[Coral-List] Unstoppable and uncontrolled progress -- Divers warn about accelerated growth of the exotic invasive octocoral (soft coral) XENIIDAE "Unomia stolonifera" in "Valle Seco", Choroní, Aragua State, Venezuela, Southern Caribbean region !

Wed Feb 22 16:13:56 UTC 2023

Dear collegues & friends,

>From the "Fundación Arrecifes de Venezuela (@arrecifesdevenezuela)" they
warn about the aggressive increase that the exotic invasive soft coral
(octocoral) "*Unomia stolonifera*" has visibly experienced in a year in
"Valle Seco", Choroní ~ 10°30'25"N & 67°36'23"W
<https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Ftools.wmflabs.org%2Fgeohack%2Fgeohack.php%3Fpagename%3DChoron%25C3%25AD%26params%3D10_30_25_N_67_36_23_W_scale%253A500000%26fbclid%3DIwAR3wdg3MeTgPFHqmoL2G5dDgZdFwe5NcjAWL6IjF_zo49mCsNFRpmRMTDfQ&h=AT3SKA_nmEc-v1cMYgBHk2FUe5R_gq6-PtcsfAPeNin1hK2J86I9HfR_3cWXhSKg6K6aLGTnbz_hsZKQ27dEPADaqFL6sr9HeXooYI00o-RBwtVpqcV5V3diSRYFPq5pnqFg&__tn__=-UK-R&c[0]=AT3zgN9XhPSfofN2LpZWePJM_gJw0vddrVO2NNmRugc_eUzUQIWjl10oaQ03Nxuj-DAqkz33ylRuI4q3ZMshrdG7fwU0CBAk9qZJ-XzX7uddFoqwndq1vf9cDDUhKbCV_1y1Yghyf8-OKnxhPJz_miMPARJKFt3oeeHJWd9nqUk5AxKMAaimBuxqMKKPWVyVOMNFqlu_w9qy0OsG1VeiZG8>,
see Map - Red box(*), a situation that endangers the underwater ecosystem,
and even the economy of the region.
----------------------------
(*) A coastal village/ community at the Northern end of the “Girardot
Municipal District”, Aragua State of Venezuela. Located at the foot of the
"Cordillera de la Costa" (Coast Mountain Range), which adds to the unique
natural features of the coastal strip of the "Henri Pittier National Park" <
Map ~
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391001107824116/posts/3437300513194155/ >
----------------------------
The presence of this exotic coral in the area of the Aragua coast is
already known by the authorities and even by scientists from
"@unomiaproject", who previously visited "Valle Seco" in January 2022.
Regarding how this coral got to this beach in Aragua State, so far it is
not known for certain: ... it is presumed/ suspicion that, as happened in
"Mochima", was through an aquarist (one of these who sell corals), who they
sow it and they cultivate them in a natural environment so that they
reproduce, and in the case of "Mochima" it got out of hand. Meanwhile, so
far we don't know for sure if they did it in the same way in "Valle Seco".
The litoranean locality of "Valle Seco" is a kind of natural pool. The
invader "*Unomia stolifera*" was initially observed (last year) relatively
confined within that pool. However, the team from the "Arrecifes de
Venezuela" group visited the area again last weekend and verified that the
coral has grown a lot, even bordering the local mountain, a fact that was
recorded still in underwater and aerial images.
Remembering that the soft coral "*Unomia stolonifera*" already has a
devastating effect in the eastern part of the country (Venezuela), in the
region of the "Mochima National Park" (Sucre & Anzoátegui States), where it
has expanded in an area of "approximately 270 football stadiums".
This invader octocoral suffocates and kills the rest of the native corals,
which causes the reef to die, and without the latter "the fish will not be
there, they will go further and further away, and that in turn, as a
consequence, an significant decline in fishing -- a guaranteed food
security problem in few years.”
Given this, the aforementioned "Foundation" considers it necessary that the
scientists of "@unomiaproject", together with those of "Fundación La
Tortuga" and "Fundación La Salle", examine the situation in the field
again, not only in "Valle Seco", but also in other neighboring areas of
"Choroní", because they fear that the invasive octocoral has already
expanded beyond that previously described area.
_@/"
Original (Spanish) journalistic report:
https://elaragueno.com.ve/buzos-alertan-sobre-crecimiento-acelerado-del-coral-invasor-unomia-en-valle-seco-choroni/?fbclid=IwAR0v-GggEfLhq-ohCQUBfaHTdv-P1nGL4nsaObmJCySwejYimrZyB9wnCdY

_@/"
Additional informations:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391001107824116/posts/3416699088587631

///
--------------
Through the active vector of the "aquarium trade" our Neotropical region
remains an object/ target of unwanted biological invasions, in immediate
detriment of their natural reef environments, mainly. Best regards, IGNACIO
AGUDO Latin American Cnidarian Network Member Brazil
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391001107824116/posts/2772336899690523/

-- 
*A. Ignacio Agudo-Padrón*
Geographer, Environmental Researcher Malacologist
*CEO & Manager Editor **AM Platform*
Project "Avulsos Malacológicos - AM"
Southern Brazil  *_@/"*
Caixa Postal (P.O. Box) 22008, AC Dias Velho,
Jardim Atlântico, Florianópolis,
CEP 88095971, Santa Catarina/ SC,
Brasil
E-mail: ignacioagudo at gmail.com
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Website: http://noticias-malacologicas-am.webnode.pt/
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