Published in September 2019
Research articles
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Franz Essl
First records of casual occurrences of Chinese windmill palm Trachycarpus fortunei (Hook.) H. Wendl. in Austria (pp 471–477) |
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I report here the first six casual records of the Chinese windmill palm Trachycarpus fortunei (Arecaceae, Magnoliopsida) in Austria
(and eastern Central Europe). All records are located in cities and villages in the eastern warm lowlands, and in most cases, the escaped
self-sown young specimens survived at least one winter. However, as all sites are located on horticulturally used public and private spaces,
long-term survival was impossible. Given that the pronounced climate warming-trend of the last two decades in Central Europe will most likely
continue, it is probable that Trachycarpus fortunei will become more frequent in Austria (and beyond), populations will become more
long-lived, and natural habitats will likely be colonized.
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Eva Kabaš, Ivica Ljubičić and Sandro Bogdanović
First record of Nassella neesiana (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth (Poaceae) in Croatia (pp 478–486) |
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Chilean needle grass, Nassella neesiana belonging to the tribe Stipeae (Poaceae), native to South America was recorded
for the first time in Croatia. It was found in ruderal vegetation on the island of Veli Brijun in the Brijuni National Park (Istria,
NW Croatia). This species can cause negative impacts to native grasslands, outcompeting native grasses or can increase fire hazards
in peri-urban areas. Considering the species has already naturalized in a number of European countries, and the fact that the territory
of Northern Croatia has been evaluated as suitable for its eastward expansion, it is of great importance to monitor and control the spread
of the species in the Adriatic and possibly promote an early eradication. Notes on the environment in which it was found and its invasive
status in Croatia are discussed.
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Jin Zheng, Qiao-Jing Ou, Tai-Jie Zhang, Wei-Jie Liang, Bo-Hui Li and Chang-Lian Peng
Can allelopathy be used to efficiently resist the invasion of exotic plants in subtropical forests? (pp 487–499) |
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Mature subtropical forests can resist the invasion of Mikania micrantha, a notorious exotic invasive plant, but the underlying mechanism
for this resistance is still debated. In this study, we explored whether allelochemicals produced by the dominant species in a subtropical forest
were sufficient to inhibit the invasion of M. micrantha. Allelopathic effects of three tree species (Syzygium rehderianum,
Cryptocarya concinna and C. chinensis) on the germination and vegetative growth of M. micrantha were investigated.
The results showed that aqueous extracts from the leaves of all tree species had allelopathic inhibitory effects on M. micrantha seed germination
at a concentration of 5% aqueous extract. Variations were observed in the allelopathic effects of the tree species on germination rate (GR), germination
energy (GE) and radicle length (RL), but all the tree species had the same synthetic allelopathic effect (SE). Reduced height, biomass, Chlorophyll (Chl a/b),
Carotenoid/Chlorophyll (Car/Chl), antioxidant capacity, nonphotochemical quenching coefficient (NPQ) and increased specific leaf area (SLA) were observed
in M. micrantha planted with the tree species. The allelopathic potential of the tree species on M. micrantha in a vegetative growth stage was weak.
Our results indicated allelopathy alone was not sufficient to inhibit the invasion of exotic plants in subtropical forests, but the combination of allelopathy
and shading may be sufficient.
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Katerina Vardinoyannis and Giorgos Alexandrakis
First record of the land planarian Caenoplana bicolor (Graff, 1899) (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Continenticola) in Greece (pp 500–504) |
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New alien species are added every year to the European fauna. Although there are a few indigenous terrestrial flatworms in Europe, only one species
has been recorded so far in Greece. For the first time, an alien flatworm species, Caenoplana bicolor, is recorded on the island of Crete.
This finding suggests the need for control measures to prevent impacts from this bioinvasion.
