Mud Snail Research Articles

Detection and Quantification of Tetrodotoxin in Marine Mud Snails, Nassarius sinarum from a Tidal Flat on the West Coast of Korea

Detection and Quantification of Tetrodotoxin in Marine Mud Snails, Nassarius sinarum from a Tidal Flat on the West Coast of Korea

Establishment and ecological integration of the New Zealand mud snail in Spirit Lake, Mount St. Helens, Washington State, USA

Establishment and ecological integration of the New Zealand mud snail in Spirit Lake, Mount St. Helens, Washington State, USA

Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gastropoda: Tateidae) in central Chile: new records, reproductive output assessment, and coexistence with native species

ABSTRACT Three new populations of the invasive New Zealand mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, have been discovered in central Chile, increasing the documented records in the country to 23. Only females were observed in the present study. Significant differences in shell length and fecundity were found among populations. The size of the snails was less than 6 mm, while fecundity varied from 0 to 45 offspring per snail. A significant correlation was found between adult shell length and brood size in one of the three populations discovered. In these localities, Potamopyrgus antipodarum coexists with native and possibly other invasive gastropods.

Assessment of Amphibola crenata as a bioindicator of estuarine trace element pollution using biochemical and physiological endpoints

To assess its utility as a bioindicator of estuarine contamination, Amphibola crenata, a pulmonate mud snail, was collected from 17 estuaries in New Zealand. Whole-body soft tissue trace element concentrations were measured via quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrophotometer (Q-ICP-MS) and were found to be significantly positively correlated with sediment trace element profiles for arsenic, copper and lead. Snails from polluted estuaries generally displayed higher ammonia excretion rates, elevated whole-body soft tissue catalase activity and lipid peroxidation compared to snails from reference sites. Across all sites haemolymph glucose was positively correlated with the tissue burdens of arsenic, copper, nickel and zinc, while haemolymph protein was negatively correlated with arsenic, cadmium and zinc soft tissue concentrations, indicative of altered energy metabolism associated with trace element contamination. Overall, sites were distinguishable by application of the array of measures employed. Our findings suggest that gastropods have significant value as bioindicators of estuarine health.

Mitogenomic phylogeny of Nassariidae (Neogastropoda: Buccinoidea)

ABSTRACT Mud snails (family Nassariidae) represent a highly diversified lineage within the superfamily Buccinoidea. Recent molecular phylogenies contradicted in some instances the traditional nassariid classification and revealed important levels of homoplasy in phenotypic characters. In order to clarify the boundaries of the family Nassariidae, as well as to inquire on the diversification of the cosmopolitan Nassariinae, a robust phylogenetic framework is needed. Here, the near-complete mitogenomes of 31 species representing almost all lineages of Nassariidae plus several buccinoid outgroups were sequenced. All mitogenomes of buccinoids shared the same gene order, which is identical to the consensus reported for caenogastropods. The monophyly of Nassariidae as previously defined was not confirmed. The reconstructed phylogeny revealed distant relationships between the genera Cyllene, Anentome, Tomlinia, Engoniophos, Phos and Antillophos and the majority of nassariids, represented by Nassariinae + Bullia. Within Nassariinae, a robust phylogeny, which recognized a total of seven regional groups, was reconstructed. The West Atlantic/Mediterranean genus Tritia was divided into three clades. The biogeographical analysis together with the inferred chronogram suggested that Nassariinae might have originated during the late Paleocene in the Indo-Pacific region. Subsequent climate change and continental drift events triggered diversification within the subfamily, leading to the worldwide distribution of current genera.

