Targeted eDNA Survey Enables Consistent Detection of the Invasive Blue Crab in Trans‐Border Adriatic Coastal‐Marine Ecosystems
8 affiliations
- 1Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences and Technologies University of Salento Lecce Italy
- 2Research Centre for Fisheries and Aquaculture of Acquatina di Frigole, DiSTeBA University of Salento Lecce Italy
- 3Department of Biology University of Padova Padova Italy
- 4Eduforma Srl Padova Italy
- 5Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of Split‐Dalmatia County Split Croatia
- 6Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of Dubrovnik‐Neretva County Dubrovnik Croatia
- 7Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries Split Croatia
- 8Blu Marine Service Soc Coop San Benedetto del Tronto Italy
Abstract
The invasive blue crab Callinectes sapidus poses a significant ecological and economic threat to Mediterranean marine ecosystems, highlighting the need for sensitive and reliable tools for its early detection. We developed and validated a species‐specific environmental DNA (eDNA) assay designed for sensitive detection of C. sapidus . Species‐specific primers targeting a 464 bp fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene were designed, and their specificity was confirmed through in silico analyses using Primer‐BLAST and Sanger sequencing, and their effectiveness was validated via high‐throughput sequencing (HTS) of environmental DNA (eDNA) samples. The assay based on eDNA proved to be reliable and robust in confirming the presence of blue crab DNA in five cross‐border Adriatic pilot areas impacted by this invasive species. In addition, the dominant OTU was consistently present in all sites, while haplotype network analysis using ASVs revealed a shared central haplotype across Adriatic populations, supporting their genetic cohesiveness and a common invasion history. These results emphasize the importance of molecular tools for tracking invasion dynamics and reinforce the potential for uniform genetic profiles to facilitate management efforts. Overall, our findings demonstrate that targeted eDNA approaches are essential for effective early detection and containment strategies in marine ecosystems threatened by biological invasions, and that the blue crab in the Adriatic Sea constitutes a potential genetically cohesive invasive entity.
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BibTeX
@article{donno2026targeted,
title = {{Targeted eDNA Survey Enables Consistent Detection of the Invasive Blue Crab in Trans‐Border Adriatic Coastal‐Marine Ecosystems}},
author = {Maria Dolores De Donno and Francesco Zangaro and Pietro Arnosti and Sara Bergamin and Josip Boban and Maria Pia Bozzetti and Armando Cazzetta and Cristiano De Pittà and Dario Dessanai and Filippo Drigo and Olumide Temitope Julius and Laura Ključe and Jelena Lušić and Francesca Marcucci and Roberto Massaro and Valeria Morelli and Isabella Moro and Nikša Nazlić and Michele Pellizzato and Marco Rainò and Mahallelah Shauer and Marta Tasinazzo and Emanuele Troli and Valeria Specchia and Maurizio Pinna},
journal = {Ecology and evolution},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1002/ece3.74462},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13658837},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Targeted eDNA Survey Enables Consistent Detection of the Invasive Blue Crab in Trans‐Border Adriatic Coastal‐Marine Ecosystems
AU - Maria Dolores De Donno
AU - Francesco Zangaro
AU - Pietro Arnosti
AU - Sara Bergamin
AU - Josip Boban
AU - Maria Pia Bozzetti
AU - Armando Cazzetta
AU - Cristiano De Pittà
AU - Dario Dessanai
AU - Filippo Drigo
AU - Olumide Temitope Julius
AU - Laura Ključe
AU - Jelena Lušić
AU - Francesca Marcucci
AU - Roberto Massaro
AU - Valeria Morelli
AU - Isabella Moro
AU - Nikša Nazlić
AU - Michele Pellizzato
AU - Marco Rainò
AU - Mahallelah Shauer
AU - Marta Tasinazzo
AU - Emanuele Troli
AU - Valeria Specchia
AU - Maurizio Pinna
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - Ecology and evolution
DO - 10.1002/ece3.74462
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13658837
AB - The invasive blue crab Callinectes sapidus poses a significant ecological and economic threat to Mediterranean marine ecosystems, highlighting the need for sensitive and reliable tools for its early detection. We developed and validated a species‐specific environmental DNA (eDNA) assay designed for sensitive detection of C. sapidus . Species‐specific primers targeting a 464 bp fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene were designed, and their specificity was confirmed through in silico analyses using Primer‐BLAST and Sanger sequencing, and their effectiveness was validated via high‐throughput sequencing (HTS) of environmental DNA (eDNA) samples. The assay based on eDNA proved to be reliable and robust in confirming the presence of blue crab DNA in five cross‐border Adriatic pilot areas impacted by this invasive species. In addition, the dominant OTU was consistently present in all sites, while haplotype network analysis using ASVs revealed a shared central haplotype across Adriatic populations, supporting their genetic cohesiveness and a common invasion history. These results emphasize the importance of molecular tools for tracking invasion dynamics and reinforce the potential for uniform genetic profiles to facilitate management efforts. Overall, our findings demonstrate that targeted eDNA approaches are essential for effective early detection and containment strategies in marine ecosystems threatened by biological invasions, and that the blue crab in the Adriatic Sea constitutes a potential genetically cohesive invasive entity.
SN - 2045-7758
ER -