New and long-awaited recruitment of the Critically Endangered species Pinna nobilis in the Mar Menor lagoon (SE Spain, Murcia)

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Published: Apr 23, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.39227
Keywords:
Pinna nobilis recruitment juvenile Mar Menor
PILAR MARTÍNEZ-MARTÍNEZ
Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
FRANCISCA GIMÉNEZ-CASALDUERO
Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain & Marine Research Centre of Santa Pola, University of Alicante, 03130 Santa Pola, Spain
YOLANDA FERNÁNDEZ-TORQUEMADA
Department of Marine Sciences and Applied Biology, University of Alicante, 03690 San Vicente del Raspeig, Alicante, Spain
JAVIER MURCIA
Marine farming technician and underwater photographer, 30201 Cartagena, Spain
ALICIA MONTANO-SIMÓN
General Directorate of Natural Heritage and Climate Action - Regional Ministry of Environment, Universities, Research and Mar Menor of Murcia Region, 30008 Murcia, Spain
EMILIO CORTÉS-MELENDRERAS
Aquarium of the University of Murcia, University of Murcia, 30002 Murcia, Spain
Abstract

The bivalve mollusk Pinna nobilis is critically endangered. The specimens from the Mar Menor coastal lagoon constitute one of only two surviving populations in Spain. Due to the eutrophic conditions and environmental collapse of the lagoon, the number of living individuals has been drastically reduced. Furthermore, these conditions, along with other factors, have made it difficult for the species to reproduce successfully. In this report, a new recruitment of individuals detected in the Mar Menor is described for the first time in years. It was considered their spatial and size distribution, and their estimated age.

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