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Vadim E. Panov and Stephan Gollasch
Aquatic Invasions – the new European journal of applied research on biological invasions in aquatic ecosystems (pp 1-3)
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Aquatic Invasions is a new on-line journal focusing on biological invasions of the inland and coastal waters of geographic Europe.
The journal will form an important tool for the rapid exchange of information pertaining to aquatic invasive species, providing
an opportunity for timely publication of first records of biological invaders and hence prompting risk assessment,
early warning and eradication programmes. The journal will also provide an opportunity to publish relevant technical
reports and other accounts not publishable in regular scientific journals, including large datasets of aquatic invasive
species records from monitoring and biological surveys.
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Research articles |
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David Holdich, Sean Gallagher, Lesley Rippon, Phil Harding and Rachel Stubbington
The invasive Ponto-Caspian mysid, Hemimysis anomala, reaches the UK
(pp 4-6)
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The invasive Ponto-Caspian mysid crustacean
Hemimysis anomala has been recorded for the first time in the UK
in November 2004, and in 2005 at a number of sites in the English Midlands. It occurs in both lentic and lotic
environments, including the margins of the relatively fast-flowing River Trent, and large swarms have been observed
in one lake. It is not known how the mysid reached the English Midlands, although one site hosts international rowing events.
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Natalie V. Rodionova and Vadim E. Panov
Establishment of the Ponto-Caspian predatory cladoceran Evadne anonyx in the eastern Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea (pp 7-12)
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The Ponto–Caspian predatory cladoceran Evadne anonyx G.O.Sars,1897 (Crustacea:
Cladocera: Onychopoda) was first recorded in the eastern Gulf of Finland in the zooplankton samples collected during summer 2000. Most likely,
E. anonyx invaded the gulf in the late 1990th from the Caspian Sea via the Volga–Baltic waterway with the ballast waters of ships. Between 2000
and 2004, the population densities of E. anonyx increased in the eastern Gulf of Finland more than 10-fold, indicating successful establishment
of new Ponto-Caspian invader in the Baltic Sea.
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Pere Abelló and Coral Hispano
The capture of the Indo-Pacific crab Charybdis feriata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Brachyura: Portunidae) in the Mediterranean Sea (pp 13 -16)
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The Indo-Pacific portunid crab
Charybdis feriata (Linnaeus, 1758) was recorded for the
first time from the Mediterranean Sea, based on a single adult female caught in a gillnet off Barcelona at a depth of 60-70 m on the 13th December 2004.
Its most probable introduction vector was a merchant ship.
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Paul F. Clark
Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards: 1853 or 1854 -
Grapsidae or Varunidae? (pp 17-27)
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The authority of
Eriocheir sinensis is often
cited as H. Milne Edwards, 1854. However this is not appropriate as Henri Milne Edwards first published a short
but valid description of the species in volume twenty of the Annales des Sciences Naturelles, 1853. Consequently
this species should be cited as Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853.
In addition, a recent molecular study of Grapsoidea systematics
assigned Eriocheir de Haan, 1835 to the Varunidae Milne
Edwards, 1853.
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Vadim E. Panov
First record of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853 (Crustacea:
Brachyura: Varunidae) from Lake Ladoga, Russia (pp 28-31)
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A special survey has been conducted
to record the distribution of Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis in the eastern Gulf of Finland
basin (Baltic Sea). An illustrated questionnaire/registration form was distributed among the commercial
fishermen. The survey indicated a significant increase in the abundance of adult crabs in 2003 migrating
downstream in the Neva River, the connecting channel between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga. On October 25,
2005, the Chinese mitten crab was reported from Taypolovsky Bay, Lake Ladoga and this is the first confirmed
record from Europe’s largest lake.
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Roni S. Robbins, Mehiar Sakari, S.
