Dikerogammarus villosus

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Dikerogammarus villosus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Malacostraca
Superorder: Peracarida
Order: Amphipoda
Family: Gammaridae
Genus: Dikerogammarus
Species:
D. villosus
Binomial name
Dikerogammarus villosus
(Sowinsky, 1894)

Dikerogammarus villosus, also known as the killer shrimp,

Ponto-Caspian region of eastern Europe, but which has become invasive
across the western part of the continent. In the areas it has invaded, it lives in a wide range of habitats and will prey on many other animals. It is fast-growing, reaching sexual maturity in 4–8 weeks. As it has moved through Europe, it threatens other species and has already displaced both native amphipods and previous invaders.

Description

A diagram showing the typical anatomical features of an amphipod

D. villosus can grow up to 30 millimetres (1.2 in) in length, relatively large for a freshwater

mandibles which allow it to be an effective predator.[2]

Distribution

D. villosus was originally found in the lower courses of large rivers in the

evolved alongside.[1][6] In September 2010, it was found in Grafham Water in Cambridgeshire, the first report of the species in the United Kingdom[4] and it was found in Wales in November 2010.[7] In March 2023, it was found in Vättern in Sweden and it is the first time it is encountered in the northernmost part of Europe.[8]

There are fears that it could spread to the

ballast water of ships.[2]

Ecology

In its natural range, D. villosus is not the most abundant species of amphipod and it does not behave as aggressively as it does in areas it has invaded.[6]

Habitat

D. villosus can colonise many types of

lotic environments, the species prefers habitats with relatively mild currents.[9] It is thought that zebra mussels change habitats by increasing the amount of benthic organic matter, which benefits D. villosus helping them to outcompete other species. When given a choice, D. villosus spend more time feeding around zebra mussel shells than a bare substrate.[1]

Feeding

D. villosus is

water hoglice, water boatman, fish leeches as well as small fish and the eggs of other vertebrates.[10] D. villosus sometimes kills prey but does not eat it;[11] it kills its prey by biting it with its large mandibles and then shreds it before eating it.[2] D. villosus also consumes many other forms of food, including grazing on biofilms, consuming plant detritus, eating and re-digesting feces, and feeding on organic matter and algae suspended in the water column.[12]

Growth and reproduction

D. villosus breeds all year round so long as the water temperature is above 13 °C (55 °F). When they mate, the female is carried on the ventral side of the male. Each pair produces an average of 27 eggs, but up to 50 eggs can be laid. The young animals become sexually mature in 4 to 8 weeks, once they are 6 mm in length and after moulting several times. They are fast-growing, during winter increasing by 1.3–2.9 mm in length per month and by 2.0–2.6 mm every two weeks in spring. Populations are predominantly female.[2][5]

Effects on other species

In the Netherlands, D. villosus is threatening the native amphipod species Gammarus duebeni, as well as Gammarus tigrinus which had previously become invasive after previously being introduced from North America.[13] It is thought to have displaced two other species of Dikerogammarus (D. bispinosus and D. haemobaphes) which were previously invasive in the Danube.[14] Its ability to attack and feed on a range of species could cause the local extinction of some species.[11]

References

  1. ^
    S2CID 7996055.[permanent dead link
    ]
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Danielle M. Crosnier; Daniel P. Molloy (October 2006). "Killer Shrimp - Dikerogammarus villosus" (PDF). Aquatic Nuisance Species Research Program. United States Army Corps of Engineers. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 29, 2009. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  3. doi:10.3391/ai.2007.2.3.13
    .
  4. ^ a b c "Alien 'killer' shrimp found in UK". BBC News. September 9, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  5. ^ a b c Simon Devin; Jean-Nicolas Beisel (November 16, 2006). "Dikerogammarus villosus" (PDF). Delivering Invasive Alien Species Inventories for Europe. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 1, 2013. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  6. ^
    S2CID 83475733. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2010-09-09.
  7. BBC Wales
    . November 29, 2010. Retrieved December 1, 2010.
  8. ^ "Ny invasiv art upptäckt i Vättern". March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
  9. doi:10.1111/fwb.12869
    . Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  10. PMID 32355455
    .
  11. ^ a b Paul Brown (January 3, 2001). "'Killer shrimp' threatens native species in Britain's rivers". The Guardian. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  12. doi:10.1163/156854009X423201
    .
  13. PMID 10874746
    .
  14. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2427.2002.00944.x
    .

External links
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dikerogammarus_villosus&oldid=1201869932"