Evidence of uses of marine litter by Mediterranean Cephalopoda

2024/12/24 by Gioele Capillo, Marco Albano, Claudio D’Iglio +4 · 1 voice
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · #Cephalopods and Marine Biology #Marine animal studies overview #Isotope Analysis in Ecology

paper · doi:10.3389/fmars.2024.1519412

openalex publication_date 2024/12/24 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/31

Abstract

Understanding the interaction between marine biota and marine litter is essential to comprehend how organisms face the continuous alteration of their habitats due to anthropogenic pressure. The evidence here reported, based on both direct in situ observations and citizen science obtained information, refer to the interactions between two Mediterranean Cephalopoda species and marine litter in natural environments, and, more specifically, between: i) Octopus vulgaris and a plastic bin used for laying eggs inside, ii) Sepia officinalis and an artificial Egi lure, used for oviposition, iii) another specimen of O. vulgaris and an artificial lure, used for den enhancing. This highlights marine litter presence, probably joint with the scarcity of natural substrates, could lead to a behavioural adaptation of the species in responding to the reproductive stimulus, especially in the case of semelparous species. Based on these individual observations it is undoubtedly of crucial importance improving the knowledge base on the relationship between marine biota - marine litter and effects on marine animals and offspring.

Citations

• Plastics and microplastics in the oceans: From emerging pollutants to emerged threat
• Ecology of the plastisphere
• Cuttlefish and squid egg deposition patterns on artificial devices and trap-like gears: implications for offspring survival and population management
• Assessing the potential for the introduction and spread of alien species with marine litter
• The plastic homes of hermit crabs in the Anthropocene

Discussions

• Novel article shows "Evidence of uses of marine litter by Mediterranean Cephalopoda". This article is part of the Research Topic "Interactions of Marine Biota with Plastic Pollution". We look forward [bsky, 0 points, 0 comments]