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Koen Vanderhaegen, Zerubabeeli Naturinda, Lombart Mesmer Maurice Kouakou, Ann Vanderheyden and Wouter Dekoninck
First record of the invasive longhorn crazy ant, Paratrechina longicornis (Latreille, 1802) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) from Mt. Elgon, eastern Uganda (pp 505–514) |
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We report the first observation of the invasive longhorn crazy ant (Paratrechina longicornis) in the Mount Elgon region of eastern Uganda.
About 43 000 ants were sampled in 256 locations throughout the Ugandan foot slopes of Mt. Elgon in the years 2014, 2015 and 2016. We found
P. longicornis in five locations in and around the town of Budadiri, Sironko district. The visual species identification was confirmed
by COI gene-based DNA barcoding. That this species was found in only a small area suggests that it has only been recently introduced. The impact that
P. longicornis will have on the local agricultural system or the biodiversity within the Mount Elgon National Park remains unclear. The Mt. Elgon
region is a unique key biodiversity area where baseline data can be collected now to quantify the effects of P. longicornis as it increases its
distribution within the region.
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Nina Sajna
First record of non-native Asian seed beetle, Megabruchidius dorsalis (Fåhræus, 1839) and its parasitoid, in Slovenia (pp 515–520) |
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This contribution serves to formally report the first record of the non-native Asian seed beetle Megabruchidius dorsalis in Slovenia,
found in 2017 and 2018 in Maribor. Within the range known at present in Europe this species has found a new food source – the seeds of the ornamental
North American tree species Gleditsia triacanthos. From seeds collected in autumn of 2017 adult beetles emerged in the spring of 2018. Later in 2018,
seeds in pods, which overwintered and were kept outdoors in summer, were collected in the beginning of autumn. Fully developed beetles were found and
the inspection of 500 seeds showed heavy infestation from various life-stages, sometimes co-occurring, indicating that the multivoltine life cycle has been
retained in the new range. Additionally, in two of seven locations both live and dead Hymenoptera parasitoids inside the pods with damaged seeds and beetle
remains were observed.
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Mladen Zadravec, Barbara Horvatić and Paula Prpić
The Balkans invaded – first record of Ophraella communa LeSage, 1986 (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Croatia (pp 521–529) |
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Ophraella communa was found for the first time in Croatia. After the accidental discovery, further work was done to ascertain its extent of occurrence,
density of adults and severity of host plant attack. Additional data pertaining to its current status in Croatia were also gathered. It was found on ten locations,
with the highest recorded density in the SE part of Lonjsko Polje Nature Park. The damage levels of attack were never as high as in Italy or Switzerland. It is unknown
whether this species was introduced intentionally or accidentally. Future work should focus on monitoring the spread and influence of this alien species in Croatia.
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Xiaofei Liu, Liyun Zhang, Robert A. Haack, Jiang Liu and Hui Ye
A noteworthy step on a vast continent: new expansion records of the guava fruit fly, Bactrocera correcta (Bezzi, 1916) (Diptera: Tephritidae), in mainland China (pp 530–539) |
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Bactrocera correcta (Bezzi, 1916), commonly known as the guava fruit fly, is of concern as an invasive pest in tropical and subtropical countries. It was first recorded in China in 1982 in Yuanjiang,
in southern Yunnan Province. We monitored the spread of B. correcta in the field during 2017 and 2018, and found that it had moved about 300 kilometers eastward from its known range in 2011 in Yunnan
and has now entered the neighboring Guangxi Province. A species distribution model used to predict the potential distribution of B. correcta in China revealed that southern China provides the most suitable
habitat for B. correcta, and that further eastward expansion threatens large areas of southeastern China. Results from this study suggest that the rapid eastward migration of B. correcta is related
to improved highway and high-speed railway systems in China that transport fruits and vegetables to eastern markets. This paper also discusses methods to slow the expansion of B. correcta in China.
