Zealand Mudsnail Potamopyrgus Antipodarum Research Articles

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)

Effects of the invasive aquatic snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1853) on ecosystem properties and services

AbstractEcosystems provide benefits to humans, including provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. However, invasive species can threaten ecosystem well-functioning and services provided. One invasive species with such potential is the New Zealand mud snail (NZMS) Potamopyrgus antipodarum. The aims of this study are focused on the quantitative review of (1) the NZMS impacts on ecosystem properties and their direct links with ecosystem services, and (2) the ecosystem services that can be affected by the NZMS. The high density reached by this species in most of the invaded ecosystems and its highly competitive ability affect ecosystem structure and functioning. However, some facilitation processes on native species may result in an improvement of some services. The NZMS tends to positively affect cultural services (88% positive cases) but negatively to provisioning services (77% of cases). Regarding, regulating and maintenance services, the proportions of positive and negative effects were similar (45% vs 36%, respectively). Therefore, the NZMS is a species with numerous negative impacts on ecosystem services. However, ecosystem services related to health (e.g., dilution effect against parasites) and research (e.g., biomonitoring) are cultural services that the NZMS can improve. No economic assessment of the impacts of the NZMS is available in the literature.

Coupling Gear Decontamination Trials and Angler Surveys to Minimize Spread of Invasive New Zealand Mud Snails Potamopyrgus antipodarum

AbstractThe New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (NZMS) is a global invader that is readily spread through attachment to recreational fishing gear. Preventing the spread of NZMSs by decontaminating fishing gear such as waders is a key step toward limiting invasive NZMSs and their ecological impacts; however, the effectiveness of decontamination protocols depends on both the efficacy of the protocol and the willingness of anglers to implement it. We tested the efficacy of three decontaminants (Virkon Aquatic, Formula 409, and bleach) at killing NZMSs on waders using two application techniques (spray versus soak) and two exposure durations (10 versus 20 min). We coupled the results of these tests with responses to a self‐administered online survey that gauged the willingness of anglers to implement several decontamination strategies. Mortality of NZMSs differed widely among decontaminants, with the greatest mortality caused by Formula 409 (mean ± SE = 100 ± 0%), regardless of application type or duration. Bleach produced a mean mortality of 68.75 ± 11.97%, and Virkon Aquatic resulted in a mean mortality of 56.25 ± 11.97%. Neither exposure duration nor application method significantly influenced the degree of NZMS mortality, and their interaction was not significant. Anglers who responded to the survey (n = 339) revealed that Formula 409 was the decontaminant they would be most willing to use. Further, spraying was highly preferred over soaking for all decontaminants. Based on our experimental trials and the angler survey, we developed an angler decontamination metric (ADM) that helps to determine the decontamination strategy that optimizes NZMS mortality on fishing gear. Our ADM indicates that spraying gear with Formula 409 is the most effective NZMS decontamination strategy that anglers are willing to use. Our study is the first to combine the efficacy of NZMS decontaminants and angler willingness to adopt a decontamination strategy. By doing so, we hope to encourage the widespread use of NZMS decontamination of fishing gear to limit the spread and impacts of this increasingly relevant invasive species.

