New insights in the spread of Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) to the Levant Sea
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- Authors:
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BADREDDINE Ali,
FATFAT Samer,
CROCETTA Fabio
- Keywords:
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brown mussel • eastern mediterranean • faunal changes • mytilidae • termophilic species
- Abstract:
- The brown mussel Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) is a circumtropical species with a complex biogeographical history, recently expanding in the eastern Mediterranean. While the status of Perna perna in the Mediterranean Sea remains debated, specifically whether it should be classified as native, cryptogenic, or an introduced species, it has been recorded in several southern Levantine countries, likely facilitated by rising sea surface temperatures. Perna perna is known to thrive in warm-temperate to subtropical waters, typically tolerating temperatures between 12 and 32°C, with optimal performance above 20°C. These thermal preferences overlap with the increasingly warm conditions of the Levantine Basin, which has been identified as one of the fastest-warming marine regions in the Mediterranean. This study reports the first confirmed record of P. perna in Lebanese waters, based on live specimens collected from mediolittoral rocks in Saida on September 7, 2024. Given the region's proximity to the Suez Canal, a principal route for Lessepsian introductions, and its documented susceptibility to non-indigenous species invasions and climate-induced ecosystem shifts, the establishment of P. perna raises concerns about potential impacts on local biodiversity and native assemblages. Furthermore, P. perna has been reported to form dense populations in other parts of its introduced range, where it has displaced native mussels and altered community structures, underscoring its relevance as a species of biosecurity concern. This finding highlights the need for continued monitoring, regional collaboration, and adaptive management strategies to mitigate the potential ecological consequences of its spread in the Levantine Basin.
- Résumé :
- : Nouvelles données sur la distribution de Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) en mer du Levant. La moule brune Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) est une espèce circumtropicale présentant une histoire biogéographique complexe et en expansion récente dans l'est de la Méditerranée. Le statut de Perna perna en Méditerranée demeure débattu, en particulier quant à sa classification en tant qu'espèce native, cryptogène ou introduite, bien qu'elle ait été signalée dans plusieurs pays du Levant sud, probablement favorisée par l'élévation des températures de surface de la mer. Perna perna est connue pour se développer dans des eaux tempérées chaudes à subtropicales, tolérant généralement des températures comprises entre 12 et 32°C, avec des performances optimales au-dessus de 20°C. Ces préférences thermiques coïncident avec le réchauffement progressif du bassin levantin, identifié comme l'une des régions marines les plus touchées par le changement climatique en Méditerranée. Cette étude rapporte la première observation confirmée de P. perna dans les eaux libanaises, à partir de spécimens vivants collectés sur des rochers médiolittoraux à Saida, le 7 septembre 2024. Cah. Biol. Mar. (2025) 66 : 151-156DOI: 10.21411/CBM.A.97B88FBFReçu le 30 janvier 2025 ; accepté après révision le 05 mai 2025. Received 30 January 2025; accepted in revised form 05 May 2025. 152 PERNA PERNA IN LEBANONIntroductionThe brown mussel Perna perna (Linnaeus, 1758) is a circumtropical species widely distributed across the western Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, though its precise native range remains uncertain due to historical dispersal events and ambiguous biogeographic data (Huber, 2010; Cunha et al., 2014). To further complicate the issue, P. perna has been historically reported in the Mediterranean from a series of scattered records spanning several centuries. The earliest reliable records of established populations come from North African countries, particularly Algeria and Tunisia (Zibrowius, 1980), though the origin of these populations remains unce
