Distribution and abundance of invasive octocoral carijoa riisei in ecuadorian coast

CÁRDENAS-CALLE, MARITZA; GREGORIO BIGATTI; NARDY DIEZ; MARIANA LOZADA; INTI KEITH; ILEANA HERRERA; JULIAN PEREZ CORREA

Montreal

Congreso; Proceedings of the 21st international conference on aquatic invasive species ? aquatic invasions in the anthropocene (ICAIS 2019); 2019

Invasive Species Centre

This study reports the distribution and abundance of the invasive octocoral Carijoa riisei (Alcyonacea: Clavulariidae) in Ecuadorian continentalcoast. C. riisei is native from the Indo-Pacific region where it is an aggressive competitor. One of the major effects is the monopolization ofresources (food and the space). The identification of the specie was confirmed genetically. Distribution and abundance of C. riisei was measuredover quadrants located randomly at a 50 m transect positioned parallel to the coast in subtidal zone. Carijoa was found between February 2015to February 2016 in three coastal provinces (Esmeraldas, Manabí and Santa Elena), including two marine protected areas (Galera San FranciscoMarine Reserve in the north of Ecuador and El Pelado Marine Reserve in South Central Ecuadorian coast) and one area influenced by estuarineecosystems (Jama). The highest relative abundance of Carijoa colonies where found in Jama (44.57%). This octocoral was found as an epibiont oncorals (e.g. Pocillopora damicornis) and other macroinvertebrates (i.e. Pinctada mazatlanica, Muricea appresa, and Aplysina sp.). Our investigationsuggests that Carijoa riisei is in advanced status from colonization in the coastal area and it is an imminent danger for autochthonous autochtho-nous sessile macroinvertebrates biodiversity and even greater risk for the Galapagos Islands.