Citizens Of The Sea report: High Seas

READ ME

The CitSea Interactive Reports allow you to explore offshore biodiversity results from environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling. At the top of each site report, headline indicators summarise what was detected, including the number of kingdoms, ASVs (amplicon sequence variants), families, and species.

Use the navigation tabs to switch between different views:

Sampling Map shows where samples were collected;

Species Gallery provides a visual look at taxa detected;

Taxa Table lists results in a searchable format;

Diversity tab display richness and diversity indices;

AI-based Summary highlights key findings;

NIS and HABs tab flags non-indigenous species and species that have the potential to form harmful algal blooms; and

Marine Vertebrates tab highlights locations where marine vertebrates were detected.

Interactive maps let you zoom in on specific sites, and hovering over a marker reveals metadata for that location. Sample ID numbers can be input into the Taxa Table to explore taxa detected at specific locations. Each dataset is linked with metadata and reference databases to ensure transparency and scientific value.

Note on Contamination and Filtering:

Because eDNA is highly sensitive, sequences from terrestrial organisms (e.g., humans, land mammals, or laboratory contaminants) can sometimes appear in the results. Since CitSea samples are collected exclusively from seawater, any detections that were found in the negative controls, and those of clearly non-marine taxa have been carefully documented and then filtered out of the dataset before results are displayed. This ensures that the dashboard reflects only genuine marine biodiversity signals while maintaining transparency about data quality.

Glossary

ASV (Amplicon Sequence Variant)

An ASV is a unique DNA sequence identified from high-throughput sequencing of environmental samples. ASVs provide fine-scale resolution of biodiversity, capturing exact genetic variants rather than grouped clusters. The total number of ASVs reflects overall genetic diversity detected.

Kingdoms

The highest level of biological classification (e.g., animals, plants, fungi, protists, bacteria, archaea). Detecting multiple kingdoms shows the broad range of life captured in eDNA samples.

Families

A mid-level taxonomic category used to group related organisms (e.g., whales belong to the family Balaenopteridae). Counting families detected helps show how many different evolutionary lineages were present in the samples.

Species

The basic unit of biological classification. Species detection indicates specific organisms that can be identified from eDNA, though not all ASVs can be confidently resolved to species level.

Taxa

A general term for groups of organisms classified together at any rank in the biological hierarchy, such as species, families, or kingdoms. In the CitSea dashboard, “taxa” refers broadly to the different biological groups detected in eDNA samples.

HABs (Harmful Algal Blooms)

Certain algae can grow rapidly under favourable conditions, producing toxins or depleting oxygen in the water. These blooms can threaten marine ecosystems, fisheries, and human health. The dashboard highlights eDNA detections of ASVs that were taxonomically assigned to species known to cause HABs, reported in the IOC-UNESCO Taxonomic Reference List of Harmful Micro Algae (https://www.marinespecies.org/hab/).

NIS (Non-Indigenous Species)

Species that occur outside their natural range, often introduced by shipping, aquaculture, or other human activity. Some NIS can become invasive, outcompeting local species and disrupting ecosystems. The dashboard flags detections of known or potential NIS.

Kingdoms detected

7

Number of ASVs

17435

Families detected

375

Species detected

511

Map showing sampling locations as part of the 2024 Pacific Island Cruising Rally. Recreational sailors were equipped and trained to collect daily eDNA samples (in triplicate) during their offshore passages.

Map Tiles via Esri — National Geographic, Esri, DeLorme, NAVTEQ, UNEP-WCMC, USGS, NASA, ESA, METI, NRCAN, GEBCO, NOAA, iPC.

We display every species we detected here, sorted by IUCN Red List status. The IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria are intended to be an easily and widely understood system for classifying species at high risk of global extinction. DD: Data deficient. LC: Least Concern. VU: Vulnerable. EN: Endangered. CR: Critically endangered.

Click on the image to open the relevant Atlas of Living Australia page.

From these samples we detected no species listed on the IUCN Red List as Critically Endangered, no as Endangered, no as Vulnerable, no as Near Threatened, one as Data Deficient, 12 as Least Concern, and 396 species that have not yet been assessed by the IUCN.