Nonindigenous Aquatic Mollusks in Illinois

Nonindigenous aquatic species (NAS), some of which are referred to as aquatic invasive species (AIS) or non-native aquatic species, are those aquatic organisms that have become established beyond their native ranges. They often inhabit a variety of habitats and physicochemical conditions, reach high densities, and alter ecosystem function. Understanding the distribution of nonindigenous aquatic species is vital to protecting native biodiversity in invaded ecosystems. A search of museum collections, literature accounts, and field surveys conducted in recent years by biologists from the Illinois Natural History Survey, Illinois Department of Natural Resources, and other agencies revealed 13 nonindigenous aquatic mollusk species reported to occur in Illinois. Ten species (five bivalves and five gastropods) have viable reproducing populations. One species, the Big-eared Radix Radix auricularia (Linnaeus, 1758), is no longer extant in Illinois, and two species, the European Stream Valvata Valvata piscinalis (Müller, 1774) and European Fingernail Clam Sphaerium corneum (Linnaeus, 1758), have an unknown status. Some species, such as the Basket Clam Corbicula fluminea (Müller, 1774), Zebra Mussel Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771), and Chinese Mysterysnail Cipangopaludina chinensis (Gray in Griffith and Pidgeon, 1833), are widespread and abundant. However, other species like the Mottled Fingernail Clam Eupera cubensis (Prime, 1865) and New Zealand Mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) are currently restricted to a particular location or drainage. Other nonindigenous aquatic mollusks with the potential for becoming established in Illinois or border waters are also discussed.

Invasion impacts and dynamics of a European-wide introduced species.

Globalization has led to the introduction of thousands of alien species worldwide. With growing impacts by invasive species, understanding the invasion process remains critical for predicting adverse effects and informing efficient management. Theoretically, invasion dynamics have been assumed to follow an "invasion curve" (S-shaped curve of available area invaded over time), but this dynamic has lacked empirical testing using large-scale data and neglects to consider invader abundances. We propose an "impact curve" describing the impacts generated by invasive species over time based on cumulative abundances. To test this curve's large-scale applicability, we used the data-rich New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum, one of the most damaging freshwater invaders that has invaded almost all of Europe. Using long-term (1979-2020) abundance and environmental data collected across 306 European sites, we observed that P. antipodarum abundance generally increased through time, with slower population growth at higher latitudes and with lower runoff depth. Fifty-nine percent of these populations followed the impact curve, characterized by first occurrence, exponential growth, then long-term saturation. This behaviour is consistent with boom-bust dynamics, as saturation occurs due to a rapid decline in abundance over time. Across sites, we estimated that impact peaked approximately two decades after first detection, but the rate of progression along the invasion process was influenced by local abiotic conditions. The S-shaped impact curve may be common among many invasive species that undergo complex invasion dynamics. This provides a potentially unifying approach to advance understanding of large-scale invasion dynamics and could inform timely management actions to mitigate impacts on ecosystems and economies.

Assessment of the Effects of Environmental Concentrations of Microplastics on the Aquatic Snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum

Microplastics are ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems. They can be found at the surface, in the water column, and in sediments. Multiple negative impacts of microplastics on aquatic organisms have been reported, with most studies focusing on marine ecosystems. However, the effects of microplastics on freshwater ecosystems have been less studied, with a few studies focusing on benthic invertebrates. In this study, we exposed the New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) to an environmental range of concentrations of polystyrene microparticles (size range from 0.01 to 514 µm at 100, 500, and 1000 mg microplastics/kg dry weight (dw) of sediment) and two supra-environmental concentrations (2000 and 4000 mg/kg dw sediment). The impacts of the exposure to microplastics on mortality, behavior, and reproduction were assessed at long-term exposure (31 days). Mortality and reproduction were not significantly affected by microplastics. On the contrary, most of the microplastic treatments altered the behavior, causing a significant increase in reaction time compared with controls (0 mg microplastics/kg dw sediment). The highest concentration (4000 mg/kg) did not have an impact on the reaction time over the experimental period compared with controls. To our knowledge, this study is the first to assess the effects of microplastics on the behavior of the aquatic snail P. antipodarum. Our results showed that at environmental concentrations, the behavior of P. antipodarum was the most sensitive variable to the adverse effects of polystyrene microplastics.

Matching a snail's pace: successful use of environmental DNA techniques to detect early stages of invasion by the destructive New Zealand mud snail.

