Page 1 - Observations_1995

The Science of the Total Environment 165 (1995) 23-31

Observations on mucus aggregates along Sicilian coasts
during 1991-1992

S. Calve*, R. Barone, L. Naselli Flores

Laboratorio di Ecologia Acquatica, Dipartimento di Scienze Botaniche dell’Universit& via Archirafi, 38-90123 Palenno, Italy

Abstract

The results of some observations on gelatinous material accumulating on the sea ground and free floating in the
water column along Sicilian coasts are reported. The phenomenon showed different development patterns moving
from the Tyrrherian to the Jonian coast and to the Sicilian Channel. Moreover, in 1991, mucus aggregates in the
Tyrrhenian sea showed a similar structure, behaviour and origin to those observed in the Adriatic sea, whereas, in
1992, only a massive growth of metaphytic threadlike algae, more or less producing gelatinous sheaths, occurred.

Keywords: Mucus aggregates; Metaphyton; Tyrrherian coast; Sicilian coast

1. Introduction During July and August 1991 probably all the
Western basin of the Mediterranean Sea was the
The periodic summer development of mucus scene of a massive development of mucus aggre-
aggregates along Tyrrherian coasts, often occur- gates. This phenomenon along the Sicilian-Tyrr-
ring from the eulittoral zone to the deeper sea herian coast almost completely stopped fishing
bottom, has been known for a long time (In- activities and was the cause of a preoccupation in
namorati, 1992). public opinion because of the analogous, even
Along the Sicilian coast particularly, this pres- though wider, case in the Adriatic Sea (Fonda
ence is confirmed by many dialectal words com- Umani et al., 1989; Stachowitsch et al., 1990).
monly used by local fishermen to indicate both Preliminary observations on both benthic and
the aggregates laying on the sea ground (‘lippu’, pelagic mucus aggregates in the Tyrrherian sea
‘sbromu’) and those free floating in the water are reported by many authors (Calve et al., 1991;
column (‘acquazza’). Diviacco, 1992; Giaccone, 1992; Innamorati, 1992;
Rinaldi, 1992; Sartoni and Sonni, 1992)
In this paper we present our observations car-
*Corresponding author. ried out along the north-western and southern

004%9697/95/$09.50 0 1995 Elsevier Science BV. Ail rights reserved.
SSDI 0048-9697(95)04540-4