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Elisabet Thomsen, Sunnvør í Kongsstovu, Hans Atli Dahl and Svein-Ole Mikalsen
Ctenolepisma longicaudata (Escherich, 1905): a common, but previously unregistered, species of silverfish in the Faroe Islands (pp 540–550) |
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We hereby report the finding of Ctenolepisma longicaudata (Escherich, 1905) in the Faroe Islands (62°N; 7°W), an isolated group of islands
in the Northern Atlantic, approximately midway between Scotland and Iceland and > 300 km from the nearest land mass (Shetland). C. longicaudata
is a wingless insect belonging to the order Zygentoma. Other insects in this group include the common silverfish, Lepisma saccharina, which has previously
been reported in the Faroe Islands, but it seems less common than C. longicaudata. C. longicaudata and L. saccharina are superficially
similar, but there are several features that distinguish the two species, such as the much longer tail filaments in the former. Although previously unregistered
in the Faroes, a citizen-science approach using social media showed that C. longicaudata is widespread and common. Both insects often live in households.
Although generally harmless, they may cause damage on paper, tapestries, etc. While L. saccharina needs warm and humid conditions, C. longicaudata
can stand drier conditions, and thus can be more of a problem in archives, museums and alike.
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Mmabaledi Buxton, Kebaneilwe Lebani, Casper Nyamukondiwa and Ryan J. Wasserman
First record of Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae) in Botswana (pp 551–557) |
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Aedes aegypti is an important vector mosquito for arboviruses globally. It is believed to originate from North Africa and was introduced to other parts
of the world through trade systems and transportation. Despite its now widespread distribution, there are still many regions in which the species is likely to occur,
but is yet to be reported, hindering our understanding of invasion debt dynamics. Here, we record Ae. aegypti, a semi-aquatic invasive species, for the first
time in Botswana. The species was sampled from an urban location in Palapye, a village in the arid central district of the country. The larvae were collected from
plastic containers with rain water, reared to adults and subsequently identified using morphological and molecular techniques.
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Sjúrður Hammer and Jens-Kjeld Jensen
The invasion of two species of social wasps (Hymenoptera, Vespidae) to the Faroe Islands (pp 558–567) |
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Two species of social wasps have established in the Faroe Islands in 1999 – common wasp Vespula vulgaris and German wasp Vespula germanica.
The population growth, and dispersal in the Faroes has been followed in detail through correspondence and contact with local residents and authorities throughout
the Faroes. Collected wasps have been identified, and nest eradication data from the local municipalities is also presented. In total there have been 1.222 nests
located and destroyed, mostly in Tórshavn, where they were first introduced, but nests have also been found on neighbouring islands. Both the introduction and
the spread within the Faroes suggest a strong relationship with human settlements and travel. Social wasps have established on four out of 18 islands – all of which
are connected by land, suggesting that their spread within the islands is also human aided. With no active biosecurity measures to prevent the introduction
of invasive alien species to the Faroes, we predict that the introduction of more species of social wasps to be very likely, and wasps already present will likely
invade new islands. Although social wasps represent a public nuisance in the Faroes, the potential ecosystem impacts are grossly underappreciated and understudied.
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Francis N. Pazos-Nava, R. Iván Álvaro-Montejo, Fabio G. Cupul-Magaña, Rafael García de Quevedo-Machain, Ubaldo S. Flores-Guerrero, Julián A. Velasco and Armando H. Escobedo-Galván
First verified record of Anolis sagrei Cocteau in Duméril and Bibron, 1837 from the central Pacific coast of Mexico (pp 568–574) |
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The occurrence of the invasive Brown anole, Anolis sagrei from the Pacific coast of Mexico is confirmed based on squamation
and the use of morphological characters. A PCA was performed to explore the morphological differences between the invasive anole and the native
Clouded anole Anolis nebulosus. Some of the potential implications for dry tropical ecosystems and native anoles are discussed.