Early detection of invasive species allows for a more rapid and effective response. Restoration of the native ecosystem after an invasive population has established is expensive and difficult but more likely to succeed when invasions are detected early in the invasion process. Containment efforts to prevent the spread of known invasions also benefit from earlier knowledge of invaded sites. Environmental DNA (eDNA) techniques have emerged as a tool that can identify invasive species at a distinctly earlier time point than traditional methods of detection. Here, we focus on whether eDNA techniques can be successfully applied to detect new invasions by the destructive New Zealand Mud Snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (NZMS). It is an opportune time to apply eDNA-based detection in P. antipodarum, which is currently expanding its invasive range across eastern North America. We collected water samples from eight sites in central Pennsylvania that prior evidence indicated were not yet invaded by the NZMS but were part of the same watershed as other previously documented invaded sites. We found evidence for NZMS invasion at five of the eight sites, with subsequent physical confirmation of mud snails at one of these sites. This study is the first example of successful application of eDNA to detect a previously unidentified invasive population of NZMS, setting the stage for further monitoring of at-risk sites to detect and control new invasions of this destructive snail. This study also shows potential opportunities for invasion monitoring offered by using low-cost efforts and methods that are adaptable for citizen science.

Efficacy of low-dose EarthTec® QZ treatment for the control of New Zealand mud snails Potamopyrgus antipodarum in a hatchery environment

Efficacy of low-dose EarthTec® QZ treatment for the control of New Zealand mud snails Potamopyrgus antipodarum in a hatchery environment

Some like it hotter: trematode transmission under changing temperature conditions.

Climate change-related increases in temperature will influence the interactions between organisms, including the infection dynamics of parasites in ecosystems. The distribution and transmission of parasites are expected to increase with warmer temperature, but to what extent this will affect closely related parasite taxa living in sympatry is currently impossible to predict, due to our extremely limited understanding of the interspecific variation in transmission potential among parasite species in changing ecosystems. Here, we analyse the transmission patterns of four trematode species from the New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum with different life cycles and transmission strategies under two temperature scenarios, simulating current and future warmer temperatures. In a comparative experimental study, we investigated the effects of temperature on the productivity, movement and survival of the parasites' transmission stages (cercariae) to quantify the net effect of temperature on their overall transmission potential. Our results show that increases in temperature positively affect cercarial transmission dynamics, yet these impacts varied considerably between the cercariae of different trematode species, depending on their host-searching behaviour. These different species-specific transmission abilities as well as the varying individual patterns of productivity, activity and longevity are likely to have far-reaching implications for disease dynamics in changing ecosystems, since increases in temperature can shift parasite community structure. Due to the parasites' capacity to regulate the functioning of whole ecological communities and their potential impact as disease agents, understanding these species-specific parasite transmission traits remains a fundamental requirement to predict parasite dynamics under changing environmental conditions.

Two lineages of the invasive New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum spreading in the Baltic and Black sea basins: low genetic diversity and different salinity preferences

The New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum is one of most widespread invasive species worldwide. Two phenotypically diverse but genetically mostly uniform clones have been reported in Europe, typically occuring allopatrically. It has been suggested that salinity may determine distributions of the two lineages in Europe, but the hypothesis remains speculative. The snail has recently expanded its distribution area into Central European lakes, but the clonal affinity and ecological tolerances of the species have not yet been assessed. In this study, we use mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers to explore the diversity of P. antipodarum in 19 locations in Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Finland. We first confirm congruence between the independently reported mitochondrial and nuclear lineages, now called multi-locus lineages T and Z. Both lineages were found in the studied area, and, in agreement with earlier studies, both showed extremely low genetic diversity. Only lineage T occured in freshwater ecosystems in Central Europe, whereas only lineage Z was found in brackish waters of the Black Sea basin. Both lineages occur in the Baltic Sea, although mostly allopatrically. It could be expected that the lineage T will expand its distribution area in the Central European freshwater ecosystems, but further studies are needed to understand the origins and occurrence of the lineage Z in the Baltic Sea and southern Ukraine.

