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  • Movement patterns of the invasive atlantic blue crab in a northeastern atlantic estuary
    Publication . Encarnação, João Pedro da Silva; Morais, Pedro; Abecasis, David; Martínez Ramírez, Lucas; Barra, Melissa; Baptista, Vânia; Carere, Claudio; Teodosio, Maria
    The movement ecology of invasive species discloses critical information to estimate ecological impacts and inform management policies to control their spread. The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896, has successfully invaded coastal and estuarine ecosystems in southern Europe, making it urgent to understand fundamental aspects of its ecology in the non-native range. Recent studies identified key prey species for the Atlantic blue crab and quantified niche overlap with other crab species; however, the areas where the impacts are likely to be greater remain unexplored. Thus, we aim at studying its spatial ecology and assess which areas of a tidal estuary (Guadiana, Portugal) are predominantly used by the invasive Atlantic blue crab through acoustic telemetry. A total of 24 specimens were collected in the estuary in 2022, tagged, and tracked for up to nine months using four acoustic receivers located at 1, 3, 11, and 20 km from the river mouth. Two predominant patterns were observed: 1) movements along the estuary synchronized with the tide, and 2) extended residency periods in the transition between the middle and upper estuary. These findings can now inform policy makers and be used to better design local management plans, namely in upper areas of the Guadiana estuary where the species tends to aggregate, making it easier to be targeted by artisanal fisheries, when compared to coastal areas.
    2025-09-16Journal article Restricted access Show more
  • The potential risk of bactrocera dorsalis (Tephritidae) invasion into the fruit industry in the iberian peninsula: a review
    Publication . Wijekoon, Chandana Dammika; Duarte, Amilcar; Neto, Luís
    Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel, 1912) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is considered a highly invasive fruit fly species already widespread in Indo-Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. In recent years, this species has extended its range into new regions previously considered unsuitable, posing an alarming new risk for the subtropical regions of Europe. This review aimed to assess the potential risk of B. dorsalis invasion into the fruit industry in the Iberian Peninsula, the southwesternmost tip of Europe. With the collected information from published scientific knowledge on B. dorsalis’s distribution, biology, climatic tolerance, host plant diversity, and recent invasion pathways, we have provided an assessment of the possibilities of introducing this alarming fruit fly species to the Iberian Peninsula. In this review, we found that B. dorsalis has been recently reported in several adjacent European countries such as France, Italy, and Austria, and it serves as a warning signal to the Iberian Peninsula for the possible risks that this species poses in the future. Considering this persistent threat posed by B. dorsalis, we reviewed its potential future threat by considering the status of the fruit industry and Mediterranean climate in the Iberian Peninsula. We also considered the findings of recent climatic forecasting models. This review provides a theoretical basis for the prospective intrusion of B. dorsalis into the Iberian Peninsula’s fruit industry, as well as the potential impact following its establishment, together with recommendations for restricting the introduction and spread.
    2025-09-16Journal article Open access Show more