Neomeris annulata Dickie (Dasycladales, Chlorophyceae): a potential new invader from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea

Neomeris annulata Dickie is reported for the first time from the Mediterranean Sea (Syria). The most probable hypothesis concerning the origin of these populations is a recent introduction from the Red Sea via the Suez Canal. The species is grazer-resistant due to the production of CaCO3 and chemical defenses (sesquiterpenes), and the environmental conditions of the eastern Mediterranean are compatible with the temperature requirements of the species, so the further spread of N. annulata in the Mediterranean Sea is to be expected.