The chemotactic swimming behavior of bird schistosome miracidia in the presence of compatible and incompatible snail hosts

No effective method has yet been developed to prevent the threat posed by the emerging disease—cercarial dermatitis (swimmer’s itch), caused by infective cercariae of bird schistosomes (Digenea: Schistosomatidae). In our previous studies, the New Zealand mud snail—Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1853; Gastropoda, Tateidae)—was used as a barrier between the miracidia of Trichobilharzia regenti and the target snails Radix balthica. Since the presence of non-indigenous snails reduced the parasite prevalence under laboratory conditions, we posed three new research questions: (1) Do bird schistosomes show totally perfect efficacy for chemotactic swimming behavior? (2) Do the larvae respond to substances emitted by incompatible snail species? (3) Do the excretory-secretory products of incompatible snail species interfere with the search for a compatible snail host? The experiments were carried out in choice-chambers for the miracidia of T. regenti and T. szidati. The arms of the chambers, depending on the variant, were filled with water conditioned by P. antipodarum, water conditioned by lymnaeid hosts, and dechlorinated tap water. Miracidia of both bird schistosome species chose more frequently the water conditioned by snails—including the water conditioned by the incompatible lymnaeid host and the alien species, P. antipodarum. However, species-specific differences were noticed in the behavior of miracidia. T. regenti remained more often inside the base arm rather than in the arm filled with water conditioned by P. antipodarum or the control arm. T. szidati, however, usually left the base arm and moved to the arm filled with water conditioned by P. antipodarum. In conclusion, the non-host snail excretory-secretory products may interfere with the snail host-finding behavior of bird schistosome miracidia and therefore they may reduce the risk of swimmer’s itch.

Range extension of the invasive Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) (Gastropoda, Tateidae) in Chile, and a summary of its distribution in the country

The New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) has been considered as one of the most invasive mollusks worldwide and recently was listed among the 50 most damaging species in Europe. In the present paper, we report for the first time the presence of P. antipodarum in the Maule river basin, Chile. The identity of the species was based on anatomical microdissections, scanning electron microscopy comparisons, and DNA barcode analysis. This finding constitutes the southernmost record of the species until now in this country and South America.

The invasive New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (J.E. Gray, 1843) in central Pennsylvania

The invasive New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (J.E. Gray, 1843) in central Pennsylvania

Laboratory-to-field extrapolation: Increase in carbamazepine toxicity in a higher tier, multiple-stress experiment

The toxicity and environmental risk of chemicals, such as the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine (CBZ), is commonly assessed using standardized laboratory tests and laboratory-to-field extrapolation. To investigate the toxicity of CBZ to aquatic key organisms in a more complex and environmentally relevant scenario, we conducted a 32-day multiple-stress experiment in artificial indoor streams. We exposed the non-biting midge Chironomus riparius, the blackworm Lumbriculus variegatus, and the New Zealand mud snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum to 80 and 400 μg CBZ/L in six artificial indoor streams. In addition to hydraulic stress, species’ interaction, and low organic content in the sediment, organisms were co-exposed to the herbicide terbutryn (TBY) as a second chemical stressor at a concentration of 6 μg/L. The exposure to CBZ under multiple stress conditions resulted in a 10- to more than 25-fold higher toxicity in C. riparius and P. antipodarum when compared to a previous, standardized laboratory experiment. The co-exposure to TBY enhanced the adverse effects of CBZ on snails (reduced production of embryos). This effect was additive as the single exposure to TBY also reduced the reproduction of snails, most likely through the reduction of biofilm biomass. The emergence of C. riparius declined at a CBZ concentration of 400 μg/L (without the co-exposure to TBY) and at 80 μg/L in combination with TBY. The difference in sensitivity between laboratory and indoor stream experiments is indicative of a potential underestimation of risk when toxicity data are extrapolated to field conditions. The present results suggest the inclusion of non-chemical and chemical stressors in environmental hazard and risk assessments.

