[Coral-List] THE AGGRESIVE INVADER SOFT CORAL "Unomia stolonifera" ARRIVED TO THE CUBAN ISLAND, NORTHERN CARIBBEAN !

[Ignacio Agudo]

Dear collegues & friends,
We regret inform that our concerns and predictions, expressed on several
occasions through this vehicle, have finally come to fruition.  "Unomia
stolonifera", aggressive exotic invasive soft coral installed on the coasts
of Venezuela already are also present in the North region of Caribbean.
In February of this year, 2023, a colony of the exotic soft coral "Unomia
stolonifera" was detected in the "Bucaranao Cove", Cuba.
The site is located 16 km East of the port and the "Havana" oil refinery.
The hypothesis being used is that the species was transported from
"Venezuela" on one of the many oil tankers (probably in ballast water) that
transit this coast.
As warned (and expected), the invasion of "Unomia" in Venezuela is
affecting other areas of the Caribbean basin. The invasive species is very
likely already found on other islands and Caribbean countries, without
being detected until now.
The presence of this highly invasive species in Cuba is a potential threat
to neighboring islands, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida (USA) and the Bahamas.
It is hoped that this report will serve as a "warning" for all countries in
the region. It is very important and urgent that all possible preventive
measures be taken to avoid the spread and possible expansive invasion of
this aggressive exotic soft coral in other areas of the Caribbean.

_@/"
Original technical report/ communication (Spanish):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373903282_Presencia_en_Cuba_de_la_especie_marina_invasora_Unomia_stolonifera_Gohar_1938_Octocorallia_Alcyonacea_Acciones_para_su_control_y_eliminacion#fullTextFileContent


_@/"
Additional (journalistic) recent information (Venezuela):
https://800noticias.com/anzoategui-aparicion-de-coral-afecta-80-de-la-pesca?fbclid=IwAR1L2qOdobm65g-1krDfQiSNd-PLnK6PapU5dgz9uQSXjmt4THGRJyQKJwM


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
Curriculum: http://lattes.cnpq.br/3951358740536805
Website: http://noticias-malacologicas-am.webnode.pt/
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ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9073-9049
ResearchGate - Contributions:
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aisur_Agudo-Padron/publications?sorting=newest