Anthropogenic Influence in a Eutrophic Marine Ecosystem Affects Condition of the Eastern Mud Snail Ilyanassa obsoleta and Its Prevalence of Parasitic Trematode Pleurogonius malaclemys

Anthropogenic Influence in a Eutrophic Marine Ecosystem Affects Condition of the Eastern Mud Snail Ilyanassa obsoleta and Its Prevalence of Parasitic Trematode Pleurogonius malaclemys

Determining environmental drivers of global mud snail invasions using climate and hydroclimate models

Climate change and invasive species represent two intertwined global environmental challenges profoundly affecting freshwater ecosystems. This study uses Ecological Niche Modeling along with risk screening to delve into the preferences and potential distribution of Potamopyrgus antipodarum, an invasive species, in relation to climate zones and habitat types, shedding light on the critical importance of coastal wetlands and high soil organic carbon content in shaping habitat suitability. Our findings underscore that P. antipodarum exhibits a distinct affinity for cool temperate, moist climates, as well as temperate floodplain rivers, wetlands, and coastal areas. Notably, coastal wetlands, endowed with elevated soil organic carbon levels, emerged as pivotal habitats for this species. Projections indicated a significant expansion in North America, potentially extending into South America. Türkiye reveals an intriguing alignment between its habitat and the natural distribution areas of P. antipodarum, presenting potential for habitat contraction while still retaining a broader range compared to other regions. These potential expansions were predominantly driven by climate suitability, playing a pivotal role in the invasiveness of P. antipodarum, with anticipated future climate regimes exerting substantial influence on its dispersal capabilities.

Invasion dynamics of New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Invasion dynamics of New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) in the Laurentian Great Lakes

Effects of Temperature and Salinity on Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) Toxicity in Larval Estuarine Organisms.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent contaminant that has been found globally within the environment. Key data gaps exist in the toxicity of PFOS to marine organisms, especially estuarine species that are crucial to the food web: fish, shrimp, and mollusks. This study developed toxicity thresholds for larval estuarine species, including grass shrimp (Palaemon pugio), sheepshead minnows (Cyprinodon variegatus), mysids (Americamysis bahia), and Eastern mud snails (Tritia obsoleta). Multiple abiotic stressors (salinity and temperature) were included as variables in testing the toxicity of PFOS. Acute 96 h toxicity testing under standard test conditions of 25 °C and 20 ppt seawater yielded LC50 values of 0.919 mg/L for C. variegatus, 1.375 mg/L for A. bahia, 1.559 mg/L for T. obsoleta, and 2.011 mg/L for P. pugio. The effects of increased temperature (32 °C) and decreased salinity (10 ppt) varied with test species. PFOS toxicity for the sheepshead minnows increased with temperature but was not altered by decreased salinity. For grass shrimp and mud snails, PFOS toxicity was greater under lower salinity. The combination of higher temperature and lower salinity was observed to lower the toxicity thresholds for all species. These data demonstrate that expanding toxicity testing to include a wider range of parameters will improve the environmental risk assessment of chemical contaminants, especially for species inhabiting dynamic estuarine ecosystems.

The expansion and establishment of the New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) in the freshwater ecosystems of Madeira Island (NE Atlantic)

The expansion and establishment of the New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) in the freshwater ecosystems of Madeira Island (NE Atlantic)

Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure in nutrient‐rich, spring‐fed streams recently invaded by non‐native New Zealand mud snails

Abstract Ecological roles of non‐native species can vary over space and time due to abiotic factors and characteristics of the invaded communities. For instance, nutrient availability, temperature, and flow regime can influence invasion outcomes in freshwaters. This variability makes it challenging to predict non‐native species' effects in newly introduced areas. New Zealand mud snails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum; NZMS) are among the most widespread aquatic invasive species globally and have recently been detected in highly productive, spring‐fed streams in the upper mid‐west U.S.A. that are important trout fisheries. We hypothesised that the nutrient‐rich, thermally stable groundwater‐fed streams would provide favourable conditions for NZMS populations, potentially amplifying their effects on native communities. We surveyed benthic macroinvertebrate community structure at 10 streams representing a gradient of NZMS densities in the Driftless Area of southern Wisconsin. At five of the streams, we quantified temporal variation in NZMS and other benthic macroinvertebrates over three seasons. NZMS populations varied considerably across sites and over time, ranging from a few hundred to over 70,000 snails/m2. NZMS numerically represented as much as 97% of the invertebrate community at the highest density sites. At two sites, NZMS increased in population density by 50‐fold and 22‐fold over the survey duration, while at other sites their densities were relatively constant. Based on a principal components analysis summarising stream environmental variables, NZMS densities were negatively associated with stream discharge and positively associated with nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. The total density and biomass of all benthic invertebrates, and Ephemeroptera and Amphipoda in particular, were negatively associated with NZMS density and biomass. Based on multivariate analyses, overall benthic community composition differed based on NZMS invasion status, as well as across seasons. These results suggest that the environments of southern Wisconsin spring‐fed streams provide favourable conditions for NZMS populations, allowing them to dominate some benthic communities. NZMS effects are likely to vary strongly across streams and over time within streams, highlighting the importance of future work to mechanistically test biotic and abiotic factors influencing their abundance.

