REABIC - Journals - Bioinvasions Records - Issue 3 (2014)

Research articles

 

Juan-Carlos Astudillo, Jane C.Y. Wong, Clement P. Dumont, Timothy C. Bonebrake and Kenneth M.Y. Leung
Status of six non-native marine species in the coastal environment of Hong Kong, 30 years after their first record (pp 123-137)

This is the first systematic assessment conducted on fouling communities to determine the current status of six non-native marine invertebrates that were first recorded in Hong Kong three decades ago. They include the solitary ascidian, Ciona intestinalis; the slipper limpet, Crepidula onyx; the bryozoan, Bugula californica; the Caribbean bivalve, Mytilopsis sallei; the Mediterranean mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis; and the boring isopod, Sphaeroma walkeri. Field surveys were conducted at 31 locations during wet (2011) and dry (2012) seasons and included fouling communities on piers and mariculture zones from estuarine to oceanic zones. The sampling was conducted by using photo-quadrats, destructive quadrats and field observations. To detect temporal changes in the abundance and recruitment of the sedentary non-native species, three piers were monitored with permanent photo-quadrats and recruitment panels for a one year period. We examined the relationship between seawater quality data available for Hong Kong and the abundances of fouling and non-native species. Only four of the six target non-native species were recorded in this survey. The isopod Sphaeroma walkeri was common and widely distributed in fouling communities in Hong Kong, while Ciona intestinalis, Crepidula onyx, and Mytilopsis sallei were uncommon and mainly restricted to areas with intensive human activities and poor seawater quality. These findings suggest that near shore human activities and poor water quality could increase the risk of establishment of non-native species in Hong Kong’s marine fouling communities.

 

Diba A. Khan-Bureau, Michael S. Beauchene, Luc Ector, Eduardo A. Morales and Louise A. Lewis
Observations of two nuisance stalk-forming diatoms (Bacillariophyta) from a river in Connecticut, Northeastern U.S.A.: Didymosphenia sp. and Cymbella janischii (A. Schmidt) De Toni (pp 139-149)

The nuisance taxon Didymosphenia geminata was reported in the West Branch of the Farmington River in March, 2011 after a fisherman detected cotton-like tufts attached to rocks. In response, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP) conducted a comprehensive survey of the river system. After major late summer storms, Didymosphenia geminata was not observed again. Surveys in 2012–2013 tracked the spatial and temporal distribution of stalk-forming diatoms at the confluence of the West Branch of the Farmington and Still Rivers, thereby allowing comparison of data from adjacent rivers with distinct water chemistries. Water chemistry and temperature data were collected to characterize nutrient concentrations associated with these diatoms. Surveys showed no evidence of Didymosphenia geminata but four native stalk-forming diatom species and a taxon previously unreported in Connecticut, Cymbella janischii, were observed throughout the year. Also from November, 2012 through June, 2013, a morphologically distinct diatom in the genus Didymosphenia was observed growing prolifically bank to bank with thick mats of long filamentous stalks. Subsequent examination revealed that the taxon previously reported as Didymosphenia geminata was instead a different taxon, Didymosphenia sp. Furthermore, Didymosphenia sp. continued to flourish in the West Branch of the Farmington River, absent from the neighboring Still River, suggesting that the physiochemical features and in particular higher nutrients may limit the distribution of this diatom. In contrast, C. janischii was found growing abundantly further downstream in warmer water and higher nutrient levels.

 

Kyle Matheson, Cynthia H. McKenzie, Philip Sargent, Mike Hurley and Terri Wells
Northward expansion of the invasive green algae Codium fragile spp. fragile (Suringar) Hariot, 1889 into coastal waters of Newfoundland, Canada (pp 151-158)

Invasive green alga Codium fragile spp. fragile (Suringar) Hariot, 1889 thalli were first detected in Newfoundland (Canada) within Mortier Bay (southwestern Placentia Bay) in August 2012. Subsequent SCUBA surveys in 2013 found Codium attached to subtidal substrates in Arnold’s Cove (northeastern Placentia Bay) and on the northern coast of central Newfoundland near Pilley’s Island (Notre Dame Bay), which is currently the most northern location of Codium in Atlantic Canada. Due to large distances between confirmed sightings, further surveys are recommended to determine the distribution range of Codium and its possible dispersal vectors in Newfoundland coastal waters. Implications of an invasion by Codium on coastal Newfoundland ecosystems are yet to be determined but potential concerns include the replacement of native kelp species, as previously documented elsewhere in Atlantic Canada.

