In 2007 Rull Lluch et al detected in the port of Barcelona an algal species unknown until now in the Mediterranean and cited it as Dictyota ciliolata, a new reference for the Spanish coasts. Subsequent molecular studies revealed that it was a new species, and Tronholm et al (2010) described it as Dictyota cyanoloma. During 2013 this species has been monitored on the Catalan coasts and it has been detected that it is found only in port areas and that it is currently in the process of expanding, which could suggest that it is a species introduced to the Mediterranean. In addition, the presence of this species in the Mediterranean and in the Macaronesian area, as well as in Australia, shows that it has a clear disjoint distribution that would corroborate that it was an exotic species.

The rapid expansion of this species, also observed in other parts of the Mediterranean such as the Adriatic Sea, together with its great abundance in some ports (for example Tarragona), could cause ecological problems and even negative impacts on some port activity. On the other hand, this species has a strong iridescence due to the presence of abundant phenolic compounds. The antibiotic and repellent activity of these compounds is known, which, due to the abundance of the species, could lead to a toxicity problem and therefore public health.

This project has three basic objectives:
1. Firstly, to expand the knowledge of the biology of D. cyanoloma, both its life cycle, its vegetative and reproductive phenology, and its ecological requirements. Likewise, to analyze their chemical components to know their exact nature, and from this assess their possible toxicity as well as their possible pharmacological application.
2. To know the current distribution of this species in the Mediterranean and to clearly define its optimal habitats for development, which would make it possible to predict the possible future colonisation of our coasts. On the other hand, as it is an introduced species, it would be essential to know, through molecular studies of a large number of populations, the origin and expansion routes of this species.
3. And, finally, all this knowledge would allow the development of a programme for the prevention and control of the expansion of this species on our coasts.