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Myriam Benali, Ilhem Djebri, Dallal Bellouis, Louiza-Nesrine Sellam and Chafika Rebzani-Zahaf
First record of drifting Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt thalli on the Algerian coasts of Cherchell and Sidi Fredj (pp 575–581) |
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The Japanese seaweed Sargassum muticum (Yendo) Fensholt is reported for the first time from the Algerian coasts in Cherchell and Sidi Fredj,
which are approximately 80 and 30 km, respectively, west of Algiers. Observations of drifting specimens, collected in March 2015 and March and April 2017,
suggest that this non-indigenous species has reached Algerian waters. However, S. muticum cannot yet be considered established since the collected
seaweeds were not fixed to substrata, were not fertile, and there was no evidence of colonization. Potential vectors of spread for S. muticum into
the area include shipping, oyster farming and ocean circulation. In the future, intensive survey and monitoring actions are needed to detect any fertile
or attached fronds.
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Mohammad Mohaddasi, Mohammad Ali Salari Ali-abadi, Rahim Abdi, Farzaneh Momtazi,
Mohammad Sharif Ranjbar and Rosana Moreira da Rocha
First record, description and distribution of the colonial ascidian Didemnum psammatodes (Sluiter, 1895) in the Eastern Persian Gulf (pp 582–589) |
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Non-native ascidians are becoming a global problem and several species have recently been used as models for studying invasion success
in the marine realm. Despite a limited dispersal due to their short-lived larvae, they are often found in coastal habitats as a result
of human activities. As one of the warmest waterways in the world characterized by heavy marine traffic, the Persian Gulf is particularly
prone to invasive ascidians. This study is the first to have documented the occurrence of the colonial ascidian Didemnum psammatodes
in natural and man-made substrates in intertidal zones at 15 study sites in Qeshm and Hengam Islands in the Eastern Persian Gulf.
High densities of D. psammatodes were observed at several study sites located far from major ports, but close to human residences,
which may be explained by the prevalence of hard-surface man-made substrates.
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Jamila Rizgalla, Andrew P. Shinn and Fabio Crocetta
New records of alien and cryptogenic marine bryozoan, mollusc, and tunicate species in Libya (pp 590–597) |
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New records of alien and cryptogenic invertebrate marine species in Libya are reported here based on field surveys conducted from June to November 2018,
in a shallow bay next to the city of Tripoli. Those identified here include the cerithiid gastropod Cerithium scabridum Philippi, 1848, the goniodoridid sea slug
Okenia longiductis Pola, Paz-Sedano, Macali, Minchin, Marchini, Vitale, Licchelli and Crocetta, 2019, the “spaghetti bryozoan” Amathia verticillata (delle Chiaje, 1822),
and the ascidian Symplegma brakenhielmi (Michaelsen, 1904).
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Thomas J. Trott and Claire Enterline
First record of the encrusting bryozoan Cribrilina (Juxtacribrilina) mutabilis (Ito, Onishi and Dick, 2015) in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean (pp 598–607) |
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The cribrimorph bryozoan Cribrilina (Juxtacribrilina) mutabilis (Ito, Onishi and Dick, 2015), originally described from Hokkaido, Japan,
is reported for the first time in the Gulf of Maine and the whole of the Northwest Atlantic coast. In September 2018, numerous colonies of C. mutabilis
were collected from eelgrass (Zostera marina Linnaeus, 1753) beds near Clapboard and Mackworth Islands, and Hog Island Ledge, all located within inner
Casco Bay, Maine. Bryozoan colonies encrusted eelgrass, rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum (Linnaeus) LeJolis, 1863), and laminarian drift algae. Situated near
the discovery location, the city of Portland (Maine, USA) is an active seaport, suggesting introduction through shipping as a likely introduction mechanism.
The North Sea is hypothesized to be the most probable area for the source population. Since C. mutabilis appears to have high potential for introduction,
it likely occurs on other parts of the Northwest Atlantic coast where it has yet to be identified and recorded.
