Habitat formers in transitional waters- the odd tale of Ficopomatus enigmaticus (Fauvel, 1923) under the watchful gaze of the sorceress Circe (Sabaudia Lake, Latium coast-Italy)

Ficopomatus enigmaticus (Fauvel, 1923) is a filter-feeding habitat former of the Serpulid Family. As many other invasive species his long-term establishment and its cosmopolitan habits made its real origin unclear. Comparisons with historical data revealed an overall decline of Ficopomatus populations especially in brackish waters and estuarine areas. These results highlight the need for a more detail monitoring activity at a local scale level, but it might hide also some intriguing secrets if considered from a conservation biology perspective and taking into account also the climatic variatio... Mehr ...