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

[Matthew Runo]

Hi,

I’m a long time lurker on the list. I’m a software engineer and marine bio buff/reef tank keeper. I also make a YouTube channel on which I cover marine bio / reef tank hobby stuff. The discussions here are always very interesting. 

Does anyone have a video showing the invasive Unomia coral that I could include in a video about the topic? I’d love to cover this from a reef tank perspective and talk about the need to carefully consider the impacts of our hobby on wild reefs. I also want to mention macroalgae and such and making sure it doesn’t end up in costal waters. Having a video to show the vast quantity of unomia coral already present would drive the point that much better. 

Matt

> On Sep 20, 2023, at 3:23 AM, Douglas Fenner via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
> 
> In the early stages of an invasion, such as in Cuba, removal might work at
> least temporarily.  Once there is a lot of it, removal would become a huge
> and probably impossible task, and it sounds like they commonly break up and
> pieces drift off and probably start new ones.  This soft coral may turn out
> to be even more damaging than lionfish.
> 
>> On Tue, Sep 19, 2023 at 1:26 AM Ignacio Agudo via Coral-List <
>> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>> 
>> 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/
>> Facebook:
>> 
>> https://www.facebook.com/pages/Avulsos-Malacol%C3%B3gicos-AM/293465304090756
>> 
>> E-book:
>> 
>> http://issuu.com/espacocientificolivre/docs/moluscosesaudepublicaemsantacatarina
>> ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9073-9049
>> ResearchGate - Contributions:
>> 
>> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Aisur_Agudo-Padron/publications?sorting=newest
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