2026/01/01 by Eva Cacabelos, Alejandro Bernal‐Ibáñez, Ignácio Gestoso +2 · 1 voice
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Engineering · #Marine and coastal plant biology #Seaweed-derived Bioactive Compounds #Marine Biology and Environmental Chemistry
paper · pdf · doi:10.3391/bir.2026.15.2.21
openalex publication_date 2026/01/01 · openalex created_date 2026/06/01 · openalex updated_date 2026/06/11
Asparagopsis taxiformis (Delile) Trevisan, traditionally regarded as a tropicalsubtropical red alga native to the Indo-Pacific and particularly the Australian region, is now widely established in the Mediterranean and Macaronesian archipelagos.Here, we document its first confirmed occurrence on the Galician coast (NW Spain), representing a northward extension of more than 500 km (≈ 4.5° of latitude) beyond its previously known range, which until now was limited to southern Portugal.Molecular analysis confirmed assignment to lineage 2, a cryptic intraspecific genotype characterized by broad thermal and photosynthetic tolerance, which may facilitate persistence in warm-temperate areas such as Galicia.Morphological examination revealed the characteristic features of the species.The absence of reproductive structures and the detection of only a few individuals suggest a nascent, non-established population.This finding raises concern about the potential co-invasion of other warm-affinity macroalgae, such as Rugulopteryx okamurae, which could reshape Galician benthic communities.We emphasize the need of continuous monitoring and early management measures to reduce the risk of establishment and ecological impacts of non-native species.