 

Jennifer M. Vanassche, Wai Hing Wong, Willard N. Harman and Matthew F. Albright
Early invasion records of zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) in Otsego Lake, New York (pp 159-162)

The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) was first documented in North America in the 1980s. In 2007, it was found in Otsego Lake, New York, the headwaters of Susquehanna River which drains to the Chesapeake Bay. In 2008 they were found in five out of the 53 sampling sites in Otsego Lake. This study provides baseline data to be used for long term zebra mussels monitoring on this lake.

 

Tadashi Imai and Takakiyo Oonuki
Records of Chinese grass shrimp, Palaemonetes sinensis (Sollaud, 1911) from western Japan and simple differentiation method with native freshwater shrimp, Palaemon paucidens De Haan, 1844 using eye size and carapace color pattern (pp 163-168)

Chinese grass shrimp, Palaemonetes sinensis (Sollaud, 1911) were collected from inland waters of Nao-shima Island and Awa-shima Island, Seto Inland Sea, western Japan. The appearance of P. sinensis is thought to be due to the escape of imported shrimps used as sport fishing bait. P. sinensis looks conspicuously like the native freshwater shrimp, Palaemon paucidens De Haan, 1844. However, the two species have different eye sizes and differences in three diagonal stripes on the carapace. We provide a simple method using eye size and carapace color pattern to enable preliminary differentiation of the two species in the field.

 

Luis Alejandro Sandoval, Jenny Leal-Florez, Alexander Taborda and Jairo Guillermo Vásquez
Spatial distribution and abundance of the giant tiger prawn, Penaeus monodon (Fabricius, 1798), in the Gulf of Urabá (Caribbean), Colombia, South America (pp 169-173)

The spatial distribution and abundance of the non-native giant tiger prawn Penaeus monodon (Fabricius, 1798) in the Gulf of Urabá, Colombian Caribbean, was examined using catch records made by trained fishermen. From 1 April to 30 November 2011, 397 individuals were recorded in 20 fishing localities in the Gulf. Individual weights ranged between 50 and 500 g (average 232 g). According to local fishermen, however, the giant tiger prawn has been present in the Gulf since 2007, possibly earlier. This non-native species was commonly captured along with the native white shrimp Litopenaeus schmitti (Burkenroad, 1936) in river mouths and mangrove habitat. The highest catches were from two sites near the Atrato river mouth (Boca del Roto, Boca del Leoncito) and one other site near the Turbo river mouth (Punta Yarumal). The effects of the giant tiger prawn, if it has become established, on the environment and the economy of the region areas is as yet unknown.

 

Jonas Jourdan, Friedrich Wilhelm Miesen, Claudia Zimmer, Kristina Gasch, Fabian Herder, Elke Schleucher, Martin Plath and David Bierbach
On the natural history of an introduced population of guppies (Poecilia reticulata Peters, 1859) in Germany (pp 175-184)

Artificially heated water bodies represent unusual habitats in temperate regions and form a refuge for exceptional fish communities. The Gillbach, a tributary of the river Erft in Germany, receives thermally polluted cooling water from a power plant. Here, we present data on the composition of the fish community in the Gillbach and found a high abundance of invasive species from all over the world, mostly introduced by releases from home aquaria. We found a species composition that is dominated by invasive species containing the same species as 15 years ago. We focused on guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and determined population size using the mark-recapture method. Furthermore, we investigated the lower thermal tolerance limit (CTmin) to determine if Gillbach guppies have already adapted to colder conditions compared to ornamental and Venezuelan wild type fish. We caught guppies of all sizes, and densities of 3.6 adult guppies per square meter were comparable to densities found in their natural distribution area, pointing toward a self-sustaining population in the Gillbach. The CTmin varied between populations and was significantly lower in ornamental and Gillbach guppies compared to guppies from Venezuela. Despite differences in CTmin and their well-known potential to adapt to new environments, guppies originally stem from the tropics, and a further spread will likely be restricted by low winter temperatures. Thus, P. reticulata in the Gillbach might not represent a threat for local fauna in Central Europe, but provide a unique semi-natural experiment for various questions related to local adaptation of invasive species, as well as ecological interactions with indigenous species.

 

Christian Schomaker and Christian Wolter
First record of the round goby Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) in the lower River Oder, Germany (pp 185-188)

In September 2013, the non-native round goby Neogobius melanostomus was found for the first time in the River Oder, Germany, about 58 km upstream of the Szczecin Lagoon (Zalew Szczeciński). Seven specimens were caught at river kilometre 703.5 near Friedrichsthal (53°08'24.29"N, 14°23'03.59"E) during the regular fish monitoring program for the Water Framework Directive. This record is especially important because i) it represents a very early stage of the invasion process, a round goby invasion front, and ii) it potentially reflects the natural dispersal ability of the species. The latter was concluded from the time lag of about 15 years between the first occurrence of round goby in the Baltic Sea in front of the River Oder estuary in 1998, in the German part of the Szczecin Lagoon (River Oder estuary) in 2003, its subsequent establishment in the Szczecin Lagoon in 2006, and its upstream migration observed in 2013. The slow average migration speed of 3.9 km per year might correspond to natural dispersal.