IUCN Data Deficient species

Tetrapturus angustirostris
Figure 1: Data Deficient species

IUCN Least Concern species

Ceratoscopelus warmingii

Exocoetus volitans

Globicephala macrorhynchus

Gobiomorphus australis

Katsuwonus pelamis

Retropinna retropinna

Salmo trutta

Stenella attenuata
Figure 2: Least Concern species

Not pictured: Encrasicholina punctifer, Triphoturus nigrescens, Bolinichthys longipes, Bolinichthys distofax.

Species not assessed by IUCN

Abylopsis tetragona

Aglaura hemistoma

Bassia bassensis

Calanus glacialis

Calocalanus pavo

Cerithium egenum

Cerithium rostratum

Cestum veneris

Colobonema sericeum

Creseis clava

Creseis virgula

Doliolum denticulatum

Glaucus atlanticus

Haeckelia rubra

Liriope tetraphylla

Littorina littorea

Oikopleura dioica

Paracalanus parvus

Prostheceraeus vittatus

Protatlanta souleyeti

Salpa fusiformis

Sapphirina darwinii

Solmundella bitentaculata

Temora turbinata

Tyrophagus putrescentiae

Velella velella
Figure 3: Not Assessed species

Not pictured: Alteromonas, Oithona similis, Diphyes dispar, Prochlorococcus MIT9313 marinus, Mecynocera clausi, Abylopsis eschscholtzii, Rhabdonella poculum, Acartia negligens, Photobacterium leiognathi, Vibrio, Photobacterium, Fabibacter misakiensis, Idiomarina, Alcanivorax venustensis, Eutintinnus fraknoi, Photobacterium angustum, Pseudoalteromonas, Eutintinnus perminutus, Calocalanus plumulosus, Gilvibacter sediminis, Pseudoalteromonas phenolica, Paracalanus nanus, Calocalanus curtus, Nanomia bijuga, Spirotontonia grandis, Pontellina plumata, Vibrio sagamiensis, Trichodesmium IMS101 erythraeum, Marinobacter, Richelia HH01 intracellularis, Marinomonas communis, Alcanivorax borkumensis, Clausocalanus furcatus, Chromohalobacter, Eutintinnus medius, Trichodesmium IMS101 thiebautii, Halomonas, Streptococcus, Granulicatella, Acrocalanus monachus, Paracalanus tropicus, Idiomarina loihiensis, Henriciella marina, Lentisphaera, Clausocalanus paululus, Calocalanus minutus, Ptychopera plebeia, Calocalanus styliremis, Clausocalanus pergens, Lucicutia flavicornis, Euchaeta marina, Planktotalea frisia, Chloropicon sieburthii, Gephyrocapsa parvula, Halioglobus pacificus, Heliconoides inflatus, Clausocalanus arcuicornis, Chloroparvula pacifica, Haloptilus longicornis, Zoothamnium pelagicum, Phaeocystis globosa, Iridona iridescens, Atelocyanobacterium (UCYN-A) thalassa, Centropages furcatus, Temora discaudata, Vibrio azureus, Oncaea waldemari, Macrosetella gracilis, Acrocalanus gracilis, Lentilitoribacter donghaensis, Miracia efferata, Chloroparvula japonica, Pelagibius litoralis, Euphausia vallentini, Labrenzia marina, Chloropicon roscoffensis, Trichodesmium IMS101 havanum, Paracalanus indicus, Copilia mirabilis, Pseudoalteromonas marina, Doliolum nationalis, Thalassotalea coralli, Brevibacterium, Staphylococcus, Sphaeronectes koellikeri, Oncaea scottodicarloi, Amphorellopsis quinquealata, Pseudomonas, Grimontia indica, Thalia democratica, Tachidius triangularis, Tenacibaculum