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Joachim Langeneck, Fabio Crocetta, Nikolaos Doumpas, Ioannis Giovos, Stefano Piraino and Ferdinando Boero
First record of the non-native jellyfish Chrysaora cf. achlyos (Cnidaria: Pelagiidae) in the Mediterranean Sea (pp 608–613) |
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A single specimen of a Pelagiidae jellyfish (Scyphozoa) referable to the genus Chrysaora Péron and Lesueur, 1810 is reported from the port of Elefsina
(Saronikos Gulf, Greece) on the basis of photographic evidence. Despite the absence of a voucher and the impossibility to check fine morphological features of
diagnostic value, its recognizable features (coloration, umbrellar and oral arms morphology, number of tentacles, and squared shape of marginal lappets) are
consistent with the group of the “Pacific” Chrysaora, and in particular with Chrysaora achlyos Martin, Gershwin, Burnett, Cargo and Bloom, 1997.
The specimen is therefore identified here as Chrysaora cf. achlyos, a candidate as a new non-indigenous species in the Mediterranean Sea.
Although this rare species has been often observed as single specimens even in its native range (northeastern Pacific Ocean), the occurrence of additional
individuals cannot be excluded due to possible misidentifications with the native Chrysaora hysoscella (Linnaeus, 1767). Citizen science proved again
to be a useful tool for NIS detection and monitoring, which overall calls for the necessity of focused and joint programmes along the whole Mediterranean coastline.
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Elizabeth A. Whitmore, Joseph K. Connolly, Kay Van Damme, James M. Watkins, Elizabeth K. Hinchey and Lars G. Rudstam
First record of the Neotropical cladoceran Diaphanosoma fluviatile Hansen, 1899 in the Great Lakes basin (pp 614–622) |
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The ctenopod Diaphanosoma fluviatile has been reported primarily from the Neotropical region and occasionally
from the southern United States. D. fluviatile was collected in the Great Lakes basin (the Maumee River, Western Lake Erie,
and Lake Michigan) in 2015 and 2018, far north from its previously known distribution. The occurrence of this southern species
in the Maumee River and Great Lakes may be the result of an anthropogenic introduction, although a natural range expansion cannot
be excluded. This report documents the northernmost record of D. fluviatile in the Nearctic region, extending the known
distribution of the species to 42°N, which is a notable increase of 11 degrees latitude. Our detection of D. fluviatile
is the first record of this southern species from the Laurentian Great Lakes drainage.
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Matthias Brenner, Jona Schulze, Johanna Fischer and K. Mathias Wegner
First record of the parasitic copepod (Mytilicola orientalis Mori, 1935) in blue mussels (Mytilus spp.) of the Baltic Sea (pp 623–632) |
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The parasitic copepod Mytilicola orientalis infesting mussels and oysters was so far only described in saline waters – such as the North Sea.
In April 2018, it was recorded for the first time at a low salinity location in the Kiel Bight, Baltic Sea. Two mature females of M. orientalis
were found in two separate individuals of Baltic blue mussels (Mytilus spp.). Prevalence of parasites in the whole sample was low (3.6%),
and no males or eggs were detected. In a second sample from October 2018, another adult female was found indicating spread over larger areas and longer
time periods. The findings of this study further indicated that larvae from introduced M. orientalis adults can hatch under low saline conditions
of Kiel Fjord and are able to infest and to develop within tissues of Baltic blue mussels. It therefore may just be a matter of time before the establishment
of the full life cycle of M. orientalis in the Baltic Sea.
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Mercédesz Ludányi, Dániel Balla, Zoltán Müller and Béla Kiss
The first occurrence of Barbronia weberi (Blanchard, 1897) (Hirudinea: Arhynchobdellida: Erpobdelliformes: Salifidae) in Hungary (pp 633–639) |
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The Barbronia weberi (Blanchard, 1897) appeared as a new species in the Hungarian aquatic macroinvertebrate fauna. In 2018,
the B. weberi was found on two sampling sites in the River Danube and the stream called Perint. The occurrence location
in the Danube is at Paks, while the location in the Perint is near the wastewater treatment plant of Szombathely. To collect the animals
we used „kick and sweep” with a standard pond net. According to the results obtained B. weberi has self-sustaining populations
in the warmer section of the Danube, which is affected by the cooling water of the power plant. Both direct and indirect vectors form
the distribution pattern of the species. On the one hand the Danube is one of the major spreading routes of non-native species in Europe.
