Rapana venosa
Rapana venosa | |
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A live individual of Rapana venosa retracted into the shell, with the operculum closing the aperture | |
Five views of a shell of R. venosa | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Caenogastropoda |
Order: | Neogastropoda |
Family: | Muricidae |
Genus: | Rapana |
Species: | R. venosa
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Binomial name | |
Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846)
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Synonyms[1] | |
Purpura venosa Valenciennes, 1846 (basionym) |
Rapana venosa, common name the veined rapa whelk or Asian rapa whelk, is a
, the rock shells.This large sea snail has become an invasive species in many different localities around the world.
Shell description
The shell of Rapana venosa is globose (rounded) and heavy, possessing a very short spire, a large body whorl, a strong columella and a deep umbilicus. The aperture is large and roughly ovate. Ornamentation is present externally as axial ribs, smooth spiral ribs ending in blunt knobs at both the shoulder and body whorl, and internally as small elongated teeth disposed along the outer lip margin. The external color varies from gray to reddish-brown, with dark brown dashes on the spiral ribs. Some specimens may have distinctive black/dark blue vein-like coloration patterns throughout the inner portions of the shell, usually originating from each individual tooth at the outer lip. A diagnostic feature for this species is the deep orange color found in the
Distribution
This species is native to the marine and estuarine waters of the western Pacific, from the Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea, East China Sea and the Bohai Sea.[2]
Rapana venosa is included in Russia's Red Book as threatened with extinction. The original known habitat for this species was the Far East, but since 1947 it has been found in the Black Sea, and its shell became a popular souvenir in Crimea. Recently this species has been found as an exotic in the Chesapeake Bay, on the eastern coast of the United States.
Nonindigenous distribution
According to some authors, it appears to be the case that the spreading of this species outside its natural range has been made possible by the planktonic larval stage being transported along with
Rapa whelks were first found in the
Rapana venosa is considered among the 100 worst alien species in Europe in the DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway,[8] one of two marine gastropods on the list.[8] It is considered as about the 52nd the worst alien species in Europe.[9]
Ecology
Habitat
Veined rapa whelks favor compact sandy bottoms, in which they can burrow almost completely. The native habitat of this species is a region of wide annual temperature ranges, comparable to other localities. Fleeing cold waters in the winter, this species may migrate to warmer, deeper waters, thereby evading cool surface waters. This fertile sea snail is extremely versatile, tolerating low salinities, water pollution and oxygen deficient waters.[2]
Feeding habits
Veined rapa whelks are
Life cycle
Rapana venosa is
Reasons for the survival of this invasive species
It is known that the abundance of prey, the lack of competition from other gastropod species, as well as the absence of direct predators of R. venosa may be some of the factors that contributed to the successful establishment of new populations of this sea snail outside its native range.[3] The thick strong shell of the rapa whelk is arguably its strongest advantage over native whelks, because rapas can easily prey on local whelks, whereas local whelks are unable to successfully attack rapas. The thick shell also means that predators such as sea turtles are unable to feed on the invasive species, and can only feed on local whelk populations. It is suggested that once the rapa whelk reaches adulthood, it exists unchecked in the local population, and can consume and reproduce freely.[3]
The Veined rapa whelk is also highly tolerant to wide variations in salinity and oxygen concentration,
Impact of introduction
Veined rapa whelks have caused significant changes in the
Imposex
The
References
This article incorporates public domain text (a
- ^ Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846). Retrieved through: World Register of Marine Species on 2 April 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Myriah Richerson. 2008. Rapana venosa. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL. <https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=1018> Revision Date: 4/24/2006
- ^ ISBN 978-87-7482-010-9. Archived from the original(PDF) on 2011-12-13. Retrieved 2012-01-31.
- ^ Harding, J. M. (2001). Rapana venosa veined rapa whelk, Asian rapa whelk (PDF). Guide to Marine Invaders in the Gulf of Maine. Salem Sound Coastwatch.
- ISSN 1126-7801.
- ISSN 0730-8000.
- hdl:1834/1572.
- ^ a b c d DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway. Rapana venosa. Last updated 30 October 2006, accessed 3 April 2010.
- ISSN 1387-3547.
- S2CID 86752900.
- ^ ISSN 1438-3888.
- ^ a b "Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846) (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Muricidae" (in Italian). Santa Croce, Venezia: Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ "Global Invasive Species Database". Rapana venosa (mollusc). National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) & IUCN/SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG). 2006. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- S2CID 86797777.
- ISBN 978-0-87893-097-5.
- ^ .
- ISSN 1516-8913.
Further reading
- (in Russian) Bondarev I. P. (2010). "Морфогенез раковины и внутривидовая дифференциация рапаны Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846). [The shell morphogenesis and intraspecific differentiation of Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846)]". Ruthenica 20(2): 69-90. PDF
- Mann R. & Harding J. M. (2000). "Invasion of the North American Atlantic Coast by a Large Predatory Asian Mollusc". Biological Invasions 2(1): 7-22.
External links
- Rapana venosa at Global Invasive Species Database
- Molluscan Ecology Program focused on Rapana venosa
- photo of eggs
- Species Profile- Veined Rapa Whelk (Rapana venosa), National Invasive Species Information Center, United States National Agricultural Library. Lists general information and resources for Veined Rapa Whelk.