litopenaei, Stenotrophomonas, Micromonas pusilla, Chloropicon mariensis, Hortaea werneckii, Loxomitra tetraorganon, Eutintinnus apertus, Shimia, Acrocalanus longicornis, Farranula gibbula, Scolecithricella longispinosa, Labrenzia alexandrii, Endozoicomonas atrinae, Corynebacterium, Brevundimonas, Crocosphaera watsonii, Sphingobacterium faecium, Janthinobacterium lividum, Acinetobacter, Psychrobacter celer, Aureitalea marina, Agrobacterium, Pseudochrobactrum kiredjianiae, Kaistia, Pseudoalteromonas luteoviolacea, Sphingobacterium, Psychrobacter marincola, Alcanivorax marinus, Halomonas meridiana, Cosmocalanus darwinii, Steenstrupiella steenstrupii, Oikopleura fusiformis, Clausocalanus ingens, Umbilicosphaera sibogae, Marinobacter manganoxydans, Algicola bacteriolytica, Alteromonas australica, Syracosphaera pulchra, Erythrobacter, Methylobacterium, Sapphirina scarlata, Sphingobium, Lensia campanella, Psychrobacter, Prymnesium polylepis, Sanguibacter, Shimia marina, Erwinia, Brachybacterium tyrofermentans, Erwinia piriflorinigrans, Pseudoclavibacter, Novosphingobium, Erwinia rhapontici, Brevibacterium yomogidense, Leucobacter luti, Sphingobium japonicum, Agromyces atrinae, Microbacterium, Martelella endophytica, Hypocoma acinetarum, Prasinoderma singulare, Phaeocystis cordata, Vibrio caribbeanicus, Mesonia mobilis, Alteromonas macleodii, Sinistrostrombidium cupiformum, Parallelostrombidium conicum, Pseudo-nitzschia sabit, Muricauda, Vibrio harveyi, Lynnella semiglobulosa, Candacia truncata, Candacia bispinosa, Pleuromamma scutullata, Halomonas taeanensis, Maricaulis, Euchaeta rimana, Thalassospira, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Salinisphaera japonica, Leuconostoc, Geryonia proboscidalis, Rahnella aquatilis, Janthinobacterium, Pleuromamma abdominalis, Pseudomonas lurida, Chaetoceros peruvianus, Plantibacter, Duganella zoogloeoides, Scyphosphaera apsteinii, Nanozoanthus harenaceus, Cobetia, Ctenocalanus vanus, Photobacterium damselae, Tenacibaculum, Lactococcus, Halomonas aquamarina, Ferosagitta robusta, Euplotes nobilii, Pontella fera, Centropages violaceus, Pseudo-nitzschia multistriata, Vibrio coralliilyticus, Novosphingobium humi, Firoloida desmarestia, Oncaea media, Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus, Emiliania huxleyi, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Acinetobacter lwoffii, Strombidium cf. basimorphum, Thalassolituus oleivorans, Penicillium citrinum, Corynebacterium minutissimum, Vibrio splendidus, Chromohalobacter canadensis, Gemella, Paracalanus aff. denudatus PA0058.GOA, Salpingacantha undata, Xystonella longicauda, Oikopleura gracilis, Alteromonas genovensis, Alteromonas hispanica, Dokdonia genika, Vibrio chagasii, Forskalia tholoides, Clausocalanus parapergens, Sphingopyxis panaciterrae, Vampyrophrya pelagica, Hyalophysa lwoffi, Corynebacterium accolens, Shewanella, Colwellia meonggei, Pneumoderma atlantica, Styliola subula, Pseudoalteromonas citrea, Curtobacterium, Triconia conifera, Enhydrobacter