The present study reports new records of the invasive pygmy mussel Xenostrobus securis in six brackish-water localities in the western Mediterranean. Until now X. securis, whose native range includes southern Australia and New Zealand, was also known from the northern Adriatic Sea and southern France. Along the coast of northern Tuscany (Italy) X. securis invaded brackish-water canals in the area between the port of Leghorn and the mouth of the Arno River. Moreover, this mussel has been found in one inner site of the Gulf of Olbia (north-eastern Sardinia, Italy) and at the mouth of the Fluvia` River (northern Catalonia, Spain). As an ecosystem engineer, X. securis is an ecologically important species, heavily altering pre-existing benthic communities. Given that its presence in other western Mediterranean sites is highly possible, we recommend a closer monitoring of brackish-water biotopes. Copyright © 2007 - Università di Pisa Contatti Anagrafe della Ricerca Credits Help

New records of the pygmy mussel Xenostrobus securis (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) in brackish-water biotopes of the western Mediterranean provide evidence of its invasive potential

BARBIERI, MICHELE;MALTAGLIATI, FERRUCCIO;DI GIUSEPPE, GRAZIANO;LARDICCI, CLAUDIO;CASTELLI, ALBERTO
2011-01-01

Abstract

The present study reports new records of the invasive pygmy mussel Xenostrobus securis in six brackish-water localities in the western Mediterranean. Until now X. securis, whose native range includes southern Australia and New Zealand, was also known from the northern Adriatic Sea and southern France. Along the coast of northern Tuscany (Italy) X. securis invaded brackish-water canals in the area between the port of Leghorn and the mouth of the Arno River. Moreover, this mussel has been found in one inner site of the Gulf of Olbia (north-eastern Sardinia, Italy) and at the mouth of the Fluvia` River (northern Catalonia, Spain). As an ecosystem engineer, X. securis is an ecologically important species, heavily altering pre-existing benthic communities. Given that its presence in other western Mediterranean sites is highly possible, we recommend a closer monitoring of brackish-water biotopes. Copyright © 2007 - Università di Pisa Contatti Anagrafe della Ricerca Credits Help
2011
Barbieri, Michele; Maltagliati, Ferruccio; DI GIUSEPPE, Graziano; Cossu, P; Lardicci, Claudio; Castelli, Alberto
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11568/197551
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