Continuing expansion of non-indigenous crayfish species in Northern Europe: first established spiny-cheek crayfish Faxonius limosus (Refinesque, 1817) population in Estonia

Panicz

et al. 2020

Animals

The aim of the study was to present a comprehensive characterisation of crayfish meat, which is crucial to assess its potential usefulness in the food industry. To this end, we assessed the yield, basic chemical composition (protein, fat, minerals), nutritional value (amino acid and fatty acid profiles, essential amino acid index (EAAI), chemical score of essential amino acids (CS), hypocholesterolaemic/hypercholesterolaemic ratio (h/H), atherogenicity (AI) and thrombogenicity (TI) indices), as well as culinary value (lab colour, texture, sensory characteristics, structure) of the meat of spiny-cheek crayfish (Faxonius limosus) (n = 226) from Lake Sominko (Poland) harvested in May–September 2017. Crayfish meat, especially that from the abdomen, was shown to have high nutritional parameters. It is lean (0.26% of fat), with a favourable fatty acid profile and a very high quality of fat (PUFA (sum of polyunsaturated fatty acids):SFA (sum of saturated fatty acids), n-6/n-3, h/H, AI, TI) and protein (high CS and EAAI). It is also a better source of Ca, K, Mg, Na, P, and Cu than meat from slaughter animals. Hence, crayfish meat can be an alternative to livestock meat in the human diet. Owing to its culinary value (delicateness, weak game flavour, and odour), it meets the requirements of the most demanding consumers, i.e., children and older people.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spiny-Cheek Crayfish, Faxonius limosus (Rafinesque, 1817), as an Alternative Food Source

Panicz

et al. 2020

Animals

“…The North American spiny-cheek crayfish Faxonius limosus (Rafinesque, 1817) was the first non-indigenous crayfish species introduced into Europe in 1890 (Holdich et al 2009;Filipová et al 2011). Since its first introduction into Europe this invasive species has been able to quickly increase its population and successfully colonize many European waterbodies and can now be found in at least 25 European countries (Kouba et al 2014;Trichkova et al 2015;Govedič, 2017;Kaldre et al 2020). Many studies have addressed the alarming invasiveness of F. limosus (e.g.…”

Section: ) and Became Invasivementioning

confidence: 99%

Mating Strategies of Invasive Versus Indigenous Crayfish: Multiple Paternity as Driver for Invasion Success?

Francesconi

Pîrvu

Schrimpf

et al. 2021

Preprint

The invasive spiny-cheek crayfish (Faxonius limosus) has been able to colonize many European waterbodies since its first introduction into Europe, threatening the indigenous crayfish fauna. Faxonius limosus’ remarkable reproductive plasticity has been suggested as an important factor contributing to this species’ alarming invasiveness. This is the first study comparing the reproductive strategies of an invasive (F. limosus) and a sympatric indigenous crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus). We investigated if and how parthenogenesis and multiple paternity contribute to the invasion process in the River Danube. Using microsatellites, we genotyped the offspring and their mothers of 11 clutches of F. limosus and 18 clutches of P. leptodactylus. While no parthenogenesis has been found in F. limosus’ populations, multiple paternity has been detected for the first time in both species, with comparable incidence. The results of the study indicate that multiple paternity does not play a dominant role in F. limosus’ successful colonization of the Danube. However, the presented results have to be regarded as pilot study, with a limited number of samples and loci investigated. Given the relevance of mating system knowledge for management measures, future studies with larger sample number could provide precious contributions to the conservation actions.

Section: ) and Became Invasivementioning

confidence: 99%

Mating Strategies of Invasive Versus Indigenous Crayfish: Multiple Paternity as a Driver for Invasion Success?

Francesconi

Pîrvu

Schrimpf

et al. 2021

Freshwater Crayfish

The invasive spiny-cheek crayfish (Faxonius limosus) has been able to colonize many European waterbodies since its first introduction into Europe, threatening the indigenous crayfish fauna. The remarkable reproductive plasticity of this species has been suggested as an important factor contributing to the alarming invasiveness of this species. In this study, we compared the reproductive strategies of an invasive (F. limosus) and a sympatric indigenous crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus). We questioned if the reproductive abilities, namely parthenogenesis and multiple paternity, may contribute to an ongoing invasion process in the Lower Danube. Using microsatellites, we genotyped the mothers and their offspring from 11 clutches of F. limosus and 18 clutches of P. leptodactylus. While no parthenogenesis has been found in F. limosus populations, multiple paternity has been detected for the first time in both species, with comparable incidence. The results of the study indicate that multiple paternity does not play a dominant role in the successful colonization of F. limosus in the Danube. However, the presented results have to be regarded as a pilot study, with a limited number of samples and loci investigated. Given the relevance of mating system knowledge for management measures, future studies with larger sample number could provide valuable contributions to ongoing conservation actions.