Embryonic organizer specification in the mud snail Ilyanassa obsoleta depends on intercellular signaling.

In early embryos of the caenogastropod snail Ilyanassa obsoleta, cytoplasmic segregation of a polar lobe is required for establishment of the D quadrant founder cell, empowering its great-granddaughter macromere 3D to act as a single-celled organizer that induces ectodermal pattern along the secondary body axis of the embryo. We present evidence that polar lobe inheritance is not sufficient to specify 3D potential, but rather makes the D macromere lineage responsive to some intercellular signal(s) required for normal expression of 3D-specific phenotypes. Experimental removal of multiple micromeres resulted in loss of organizer-linked MAPK activation, complete and specific defects of organizer-dependent larval organs, and progressive cell cycle retardation, leading to equalization of the normally accelerated division schedule of 3D (relative to the third-order macromeres of the A, B and C quadrants). Ablation of the second-quartet micromere 2d greatly potentiated the effects of first micromere quartet ablation. Our findings link organizer activation in I. obsoleta to the putative ancestral spiralian mechanism in which a signal from micromeres leads to specification of 3D among four initially equivalent macromeres.

Detection of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and its analogues in mud snails Nassarius livescens occurring on a sandy beach in Jeju Island, Korea, using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS)

Detection of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and its analogues in mud snails Nassarius livescens occurring on a sandy beach in Jeju Island, Korea, using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS)

Population influences desiccation tolerance in an invasive aquatic snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Tateidae, Mollusca).

Traits in species that influence invasion success may vary in populations across its invaded range. The aquatic New Zealand mud snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum, reproduces parthenogenetically in its invaded range, and a few distinct clonal genotypes have been identified in North America. Much of the spread of the snail in North America has been the result of unintentional overland transport by recreational water users. Thus, desiccation tolerance may play an important role in the invasion success of this species. The primary goal of these experiments is to determine if variation in desiccation tolerance exists between populations of this species. Here we compared multiple multi-locus genotypes (MLGs) and populations within those genotypes with regard to their desiccation tolerance. We conducted three experiments. The first compared the survival rate over time of snails from three populations and two MLGs with regard to their ability to survive being completely removed from water. The second experiment examined different size classes of snails from the same population, and the third experiment compared four different populations and two MLGs genotypes with respect to their survival rate over time when removed from water but being kept in moist conditions. We found larger snails tolerate desiccation longer than smaller snails with snails between 4 and 4.6 mm surviving at a rate of more than 50% after 12 h while smaller snails survived at a less than 5% rate after 12 h. We also found significant variation both between and within MLGs in their survival rate when completely removed from water and dried with the MLG from the western US having a more than 50% greater survival probability than the eastern MLGs at both 18 and 24 h out of water. When removed from water and kept moist all MLGs had a near 100% survival rate at 60 days at 7 °C, and most survived at a greater than 90% rate at 60 days at 17 °C, while no MLG's survived past 30 days at 27 °C. The results demonstrate that variation for desiccation tolerance exists between populations of this invader which could influence the invasiveness of different populations.

