Argyro Zenetos

Hellenic Centre for Marine Research | hcmr · Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters

Invasive alien species are a major worldwide driver of biodiversity change. The current study lists verified records of non-indigenous species (NIS) in European marine waters until 2020, with the purpose of establishing a baseline, assessing trends, and discussing appropriate threshold values for good environmental status (GES) according to the rel...

The Mediterranean Sea (MED) is prone to species’ introductions, induced by human activities and/or climate change. Recent studies focus on the biological traits that result in such introductions, yet on a single-area-type approach. Here, we used, analyzed, and compared biological traits derived from FishBase for MED, non-indigenous (NIS) and neonat...

The Saronikos Gulf and the small emBayment of Elefsis Bay (Eastern Mediterranean, Greece) represent the seaward boundary of the metropolitan areas of Athens and Piraeus Port, hosting 1/3 of the current Greek population. It constitutes a complex ecosystem due to the topographical and hydrological differentiation of the area, as well as its trophic c...

With this corrigendum, the authors of Zenetos et al. (2022) wish to notify readers of a small number of omissions and corrections in the updated inventory of Mediterranean non-indigenous species (NIS), recently undertaken by them, and amend the total number of NIS reported in the Mediterranean until December 2021.

The goal of the ICES Working Group on the Introduction and Transfers of Marine Organisms (WGITMO) is to contribute to the ICES vision and mission by addressing specific science objectives related to the introduction, spread and impacts of non-indigenous marine species (NIS). The expert working group provides information and advice on the impacts of...

Biological invasions have become a defining feature of marine Mediterranean ecosystems with significant impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human health. We systematically reviewed the current knowledge on the impacts of marine biological invasions in the Mediterranean Sea. We screened relevant literature and applied a standardised fra...

Mediterranean bottom trawling is generally characterised by a highly diversified mixed catch, composed of fish, cephalopods, crustaceans, and other megabenthic invertebrates. Although management of Mediterranean trawling requires a multispecies approach on a community basis, this does not seem to be the case in the relevant literature. Herein, we p...

Using a 2010 review of non-indigenous species (NIS) reported in the Mediterranean Sea as a baseline, this study undertakes a paramount revision of the non-indigenous species list in the region up to December 2021, re-evaluating the established, casual and failed introduction events of over 1366 taxa. In the light of new data and expert judgement, 1...

Citizen science (CS) expands the spatial and temporal scale of alien species records. As such, it has been recognized as a complementary tool in alien species management and large-scale biodiversity conservation. The present study assessed the contribution of CS to the recording of marine alien fishes and mollusks in European marine waters by revie...

In the present work, we analysed time series data on the introduction of new non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Mediterranean between 1970 and 2017, aiming to arrive at recommendations concerning the reference period and provisional threshold values for the NIS trend indicator. We employed regression analysis and breakpoint structural analysis. Ou...

The major natural factors of the South Evvoikos Gulf are the existence of an almost closed boundary and the increase of the gulf width moving to the other boundary of the gulf; the later favors the communication with the South Aegean Sea and the entrance of the relevant water mass. In their turn, abiotic (salinity, nutrients, particulate carbon, se...

This datasheet on Rapana venosa covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Diagnosis, Biology & Ecology, Environmental Requirements, Impacts, Uses, Prevention/Control, Further Information.

This datasheet on Arcuatula senhousia covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Diagnosis, Biology & Ecology, Environmental Requirements, Natural Enemies, Impacts, Uses, Prevention/Control, Further Information.

This datasheet on Pinctada imbricata radiata covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Diagnosis, Biology & Ecology, Environmental Requirements, Natural Enemies, Impacts, Uses, Further Information.

This datasheet on Petricolaria pholadiformis covers Identity, Overview, Distribution, Dispersal, Diagnosis, Biology & Ecology, Environmental Requirements, Impacts, Further Information.

This Collective Article includes records of 29 alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea, belonging to eight Phyla (Rhodophyta, Ochrophyta, Cnidaria, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Echinodermata, and Chordata) and coming from 11 countries. Notes published here can be divided into three different categories: occupancy estimation for wi...

Biological invasions represent one of the main threats to marine biodiversity. From a conservation perspective, especially in the context of increasing sea warming, it is critical to examine the suitability potential of geographical areas for the arrival of Range Expanding Introduced and Native Species (REINS), and hence anticipate the risk of such...

