More than two decades after the introduction of Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker 1857) in La Plata Basin

Abstract

The golden mussel, Limnoperna fortunei, is an Asian freshwater bivalve introduced in South America in the beginning of the 1990's, probably through ballast water releases in La Plata River estuary. It dispersed north through Paraná, Uruguay and Paraguay Rivers. The study evaluated the macroscale (18° to 34° S; 45° to 60° W) distribution of L. fortunei (larval stages) in the main rivers and reservoirs of La Plata Basin. Samplings were performed through 68 µm vertical plankton net hauls. Limnological variables were simultaneously determined. Larvae abundance correlated significantly with oxygen (positively) in summer, with temperature (positively) in winter and with total phosphorus and total nitrogen (both negatively) in winter. We expected densities to decrease towards north (latitudinal gradient) and increase in lentic conditions (reservoirs). Despite maximum density was found near the introduction point (La Plata River) similar value was also observed 2,000 km north (Paraguay River). The first hypothesis was refuted. The second hypothesis was partially accepted. Abundances were consistently higher in summer. Higher trophic conditions and fast flow seem to inhibit population growth. Food resources (chlorophyll a) locally influenced temporal variation. Limnoperna fortunei is widely distributed in La Plata basin, reaching high larval densities superior to 10,000 ind. m -3 , in all major sub-basins. The species exhibits a high intrinsic dispersal ability (free planktonic larvae), wide tolerance to environmental factors and dispersion is potentialized by natural dispersion processes (e.g. fauna displacement) and human facilitation (e.g. commercial navigation).Keywords: golden mussel, larval stage, Uruguay River, Paraguay River, Paraná River Duas décadas após a chegada de Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker 1857) na Bacia do PrataResumo O mexilhão dourado, Limnoperna fortunei, é um bivalve de água doce originário da Ásia e introduzido na América do Sul no início de 1990, provavelmente através da água de lastro liberada no estuário do rio La Plata. Dispersando-se para o norte através dos rios Paraná, Uruguai e Paraguai. Esse estudo avaliou a distribuição em macroescala (18° a 34° S; 45° a 60° W) de L. fortunei (estágios larvais) nos principais rios e reservatórios da bacia La Plata. Amostragens foram realizadas através de arrastos verticais com rede planctônica de 68 µm. Variáveis limnológicas foram simultaneamente determinadas. A abundância larval correlacionou-se significativamente com oxigênio (positivamente) no verão, com a temperatura (positivamente) no inverno e com fósforo total e nitrogênio total (ambos negativamente) no inverno. Esperávamos um decréscimo da densidade em direção ao norte (gradiente latitudinal) e aumento em condições lênticas (reservatórios). Apesar de a densidade máxima ter sido encontrada próximo do ponto de introdução (La Plata River) valores similares também foram observados 2.000 km ao norte (rio Paraguai). A primeira hipótese foi refutada. A segunda hipótese foi parcialmente aceita. Abu...

Net cages enhance golden mussel (Limnoperna fortunei) larval density and condition factor

“…Water temperature is known to be the main abiotic factor for L. fortunei development because it is critical to its vital activities, including reproduction, growth, and survival(Cataldo et al, 2012;Perepelizin & Boltovskoy, 2015). The larval density recorded here was higher than the highest recorded byPessotto and Nogueira (2018) in samples from 48 sites in the La Plata Basin, including the Paranapanema River. These authors observed the highest value in the Río de la Plata estuary at 60,000 larvae/m 3 in the summer of 2010.Boltovskoy, Correa, Sylvester, and Cataldo…”

Structure and genetic variability of golden mussel (Limnoperna fortunei) populations from Brazilian reservoirs

“…In relation to the dispersion potential of L. fortunei , Pessotto & Nogueira () found in the La Plata basin, more than 20 years after its introduction in this basin, high larval densities in all the main sub‐basins, with the species reaching lower latitudes in the upper Paraná sub‐basin, in a counter‐flux displacement greater than 2,000 km. Considering the history of the mussel invasion on the Paraná River, Avelar, Martim, and Vianna () revealed the presence of the mussel in this river in 2002, downstream of the city of Rosana (22°32′56.9″S–53°2′48″W), characterizing the population as young and in full process of colonization.…”

“…In Brazil, the occurrence of golden mussel was first reported at the end of 1998 and beginning of 1999, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, in the Jacuí River delta, and in the Guaíba Lake basin, respectively (Mansur, Richinitti, & Santos, ; Mansur et al, ). Recent studies have demonstrated a wide territorial distribution of this species, which encompasses several South American river basins, such as the basins of rivers Paraguay, Paraná, Uruguay, La Plata (Pessotto & Nogueira, ), and even in water bodies in the Northeast region of Brazil, such as the São Francisco River Basin (Barbosa et al, ). In the Paranapanema River, a tributary of the Paraná River, the first occurrence of the species was recorded in 2006, in the Canoas I reservoir (Garcia, Orsi, Casimiro, & Kurcheski, ).…”

Integrative taxonomy and biogeographic affinities of the first freshwater sponge and mollusc association discovered in tropical Asia

“…The golden mussel L. fortunei attracts the full attention of scientists and stakeholders as an invasive species rapidly spreading in South America, Japan, and Hong Kong, and causing large economic and environmental impacts (Morton, 1973(Morton, , 2015Pessotto & Nogueira, 2018;Ricciardi, 1998). Although a number of molecular studies were already focused on this species, including the whole genome sequencing (De Paula et al, 2020;Uliano-Silva et al, 2018), any DNA sequence data on its populations from the Mekong Basin were not available.…”