 

Daniel C. Huston, Mclean D. Worsham, David G. Huffman and Kenneth G. Ostrand
Infection of fishes, including threatened and endangered species by the trematode parasite Haplorchis pumilio (Looss, 1896) (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) (pp 189-194)

Haplorchis pumilio (Trematoda: Heterophyidae) has become widely established around the world because of multiple introductions of its snail hosts, and because of its flexible host requirements at the second-intermediate and definitive levels. Although exotic thiarid snails introduced into North American waters have been previously reported to harbor H. pumilio, metacercariae of H. pumilio have not been reported from native fishes in the continental USA. In this study artificially exposed cyprinids to H. pumilio cercariae from infected snails became infected with the trematode, sometimes lethally, when exposed for only 15 minutes to high cercarial densities. Subsequent collection and examination of fountain darters Etheostoma fonticola, a U.S. federally endangered fish species, and the examination of archived specimens of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides; the IUCN endangered Dionda diaboli, Gambusia nobilis, Cyprinodon elegans; and IUCN vulnerable Etheostoma grahami from West Texas springs resulted in new host and locality records for H. pumilio metacercarial infections in all species except C. elegans. Metacercariae were found encysted in the connective tissue of the head and at fin insertions. Conversely no integumental or visceral infections were observed, regardless of the fish species or collection locality. It is surmised that Haplorchis pumilio is probably present in many aquatic systems where Melanoides tuberculata and Tarebia granifera have become established, but that the metacercariae have been missed by previous investigators because of their small size and unusual anatomical location. Results from this study suggest that subsequent investigators be on the watch for these metacercariae, and that the anatomical sites typical of the worm (fin insertions, and especially the caudal peduncle) be included in routine necropsy procedures for fishes from such habitats.

 

Anshu Chaudhary, Chandni Verma, Manu Varma and Hridaya S. Singh
Identification of Thaparocleidus caecus (Mizelle & Kritsky, 1969) (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) using morphological and molecular tools: a parasite invasion in Indian freshwater (pp 195-200)

The freshwater iridescent shark, Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (previously Pangasius sutchi) (Pangasiidae), was found in fish markets in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India. Parasitological examination of P. hypophthalmus revealed the presence of a non-native monogenean parasite (genus Thaparocleidus) found on gill filaments. Initial morphology and morphometrics of the parasite showed characteristics of Thaparocleidus caecus, known from Southeast Asia. Genetic analyses of the partial 28S rDNA confirmed the parasite as the first record of T. caecus in India provided.

 

Ding Li Yong, Bing Wen Low, Alene Ang, Meiling Woo and Clarissa Ho
Multiple records of aquatic alien and invasive species in diets of native predators in Singapore (pp 201-205)

We report for the first time the diversity of known aquatic alien species in the diets of four piscivorous predators in Singapore through a review of published and unpublished studies, and our empirical data. Of 15 aliens identified to the species level, 11 were fish, including the highly invasive tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus [Peters, 1852]). Other alien species include the abundant red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans [Wied-Neuweid, 1839]) and the American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeiana [Shaw, 1802]). We hypothesize that the diversity of established alien species in Singapore’s aquatic habitats allows for novel ecological interactions, one of which is predation by native species. Our study provides preliminary evidence that alien and invasive species may benefit some native piscivores as a source of prey although it is not possible to infer relative composition of these alien species given our limited data. Future studies should investigate the ecological dynamics of these interactions, including the relative importance of these alien prey to diets and survival of predators.

 

Emilia P. Braga, Rafael D. Zenni and John D. Hay
A new invasive species in South America: Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl. (pp 207-211)

Conifers have a long history of introductions into many parts of the world and are among the most notorious plant invaders. At least 20 species of the genus Pinus are now considered to be invasive in at least one region of the southern hemisphere. Here, we present a quantitative report of invasion by Pinus oocarpa in a relatively undisturbed vegetation of the Cerrado region of Brazil. The invasion front of P. oocarpa was 458 m distant from the area of introduction, which represents a mean rate of spread of 12.72 m year-1. The average density of invasive plants was 561 ind ha-1, with a maximum density of 1,212 ind ha-1. It is currently unknown if the studied invasive population has produced negative impacts on the invaded ecosystem. However, it would be safe to assume that with the observed densities and rate of spread, P. oocarpa could affect the native community that it invaded. An early response targeting the eradication of the invasive population could prevent these ecological costs.