The Indo-Pacific seagrass Halophila stipulacea is reported for the first time in Cata Bay (Aragua State, Venezuela). During surveys conducted in September 2024, an extensive and dense meadow of this exotic seagrass was identified at depths ranging from 2 to 12 meters. This invasive species is characterized by its high resilience, tolerance to salinity variations, wide bathymetric range, and vegetative fragmentation. H. stipulacea modifies sandy bottoms, creating new habitats used as shelter and food for local fauna. The presence of epibionts and various fish species was observed. Its growth in Cata (enhanced by nutrient enrichment from sewage discharges) could alter sedimentary dynamics and native infauna biodiversity by modifying substrate texture and gas exchange. This finding is significant as it represents the first record of a massive growth form of H. stipulacea on a high-energy beach in Venezuela, underscoring the need to monitor its impact on surrounding biological communities.