So B. weberi can spread directly; on the other hand, the sampling points of the Danube and the Perint are almost 200 km away from
each other, which suggests the possibility of indirect spreading; i.e. through waterfowls or aquarium trade.
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Elisenda López-Altarriba, Lorena Garrido-Olvera, Flaviano Benavides-González, Zeferino Blanco-Martínez,
Roberto Pérez-Castañeda, Jesús Genaro Sánchez-Martínez, Alfonso Correa-Sandoval, María de la Luz Vázquez-Sauceda and Jaime Luis Rábago-Castro
New records of invasive mollusks Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774), Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774) and Tarebia granifera (Lamarck, 1816)
in the Vicente Guerrero reservoir (NE Mexico) (pp 640–652) |
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The Vicente Guerrero reservoir is the sixth largest water reservoir in Mexico. This is a primary water source for the northeast region as well as
a frequently holiday touristic site. In this paper we report aquatic specimens of the bivalve Corbicula fluminea, along with the gastropods
Melanoides tuberculata and Tarebia granifera for the first time in the reservoir. This is also the first report of M. tuberculata
and T. granifera for the Soto la Marina basin, and the first record of T. granifera for Northeast Mexico. The establishment of these species
in the water body represents a potential threat to the native species and human health, since they are intermediate hosts in the life cycle of some parasites,
such as Centrocestus formosanus trematode. Their arrival may be due to aerial, aquatic or commercial dispersion, since they can become adhered to,
and hidden easily on birds, boats or aquarium ornamental plants, respectively. The introduction of these species may also cause potential economic losses
for the agricultural, aquaculture and fishing activities in the local area. Due to high potential of dispersion, displacement of native species and pathogen
transmission, the establishment of preventive actions is recommended to avoid their potential expansion in other aquatic bodies of the Soto la Marina basin.
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Luciana Vicente Resende de Messano, José Eduardo Arruda Gonçalves, Héctor Fabian Messano, Sávio Henrique Calazans Campos and Ricardo Coutinho
First report of the Asian green mussel Perna viridis (Linnaeus, 1758) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: a new record for the southern Atlantic Ocean (pp 653–660) |
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The invasive Asian green mussel Perna viridis is native to the Indo-Pacific Ocean but introduction events of this species have been reported
from other locations in the Pacific basin (Japan); the Caribbean (Trinidad and northeastern Venezuela) as well as North Atlantic (Florida). In this communication,
we report the first record of the bivalve Perna viridis in the South Atlantic. Two specimens were found on experimental plates installed at Guanabara Bay
(23°S and 43°W) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in May 2018. Thereafter, a survey was carried out in the surroundings and five others individuals were found.
The mussels had on average a length of 48.5 mm ± 29.7; width of 25.1 mm ± 12.2 and height of 16.1 mm ± 9.9. Guanabara Bay is a heavily urbanized and polluted estuary,
which houses a large port area with high maritime traffic. Fouling on vessels may be the most likely vector of introduction of P. viridis. The occurrence
of this species in the Guanabara Bay port area represents a risk to other areas of the Brazilian coast and neighboring countries, connected by maritime trade and
recreational vessels. Our findings emphasize the need to implement a monitoring programme for P. viridis presence and potential spread in Guanabara Bay and
to surroundings areas.
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Sabrina Lo Brutto, Davide Iaciofano, José M. Guerra García, Hadas Lubinevsky and Bella S. Galil
Desalination effluents and the establishment of the non-indigenous skeleton shrimp Paracaprella pusilla Mayer, 1890 in the south-eastern Mediterranean (pp 661–669) |
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A decade long monitoring programme has revealed a flourishing population of the non-indigenous skeleton shrimp Paracaprella pusilla in the vicinity
of outfalls of desalination plants off the Mediterranean coast of Israel. The first specimens were collected in 2010, thus predating all previously published
records of this species in the Mediterranean Sea. A decade-long disturbance regime related to the construction and operation of the plants may have had a critical
role in driving the population growth.
