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Since arriving to the northern Atlantic Ocean less than 30 years ago, lionfish have quickly become one of the most widespread and voracious invasive species, negatively impacting marine ecosystems—particularly coral reefs—from the northeast coast of the United States to the Caribbean Islands. In a new study, an international research team including the California Academy of Sciences presents four new records of lionfish off the coast of Brazil, confirming the invasion of the predatory fish into the South Atlantic for the first time.
South America
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Spotlights
California Academy of Sciences.
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.
More than 50 non-native species have found their way to the Galápagos Islands, over 10 times more than scientists previously thought, reports a new study in Aquatic Invasions published Thursday, March 28. The study, a joint effort of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Williams College, and the Charles Darwin Foundation, documents 53 species of introduced marine animals in this UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the largest marine protected areas on Earth. Before this study came out, scientists knew about only five.
Galapagos Conservancy.
The restoration of Pinzón Island continues following the successful rat eradication campaign in December 2012, carried out by the Galapagos National Park Directorate (GNPD), in collaboration with Island Conservation and The Raptor Center. In addition to the exciting news of natural recruitment of juvenile tortoises into the population, a potentially new endemic snail species has recently been discovered.
Selected Resources
The section below contains highly relevant resources for this subject, organized by source. Or, to display all related content view all resources for South America
Partnership
Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN). I3N Invasive Species Network. Horus Institute for Environmental Conservation and Development.
Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk; Charles Darwin Foundation; Galapagos National Park; Ecuadorian Agricultural Health Service in Galapagos; Galapagos National Institute.
Academic
La Plata National University (Argentina). Invading Mollusks Research Group.
Professional
Instituto Brasileiro de Biodiversidade (Brazil).
Bioinvasão Brasil is a digital platform developed with the objective of making available records of invasive alien species in Brazil. Special Note: In Portuguese.
Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (Institute for Marine and Coastal Research, Colombia).
Special Note: In Spanish
Instituto Hórus de Desenvolvimento e Conservação Ambiental (Horus Institute of Environmental Development and Conservation, Brazil).
Special Note: Site in Portuguese and Spanish
Galapagos Conservancy.