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1000
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Abstract/Summary
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The first mass occurrence of the alien, tube building polychaete Ficopomatus
enigmaticus (Fauvel, 1923) was found in the Baltic Sea in 2020. Detailed surveys
of private marinas, yacht clubs and boats as well as visual inspections, scratch sampling
and a camera assisted remotely operated vehicle revealed its occurrence along a 12 km
stretch of the lower saline section (7.12–11.67 PSU) of the Warnow River Estuary,
Germany in the western Baltic Sea. The species was found mostly in sheltered areas
in 1.0 –4.5 m water depth, but it was not found in the higher saline areas (14 .10–
15.31 PSU) of the estuary or along the coast. Colony densities up to 28,800 ind. m-2
were detected. The occurrence of the invasive F. enigmaticus has the potential to
alter the ecosystem significantly, suggesting that the colony be monitored closely
for signs of expansion, establishment and possible alterations to these ecosystems.
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