Port areas have been considered bioinvasion hotspots due to the concentration of several invasion vectors. However, the actual distribution of non-indigenous species (NIS) in Mediterranean ports is still poorly understood. Here we conducted a literature review with the aim to provide a knowledge baseline about NIS distribution in Mediterranean ports. NIS distribution in Mediterranean ports showed a high degree of heterogeneity in terms of studies across the whole basin, with a limited knowledge on both specific taxa and geographical areas, as well as a generally low proportion of investigated ports. The low rate of specific studies designed to monitor these particular environments may represent the main source of knowledge gaps. Mediterranean ports host NIS from all regions of the world, playing a key role in marine bioglobalization. Our synthesis represents the first baseline addressing the presence of NIS in Mediterranean ports, which may be useful to define plans of NIS management and strategies focusing on a network of recognised focal hotspots.

由于几种入侵媒介的集中，港口地区被认为是生物入侵的热点。然而，人们对地中海港口非本地物种（NIS）的实际分布仍然知之甚少。在这里，我们进行了文献综述，旨在提供有关地中海港口NIS分布的知识基线。就整个盆地的研究而言，地中海港口的NIS分布显示出高度的异质性，对特定分类单元和地理区域的了解有限，而且所调查港口的比例普遍较低。用于监视这些特定环境的特定研究的低比率可能是知识缺口的主要来源。地中海港口拥有来自世界各地的NIS，在海洋生物全球化中发挥着关键作用。