aerosaccus, Cutibacterium, Vibrio diabolicus, Kocuria, Chryseobacterium hominis, Aidanosagitta regularis, Ruegeria atlantica, Hyphomonas adhaerens, Prymnesium aff. polylepis, Pantoea, Paracalanus aff. denudatus PA0053.MED, Pachos punctatum, Polyophthalmus pictus, Aquabacterium parvum, Sphingobium yanoikuyae, Pseudo-nitzschia abrensis, Acinetobacter johnsonii, Aerococcus, Clausocalanus mastigophorus, Actinomyces naeslundii, Candacia ethiopica, Sphingomonas panni, Oncaea mediterranea, Paracalanus denudatus, Gephyrocapsa oceanica, Polaribacter dokdonensis, Clausocalanus jobei, Cupriavidus, Tepidicella xavieri, Oikopleura albicans, Candacia bipinnata, Acanthamoeba castellanii, Rhodococcus aerolatus, Salinicola salarius, Nisaea nitritireducens, Psychrobacter namhaensis, Micrococcus, Haemophilus, Sphingomonas, Gordonia, Turicella otitidis, Dietzia, Paracoccus, Labidocera detruncata, Forskalia asymmetrica, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Parengyodontium album, Pleuromamma gracilis, Thalia longicauda, Pseudomonas pachastrellae, Salinisphaera, Oleibacter marinus, Heterorhabdus papilliger, Trichodesmium IMS101 contortum, Megalocercus huxleyi, Corynebacterium pilbarense, Oithona attenuata, Cupriavidus metallidurans, Acinetobacter guillouiae, Sulfitobacter pontiacus, Canuella perplexa, Pectinaria granulata, Pterocirrus montereyensis, Pseudodiaptomus nihonkaiensis, Chelophyes appendiculata, Aliivibrio, Ryocalanus squamatus, Calanoides carinatus, Fangia hongkongensis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Caulobacter, Protocystis xiphodon, Roseateles depolymerans, Rhodococcus, Alteromonas litorea, Neisseria, Lautropia mirabilis, Oceanicaulis stylophorae, Clausocalanus minor, Vibrio penaeicida, Chaetoceros rostratus, Vibrio fortis, Mycobacterium, Sphingomonas melonis, Hubrechtella juliae, Mesodinium rubrum, Carnobacterium, Euphausia mutica, Tropicibacter phthalicicus, Clausocalanus farrani, Marinococcus, Abiotrophia defectiva, Mameliella alba, Actinomyces, Chaetoceros elegans, Apiospora arundinis, Bradyrhizobium, Metarhizium brunneum, Dolosigranulum pigrum, Hyalocylis striata, Leucothea multicornis, Oikopleura parva, Salpingacantha unguiculata, Mesocalanus tenuicornis, Chaetoceros mannaii, Climacocylis scalaroides, Mesorhizobium, Salinicola zeshunii, Corynebacterium kroppenstedtii, Paracoccus oceanense, Pseudoalteromonas ruthenica, Vibrio campbellii, Pterosperma cristatum, Pseudovibrio ascidiaceicola, Peracle reticulata, Creseis conica, Marinomonas gallaica, Marinomonas atlantica, Pseudoalteromonas carrageenovora, Canthocalanus pauper, Salinicola, Shewanella schlegeliana, Shewanella olleyana, Vibrio gigantis, Helicosphaera carteri, Achromobacter, Cyberlindnera sargentensis, Psychrobacter piscatorii, Leucobacter, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Glutamicibacter, Brachybacterium, Enterobacter, Hanseniaspora opuntiae, Klebsiella, Flavobacterium, Lactococcus piscium, Herminiimonas, Sulfitobacter dubius, Geotrichum candidum, Thalassotalea loyana.

