Simple Control Method to Limit the Spread of the New Zealand MudsnailPotamopyrgus antipodarum

Abstract

The invasive New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum is now well established in rivers in the western United States and is rapidly expanding its range. Potamopyrgus antipodarum is most likely to be spread to new waters via contaminated equipment. To assess a possible method for controlling their spread, we conducted a desiccation and freezing experiment on seven size-classes of P. antipodarum to determine mortality at different temperatures and low or high humidity. Our results show that P. antipodarum does not survive freezing or desiccation at high temperatures with low humidity. At all temperatures, larger P. antipodarum generally survived desiccation longer than smaller ones, and for all size-classes mortality generally increased with increased exposure time. We recommend thoroughly freezing or drying potentially contaminated equipment to limit the spread of P. antipodarum to uninfected aquatic ecosystems.

A Periphyton-Based Diet Results in an Increased Growth Rate Compared to a Detritus-Based Diet in the Invasive New Zealand Mud Snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum).

“…Using a flame thrower in a hatchery situation against the walls of raceways will kill any mudsnails attached. Mudsnails cannot withstand warm temperatures (Dwyer et al 2003;Richards et al 2004) or low humidity situations (Dwyer and Kerans, unpublished;Richards et al 2004). Alternately, if an infested area could be drained in the winter and the substrate is frozen to a depth containing the mudsnails, then total eradication will occur.…”

Tolerance to air exposure of the New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Hydrobiidae, Mollusca) as a prerequisite to survival in overland translocations

“…In the case of aquatic molluscs, tolerance to air exposure (i.e., absence of contact with water during a period of time) is one of the main prerequisites allowing overland transport, because many vectors require the ability to survive out of water (e.g., attached to nets, boats, buoys, waterfowl, etc.) (Ricciardi et al 1995, Richards et al 2004. Therefore the longer the period the mollusc can survive out of water the higher is the probability of successful translocation.…”

“…Additionally, the potential number of generations per year is up to six, and the average number of offspring per adult is 230 (Møller et al 1994, Richards 2002. This species can spread through transport vectors, such as fish, waterfowl or fishing tools, due to its ability to survive the passage through the digestive tract (in the case of fish) or to its air exposure tolerance (in the case of waterfowl or fishing tools) (Richards et al 2004, Alonso and Castro-Díez 2008, Vinson and Baker 2008. The distance covered by means of the latter mechanism depends on how much time the mudsnail can survive out of water, which has not received much attention so far (but see Richards et al 2004, Lysne andKoetsier 2006).…”

“…The distance covered by means of the latter mechanism depends on how much time the mudsnail can survive out of water, which has not received much attention so far (but see Richards et al 2004, Lysne andKoetsier 2006). Additionally, the knowledge of the air exposure tolerance can help to establish protocols to avoid translocation, as air exposure is a simple and low-cost method for exotic species control (Richards et al 2004). This knowledge is crucial to avoid the establishment of mudsnail in new aquatic ecosystems (Richards et al 2004) as the air-exposed vectors (e.g.…”

The invader mudsnailPotamopyrgus antipodarumin the Tiber River basin (Central Italy)

“…It can also pass undigested through fish guts (Haynes et al 1985), and passive transport by fish and water fowl (Crozet et al 1980) may play an important role in the dispersal of the snail over long distance. The active motion of P. antipodarum may also contribute significantly to the diffusion of this species within watercourses, though transport by human carriers appears to be the most significant modality of dispersal of this invader in some areas (Richards et al 2004;Levri et al 2007). Laboratory and field experiments enabled Haynes et al (1985) to prove that the snail tends to orientate itself and move upstream, a behaviour which certainly facilitates the persistence and diffusion of this species towards inland waters.…”