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Nuno Simoes, Armando T. Wakida-Kusunoki, José Luís Cruz-Sánchez, Fernando Alvarez and José Luis Villalobos-Hiriart
On the presence of Charybdis (Charybdis) hellerii (A. Milne-Edwards, 1867) on the Mexican coast of the Gulf of Mexico (pp 670–674) |
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This is the first report of Charybdis (Charybdis) hellerii (A. Milne-Edwards, 1867) on the Mexican coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
Six specimens were collected with crab traps in Sisal, Yucatan, and one in Bahamita on the marine coast of the Laguna de Términos in Campeche, Mexico,
with a seabob trawl net. Further sampling and monitoring are required to find conclusive evidence that the species is established in this area.
The appearance of this species is a concern due to the potential impact it could have on the populations of other native species of crabs of economic importance.
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Fabio Ercoli, Katrin Kaldre, Tiit Paaver and Riho Gross
First record of an established marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis (Lyko, 2017) population in Estonia (pp 675–683) |
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Invasive marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis (Lyko, 2017) is spreading alarmingly fast across European countries and beyond.
Early maturation, parthenogenetic reproduction mode and high growth rate contribute to a high potential invasiveness. Marbled crayfish
can pose severe effects on native communities impacting the native crayfish populations being carrier of the crayfish plague disease
caused by Aphanomyces astaci. Here we report the first record of marbled crayfish in Estonia. In total, 104 individuals were found
in the artificially warm outflow channel of the cooling system of Balti Power Plant, entering to the water reservoir of the River Narva.
Molecular analyses confirmed the morphological identification of captured specimens as a marbled crayfish. Four out of six marbled crayfish
individuals exhibited the presence of crayfish plague agent, though at very low level. This suggests that marbled crayfish can potentially
be a new vector of crayfish plague in Estonian freshwater ecosystems containing native noble crayfish Astacus astacus populations.
Monitoring and eradication actions are urgently needed not only in the outflow channel where the species was found but in the whole water
reservoir and River Narva itself.
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Jessica A. Goretzke, Matthew J.S. Windle and John M. Farrell
Range expansion of the western tubenose goby (Proterorhinus semilunaris Heckel, 1837) in eastern Lake Ontario and the upper St. Lawrence River (pp 684–698) |
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The western tubenose goby (Proterorhinus semilunaris) has been documented in the Great Lakes basin since the 1990s, when it was introduced to the system
via the discharge of ballast water originating in the Ponto-Caspian region of eastern Europe. The first report of this species in the eastern Lake Ontario-St. Lawrence
River Basin occurred in 2011, outside of Kingston, Ontario, but beginning in 2016 it has consistently appeared in annual ichthyological surveys in the Thousand Islands
region of the upper St. Lawrence River. While these fish have not been detected in great numbers, their presence marks an expanding eastern invasion front into
the St. Lawrence River, which could have ecological implications systemwide. Both active adult movement and passive downstream drift of larval tubenose goby coupled
with introduction of this species via domestic ballast water discharge within the Great Lakes could be providing a secondary invasion route along the St. Lawrence
Seaway.
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Michel Bariche, Nancy Sayar and Paolo Balistreri
Records of two non-indigenous fish species Synanceia verrucosa Bloch and Schneider, 1801 and Acanthurus sohal (Forsskål, 1775) from the Gaza strip (eastern Mediterranean Sea) (pp 699–705) |
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The sohal surgeonfish Acanthurus sohal and the reef stonefish Synanceia verrucosa are marine fishes native to the Indo-Pacific realm.
A single individual of each of the two species was captured from the coastal waters of the city of Gaza and their pictures were shared on social media.
