ANALISIS DE DISTRIBUCION DE LA ESPECIE TUBASTRAEA COCCINEA, SU ABUNDANCIA Y POSIBLES IMPACTOS EN LAS COSTAS DE ECUADOR Y GALAPAGOS.

Abstract

Due to the harmful and invasive potential of the exotic species Tubastraea coccinea both in the environmental and economic, its distribution has been investigated, determining the abundance and the possible potential impacts of this individual in Ecuador. The study carried out was the analysis of data from documents and existing investigations of reports of this species, longitudinal non-experimental on the coasts of continental Ecuador and Galapagos. For which tools such as QGIS, Inaturalist, Microsoft Excel and GBIF were used. Through these instruments, the increase in the invasive species eventually became known in the years 2004 to 2021, resulting in most of the records in the Galapagos Islands. Thanks to these sightings, it was found that a lot of records of this coral is in a naturalized state, gradually increasing its presence. It was observed that greater long-term impacts can be generated, as a result of the increase in its abundance, since when the coral begins to compete with other species, it has managed to displace them, leaving different fish that lived in these species without a home and food. affected. So, it is essential to know more about this marine, exotic and invasive animal.