The fishery biology of the invasive Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus in the Mediterranean Sea outside the eastern sectors of the basin has been only recently investigated. Here we studied the population of C. sapidus in the Lesina Lagoon (Adriatic Sea, SE Italy). In total, 838 crabs were captured monthly between February 2021 and January 2022 using fyke nets. Abundances varied seasonally with catches per unit effort ranging between 0 and 1.76 crabs fyke nets⁻¹ d⁻¹ in winter and summer. Spatial abundances estimated in summer by a Carle–Strub procedure ranged between 0.06 and 0.64 crabs m⁻². The sex ratio (♂/♀) was close to 1:1; males prevailed only in August and September; ovigerous females occurred from April to August. The males’ size at morphological maturity was smaller than females (110.6–112.3 mm vs. 122.1–123.1 mm). Seasonal von Bertalanffy growth parameters indicated that, compared with males, females showed a shorter maximum lifespan (5 vs. 8 years), a higher growth coefficient K (0.6 vs. 0.4 y⁻¹) and growth performance index Ф’ (4.6 vs. 4.3), while maximum sizes CW∞ (237.8 vs. 232.6 mm) and seasonality indices C (0.62 vs. 0.57) were similar. Furthermore, females showed higher natural and fishing mortalities and exploitation rate. We discussed the results of the present study in the context of the available literature to provide a valuable basis for the implementation of standardized Mediterranean-scale management plans, matching exploitation of C. sapidus with sustainable conservation of coastal ecosystems.

The fishery biology of the invasive Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus in the Mediterranean Sea outside the eastern sectors of the basin has been only recently investigated. Here we studied the population of C. sapidus in the Lesina Lagoon (Adriatic Sea, SE Italy). In total, 838 crabs were captured monthly between February 2021 and January 2022 using fyke nets. Abundances varied seasonally with catches per unit effort ranging between 0 and 1.76 crabs fyke nets-1 d-1 in winter and summer. Spatial abundances estimated in summer by a Carle-Strub procedure ranged between 0.06 and 0.64 crabs m-2. Sex ratio (♂/♀) was close to 1:1; males prevailed only in August and September; ovigerous females occurred from April to August. Males’ size at morphological maturity was smaller than females (110.6-112.3 mm vs. 122.1-123.1 mm). Seasonal von Bertalanffy growth parameters indicated that, compared with males, females showed a shorter maximum lifespan (5 vs. 8 years), a higher growth coefficient K (0.6 vs. 0.4 y-1) and growth performance index ' (4.6 vs. 4.3), while maximum sizes CW∞ (237.8 vs. 232.6 mm) and seasonality indices C (0.62 vs. 0.57) were similar. Furthermore, females showed higher natural and fishing mortalities and exploitation rate. We discussed the results of the present study in the context of the available literature to provide a valuable basis for the implementation of standardised Mediterranean-scale management plans, matching exploitation of C. sapidus with sustainable conservation of coastal ecosystems.

As part of a study of the genus Archithosia Birket-Smith as a whole, this article focuses on the subgenus Eurythosia Krüger, describing a new species from Uganda: Archithosia henricus Durante, Potenza, and Pellegrino n. sp. The authors compare this new species with the other five species previously included in the subgenus, basing their diagnosis primarily on the male genitalia.

The genus Archithosia Birket-Smith, 1965 is herein revised, and two species groups are identified, along with the description of 4 species as new to science (Archithosia ghanensis Durante & Potenza sp. nov.; Archithosia gabonensis Durante & Potenza sp. nov.; Archithosia tchibozo Durante & Pellegrino sp. nov.; Archithosia ugandensis Durante & Pellegrino sp. nov.), while a fifth, close to Archithosia costimacula (Mabille, 1878), remains unnamed due to the scarcity of material. Archithosia decipiens (Holland, 1893) is reinstated as a bona species, and the lectotype is designated. The genus Asbolopsyche Krüger, 2015 is argued to not belong to the Archithosia group of genera.

Nel presente lavoro viene fatto un dettagliato compendio di quanto noto a tutt’oggi sulla diffusione di Lemonia italiana (Prozorov et al., 2022) e si aggiungono nuovi dati. Vengono inoltre corrette alcune inesattezze: A) Lemonia taraxaci ab. depuncta Stephens, 1924, recte Lemonia taraxaci ab. depuncta Stephan, 1924; B) Lemonia taraxaci ab. antigone Stauder, 1913 (type locality: Adriatic Sea coast), recte Lemonia taraxaci ab. antigone Stauder, 1913: typus “An einer Strassenlanterne in Scorcola” (circoscrizione di Trieste) (Venezia Giulia; Italia), va riferita a L. taraxaci e non a L. strigata.