Modelling species distributions to predict areas at risk of invasion by the exotic aquatic New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray 1843)

Abstract The use of bioclimatic models to predict areas subject to invasion by exotic species has been important in the development of preventive conservation measures. The native New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum is an invasive mollusc, now with a worldwide distribution, that causes economic and ecological problems in invaded areas and has recently been designated as one of the 100 worst invasive species in Europe. In this study we sought to determine the potential distribution of and areas susceptible to invasion by P. antipodarum in South America and worldwide, in present and future scenarios (2070), using MaxEnt models. The models were developed using georeferenced occurrence data and bioclimate and hydroclimate variables to predict scenarios of the geographical distribution of P. antipodarum. Possible routes of invasion into South America were predicted. Present‐day scenario of the worldwide distribution (all known occurrences) of P. antipodarum, based on the bioclimatic and hydroclimatic models, are highly accurate, with area under curve higher than of 0.87. The models indicated that environmentally suitable areas exist in South America and in other regions of the world where the species has not yet been recorded. The predicted susceptibility includes approximately 80 protected areas in the South American continent. Models projected in an optimistic and pessimistic future scenario, based on the worldwide distribution, show increased environmental suitability of regions outside the current species distribution, including Brazil (south‐west), Uruguay (near Mirim Lagoon), Nigeria, Ethiopia (lakes Tana and Chomen), Tanzania, Cameroon (bordering lakes Bamendjing, Bankim, and Mbakaou), Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Rwanda, Burundi (Lake Tanganyika environs), Uganda, Tanzania (Naivasha), and South Africa (surrounding Gordon's Bay). The main vector for dispersal to South America would be ballast water coming from waterways and ports located in the predicted areas. Fish farming is also a possible route, since the mudsnail is resistant to the digestive tract of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Current records and predicted susceptible areas coincide with port areas and sites where this fish is farmed. Geographical distribution modelling proved to be helpful in identifying environmentally suitable areas for the invasion of P. antipodarum. The model also suggests a future expansion of the species distribution, possibly affected by climate change.

Tolerance assessment of the aquatic invasive snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum to different post-dispersive conditions: implications for its invasive success

The New Zealand mudsnail (NZMS) Potamopyrgusantipodarum (Gray, 1843) (Tateidae, Mollusca) is a successful invasive species able to alter the functioning of the invaded ecosystems. However, to arrive and establish in new aquatic ecosystems, this snail must survive to the overland translocation through aerial exposure and must tolerate the new physical and chemical conditions of the recipient ecosystem. In this study, we simulated different conditions for the NZMS invasion by combining two air exposure treatments (0 and 20 h) with different physical and chemical conditions of the rehydration water (low and normal water temperatures and normal and high water conductivities). Mortality, behavior and neonate production were compared across treatments. Air exposure caused a high percentage of mortality but survivors tolerated the subsequent abiotic conditions. Low temperatures and high conductivities altered the behavior of adult snails, increasing significantly their reaction time (i.e. time to start normal movement). This may have negative consequences for the survival of this species under natural conditions. Finally, these conditions did not affect significantly the production of neonates. These results supported that the surviving NZMS to a brief period of air exposure possess the ability to acclimate to contrasting abiotic conditions with a potential establishment of new populations and that survivors can reproduce in different abiotic conditions after an air exposure period.

The effect of newt toxin on an invasive snail

Invasive species are well documented to impact native species where they are introduced. In the Santa Monica Mountains, a native species of amphibian, the California newt (Taricha torosa) possesses a neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin (TTX) that is considered a chemical defense against predation but also appears to facilitate ecological processes and specifically affect freshwater macroinvertebrate behavior. A recently introduced invasive species, the New Zealand mud snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum), is known to negatively affect ecosystems it invades and means to control its proliferation once introduced are limited. Given the ecological role of newt neurotoxin, we hypothesized that TTX may impact P. antipodarum behavior and tested its effects upon snail movement in laboratory assays and in-stream experiments. When snails were exposed to ecologically realistic TTX concentrations and newt chemical cues that contain TTX they moved significantly less and distance was significantly reduced relative to controls. In a natural stream, significantly more P. antipodarum moved out of areas exposed to newt chemical cues relative to snails in the presence of native tree frog cues (Pseudacris cadaverina). Our results suggest that California newts may help limit the spread of P. antipodarum in streams where T. torosa is both able to persist and possess adequate chemical defenses.