Nezami Baluchi and Paul F. Clark
The occurrence of Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853 (Crustacea: Brachyura: Varunidae) from the Caspian Sea region, Iran (pp
32-34)
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Eriocheir sinensis H. Milne Edwards, 1853
has been introduced and established mainly in North East Europe and San Francisco Bay, United States
from native China. This note records the first specimen of the Chinese mitten crab from the River Tazeh
Bekandeh, Caspian Sea collected on 26 October 2002.
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Francis Kerckhof, Robert J. Vink, Dennis C. Nieweg and Johannes J.N. Post
The veined whelk Rapana venosa has reached the North Sea
(pp 35-37)
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An invasive gastropod, the veined whelk
Rapana venosa, was first recorded in July 2005 in the Dutch part of the North Sea, and in September 2005
in the central southern North Sea (the wider Thames estuary). Both shipping activities and natural dispersion
from the nearest population in France (Quiberon, Brittany) are possible modes of introduction of R. venosa
to these sites. The possible effects of R. venosa in the North Sea remain uncertain, but if established,
this invasive species could become a severe competitor for the native whelk Buccinum undatum. As R. venosa
is known as predator on bivalves, an impact on local aquaculture activities (on e.g. blue mussels and oysters)
is also possible.
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Ari O. Laine, Jukka Mattila and Annukka Lehikoinen
First record of the brackish water dreissenid bivalve Mytilopsis leucophaeata in the
northern Baltic Sea (pp 38-41)
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Conrad’s false mussel, Mytilopsis leucophaeata has been
found in the central Gulf of Finland, which is the first record of this brackish water dreissenid in the
northern Baltic Sea.
In 2003 a strong recruitment of young dreissenid bivalves was observed and in 2004 dense assemblages consisting
of adult M. leucophaeata were discovered in an area affected by cooling water discharges from a nuclear power plant.
The introduction of the species has obviously taken place via ballast water transport, resulting in a successful establishment
in a favourable warm water environment. Based on the wide salinity tolerance, M. leucophaeata might also colonize areas
inhabited by functionally similar bivalves if able to survive the cold winter conditions.
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Gé C.W. van Beek
The round goby Neogobius melanostomus first recorded in the Netherlands (pp
42-43)
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In December 2004 two specimens of round
goby, Neogobius melanostomus were caught in the river Lek near Schoonhoven (The Netherlands),
which is a first record of this invasive Ponto-Caspian fish in the North Sea basin. After this first
observation many individuals have been caught on different locations in the western part of the country.
As in the North American Great Lakes and the Baltic Sea, the native fish species could become locally endangered
due to competition with new invader. Therefore, the species should be monitored closely to determine
its present distribution area as well as the impact on the ecosystem.
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Short communication |
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Henn Ojaveer
The round goby Neogobius melanostomus is colonising the NE Baltic Sea (pp
44-45)
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After being first detected in the Baltic Sea in early 1990s,
the round goby Neogobius melanostomus has expanded its distribution area afterwards and first found in Estonian
waters in 2002. There are evidences to suggest that the species is relatively common in leisure fishermen catches at the
southern coast of the Gulf of Finland. Thus, this demersal fish is slowly, but continuously colonizing northern
parts of the Baltic Sea.
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Technical report |
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Stephan Gollasch
A new ballast water sampling device for sampling organisms above 50 micron (pp
46-50)
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Many ballast water sampling programmes were undertaken
in the past to document the number of individuals and variety of species arriving with ships. As no standard ballast
water sampling tool exists various sampling devices were used during these studies. When sampling ballast water for
compliance control with the Ballast Water Management Convention prepared by the International Maritime Organization
a sampling device is needed which documents the number of organisms per water volume discharged. For organisms above
50 microns (in minimum dimension) less than 10 organisms per cubic meter of water are acceptable in the ballast water
discharged. Further, ballast water samples need to be taken to assess the efficacy of ballast water treatment systems.
As a result more than 1,000 liters of water need to be sampled – and this needs to be carried out multiple times as more
than one sampling point, several replicates and various sampling occasions are required. This contribution describes
a new sampling device for this ballast water sampling purpose.
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