First record of Atlantic mud piddock, Barnea (Anchomasa) truncata (Bivalvia, Pholadidae) in Argentina

Sandra Fiori,Eder Dos Santos,Pía Simonetti

doi:10.3391/ai.2012.7.2.015

Abstract

The present work reports the finding of an exotic bivalve, Barnea (Anchomasa) truncata, in the intertidal zone of the Bahia Blanca Estuary Argentina (38o Lat S), more than 2000 km south from the edge of its native range in South America (21o Lat S, Brazil). Lines of evidence suggest that larval transport by shipping is the probable entry route of this species. The most apparent modification created by the

Highlights

The introduction of exotic species is considered one of the main threats to biodiversity at different scales and extent (IUCN 2000)
The Argentinean coastline was long considered pristine, it is severely affected by biological invasions (Orensanz et al 2002; Bortolus and Schwindt 2007)
The Pholadidae, known as piddocks and angelwings, are a family of highly specialized bivalves adapted for boring into inorganic and organic substrates of variable hardness. They build tubular burrows, by using their shell to mechanically erode the substratum, and stay within it for their whole lifespan (Turner 1954). These groups of bivalves are among the dominant organisms of many intertidal and subtidal soft rock habitats, relatively little is known about their general biology and ecology because of their cryptic lifestyle (Pinn et al 2005, 2008)

Summary

Introduction

The introduction of exotic species is considered one of the main threats to biodiversity at different scales and extent (IUCN 2000). The Pholadidae, known as piddocks and angelwings, are a family of highly specialized bivalves adapted for boring into inorganic and organic substrates of variable hardness. They build tubular burrows, by using their shell to mechanically erode the substratum, and stay within it for their whole lifespan (Turner 1954). (A.) lamellosa has a distribution limited to the coasts of Uruguay and Argentina (Turner 1954; Monari 2009). This contribution reports for the first time the presence of B. This contribution reports for the first time the presence of B. (A.) truncata, in the intertidal zone of the Bahía Blanca Estuary Argentina, more than 2000 km south from the edge of its native range in South America

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Discussion