Liver fluke in cattle and sheep: getting ahead of a rapidly adapting parasite

Background: Liver fluke has a significant impact on the beef, dairy and sheep sectors in terms of disease and production losses, and thus also greenhouse gas emissions. The challenges in managing liver fluke are similar to those for other endoparasites of cattle and sheep, with the threat of resistance to some available actives and a need to focus on the ‘whole farm’ approach. This includes avoiding the challenge where possible and using the right treatment at the right time, by using the available diagnostic tests appropriately. Changes in climate and environmental conditions have led to changes in when snails are active, and therefore when infections are acquired. Treatments based on a set of assumptions as to when immature/adult fluke will be present in cattle and sheep are now likely to lead to unnecessary treatments and incorrect timing of treatment with actives, which may not be effective for the age of fluke in the liver at the time. Timing of treatment will vary on the same farm each year and between farms in the same year. Understanding the life cycle, snail habitats, diagnostic tests and treatments will allow better fluke control in herds and flocks.Aim of the article: This article aims to shift the emphasis from treatments as the main method for control towards other critical control points relating to the mud snail's role as the intermediate host. This will allow an appreciation of risk periods for acquiring, avoiding and detecting infection within the ruminant host.

Periphyton growth on allochthonous input in streams may lead to higher individual growth rates of the invasive New Zealand mud snail (<em>Potamopyrgus antipodarum</em>)

The aquatic, invasive New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) exploits a variety of food sources. Here we examine the change in growth of snails that fed on periphyton colonizing leaf litter, wood, rock, and a control. Juveniles were grown in the lab on Spirulina algae powder (control) or periphyton grown on rock, leaf litter, or wood. Length was measured at the beginning of the experiment and after eight weeks. Snails grown on leaf litter increased in length more than twice as much as the control and the snails in the rock treatment, and the snails grown on wood showed an increase in length more than twice as much as snails in the rock treatment. This suggests that allochthonous material may contribute to a more nutritious food source for New Zealand mud snails and possibly aid in their invasion success.

Effects of sediment and water column acidification on growth, survival, burrowing behaviour, and GABAA receptor function of benthic invertebrates

In coastal regions, sediment-dwelling animals are exposed to a high degree of variability in seawater and sediment pH and pH is expected to decline due to anthropogenic effects. The impacts of 6-week exposure to reduced-pH seawater on length, weight, and survival of two species of molluscs that inhabit mudflats, juvenile soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria) and adult mud snails (Tritia obsoleta), were examined in two laboratory trials (2017 and 2018). The interactive effects of this prior exposure to water column acidification and subsequent sediment acidification on burrowing behaviour were then investigated for these mollusc species and adults of the amphipod Corophium volutator. In a separate experiment, the potential involvement of GABAA receptors in changes in burrowing behaviour in reduced-pH conditions was tested by exposing three species: C. volutator, T. obsoleta, and the Baltic clam Limecola balthica to sediment acidification and the neuroinhibitor gabazine. Reduced-pH water conditions only decreased the shell length of T. obsoleta in 2017 while all other morphometric metrics were not significantly impacted for this species in either year or for M. arenaria. The burrowing of T. obsoleta was reduced by 13% in acidified sediments in one of the two years but not by prior exposure to water column acidification. The burrowing of M. arenaria was not affected by either factor. The burrowing of C. volutator was impacted by the interaction of water column exposure and sediment acidification in 2017 with the acidified water, control sediment treatment having 14% higher burrowing then the remaining treatment combinations. In 2018, C. volutator burrowing was reduced in acidified sediment by 30%. The presence of gabazine only had an interactive effect on the burrowing of one species, C. volutator. The presence of gabazine increased the proportion of C. volutator individuals burrowed in the acidified water treatment by almost 30%, suggesting that GABAA neuroreceptors are involved in the mechanism for the impact of sediment acidification on burrowing in this species. The results of our experiments indicate that there is taxonomic variation in species' responses of benthic invertebrates to ocean and sediment acidification with respect to growth, survival, and burrowing behaviour.

Feeding effects of the keystone deposit feeder Ilyanassa obsoleta (Neogastropoda, Gastropoda) on sedimentary diatoms.

