TY - JOUR
T1 - Host fish status of native and invasive species for the freshwater mussel Anodonta anatina (Linnaeus, 1758)
AU - Huber, Verena
AU - Geist, Juergen
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018
PY - 2019/2
Y1 - 2019/2
N2 - The worldwide extinction of species especially affects freshwater ecosystems. Even widespread species like the European freshwater duck mussel Anodonta anatina face population declines in many countries and regions. Due to an obligate parasitic phase in its life cycle, knowledge on host fish use is essential for effective conservation of A. anatina. Therefore, in this study host suitability of ten different fish species (native and invasive to Europe) from four different fish families was tested by simultaneously infesting them with the glochidia of A. anatina. Nine out of ten fish species were identified as suitable hosts, but infestation rates, duration of metamorphosis phase as well as duration and rate of juvenile mussel excystment differed significantly between all host species. The bitterling (Rhodeus amarus) was the only fish species with no juvenile mussel excystment. Surprisingly, one of the tested invasive fish (Ctenopharyngodon idella) turned out to be the second best host for the larvae of A. anatina, suggesting that the general assumption that non-native fishes would be a threat to native mussel populations no longer holds true. Compared to the second native Anodonta species in Europe (Anodonta cygnea), this study revealed that A. anatina had higher infestation rates and rates of juvenile mussels excystment as well as a different host compatibility than A. cygnea. These findings illustrate that species-specific assessments of host suitability form an urgent basis for evidence-based conservation and restoration of freshwater mussel populations and the ecosystem services they provide.
AB - The worldwide extinction of species especially affects freshwater ecosystems. Even widespread species like the European freshwater duck mussel Anodonta anatina face population declines in many countries and regions. Due to an obligate parasitic phase in its life cycle, knowledge on host fish use is essential for effective conservation of A. anatina. Therefore, in this study host suitability of ten different fish species (native and invasive to Europe) from four different fish families was tested by simultaneously infesting them with the glochidia of A. anatina. Nine out of ten fish species were identified as suitable hosts, but infestation rates, duration of metamorphosis phase as well as duration and rate of juvenile mussel excystment differed significantly between all host species. The bitterling (Rhodeus amarus) was the only fish species with no juvenile mussel excystment. Surprisingly, one of the tested invasive fish (Ctenopharyngodon idella) turned out to be the second best host for the larvae of A. anatina, suggesting that the general assumption that non-native fishes would be a threat to native mussel populations no longer holds true. Compared to the second native Anodonta species in Europe (Anodonta cygnea), this study revealed that A. anatina had higher infestation rates and rates of juvenile mussels excystment as well as a different host compatibility than A. cygnea. These findings illustrate that species-specific assessments of host suitability form an urgent basis for evidence-based conservation and restoration of freshwater mussel populations and the ecosystem services they provide.
KW - Conservation
KW - Freshwater mussels
KW - Glochidial infestation
KW - Host-parasite relationship
KW - Invasive species
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85058404654&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.12.007
DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2018.12.007
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85058404654
SN - 0006-3207
VL - 230
SP - 48
EP - 57
JO - Biological Conservation
JF - Biological Conservation
ER -