The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus is a portunid native to the western Atlantic, from New England to Uruguay. The species was introduced in Europe in 1901 where it has become invasive; additionally, a significant northward expansion has been emphasized in its native range. Here we present a harmonized global compilation of C. sapidus occurr...

This article includes twenty (20) new records of alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea, belonging to six (6) Phyla (Rhodophyta, Tracheophyta, Mollusca, Arthropoda, Bryozoa, and Chordata) distributed from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Sea of Alboran. The records are reported from nine (9) countries and can be classified into two...

This study presents the updated status of marine non-indigenous species (NIS) distribution in Greece and investigates trends in new NIS introductions, at both national and subnational level, during 1970-2017. The overall picture shows an increase in new introductions from the 1970s to 2017. The number of unaided introduced species (mainly Lessepsia...

Abstract The current amendments to the Mediterranean marine Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) inventory for the period 2017-2019 are the result of a continuous literature search and update of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) offline database. They take into account recent findings, previously missed records, back-dated records based on the...

This article includes 23 new records of alien and cryptogenic species in the Mediterranean Sea, belonging to 4 Phyla (Chordata, Echinodermata, Arthropoda and Mollusca), distributed from the Alboran to the Levantine Sea. Records are reported from eight countries listed from West to East as follows: Algeria: new records of the Atlantic blue crab Call...

Invasive alien species (IAS) are known to be a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystem function and there is increasing evidence of their impacts on human health and economies globally. We undertook horizon scanning using expert-elicitation to predict arrivals of IAS that could have adverse human health or economic impacts on the island of Cypru...

The number of alien species arriving within new regions has increased at unprecedented rates. Managing the pathways through which alien species arrive and spread is important to reduce the threat of biological invasions. Harmonising information on pathways across individual sectors and user groups is therefore critical to underpin policy and action...

The Aegean Sea is highly impacted by biological invasions with 209 alien species being reported until the end of 2019, of which 149 are considered as established. Among these, the most abundant group is Pisces, followed by Mollusca, Crustacea, Annelida, and Macrophyta. There is an increasing trend of new species introductions in the Aegean Sea, rea...

Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, b...

Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, b...

Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, b...

Good datasets of geo-referenced records of alien species are a prerequisite for assessing the spatio-temporal dynamics of biological invasions, their invasive potential, and the magnitude of their impacts. However, with the exception of first records on a country level or wider regions, observations of species presence tend to remain unpublished, b...

Shipping is the greatest pathway of non-indigenous species (NIS) introductions, and port areas are considered as alien hotspots. In this study, we analyzed data covering a 112-year period and found that Saronikos Gulf in Greece, hosting one of the largest container port terminals in Europe, is a hotspot of NIS introductions. To date, 89 NIS have be...

Shipping is the greatest pathway of non-indigenous species (NIS) introductions, and port areas are considered as alien hotspots. In this study, we analyzed data covering a 112-year period and found that Saronikos Gulf in Greece, hosting one of the largest container port terminals in Europe, is a hotspot of NIS introductions. To date, 89 NIS have be...

The Panhellenic Symposium of Oceanography and Fisheries was firstly launched in Athens, 35 years ago sparked by the enthusiasm of the Greek aquatic scientists, massively supported by the voluntary contribution of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) employees. Over the last three decades, the Symposium established and flourished as the fo...

This paper is a collection of novel distributional records of 20 species belonging to 8 phyla (Chlorophyta, Rhodophyta, Cni-daria, Ctenophora, Annelida, Mollusca, Arthropoda and Chordata) from 11 Mediterranean countries, namely, Spain: an additional record of the Canary dentex Dentex canariensis is reported from Spain (Valencia), this is the northe...

The distribution of marine life has been alarmingly reshaped lately and the number of non-indigenous species and their impacts are rapidly escalating globally. Timely and accurate information about the occurrence of non-indigenous species are of major importance for the mitigation of the issue. However, still large gaps in knowledge about marine bi...

The Working Group on the Introductions and Transfers of Marine Organisms (WGITMO) has contributed several major achievements to the ICES vision, including the first ICES Viewpoint on Biofouling and its source document, two Cooperative Research Reports, and numerous pub-lications related to ToRs, and the continued population of the AquaNIS database....

Plotosus lineatus is a venomous Lessepsian fish species present in the southeastern Mediterranean since 2002. It has been identified as one of the priority marine invasive alien species (IAS) likely to threaten native ecosystems and human well-being throughout the Mediterranean and within EU marine waters. It was thus selected as one of the species...

