Caulerpa cylindracea Sonder, 1845
The green macroalgae is considered an invasive species native from Australia that has rapidly spread across the Mediterranean since 1926. It colonises a variety of substrata, and its dominating presence has been found to alter indigenous flora and fauna biodiversity. This algal species has been a key invasive species in the NE Mediterranean and appeared in the Aegean Sea since late 1990’s.
Panayotidis, P., Montesanto, B. (1994). Caulerpa racemosa (Chlorophyta) on the Greek coasts. Cryptogamie-Algologie 15(2): 159-161.
1993
UNA
The species has been recorded on a variety of substrates and benthic assemblages (0-70 m depth), in both polluted and unpolluted areas, and proliferated rapidly showing high adaptability to physical stressors maintaining an high eco-physiological rates between 25 °C and 29 °C. It can spread by fragmentation sexual reproduction and its spherical branchlets can also act as propagules.
Caulerpa cylindracea exerts negative effects on marine macrophytes, and can alter the behavior of native species, with putative adverse repercussions on patterns of fish growth and population dynamics.
Records of Caulerpa cylindracea
Sites where Caulerpa cylindracea has been recorded in the Hellenic Sea.