIN, EUNIS) highlighted that communities inside the MCs were made of filter feeders (64.29%) with an omnivorous diet (73.21%). The present study added 21 new stygofaunal taxa to the list of species harboured inside the MCs in Türkiye, raising the total diversity to 216 taxa. Composition of marine stygofauna in Türkiye was made of chordates (30.09%), sponges (27.31%) and cnidarians (9.26%), which includes 23 non-indigenous species and 25 species protected under international laws. Contrasting biodiversity patterns inside MCs were observed between the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. High numbers of protected species were reported in the Central Aegean Sea, while the Mediterranean Sea was dominated by alien species. KISEPA can be considered a biodiversity hotspot for marine stygofaunal communities, confirming the role of the region as a biogeographic barrier for Aegean ecosystems conservation.

Keywords: Marine caves, stygofauna, biodiversity, inventory, SEPA

Pages: 87-124

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