Images have been sourced from Wikimedia Commons.

We compare pieces of DNA sampled from the environment with a reference database. This table lists every species we detected, along with how closely the DNA we found matches known species in the reference database. For each species we list the IUCN Red List status. The IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria are intended to be an easily and widely understood system for classifying species at high risk of global extinction. DD: Data deficient. LC: Least Concern. VU: Vulnerable. EN: Endangered. CR: Critically endangered.

Table of detected taxa

Explore the types of organisms found in these samples. This interactive chart (Krona plot) lets you see which groups were most common — from broad categories like bacteria and animalia down to families and species of fishes. Click on individual segments to zoom in. :::

Krona Plot

Below are different diversity metrices plotted for all samples taken within this area. The first plot shows the relative abundance of different groups of organisms (classified at the class taxonomic level). The middle plot presents three commonly used measures of alpha diversity. These are different ways of describing how many unique ASVs were found in each sample. The bottom plot shows how similar or different samples are from one another. Each point represents a sample, and points there are close together have very similar species. For reference, the points are coloured based on the latitude where each sample was collected.

We asked an AI (Claude’s Anthropic 3.7) which species it thinks are the most interesting detected in this site, and why they are interesting. We reproduce the answer below. We ask Claude only for validated species, i.e., species that are known to occur in the area.

Prochlorococcus marinus MIT9313

Prochlorococcus is one of the most abundant organisms on Earth and a critical component of marine ecosystems. This tiny marine cyanobacterium is responsible for producing approximately 20% of the world’s oxygen through photosynthesis, making it essential for maintaining breathable air. Despite being invisible to the naked eye, billions of these cells float in every liter of tropical and subtropical ocean water, where they form the foundation of marine food webs by converting sunlight and carbon dioxide into organic matter that feeds countless other marine organisms.

Trichodesmium erythraeum IMS101

Trichodesmium is a remarkable marine cyanobacterium that forms large, visible colonies in tropical and subtropical oceans, sometimes creating spectacular blooms that can be seen from space. This organism plays a crucial role in ocean fertility by fixing atmospheric nitrogen and converting it into forms that other marine life can use, essentially fertilizing vast areas of nutrient-poor ocean waters. Its ability to both photosynthesize and fix nitrogen makes it a cornerstone species that supports marine food webs, particularly in regions where other nutrients are scarce.

Vibrio species

Vibrio bacteria are among the most important marine microbes for human health and seafood safety. While many species are harmless, some can cause serious foodborne illnesses when people consume contaminated seafood, particularly raw or undercooked shellfish. Vibrio bacteria naturally occur in warm coastal waters and can multiply rapidly in seafood that isn’t properly handled or stored. Climate change and warming ocean temperatures are expanding their range and increasing infection risks, making them a growing public health concern for coastal communities and seafood consumers worldwide.

Emiliania huxleyi

Emiliania huxleyi is a microscopic marine alga that has an enormous impact on Earth’s climate and ocean chemistry. This single-celled organism creates beautiful, intricate calcium carbonate plates that form massive blooms visible from satellites, appearing as milky-blue swirls across ocean surfaces. It plays a crucial role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and transferring it to the deep ocean, helping regulate global climate. The organism is also economically important as its ancient remains form chalk deposits and limestone, including the famous White Cliffs of Dover.

Salmo trutta (Brown Trout)

Brown trout are highly valued both as a recreational fishing target and as an important commercial species in many regions. Originally native to Europe and western Asia, they have been successfully introduced to waters worldwide and are prized for their fighting ability and culinary quality. These adaptable fish play crucial ecological roles in both freshwater and marine environments, serving as both predators and prey in complex food webs. Their presence in marine samples indicates their anadromous life cycle, where they migrate between fresh and salt water to feed and reproduce.

Katsuwonus pelamis (Skipjack Tuna)

Skipjack tuna is one of the most commercially important fish species globally, forming the backbone of the billion-dollar tuna industry. This fast-swimming, warm-water fish is the primary species used for canned tuna, making it a protein source for millions of people worldwide. Skipjack supports major fisheries across tropical and subtropical oceans and provides livelihoods for countless fishing communities. Their abundance and rapid reproduction rate make them one of the more sustainably harvested tuna species, though careful management remains essential to maintain healthy populations.

Stenella attenuata (Pantropical Spotted Dolphin)

The pantropical spotted dolphin is one of the most abundant dolphin species in tropical waters worldwide and serves as an important indicator of ocean health. These intelligent marine mammals are unfortunately best known for their historical association with tuna fishing, where hundreds of thousands died as bycatch in tuna nets. Their recovery following fishing industry reforms demonstrates the success of marine conservation efforts and international cooperation. As top predators, they help maintain balanced marine ecosystems and serve as sentinels for ocean pollution and climate change impacts.

Globicephala macrorhynchus (Short-finned Pilot Whale)

Short-finned pilot whales are highly social marine mammals that live in tight-knit family groups and demonstrate remarkable intelligence and complex social behaviors. These deep-diving whales are important predators of squid and fish in offshore waters and serve as indicators of deep-ocean ecosystem health. They face increasing threats from ocean noise pollution, ship strikes, and plastic pollution. Their strandings often make headlines and provide scientists with valuable information about ocean conditions and marine mammal health, making them important ambassadors for ocean conservation.

