Pinna Nobilis: An Endangered Species Of Mediterranean Sea SciDoc Publishers | Open Access | Science Journals | Media Partners

Introduction The fan mussel Pinna nobilis (L. 1758) is one of the largest bivalve mollusc in the world and is the largest endemic Mediterranean bivalve, reaching a size of up to 120 cm [1]. Fan mussels have a triangular shape [2] and live partially buried in the substrate [3]. They occur in coastal and estuarine zones between 0.5 and 60 m depth [4] preferentially associated with Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa meadows [5]. P. nobilis is a long-lived hermaphrodite species (about 30 years). P. nobilis population in all over the world has suffered a decline because of the heavily exploitation and for this reason the fan mussel has been listed as an endangered species (European Council Directive 92/43/EEC) in the Mediterranean Sea and has been declared a protected species (EEC 1992). To date more scientist are trying to set up a protocol for the reintroduction of the species in some habitats and the protection of the pre-existent populations, i.e. transplant could be also one of the methods useful to protect endangered species as P. nobilis for which first attempts of transplantation have been tried in Corsica by De Gaulejac and Vicente [6] and successively in Sicily by Bottari et al. [7]. The last research showed the feasibility and efficiency of transplanting as method to contrast P. nobilis population decline. To ensure the development of sustainable management strategies it is necessary