Conquering the north: the recent expansion of a Lessepsian sea slug in the north-western Mediterranean Sea as a mirror of seawater warming

The Mediterranean Sea is strongly affected by the global warming, which favours the spread of non-indigenous species (NIS). This study analyses the range expansion of the Lessepsian sea slug Lamprohaminoea ovalis , linked to the increase in sea water temperatures. First recorded in Greece in 2001, L. ovalis has progressively spread northward, eastward and westward, recently reaching the Ligurian Sea, one of the coldest regions in the Mediterranean Sea. Thanks to the contribution of citizen science and through in situ surveys, this study documents thirteen new records of L. ovalis between 2021 and 2024 in previously unreported Mediterranean areas, including the Adriatic, Balearic, Ionian, and Ligurian seas. These recent observations reveal evidence of mating and egg-laying behaviours, indicative of successful establishment. Furthermore, L. ovalis exhibits biological traits that are likely to enhance its invasive potential. Temperature data from two sites in the Ligurian Sea at different latitudes ( i.e. , Portofino Marine Protected Area and Elba Island), collected by temperature data loggers, corroborate the link between L. ovalis expansion and seawater warming. Finally, the present study revealed L. ovalis as a powerful bioindicator of climate-driven changes in marine ecosystems and emphasises the importance of continued monitoring to evaluate its ecological impact. While no negative effects on native species have been reported to date, the rapid spread and adaptive capacity of L. ovalis warrant further investigation to understand its long-term implications for Mediterranean biodiversity.

• Publication year

  2025

• Venue

  BioInvasions Records

• Publication date

  Unknown publication date

• Fields of study

  Not labeled

• Identifiers
  DOI 10.3391/bir.2025.14.4.16
• External record

  Open on Semantic Scholar

• Source metadata

  Semantic Scholar

• No claims are published for this paper.

• No concepts are published for this paper.

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