This constitutes the second record of the surgeonfish and the fourth record of the stonefish in the Mediterranean Sea. The proximity to the Suez Canal
suggests Lessepsian migration as a likely mode of entry to the Mediterranean Sea for A. sohal and adds another record of S. verrucosa in the basin.
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Daniel Golani, Oren Sonin, Gregory Snovsky, Lior David and Roni Tadmor-Levi
The occurrence of the peacock bass (Cichla kelberi Kullander and Ferreira, 2006) in Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), Israel (pp 706–711) |
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A specimen of Cichla kelberi Kullander and Ferreira, 2006 was captured for the first time from Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee or Lake Tiberias), Israel.
Its identification was made by morphological and molecular means. Although importation of this species to Israel is prohibited, commercial importers have smuggled
juveniles as aquarium fish. The introduction vector of the specimen in Lake Kinneret is probably due to release or escape from the aquariums of hobbyists.
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Andrés Martínez-Aquino, Alberto de J. Chan-Martin, Jhonny Geovanny García-Teh, F. Sara Ceccarelli and M. Leopoldina Aguirre-Macedo
Metacercariae of Haplorchis pumilio (Looss, 1896) in Carassius auratus (Linnaeus, 1758) from Mérida City, Yucatán, Mexico: a co-introduced parasite (pp 712–728) |
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The invasive alien species (IAS) and adult trematode parasite of reptiles, birds and mammals (including humans), Haplorchis pumilio (Looss, 1896),
is recorded for the first time from Yucatán state in Mexico. The ornamental freshwater fish species, Carassius auratus (“goldfish”) from pet shops from
Mérida City, were necropsied to search for parasites. The trematode was identified based on molecular and morphological data of metacercariae collected from seven
out of ten pet shops sampled. Partial sequences of the 28S ribosomal and COI mitochondrial genes corroborate the identifications based on morphological characters.
DNA sequences from GenBank showed low genetic divergence in both genes from H. pumilio associated with three different host groups during larval and adult
stages around the world, e.g., cercariae from Melanoides tuberculata (“red-rimmed melania”), from Trichogaster trichopterus (“three spot gourami”)
and trematode adults from Homo sapiens. We infer that this trematode was likely introduced by accident through pet shop commerce together with the complex
of the IASs, M. tuberculata and C. auratus. As Yucatán is the second major ornamental fish producing state in Mexico, accidental release of these IASs
into the aquatic environment could result in the introduction of H. pumilio into regional freshwater bodies. The introduction of H. pumilio in Yucatán
is probably relatively recent and due to the paucity of studies directed at this parasite, its distribution is not well known, but since its potential pathogenicity
can cause an emergence of diseases, not only in wildlife, but also in local human populations, particular attention should be given to the findings of this study.
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Kynan R. Harrison and Ian C. Duggan
First record of the parasite Transversotrema patialense (Soparkar, 1924) within New Zealand, and its prevalence
in Melanoides tuberculata (Müller, 1774) among captive and “wild” populations (pp 729–735) |
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The trematode parasite Transversotrema patialense (Soparkar, 1924) (Digenea: Transversotrematidae) is reported from New Zealand
for the first time. The parasite was first observed serendipitously within water surrounding the non-indigenous thiarid snail
Melanoides tuberculata, a known intermediate host, bought from an online Auckland aquarium trade supplier in April 2016. In 2019,
we systematically surveyed M. tuberculata from three online suppliers, a home and university laboratory aquaria, and from the only
known New Zealand “wild” population, to determine its prevalence. The parasite was found to be present only from snails bought from
a single Christchurch supplier. The establishment of T. patialense in New Zealand’s natural waters will be dependent on the presence
of M. tuberculata, and appropriate fish hosts, and will therefore likely be limited to geothermally warmed waters. Release of infected
snails from aquaria would be required for the establishment of the parasite in the “wild” population, and in other suitable habitats.
Further research is necessary to quantify the threat that T. patialense poses to native fish in New Zealand, though these are not
typically found in geothermally heated waters. The greatest risk of the parasite currently is to the health of captive tropical aquarium fish.
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