Biological and ecological processes during the establishment of a marine invasion : the Siganus rabbitfishes from the Red Sea to the coastal areas of Cyrenaica, Libya

Abdulghani, AAH

Abstract

The rabbitfishes Siganus luridus and S. rivulatus are two Lessepsian species that have invaded a large part of the Mediterranean Sea and offer a unique opportunity to examine ecological and morphological variation during the process of invasion and establishment.
Using and integrated geometric morphometric and stable isotope approach we investigated ecological adaptation in these two species from native into novel Southern Mediterranean habitats. A total of 490 fish were collected over two years (2014 and 2015), which showed a greater overlap in morphological variation in the novel habitat (Mediterranean Sea) compared to the native Red Sea. On the other hand, stable isotopes indicated that the invading populations segregated trophic niches more starkly than in the native habitat.
The introduction of genetic markers to infer population expansion uncovered a more marked decrease in genetic variation in S. luridus compared to S. rivulatus, during the process of invasion. Collectively, data contribute to reconstruct the jigsaw puzzle underpinning the success and ecological diversification of these coastal species, raising considerations for their management and that of the environment that changes around them.

Citation

Abdulghani, A. (in press). Biological and ecological processes during the establishment of a marine invasion : the Siganus rabbitfishes from the Red Sea to the coastal areas of Cyrenaica, Libya. (Thesis). University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Acceptance Date: May 1, 2018
• Deposit Date: May 22, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: May 22, 2018
• Additional Information: Funders : Libyan Government