Stefania Puce
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View article: The detection of specific prey cues triggers distinct predatory behaviour in <i>Aurelia coerulea</i> polyps (Cnidaria: scyphozoa)
The detection of specific prey cues triggers distinct predatory behaviour in <i>Aurelia coerulea</i> polyps (Cnidaria: scyphozoa) Open
Predatory behaviour of cnidarian polyps is poorly described, although their tentacles are equipped with thousands of stinging cells to capture preys. The predatory action is elicited by the tactile stimulation of the tentacles due to the p…
View article: Climate-driven shifts in a Mediterranean hydrozoan assemblage over 44 years
Climate-driven shifts in a Mediterranean hydrozoan assemblage over 44 years Open
Temporal changes in marine assemblages are well documented for large habitat-formers, while data on inconspicuous groups like hydrozoans are scarce. Long-term shifts in hydrozoan communities were assessed by replicating in 2024 an annual s…
View article: Porifera Associated with Deep-Water Stylasterids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa): New Species and Records from the Ross Sea (Antarctica)
Porifera Associated with Deep-Water Stylasterids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa): New Species and Records from the Ross Sea (Antarctica) Open
Stylasterid corals are known to be fundamental habitat-formers in both deep and shallow waters. Their tridimensional structure enhances habitat complexity by creating refuges for a variety of organisms and by acting as basibionts for many …
View article: Collective exploitation of large prey by group foraging shapes aggregation and fitness of cnidarian polyps
Collective exploitation of large prey by group foraging shapes aggregation and fitness of cnidarian polyps Open
Group living is widespread and beneficial to metazoans. It improves protection and survival opportunities, reinforcing interspecific competitiveness. Benthic cnidarians often colonize large surfaces. Evidence of collective capture and expl…
View article: Big enough for an extra-large meal: a review on predation upon large animals by benthic cnidarians
Big enough for an extra-large meal: a review on predation upon large animals by benthic cnidarians Open
The feeding upon large animals—even larger than the predator—by benthic cnidarians has been reported from many ecosystems but never exhaustively studied to date. By reviewing 38 papers on this topic, this review aims to recap the observati…
View article: Structure from Motion Photogrammetry as an Effective Nondestructive Technique to Monitor Morphological Plasticity in Benthic Organisms: The Case Study of Sarcotragus foetidus Schmidt, 1862 (Porifera, Demospongiae) in the Portofino MPA
Structure from Motion Photogrammetry as an Effective Nondestructive Technique to Monitor Morphological Plasticity in Benthic Organisms: The Case Study of Sarcotragus foetidus Schmidt, 1862 (Porifera, Demospongiae) in the Portofino MPA Open
Porifera are essential components of marine ecosystems, providing valuable ecological functions. Traditional approaches to estimating sponge growth and biomass are destructive and often not suitable for certain morphologies. The implementa…
View article: Spatial patterns and drivers of benthic community structure on the northern Adriatic biogenic reefs
Spatial patterns and drivers of benthic community structure on the northern Adriatic biogenic reefs Open
The northern Adriatic Sea (NAS) hosts numerous biogenic subtidal reefs that are considered biodiversity hotspots. Several studies have already investigated the origin and biodiversity of these reefs. However, many of them are still unexplo…
View article: What’s the key for success? Translocation, growth and thermal stress mitigation in the Mediterranean coral Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767)
What’s the key for success? Translocation, growth and thermal stress mitigation in the Mediterranean coral Cladocora caespitosa (Linnaeus, 1767) Open
Marine heat waves (MHWs) are affecting corals populations, advocating their inclusion in restoration actions since conservation measures may be not sufficient. Cladocora caespitosa is a Mediterranean reef-building, long-living species, wit…
View article: Guests or pests? Eirenid hydroids living on the soft tissue of bivalves
Guests or pests? Eirenid hydroids living on the soft tissue of bivalves Open
Both wild and reared bivalves can host hydroids from the Eirenidae family which settle on the soft body parts of their host. Thousands of hydroids have been observed on a single bivalve, and often have severe detrimental effects on the hos…
View article: Photogrammetry, from the Land to the Sea and Beyond: A Unifying Approach to Study Terrestrial and Marine Environments
Photogrammetry, from the Land to the Sea and Beyond: A Unifying Approach to Study Terrestrial and Marine Environments Open
The series of technological advances that occurred over the past two decades allowed photogrammetry-based approaches to achieve their actual potential, giving birth to one of the most popular and applied procedures: structure from motion (…
View article: The prokaryotic community of Chondrosia reniformis Nardo, 1847: from diversity to mercury detection
The prokaryotic community of Chondrosia reniformis Nardo, 1847: from diversity to mercury detection Open
