Halophila stipulacea is a species of seagrass in the Hydrocharitaceae family.[3] It is native to the Indian Ocean that spread into the Mediterranean after the opening of the Suez Canal. This seagrass is widespread through the Gulf of Aqaba.[4] Recently it has arrived in the Caribbean where it is also spreading.
| Halophila stipulacea | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Alismatales |
| Family: | Hydrocharitaceae |
| Genus: | Halophila |
| Species: | H. stipulacea
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| Binomial name | |
| Halophila stipulacea | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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It is suggested that the expansion of H. stipulacea from the Red Sea into the Mediterranean Sea was a result of the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. The invasion into the Mediterranean was first documented in 1894.[5]
This species was first reported in the Caribbean in Grenada,[6] Dominica, and St. Lucia[7] in 2002, 2007, and 2008 respectively. By 2017, H. stipulacea had expanded to nineteen other Caribbean islands.[8] In the United States Virgin Islands, H. stipulacea was first observed in 2012 along the northeast coast of St. John, followed by St. Thomas and St. Croix in 2013 and 2016 respectively.[5][8] H. stipulacea was observed for the first time on the Venezuelan coast at Playa Mansa, near Naiguatá in Vargas state.[9]
H. stipulacea has been classified as an invasive species because of its ability to displace native species.[7] It can do this by forming thick mats, adapt to changes in environmental conditions, and exist along an extreme depth gradient.[5][7][8][10]
References
edit- ^ Short, F.T.; Carruthers, T.J.R.; Waycott, M.; Kendrick, G.A.; Fourqurean, J.W.; Callabine, A.; Kenworthy, W.J.; Dennison, W.C. (2010). "Halophila stipulacea". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T173319A6989685. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T173319A6989685.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b "Halophila stipulacea". World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- ^ "Halophila stipulacea (Forssk.) Asch". Plants of the World Online. The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. n.d. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
- ^ Edwards, Alasdair J. (2013). Red Sea. Elsevier. p. 187. ISBN 9781483285993.
- ^ a b c Willette, Demian A.; Chalifour, Julien; Debrot, A.O. Dolfi; Engel, M. Sabine; Miller, Jeff; Oxenford, Hazel A.; Short, Frederick T.; Steiner, Sascha C.C. & Védie, Fabien (2014). "Continued expansion of the trans-Atlantic invasive marine angiosperm Halophila stipulacea in the Eastern Caribbean". Aquatic Botany. 112: 98–102. Bibcode:2014AqBot.112...98W. doi:10.1016/j.aquabot.2013.10.001.
- ^ Ruiz, Hector & Ballantine, David L. (2004). "Occurrence of the seagrass Halophila stipulacea in the tropical West Atlantic". Bulletin of Marine Science. 75 (1): 131–135.
- ^ a b c Willette, Demian A. & Ambrose, Richard F. (2009). "The distribution and expansion of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea in Dominica, West Indies, with a preliminary report from St. Lucia". Aquatic Botany. 91 (3): 137–142. Bibcode:2009AqBot..91..137W. doi:10.1016/j.aquabot.2009.04.001.
- ^ a b c Olinger, Lauren K.; Heidmann, Sarah L.; Durdall, Allie N.; Howe, Colin; Ramseyer, Tanya; Thomas, Sara G.; Lasseigne, Danielle N.; Brown, Elizabeth J.; Cassell, John S.; Donihe, Michele M.; Romero, Mareike D. Duffing; Duke, Mara A.; Green, Damon; Hillbrand, Paul; Grimes, Kristin R. Wilson; Nemeth, Richard S.; Smith, Tyler B. & Brandt, Marilyn (2017). "Altered juvenile fish communities associated with invasive Halophila stipulacea seagrass habitats in the U.S. Virgin Islands". PLOS ONE. 12 (11): e0188386. Bibcode:2017PLoSO..1288386O. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0188386. PMC 5697852. PMID 29161322.
- ^ Vera,Beatriz, Collado,Ligia, Celia Moreno & Brigitta van Tussenbroek 2014. Halophila stipulacea(Hydrocharitaceae): A recent introduction to the continental waters of Venezuela . Caribbean J. Sci. Caribbean Journal of Science, 48(1) 66-70. 2015.
- ^ Scheibling, Robert E.; Patriquin, David G. & Filbee-Dexter, Karen (2018). "Distribution and abundance of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea and associated benthic macrofauna in Carriacou, Grenadines, Eastern Caribbean". Aquatic Botany. 144: 1–8. Bibcode:2018AqBot.144....1S. doi:10.1016/j.aquabot.2017.10.003. hdl:11250/2618067.
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