Ferrissia Fragilis Research Articles

DNA metabarcoding unravels unknown diversity and distribution patterns of tropical freshwater invertebrates

Abstract Tropical freshwater invertebrate species are becoming extinct without being described, and effective conservation is hampered by a lack of taxonomic and distribution data. DNA metabarcoding is a promising tool for rapid biodiversity assessments that has never been applied to tropical freshwater invertebrates across large spatial and taxonomic scales. Here we use DNA metabarcoding to comprehensively assess the benthic freshwater invertebrate fauna of the Perak River basin, Malaysia. Specific objectives were to: (1) assess performance of two DNA metabarcoding protocols; (2) identify gaps in reference databases; (3) generate new data on species diversity and distribution; and (4) draw conclusions regarding the potential value of DNA metabarcoding in tropical freshwater conservation. Organisms were collected by hand and net at 34 sites and divided into small (retained in 0.5‐mm but passing through 1‐mm mesh) and large (retained in 1‐mm mesh) fractions, and a 313‐bp cytochrome c oxidase subunit I fragment amplified and sequenced using general Metazoa primers. Bioinformatic analysis resulted in 468 operational taxonomic units (~species) from 12 phyla. Only 29% of species could be assigned binominal names through matches to public sequence libraries, indicating varying levels of library completeness across Orders. Extraction of small‐fraction DNA with a soil kit resulted in a significantly higher species count than with a general kit, but this was not even across taxa. Metabarcoding (amplification) success rate, estimated via comparison to morphological identifications of the large‐fraction specimens, was high in most taxa analysed but low, for example, in ampullariid and viviparid gastropods. Conversely, a large proportion of species‐site records for Decapoda and Bivalvia came from metabarcoding only. Species richness averaged 29 ± 16 species per site, dominated by Diptera, Annelida, and Odonata, and was particularly high in tributaries of the mountainous Titiwangsa Range. At least eight species are new records for Malaysia, including the non‐natives Ferrissia fragilis (Gastropoda) and Dugesia notogaea (Platyhelminthes). Our study showed that DNA metabarcoding is generally more effective in detecting tropical freshwater invertebrate species than traditional morphological approaches, and can efficiently improve knowledge of distribution patterns and ranges of native and non‐native species. However, current gaps in reference databases, particularly for bioindicator taxa, such as the Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Coleoptera, need to be addressed urgently.

Potential invasiveness by non-indigenous macrozoobenthos in the secondary hydrographic system of a temperate-climate river catchment

In the context of biological invasions, freshwater aquatic invertebrates represent one of the most successful groups of organisms. At the same time, the secondary hydrographic system of a river catchment acts as a preferential pathway for the dispersion of Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) to nearby ecosystems. The present study investigates the macrozoobenthos assemblage inhabiting 13 representative semi-natural streams of the secondary hydrographic system of the southern course of the River Ticino (Lombardy, Northern Italy). The level of biocontamination of the habitats under study was assessed by the Site-specific BioContamination Index (SBCI), which was paired with a preliminary screening of the NIS that may cause ecological and economic impacts at the sites under study using the recently-developed Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS-ISK) tool. The SBCI classified one stream as ‘high class’, one as ‘good class’, two as ‘moderate class’, seven as ‘poor class’, and the remaining two as ‘bad class’. Six macrozoobenthic NIS were identified, namely the amphipod Gammarus roeselii, the gastropods Physella acuta, Potamopyrgus antipodarum and Pseudosuccinea columella, the bivalve Corbicula fluminea and the limpet Ferrissia fragilis. Based on the AS-ISK outcomes, the most potentially invasive species were C. fluminea followed by P. columella, both of which were categorised as ‘high risk’. Also, the potential invasiveness of the above species increased after accounting for climate change predictions, as did that for all other species assessed, hence regardless of their corresponding risk level. By combining the results of the SBCI index with those from AS-ISK, a first step is provided towards the identification and refinement of potential management strategies aimed to reduce the impacts of NIS in the RAA, whilst accounting for predicted effects of climate change.