Time lags in non-indigenous species (NIS) reporting can create uncertainty in the analysis of NIS introduction rates, which can lead to inadequate actions, prevention measures and their evaluation. The present study aims to highlight time lags in marine NIS reporting in the Mediterranean Sea, i.e.: the time that mediates from the detection of a new...

The Mediterranean Sea is one of the largest seas in the world and has a great diversity of marine species. Currently, the Mediterranean Sea is facing various threats, with alien species being one of the most important. To address this problem, it is very important to understand how alien species arrive and where they are in the Mediterranean Sea. F...

Refined baseline inventories of non-indigenous species (NIS) are set per European Union Member State (MS), in the context of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The inventories are based on the initial assessment of the MSFD (2012) and the updated data of the European Alien Species Information Network, in collaboration with NIS experts...

Invasive alien species (IAS) are one of the major drivers of change that can negatively affect biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services and human health; islands are particularly vulnerable to biological invasions. Horizon scanning can lead to prioritisation of IAS to inform decision-making and action; its scale and scope can vary depending o...

The re-examination of marine alien species or Non-indigenous species (NIS) reported in Italian Seas by December 2018, is here provided, particularly focusing on establishment success, year of first record, origin, potential invasiveness, and likely pathways. Furthermore, their distribution is assessed according to marine subregions outlined by the...

The European Union (EU) has recently published its first list of invasive alien species (IAS) of EU concern to which current legislation must apply. The list comprises species known to pose great threats to biodiversity and needs to be maintained and updated. Horizon scanning is seen as critical to identify the most threatening potential IAS that d...

There is no sign of saturation in accumulation of alien species (AS) introductions worldwide, additionally the rate of spread for some species has also been shown to be increasing. However, the challenges of gathering information on AS are recognized. Recent developments in citizen science (CS) provide an opportunity to improve data flow and knowle...

The project: East and South European Network for Invasive Alien Species – A tool to support the management of alien species in Bulgaria (ESENIAS‑TOOLS) was implemen‑ted in the period 2015‑2017. The project was funded by the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009‑2014, within the Programme BG03 Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, an...

This work presents a current (2018) annotated list of marine NIS and cryptogenic species in Greek marine waters. For this purpose, we updated information from previous lists, included new data from several new NIS and cryptogenic records and recent taxonomic studies, and followed current taxonomic modifications for the alien/cryptogenic status of s...

The assessment of impacts of alien species is one of the most critical steps for the prioritisation of policy and management actions and this requires assessment schemes that can compare impacts across different taxa, ecosystems and socio-economic contexts. The Environmental and Socio-Economic Impact Classification of Alien Species (EICAT and SEICA...

In this study, we have performed a large-scale assessment on the native distribution range of the marine non-indigenous species (NIS) found in at least one of the European Seas (Mediterranean, NE Atlantic Ocean, Black, Baltic Sea). As a basis, we have used the most updated pan-European NIS inventory, provided by the European Alien Species Informati...

The “New Mediterranean Biodiversity Records” series includes new records of marine species found in the Mediterranean basin and/or information on the spatial distribution of already established species of particular interest. The current article presents information on 21 marine taxa classified per country according to their geographic position in...

The possibility that the recent expansion of the Suez Canal could trigger an entirely new twenty first century wave of invasions was investigated. Results showed that only 19 new alien species were detected after August 2015 (date of the last Suez Canal enlargement). Five of the newcomers have already established viable populations. Between August...

In this study we present a list of invasive/potential invasive alien species in the East and South European Network for Invasive Alien Species (ESENIAS) countries with marine borders. The species were classified according to the existing literature and experts’ judgment, as established, casual, invasive and expected. Finally, factsheets were compil...

In the frame of the ESENIAS-TOOLS project, efforts have been made to compile a list of experts working on marine alien species in the ESENIAS countries, which can serve as a foundation towards establishing a scientific network in the area. Overall, 242 scholars were identified working in the marine waters of the area, with the majority being employ...

Biological invasions are a threat to biodiversity, society and the economy. There is an urgent need to provide evidence-based assessments of the risks posed by invasive alien species (IAS) to prioritise action. Risk assessments underpin IAS policies in many ways: informing legislation; providing justification of restrictions in trade or consumer ac...