Alien Crustacea in Polish waters – Amphipoda

Michał Grabowski

doi:10.3391/ai.2007.2.1.3

Abstract

Among ca. 750 species of Crustacea recorded from Poland, 18 representatives of 5 orders of macro-crustaceans have been identified as alien species that have invaded or have been introduced to Polish waters. Out of 44 freshwater, brackishwater and semiterrestrial species of Amphipoda occurring in Poland (not counting several stygobiotic species), 8 species from three families may be included in this group. They are Corophiidae: Chelicorophium curvispinum (=Corophium curvispinum), Gammaridae: Gammarus roeselii, G. tigrinus, Chaetogammarus ischnus (=Echinogammarus ischnus), Pontogammaridae: Dikerogammarus haemobaphes, D. villosus, Pontogammarus robustoides and Obesogammarus crassus. It is noticeable that most of them (C. curvispinum, C. ischnus, D. haemobaphes, D. villosus, P. robustoides, O. crassus) are of Ponto-Caspian origin, one species was introduced from North America (G. tigrinus), and one from south-eastern Europe (G. roeselii). All the species listed above have spread widely in Poland, in large rivers and artifical reservoirs (Chelicorophium curvispinum, Dikerogammarus villosus, D. haemobaphes, Pontogammarus robustoides, Gammarus tigrinus) or in medium sized rivers (Gammarus roeselii), in brackish coastal waters (Obesogammarus crassus) or both in fresh and brackish waters (Gammarus tigrinus, Pontogammarus robustoides). In most places they successfully outnumber or even completely replace native amphipod species. This paper presents data on biogeography, history, biology and ecology of alien species, as well as the consequences of their invasion in Poland with an extended bibliography and references to other European countries.

Highlights

To date, ca. 750 species of Crustacea have been recorded in Poland (Razowski 1997; Jażdżewski et al 2002)
8 species from three families, Corophiidae: Chelicorophium curvispinum, Gammaridae: Gammarus roeselii, G. tigrinus, Chaetogammarus ischnus, and Pontogammaridae: Dikerogammarus haemobaphes, D. villosus, Pontogammarus robustoides, Obesogammarus crassus are recognised as alien (Figure 1)
The alien amphipods constitute a significant part of the benthic communities in large Polish rivers and in coastal Baltic waters

Summary

Introduction

Ca. 750 species of Crustacea have been recorded in Poland (Razowski 1997; Jażdżewski et al 2002). 750 species of Crustacea have been recorded in Poland (Razowski 1997; Jażdżewski et al 2002). From this number 18 species, belonging to 5 orders of macrocrustaceans, have been identified as alien species that have entered Polish waters in historical times. This paper, dedicated to alien amphipod crustaceans, is a continuation of work by Grabowski et al (2005), which described the geographical sources and migration routes for alien Crustacea entering Polish waters, and summarised the invasion history and progress of alien Decapoda in Poland. Amphipoda in Polish surface waters are represented by 44 species including freshwater, brackishwater and semiterrestrial taxa. It is noticeable that most of them are of PontoCaspian origin, one species was introduced from North America and one from south-eastern Europe, namely the Balkan Peninsula (Annex)

Objectives

Conclusion