Microphytobenthos (MPB), typically comprised mainly of diatoms, is a key contributor to nearshore energy flow and nutrient cycles. Deposit-feeding invertebrates are known to alter the structure and activity of MPB. The eastern mud snail Ilyanassa obsoleta can reach extremely high densities in estuaries of the northwestern Atlantic, and their deposit-feeding and locomotion strongly influence other invertebrates and microbes. Our objective was to explore quantitative and qualitative effects of this keystone deposit-feeder on diatoms of intertidal sediments. We gathered snails from mudflat and sandflat habitats and collected their fresh fecal pellets in the laboratory. DNA metabarcoding allowed us to characterize diatom assemblages of ingested sediments and feces. We noted selective feeding such that reduction in MPB biomass with gut passage was difficult to quantify. Diatom α-diversity was reduced with gut passage in snails from both sedimentary regimes. Mudflat and sandflat diatom assemblages were distinct and differed markedly between feces and sediment in mud-feeding snails, whereas the difference in sand-feeding snails was minor. The sandy habitat was dominated by a mix of epipelic and epipsammic diatoms. In contrast, mudflat samples were dominated by epipelic and planktonic diatoms. Compositional differences between sediment and feces reflected preferential removal of planktonic taxa. Our results suggest the importance of phytodetritus to the mud snail diet, particularly in hydrodynamically quiescent environments. Due to the natural spatial patchiness of the snails and the capacity for rapid microbial recolonization, field experiments are recommended to determine whether MPB community changes attributed to gut passage are manifested at the landscape scale.

Evaluating different diets on the growth performance of mud crab (Scylla serrata)

The purpose of this study was to assess the potential of natural feeds for the sustainable grow-out aquaculture of mud crabs as an alternative to commercially available mud crab feeds. This study employed a completely randomized design that includes five feed treatments including trash fish, African land snail, horn snail, edible frog, and mud snail. There were three replicates for each treatment with three cages each located in a concrete tank with an area of 12m2. Each cage contained one lean crab. The crabs were fed twice a day, at 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. with an amount adjusted to 7% of the crab's body weight. After the first 21 days, all the crabs were harvested by draining out the tank water and the pincers of the crab were tied with a string to enable handling. The results showed that the highest growth performance in weight gain and condition factor was seen in African land snail feed with a feed conversion ratio of 1.38, indicating a high-quality feed. It also showed an impressive ROI of 96.8% which can be confirmed that this kind of feed might be a viable mud crab feed for both commercial scale and industry.

Prey choice and ingestion of microplastics by common shelducks and common eiders in the Wadden Sea World Heritage Site

Top predators such as coastal birds are essential components of marine food webs, and understanding their trophic interactions forms an essential basis of food web models. At the same time, the proportion of plastic debris in marine food webs has constantly increased while the degree of plastic ingestion by marine birds is still poorly known. In this study, the diets and microplastic uptakes in two numerous benthivorous bird species in the Wadden Sea were examined microscopically, i.e. the common eider (Sommateria mollissima) indicative for the subtidal and the common shelduck (Tadorna tadorna) indicative for the intertidal area. Eiders (n = 42 carcasses; n = 120 faecal samples) mainly ingested common cockles (Cerastoderma edule). Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) ranged second and—same as the invasive razor clam (Ensis leei)—occurred more frequently than reflected by historic data. Proportions of gastropods, bristle worms and crustaceans were low. Shelducks (n = 20 carcasses; n = 98 faecal samples) fed mainly on small molluscs, especially C. edule, mud snails Peringia ulvae, and amphipods. Plastic debris was found in 92.9% of the stomachs and 74.2% of the faeces from eiders as well as in 95% of the stomachs and 85.7% of the faeces from shelducks. Filaments in shelduck prey remains were significantly larger, whereas there was no species-specific difference in abundance of filaments. Most plastic consisted of brightly coloured filaments ˂ 5 mm. These findings indicate regular uptake and excretion of plastic debris by coastal benthivorous seabirds, both in the subtidal and intertidal realm. The origin and mode of uptake of microplastics are discussed.