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 study of hypogean fauna is critical for preserving subterranean biodiversity and ecosystem functions despite climate change. However, underground habitats, often hosting unique and endemic species, present significant challenges for traditional biodiversity assessments owing to their inaccessibility and the specialised nature of their inhabitants, resulting in a paucity of academic studies. Furthermore, even when these studies exist, data are often held in personal notes and databases that are not interoperable according to current standards, making them less usable for research purposes. Reawakening this dormant data, standardising, and sharing it according to modern criteria offers enormous opportunities to expand existing knowledge and provide support for future studies. In the Apulian region of Southern Italy, a biodiversity hotspot for subterranean life, the paucity of recent systematic surveys and reliance on expert knowledge poses both opportunities and challenges for ecological research. By integrating data from various sources, this study provides an overview of the subterranean faunal assemblages documented in this region. Overall, the dataset is comprehensive, comprising 109 species (29 of which are considered endemic to Apulia) and 224 sites, totalling 622 presence-only records. As our records have expanded over 93 years, this dataset represents a unique resource for elucidating the characteristics of Apulian subterranean ecosystems and potentially their changes over time. Integrating observations already published in previous studies with unpublished records, this is the first complete data collection on Apulian subterranean fauna organised according to modern standards of data sharing.

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.