Microbial communities inhabiting sponges are known to take part in many metabolic pathways, including nutrient cycles, and possibly also in the bioaccumulation of trace elements (TEs). Here, we used high-throughput, Illumina sequencing of …
View article: <i>NAMBER</i>: A biotic index for assessing the ecological quality of mesophotic biogenic reefs in the northern Adriatic Sea
<i>NAMBER</i>: A biotic index for assessing the ecological quality of mesophotic biogenic reefs in the northern Adriatic Sea Open
The aim of the present study was to propose a biotic index ( North Adriatic Mesophotic BiogEnic Reefs , NAMBER ) suitable for assessing the ecological quality of the mesophotic biogenic reefs of the northern Adriatic continental shelf base…
View article: Protocooperation in Tubastraea cf. micranthus to catch large planktonic prey
Protocooperation in Tubastraea cf. micranthus to catch large planktonic prey Open
Corals are considered suspension
View article: Distribution of mercury inside the Mediterranean sponge Chondrosia reniformis: A study case from the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (Tyrrhenian Sea)
Distribution of mercury inside the Mediterranean sponge Chondrosia reniformis: A study case from the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (Tyrrhenian Sea) Open
Trace elements are ubiquitous substances in the marine environment, representing a problematic hazard for organisms since many of them lack any biological function. The main aim of the study was to investigate the variation of the total me…
View article: Unravelling the sponge diversity of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)
Unravelling the sponge diversity of the Tuscan Archipelago National Park (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy) Open
Porifera are considered key components of benthic communities, being typical inhabitants of both shallow and deep waters, from the mesolittoral to the bathyal zone. Although sponges are one of the most common organisms in Western Mediterra…
View article: Biomonitoring of Heavy Metals: The Unexplored Role of Marine Sessile Taxa
Biomonitoring of Heavy Metals: The Unexplored Role of Marine Sessile Taxa Open
Coastal areas are known to receive significant anthropogenic inputs, mainly deriving from metropolitan areas, industries, and activities related to tourism. Among these inputs, some trace elements are listed as priority pollutants in the E…
View article: Hg Levels in Marine Porifera of Montecristo and Giglio Islands (Tuscan Archipelago, Italy)
Hg Levels in Marine Porifera of Montecristo and Giglio Islands (Tuscan Archipelago, Italy) Open
Porifera are filter-feeding organisms known to bioaccumulate different contaminants in their tissues. The presence of mercury (Hg) has been reported in different Mediterranean species, mainly collected in the southern coast of France. In t…
View article: Main Anthropogenic Impacts on Benthic Macrofauna of Sandy Beaches: A Review
Main Anthropogenic Impacts on Benthic Macrofauna of Sandy Beaches: A Review Open
Sandy beaches provide several ecosystem services such as coastal protection and resilience, water filtration and nutrient mineralization. Beaches also represent a hub for social, cultural and economic relationships as well as educational a…
View article: A new species of Zygophylax (Quelch, 1885) (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from South Africa, with taxonomic notes on the southern African species of the genus
A new species of Zygophylax (Quelch, 1885) (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from South Africa, with taxonomic notes on the southern African species of the genus Open
The genus Zygophylax is a genus of leptothecate hydroids considerably rich in the number of species in the deep sea. In this study we review five species, Z. africana, Z. crozetensis, Z. infundibulum, Z. millardae and Z. geminocarpa, from …
View article: Asymmetrical distribution of<i>Distichopora violacea</i>(Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) in four Maldivian atolls
Asymmetrical distribution of<i>Distichopora violacea</i>(Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) in four Maldivian atolls Open
Stylasterids belong to one of the few calcifying hydroid families that are commonly found in shallow tropical coral reefs. Although these corals are accurately described from a taxonomic point of view, information about their ecology is sc…
View article: Temperate mesophotic ecosystems: gaps and perspectives of an emerging conservation challenge for the Mediterranean Sea
Temperate mesophotic ecosystems: gaps and perspectives of an emerging conservation challenge for the Mediterranean Sea Open
Mesophotic habitats, hosting benthic assemblages totally unknown and unexpected in the early 2000s, are attracting an increasing interest from scientists. Realizing that many long living and habitat forming species are playing a unique poc…
View article: Temperate mesophotic ecosystems: gaps and perspectives of an emerging conservation challenge for the Mediterranean Sea
Temperate mesophotic ecosystems: gaps and perspectives of an emerging conservation challenge for the Mediterranean Sea Open
Mesophotic habitats, hosting benthic assemblages totally unknown and unexpected in the early 2000s, are attracting an increasing interest from scientists. Realizing that many long living and habitat forming species are playing a unique poc…