Freshwater mollusks and environmental assessment of Guandu River, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract The Guandu River Basin is extremely important to state of Rio de Janeiro, as a water supplier of several municipalities. However, the malacological knowledge and environmental status is not well known to this basin. The aim of this paper is to present an inventory of freshwater mollusks, as well as an environmental assessment through a Rapid Assessment Protocol, of ten sampling sites at Guandu River basin in six municipalities (Piraí, Paracambi, Japeri, Seropédica, Queimados and Nova Iguaçu). Thirteen species of molusks were found, eight native (Pomacea maculata, Biomphalaria tenagophila, Gundlachia ticaga, Gundlachia radiata, Omalonyx matheroni, Diplodon ellipticus, Anodontites trapesialis and Eupera bahiensis) and five exotics (Melanoides tuberculata, Ferrissia fragilis, Physa acuta, Corbicula fluminea and Corbicula largillierti). The environmental analysis ranked most sites as “modified”. The expansion of exotic species with their associated negative effects, as well the gap in knowledge of native species calls attention to the need of future studies of biology and ecology of the species found.

Vodní měkkýši Vysočiny [Freshwater molluscs of Vysočina Region (Czech Republic)

This paper summarizes data about the distribution of freshwater molluscs in the Vysočina Region (6,800 km²). The region is one of the 14 regions of the Czech Republic, situated in its central part. The major part of this region consists of Českomoravská vrchovina (Bohemian-Moravian Highlands) with average elevation about 500 m a. s. l. Data about freshwater molluscs have been obtained by author’s field research since 1993 and from many published and unpublished papers, private collections, and collections in museums dating from 1850. Altogether, data about the occurrence of 49 species of freshwater molluscs (27 gastropods, 22 bivalves) were obtained. This number constitutes 62% of all aquatic mollusc species found in the Czech Republic. Data about the occurrence of individual species were used for the construction of distributional maps of records for three time periods (1851–1950, 1951–2000, 2001–2016). The major part of the data has originated for the last period. This clearly demonstrates a significant increase in the research intensity after 2000. The most common species, i.e. recorded at least in 40 mapping cells out of 72 covering the area to the Vysočina Region, were Galba truncatula, Radix auricularia, R. labiata, Lymnaea stagnalis, Gyraulus albus, Ancylus fluviatilis, Anodonta anatina, Pisidium casertanum, and P. subtruncatum. In contrast, Viviparus viviparus, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Stagnicola corvus, Radix ampla, R. balthica, Planorbis planorbis, Gyraulus acronicus, Ferrissia fragilis, Unio tumidus, Pseudanodonta complanata, Sinanodonta woodiana, Pisidium amnicum, P. tenuilineatum, and Dreissena polymorpha have been found in less than five mapping cells and belong to rare species of this region. Except 29 common and widespread species, four species (Bythinella austriaca, Physa fontinalis, Pisidium milium, and P. supinum) belonging in the Red List of the Molluscs of the Czech Republic were recorded. Other six species are classified as Vulnerable (Radix ampla, Gyraulus acronicus, Segmentina nitida, Unio tumidus, Anodonta cygnea, and Pisidium hibernicum), three as Endangered (Unio crassus, Pseudanodonta complanata, and Pisidium amnicum), and two as Critically Endangered (Margaritifera margaritifera and Pisidium tenuilineatum).

The First Finding of Ferrissia fragilis (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the Kyiv Reservoir (the Dnieper River) and Several Issues of Taxonomy, Distribution and Zoogeographic belonging of this Species

The First Finding of Ferrissia fragilis (Mollusca: Gastropoda) in the Kyiv Reservoir (the Dnieper River) and Several Issues of Taxonomy, Distribution and Zoogeographic belonging of this Species

Substrate choice by the alien snail Ferrissia fragilis (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in an industrial area: A case study in a forest pond (Southern Poland)

AbstractThe aims of this study were to determine the substrate choice by the alien snail Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) (Phragmites australis and Typha latifolia remains, Nuphar lutea floating leaves and leaf deposit) as well as the environmental factors that influence the occurrence of this species. From 9 (T. latifolia and P. australis) to 11 (leaf deposit) snail species occurred on each type of substrate. F. fragilis belonged to the eudominants on most of the substrate types. This species reached its highest average density on floating N. lutea leaves (271 ind. m−2) and the lowest was on P. australis (60 ind. m−2). It occurred in different periods during the snail collection: in the initial study period on the floating N. lutea leaves (May) and on P. australis in the final period of the study (September). In July, we found a few specimens in the postseptal form on T. latifolia remains. The results of RDA analysis confirm the association between F. fragilis and T. latifolia as well as with floating N. lutea leaves. F. fragilis occurs at sites that have a higher content of calcium and iron in the water. Alien species more increasingly appear in disturbed anthropogenic water-bodies. An important vector in the dispersion of F. fragilis was probably the water birds or the economic activities that are related with the use of this forest pond. Studies on the occurrence of alien species contribute important data on the activities that are taken to preserve the biodiversity of freshwater environments

The Importance of the Mining Subsidence Reservoirs Located Along the Trans-Regional Highway in the Conservation of the Biodiversity of Freshwater Molluscs in Industrial Areas (Upper Silesia, Poland).

