Apr
6
New invasive marine species in Galicia confirmed
Filed Under EN
Japanese skeleton shrimp, Caprella mutica. (Photo Credit: Hans Hillewaert/CC BY-SA 3.0)
New invasive marine species in Galicia confirmed
SPAIN
Monday, April 07, 2014, 03:30 (GMT + 9)
Members of the Study Group of the Marine Environment (GEMM) found a new invasive species — the Japanese skeleton shrimp — in different parts of Arousa estuary.
It is the first time the invader native to the Sea of Japan is found off the coast of the peninsula. And several experts have warned that in a short time it colonized much of the northern hemisphere, EFE agency reported.
The Japanese skeleton shrimp, Caprella mutica, is a small crustacean that does not usually exceed 50 mm in length. It is known that it has a remarkable capacity for adaptation and that it is capable of reproducing surprisingly fast.
This invading crustacean was mainly found attached to floating structures such as platforms and fish farming cages.
Due to its ability to colonize areas far way from its natural habitat, it is considered a very efficient invader.
The GEMM expressed in a statement that its ability to reproduce is such that wherever it appears, it reaches “very high densities” and in a square metre over 300,000 specimens can be found.
Scientists clarified that the degree of extension of the crustacean in Galician waters has not been determined yet.
“But it seems sensible to think that it may have already spread to other areas with similar characteristics, which, in our case, could be the whole Galician coast,” they stated.
The Japanese skeleton shrimp has already colonized areas of the United States, the European Atlantic and New Zealand.
The results of this research were published in the scientific journal Marine Biodiversity Records.
By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.