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

[Ignacio Agudo]

Hello Matt,
To obtain this and other important related informations that you are
requesting**, please make direct contact (via e-mail) with the specialists
of the "Unomia Project":
unomiaproject at gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080793636535

**
https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/pipermail/coral-list/2023-September/024782.html

Best regards,

Ignacio Agudo
Latin American Cnidarian Network Member Brazil
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1391001107824116/posts/2772336899690523/

>
> On Sep 20, 2023, at 21:23:29, Matthew Runo via Coral-List <
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

Hi,

Im a long time lurker on the list. Im 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 Id 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 3:23AM, 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