Occurrence of non-native red cherry shrimp in European temperate waterbodies: a case study from Hungary

Abstract

The international pet trade has caused numerous introductions of non-native species globally. This is also true for freshwater decapod crustaceans including the red cherry shrimp. This tiny creature has been previously found in thermally polluted waters in Europe (Germany and Poland). Here, we present its first occurrence in Hungary and in the entire Carpathian Basin. The species was sampled once per month over 1 yr, from November 2017 to November 2018 in a natural thermal pond (spa) and also in an adjoining non-thermal brook in Miskolctapolca, Hungary. Shrimps were preyed upon by adult fishes in the locality but many individuals, including ovigerous females and juveniles, were recorded within the survey continuously. The density of shrimps was positively correlated with the water temperature, despite some individuals being found in the non-thermal stream and also in winter. We consider that the population of this species in Hungary is now well-established and self-sustaining.

New records of the invasive red swamp crayfishProcambarus clarkii(Girard, 1852) (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from Poland

“…We provide new documented data on P. clarkii in open waters in Poland. The sites in Warsaw are located approximately 500 km eastward from well-established populations in Berlin, Germany while Krakow's Dąbie Pond is at a distance of 240 and 260 km from the nearest southern populations known from surroundings of Egerszalók and Budapest in Hungary (Gál et al, 2018;Szendőfi et al, 2018;Weiperth et al, 2019). Consequently, they are the most northeastward sites of the species in European natural ecosystems.…”

“…Therefore, even a single introduction could be potentially catastrophic for local ecosystems. In Europe, some warmwater invertebrates like freshwater shrimps of Atyidae family as well as asian pond mussel Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) or the asian clam, Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774) were initially found in heated water close to power stations, however, after several years, some of them were able to also colonise cooler waters (Klotz et al, 2013;Maćkiewicz, 2013;Najberek et al, 2013;Chmielewski et al, 2017Bonk et al, 2018;Jabłońska et al, 2018;Weiperth et al, 2019). As we also found juvenile representatives of P. clarkii in Żerań Canal, we suggest that the population may be breeding, as in our opinion, there is a lower probability of juveniles being released into the natural environment than the adults.…”

“…Numerous crayfish species were displaced into new locations all over the world as a result of aquaculture and fisheries (Savini et al, 2010). In many cases, freshwater crustaceans were also introduced via the pet trade (Patoka et al, 2014;Uderbayev et al, 2017;Deidun et al, 2018;Weiperth et al, 2019). Pet crayfish are often released into natural open waters if they outgrow their indoor aquarium or their owners become bored with them as well as a result of misinterpretation of inappropriately communicated legislations.…”

May atyid shrimps act as potential vectors of crayfish plague?

“…Moreover, even if A. astaci infection is not accompanied with mortality in shrimps, they may still serve, similarly to North American crayfish in Europe, as chronic carriers of the pathogen, representing threats to wild populations and farms culturing susceptible crayfish species. Indeed, recent reports attribute the presence of ornamental shrimp species in European freshwaters to releases by hobbyists who keep them as aquarium pets (e.g., Klotz et al 2013;Jabłońska et al 2018;Weiperth et al 2019b). The lack of reported mass-mortalities of E. sinensis in Europe, where it coexists in many rivers with North American crayfish, permits the assumption that at least this crab species is resistant to A. astaci infection (Schrimpf et al 2014).…”

Invasive Potential of Pet-Traded Pill-Box Crabs from Genus Limnopilos

“…Numerous records of non-indigenous decapods introduced via the pet trade are known from various regions over the globe; for instance, crayfish such as redclaw Cherax quadricarinatus [9,10], marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis [11,12], Mexican dwarf crayfish Cambarellus patzcuarensis [13], and freshwater shrimps such as the red cherry shrimp Neocaridina davidi/heteropoda [14][15][16] and Kaira river prawn Macrobrachium dayanum [15]. Generally, invasive decapod crustaceans can outcompete native species and alter habitats, and certain species serve as a vector of infectious diseases, especially crayfish plague caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces astaci.…”