Toxicity of Aqueous Alkaline Solutions to New Zealand Mudsnails, Asian Clams, and Quagga Mussels

Abstract We modeled the toxicity response of three important aquatic nuisance species to alkaline solutions of pH 12 to explore the potential use of chemical treatments for decontaminating infested water distribution systems, tanks, and other facilities in confined freshwater environments. Groups of quagga mussels Dreissena bugensis, New Zealand mudsnails Potamopyrgus antipodarum, and Asian clams Corbicula fluminea were tested in temperatures from 19 to 22°C in aqueous solutions adjusted to pH 12 with NaOH. The predicted 99% lethal exposure time (LT99) for adult-sized quagga mussels and New Zealand mudsnails respectively was 31.3 and 35.1 h. Longer exposures were needed to kill adult-sized Asian clams (LT99 = 208.9 h). Because of the worldwide use of NaOH as an alkaline reagent in a variety of industrial and pesticide applications, and its ease of neutralization with CO2, elevating the pH of freshwater solutions with NaOH may be a practicable management tool to remove nuisance species in biofouled canals, pipes, hatchery tanks, and other confined structures.

Long-term population fluctuations of the exotic New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum and its introduced aporocotylid trematode in northwestern France

Long-term studies of invasive populations are rare, which is unfortunate because important aspects of their dynamics may only be detected over long term. For instance, invasive populations can experience substantial population declines, or even crashes, sometime after their introduction and invasion. Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Caenogastropoda) is a successful invader, and is rarely parasitized in introduced areas. In France, the snail is parasitized as first intermediate host by only one trematode species (Aporocotylid sp. I), native to the snail’s home range, New Zealand. Here, we examined the dynamics of the molluscan assemblage in a French stream on a 14-year interval (2000–2004 and 2009–2013), focusing on this introduced host-parasite association. Overall, P. antipodarum was numerically dominant (90.80%) among molluscs, also including sphaeriid clams (9.12%) and pulmonate snails (0.08%). However, during the last monitoring period, we found a substantial population decline of P. antipodarum, potentially driven by environmental change, such as decreased water temperature and depth, and possibly competitive interactions with sphaeriids, which became numerically dominant (56.34%). P. antipodarum was the only mollusc found infected and only by Aporocotylid sp. I. Interestingly, despite low monthly prevalence (from 0 to 1.52%) and snail host population decline, the P. antipodarum-aporocotylid relationship appeared to be persistent over time.

Safety and efficacy of Virkon® aquatic as a control tool for invasive Molluscs in aquaculture

Virkon® Aquatic is a broad-spectrum disinfectant used in aquaculture as a disinfectant for footwear, nets, and equipment for protection from bacteria, viruses and one fungus. Recent studies provided data to support Virkon® Aquatic as a tool to kill invasive molluscs and other organisms in aquaculture and field settings. This study reports the efficacy of Virkon® Aquatic to kill New Zealand mudsnails Potamopyrgus antipodarum and quagga mussels Dreissena rostriformis bugensis from aquaculture facilities. To address the safety of Virkon® Aquatic used in aquaculture and field settings, the safety limits of Virkon® Aquatic to Steelhead trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were tested. Short-term emersion of fingerlings for up to 3.5h in diluted concentrations of 30mg/L showed no observable toxic effects. Smaller fry were somewhat less tolerant but survived exposures for up to 5h in 10mg/L. We conclude that the risks to fish are low if residues of the chemical remained on equipment, or if containers with disinfecting concentrations of 20g/L were spilled into raceways or around fish holding systems. We suggest that this and additional studies may be helpful to support a label claim of this disinfectant for targeted invasive invertebrate species.