The objectives of the survey were to analyse the structure of the mollusc communities in the mining subsidence reservoirs that were created as a result of land subsidence over exploited hard coal seams and to determine the most predictive environmental factors that influence the distribution of mollusc species. The reservoirs are located in urbanised and industrialised areas along the Trans-Regional Highway, which has a high volume of vehicular traffic. They all have the same sources of supply but differ in the physical and chemical parameters of the water. In total, 15 mollusc species were recorded including four bivalve species. Among them Anodonta cygnea is classified as Endangered according to the Polish Red Data Book of Animals and also as Near Threatened according to the European Red List of Non-marine Molluscs. Eleven of the 15 mollusc species are included on the European Red List of Non-marine Molluscs as Least Concern. Conductivity, pH and the concentration of calcium were the parameters most associated with the distribution of mollusc species. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Radix balthica, Physella acuta, Gyraulus crista and Pisidium casertanum were associated with higher conductivity and lower pH values. A. cygnea, Anodonta anatina and Ferrissia fragilis were negatively influenced by these parameters of the water. The results of this survey showed that the mining subsidence reservoirs located in urbanised and industrialised areas provide refuges for rare and legally protected species and that they play an essential role in the dispersal of alien species as well.

Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863): a freshwater snail cryptic invader in Brazil revealed by morphological and molecular data

Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863): a freshwater snail cryptic invader in Brazil revealed by morphological and molecular data

Identifying factors linked to the occurrence of alien gastropods in isolated woodland water bodies.

Biological invasions are a significant component of human-caused global change and is widely regarded as one of the main threats to natural biodiversity. Isolated anthropogenic water bodies created in the areas that are deprived of natural freshwater habitats allow the survival and reproduction of alien species on newly settled sites. They are often small with water level fluctuations causing frequent environmental disturbances. The colonisation success may be the result of the rate of their degradation. The aims of the study were to determine the environmental conditions that affect the existence of alien species of gastropods in this type of aquatic environment and to examine whether the occurrence of non-native species affects the community structure of the native species. This study made it possible to group woodland ponds according to the occurrence of the three invasive species in snail communities and discuss the environmental conditions present in these pond types. Analysis of water properties emphasised the distinctiveness of the selected pond types. In ponds of the Potamopyrgus antipodarum type, we found the highest values of some parameters mainly hardness, conductivity, and content of calcium and chlorides, in contrast with the Physella acuta type, which were characterised by the lowest values except for phosphates and nitrites. In the Ferrissia fragilis type, we found the highest nitrate content. Data on the occurrence of alien species in different water environments play an important role in actions which are taken to prevent new invasions and spread of non-native species as well as to reduce future impacts of invaders.

First record of the North American cryptic invader Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in the Middle East

Some gastropod specimens belonging to the planorbid genus Ferrissia were recently collected in Lebanon and in Iraq, where the autochthonous species Ferrissia clessiniana (Jickeli, 1882) is supposed to occur. The molecular identification of collected specimens proved that they belong to the allochthonous species Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863), the protagonist of a dramatic cryptic invasion which is of interest to the whole of Eurasia. These findings cast further doubts on the actual existence of autochthonous Ferrissia species in the Palaearctic. The need for a molecular characterisation of the topotypical population of F. clessiniana, and for a revision of the Palaearctic Ferrissia species, is stressed.

Invaders versus endemics: alien gastropod species in ancient Lake Ohrid

Species invasions into ancient lakes are an important but little understood phenomenon. At ancient Lake Ohrid, a systematic assessment of invasive mollusc species using morphological and genetic data was conducted from 2003 to 2012. Two globally invasive gastropod species, Physa acuta and Ferrissia fragilis, have recently been discovered at 4 out of 386 sites. These sites are anthropogenically impacted. The invasive species co-occur with endemics. Phylogenetic analyses of populations from native and invaded ranges of both species confirmed their identities and provided insights into their invasion histories. Accordingly, P. acuta is genetically more diverse than F. fragilis. Both species are currently present in a considerable number of lakes on the Balkan Peninsula. Possible future trends in Lake Ohrid and the Balkans are discussed and further spread of both species is likely. Given the ongoing environmental change in Lake Ohrid, the number of observations of non-indigenous or other widespread species will probably rise in the coming years and such species and their impact on native species should be carefully monitored. Moreover, ancient lakes with recurrent invasions of alien species might serve as interesting model systems for the study of important topics of invasion biology.

