The barnacle Amphibalanus improvisus (Darwin, 1854), and the mitten crab Eriocheir: one invasive species getting off on another!

Abstract

The Shetland Islands, northern Scotland, have a highly active and diverse maritime environment, and local marine industries form an important part of the local economy. The potential for damage caused by non-native species is high. As part of an assessment of the current status of non-native species in Shetland, a series of rapid assessment surveys, coupled with a settlement panel monitoring programme, were carried out at 18 sites between May 2012 and October 2014. Eight non-native species were detected in our surveys, three of which (Corella eumyota Traustedt, 1882; Bugulina simplex Hincks, 1886; and Dasysiphonia japonica (Yendo) Kim, 2012) had not been previously recorded. Observations by SCUBA also reported the first UK record of Schizoporella japonica Ortmann, 1890 growing on natural substrate. A literature review revealed three additional non-native species that have been documented in Shetland but were not detected in our survey work. The results from this study highlight the speed at which non-native species can spread over regional scales, and that more active harbours contain greater numbers of non-native species, indicating the potential of hull fouling and ballast water exchange for transporting non-native species.

Population and life-stage specific sensitivities to temperature and salinity stress in barnacles

“…Increased abundances of Austrominius modestus in Ireland61 and on the rocky island of Helgoland6263 may also be attributed to seawater warming. Given the benefit of high temperature for the larvae of B. improvisus in this study and the potential of this species in colonizing new habitats64, it may be expected that warming in shallow marine habitats and estuaries can enhance fouling invasion of this species.…”

The bay barnacle Amphibalanus improvisus (Darwin, 1854) in the Pleistocene of Europe? A review of Pleistocene Balanidae of northern Central Europe

“…Amphibalanus improvisus probably originally came from the Atlantic coast of America although it is uncertain whether North or South America was its area of origin (Jensen, 2015; Shalaeva, 2019). Based on genetic data, Wrange et al (2016) were not able conclusively to confirm earlier claims that A. improvisus originally came from the western edges of the Atlantic coasts; however, there were indications that Argentina could be part of an endemic region.…”

“…They are typically found in the lower tidal zone and in sheltered waters (Table 1). For this reason, their distribution in England and Scotland is limited to river mouths with reduced salinities (Darwin, 1854; Luther, 1987; Furman, 1990; Weidema, 2000; Leppäkoski, 1999; Naser et al, 2015). The bay barnacle grows on a wide variety of hard surfaces including tree trunks, mangroves, rocks, oysters and other shells, docks and ships’ hulls (Shalaeva, 2019).…”

Catching invasive Chinese mitten crabs while releasing the endangered European eel and other fish by‐catch: The implications of fyke net design

“…During autumn 2012, 126 female mitten crabs were caught, of which 22 were ovigerous (egg carrying), indicating that the annual breeding cycle migration (Morritt et al, ; Robbins, Smith, Rainbow, & Clark, ) had reached the upper Thames Estuary. In addition, four mitten crabs caught on 26 and 29 September and 2 October 2012 had barnacles attached to the carapace which suggested that these specimens had been in the estuary for some time (Clark, ; Naser, Rainbow, Clark, Yasser, & Jones, ). In addition, three ovigerous crabs were caught in June and provide an indication of fecundity for this species.…”