Phaeocystis globosa

Phaeocystis globosa is a marine microalga that significantly impacts both ocean ecosystems and climate regulation. This species can form massive blooms that alter marine food webs and produce compounds that influence cloud formation and regional weather patterns. While it contributes to ocean productivity by converting carbon dioxide into organic matter, its blooms can also create foam on beaches and affect coastal tourism and fisheries. Understanding this organism is crucial for predicting how marine ecosystems will respond to climate change and ocean acidification.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine bacterium of significant public health importance, being one of the leading causes of seafood-related food poisoning worldwide. This naturally occurring bacterium thrives in warm coastal waters and readily colonizes shellfish, particularly oysters. With rising ocean temperatures due to climate change, infections from this organism are increasing in frequency and expanding to previously unaffected regions. Food safety monitoring for this pathogen is essential for protecting public health and maintaining consumer confidence in seafood products.

Pseudo-nitzschia species

Pseudo-nitzschia are marine diatoms that can produce domoic acid, a potent neurotoxin responsible for amnesic shellfish poisoning in humans. When these microscopic algae bloom in coastal waters, they can contaminate shellfish, crabs, and fish, forcing closures of commercial and recreational fisheries that cost millions of dollars annually. The toxin can also affect marine mammals and seabirds, sometimes causing mass mortality events. Climate change and nutrient pollution are increasing the frequency and severity of toxic Pseudo-nitzschia blooms, making them a growing concern for coastal communities, fisheries, and marine ecosystems.

Potential HAB or NIS: Detections of species that are non-indigenous to the southwest Pacific and species from taxa that have the potential to form Harmful Algal Blooms. Reference lists for each of these groups are continuously evolving. Please note that detection of these species does not necessarily indicate an active threat but rather, highlights trends that may be of interest to explore further. Please Note: No potential NIS species were detected in this dataset

Dinoflagellates and the mechanism

Alexandrium saxitoxins – PSP

Karenia brevetoxins – NSP

Dinophysis okadaic acid – DSP

Gambierdiscus ciguatoxins – CFP

Prorocentrum DSP toxins, including okadaic acid

Ostreopsis palytoxins

Ceratium can cause hypoxia, but usually not toxic Lingulodinium may produce yessotoxins

Gymnodinium some species produce brevetoxins or ichthyotoxins

Diatoms and the mechanism

Pseudo-nitzschia domoic acid – ASP

Raphidophytes and the mechanism

Heterosigma fish kills – not via toxins but through gill damage

Chattonella fish-killing blooms, possible ROS involvement

Cyanobacteria and the mechanism

Trichodesmium may contribute to HABs through oxygen depletion or toxin production in some contexts

Kappaphycus alvarezii

Codium arenicola

Codium taylori

Ulva ohnoi

Olstreopsis ovata

Didemnum perlucidum

Amathia distans

Amathia verticillata

Bugula neritina

Schizoporella errata

Watersipora subtorquata

Amphibalanus amphitrite

Penaeus indicus

Penaeus merguiensis

Panaeus monodon

Panaeus stylirostris

Panaeus vannamei

Godiva quadricolor

Magallana belcheri

Crassostrea virginica

Magallana bilineata

Magallana gigas

Mytilopsis sallei

Ostrea edulis

Perna viridis

Pinctada imbricata

Pinctada maxima

Pinctada margaritifera

Rochia nilotica

Ruditapes philippinarum

Saccostrea echinata

Saccostrea glomerata

Turbo marmoratus

Sabellastarte spectabilis

Mycale (Zygomycale) parishii

Mugil cephalus

Salmo trutta

Eriocheir sinensis

Rhithropanopeus harrisii

Hemigrapsus sanguineus

Charybdis japonica

Mytilopsis sallei

Perna perna

Arcuatula senhousia

Mytella strigata

Batis maritima

Detections of marine vertebrates including any fish, marine mammals, marine reptiles, and marine birds detected. Hover over each sampling location to reveal which taxa was detected at that location.