Freshwater molluscs of the Dyje (Thaya) River and its tributaries - the role of these water bodies in expansion of alien species and as a refuge for endangered gastropods and bivalves

The malacofauna of the Dyje River, including the lower sections of its five tributaries, is still rich and diversified despite the pollution, regulation and building of several dam reservoirs. In total, 42 freshwater mollusc species (24 gastropods, 18 bivalves) were found at 75 sites. The richest malacofauna (30 species) was recorded in the lower section of the Dyje. Populations of endangered or rare molluscs Theodoxus danubialis, Viviparus acerosus, Lithoglyphus naticoides, Unio crassus, Pseudanodonta complanata, Pisidium amnicum and P. moitessierianum were found. The first three species inhabit only the area under study in the Czech Republic. Especially the occurrence of Unio crassus corresponds with river sections that were only partly affected by human activities (long distance below dam reservoirs, less polluted sections, unregulated watercourses). The occurrence of five invasive species, four originating from other continents (Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Physella acuta, Ferrissia fragilis, Sinanodonta woodiana) and one (Dreissena polymorpha) originally Ponto-Caspian, was confirmed for the Dyje River and its tributaries. The Dyje River formed the main invasion route from the Danube River into Moravia (eastern part of the Czech Republic).

The first finding of the North American freshwater limpets Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) (Mollusca, Gastropoda) in the Middle Volga basin

The North American freshwater gastropod Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) was recorded for the first time in the Middle Volga basin in October 2008. Live specimens and shells of mollusks were found in the coastal zone of Lake Middle Kaban, which is a cooling pond of the Kazan Heat and Electric Power Plant. Most likely, this alien gastropod was introduced into the lake from an amateur aquarium. Within the population of F. fragilis, a variability of shell shape cups was marked.

Cryptic invasion in Southern Europe: The case of Ferrissia fragilis (Pulmonata: Ancylidae) Mediterranean populations

AbstractFour populations of the North American ancylid gastropod Ferrissia fragilis have been found in Southern Italy, thus expanding the known Eurasian distribution range of this invasive gastropod to the Mediterranean area. Both mitochondrial markers used for the molecular identification of the sampled specimens (16S and COI) showed a modest to absent haplotypic diversity in the studied Ferrissia populations from Europe and Asia, and their perfect identity with some of the haplotypes observed in North American F. fragilis populations. In the light of the scarce molecular diversity observed in the whole Palaearctic area and of the growing evidences for the ongoing spreading of the species in Europe, the occurrence of a single invasion event from North America possibly linked with aquarium plant trade followed by a rapid spreading of the species in Eurasia is suggested. The record of F. fragilis in Southern Italy caused some doubts on the presence of autochthonous Ferrissia populations in Europe and on the actual existence of Ferrissia wautieri. A molecular analysis of Ferrissia specimens from the loci typici of F. wautieri (Northern Italy) and F. clessiniana (Egypt) is definitely opportune.

On the presence, distribution and habitat of the alien freshwater snail Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in the oceanic islands of the Azores

The present work reports on the presence and distribution of an alien and invasive gastropod, Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863), in freshwater systems of the oceanic islands of the Azores archipelago. First registered in 2007, F. fragilis was found in S. Miguel, Santa Maria, and Graciosa. This study increases to 6 the number of freshwater species of mollusks occurring in the Azores. Remarks are added on the possible impact of invasive species in island freshwater systems.

Distribution of a Unique Limpet (Gastropoda: Ancylidae) in the Colorado River Drainage Basin, Western North America

I determined the distribution of limpets (Gastropoda: Ancylidae: Ferrissia) in the Colorado River and Rio Grande basins by handpicking specimens from the undersides of rocks and vegetation at 16 sites from a total of 495 surveyed sites in Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Shell morphology, including morphometries, was compared to species holotype descriptions and museum lots. Ferrissia rivularis occurred in the upper Colorado, Gunnison, and San Juan rivers, and in the upper Rio Grande basin. Ferrissia walkeri, hereafter called the Walker morph, occurred only in the Gila River basin of Arizona and New Mexico. I reviewed the problems of classification of the Walker morph as being either F. walkeri, described from Arkansas and noted in Michigan and Baja California Sur, or Ferrissia fragilis, described from California and noted from the eastern United States. The Walker morph is identified by its vertical trending protoconch, which lies well within the right posterior quadrant, with the apex of the shell within the posterior third, and the anterior edge of the protoconch lying posterior to and below the apex. The importance of the Gila River Ferrissia population is discussed in reference to the often-proposed paleoaquatic fauna route between the eastern United States and California.

Doplněk k poznání vodních měkkýšů Labe mezi Hřenskem a Střekovem a srovnání s malakofaunou Labe v jiných úsecích [A supplement to the knowledge on aquatic molluscs of the Elbe River between Hřensko and Střekov and a comparison with molluscan communities in other parts of the Elbe River (Czech Republic)

This paper completes knowledge on aquatic molluscs of the free flowing part of the Elbe River between Hřensko and the weir with lock in Ústí nad Labem – Střekov. Altogether, 21 species of aquatic molluscs (9 gastropods, 12 bivalves) were found in 2009. Viviparus viviparus, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Bithynia tentaculata, Ancylus fluviatilis, Unio pictorum, Anodonta anatina, Corbicula fluminea, Sphaerium corneum and Pisidium supinum were the most frequently occurring molluscs found during this research. The occurrence of two endangered bivalves Pseudanodonta complanata and Pisidium moitessierianum was recorded. No significant difference from the previous author’s research was found. Molluscan communities of this part of the river were compared with those of the upper canalized part of the Elbe River which contain more species (especially gastropods) living predominantly in stagnant or slowly flowing waters e. g. Stagnicola palustris, S. corvus, Lymnaea stagnalis, Planorbis planorbis, Bathyomphalus contortus, Anisus vortex, Hippeutis complanatus, Ferrissia fragilis.

First record of the invasive North American gastropod Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) from the Pripyat River basin, Belarus

The invasive North American gastropod Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) has been recorded for the first time in August 2007 at three sites on the Pripyat River basin (the Belarusian part of the inland European “central invasion corridor”). This species occurs in the onshore shallow zone (depth 0.2-0.3 m) with dense aquatic vegetation and temperature from 21.8 to 23.7°C. Maximal abundances of this species have been observed in Mykashevichy port bay. Most likely, this invasive gastropod entered the River Pripyat basin from the Ukrainian territory where it was found early in cooling reservoir of Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station; however invasion pathways through the western (Poland) and ornamental trade are also likely.

Vodní měkkýši přehradní nádrže Slapy (Česká republika) [Aquatic molluscs of the Slapy Reservoir (Czech Republic)

This paper brings a review of a malacological survey of the Slapy Reservoir (Central Bohemia, Czech Republic). This dam water reservoir was built in 1957 on the Vltava River with area 1392 ha, length 44 km, max. deepness 58 m and altitude 270.6 m. Aquatic molluscs at 22 sites were studied from 2005 to 2006. Altogether, 30 species of aquatic molluscs (21 gastropods, 9 bivalves) which represent nearly 40% of the total Czech aquatic mollusc fauna were found despite the absence of littoral vegetation. Bithynia tentaculata, Radix auricularia, R. cf. ampla, Gyraulus albus, Hippeutis complanatus, Sphaerium corneum, Anodonta anatina and surprisingly also vulnerable Anodonta cygnea belong to most frequent molluscs found during this research. Record of near threatened gastropod Viviparus viviparus fill in long gap among its occurrence in the Vltava River downstream of the Slapy Reservoir (last of the dam water reservoirs on the Vltava River) and in tributaries of the Vltava River in Southern Bohemia (Lužnice, Nežárka). Occurrence of four non-native species (Potamopyrgus antipodarum, Physella acuta, Menetus dilatatus, Ferrissia fragilis) were documented.

Distribution of the alien freshwater snail Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) (Gastropoda: Planorbidae) in the Czech Republic

We summarize and analyze all known records of the freshwater snail, Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) in the Czech Republic. In 1942 this species was found in the Czech Republic for the first time and a total of 155 species records were obtained by the end of 2005. Based on distribution data, we observed the gradual expansion of this gastropod not only in the Elbe Lowland, where its occurrence is concentrated, but also in other regions of the Czech Republic particularly between 2001 and 2005. Information on habitat, altitude and co-occurrence with other molluscs are presented.