ISSN 0012-4966, Doklady Biological Sciences, 2008, Vol. 419, pp. 129–130. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd., 2008.
Original Russian Text © M.O. Son, M.V. Nabozhenko, I.V. Shokhin, 2008, published in Doklady Akademii Nauk, 2008, Vol. 419, No. 3, pp. 572–573.
129
The role of invasions has been repeatedly discussed
and elucidated in Russian and foreign literature [1–4].
Problems related to invading species are especially
acute in water bodies of arid zones, manly closed water
bodies, such as the Caspian Sea, the Sea of Azov, and
formerly the Aral Sea. The Sea of Azov and its catch-
ment area are among the most vulnerable ecosystems.
This is mainly because the sea is relatively (incom-
pletely) isolated (a continental body of water) and has
an unstable hydrological and hydrochemical regimen,
which allows invaders with a potentially wide capacity
for osmoregulation to adapt. This is entirely true for the
catchment areas of the above seas (including the Don,
Kuban’, Volga, Ural, Kuma, Syr-Darya, and smaller
rivers). These rivers serve as a reserve of the Pontocas-
pian relict fauna, which is very sensitive to all environ-
mental changes, including invasions. The expansion of
invading species may be strikingly rapid. One example
is the finding of
Potamopyrgus
jenkinsi
in the Don
basin in June and July of 2007.
Potamopyrgus
Stimson, 1865 was first found in
Europe in the late 19th century (the species
Potamopy-
rgus
jenkinsi
(Smith, 1889) described from the Themes
mouth). During the 20th century,
Potamopyrgus
was
found in many regions of Europe.
The species composition of the genus
Potamopyr-
gus
in the area of invasion is still a matter of discussion.
It has been hypothesized that all European
Potamopyr-
gus
belong to the same New Zealand species
P. antipo-
darum
(Gray, 1843), that there are several species in
Europe [5], and that two discrete lineages (clones) have
invaded Europe in different periods from different local
populations of New Zealand [6, 7].
The existence of a number of European species
(probably, pure parthenogenetic strains) of
Potamopyr-
gus
differing in ecology and salinity preferences that
have no analogues in the New Zealand fauna, as well as
some paleontological data, allowed Anistratenko [5] to
hypothesize that they are autochthonous in Europe.
Anistratenko regards ecologically different strains of
Potamopyrgus
as separate species
P. jenkinsi
;
P. alex-
enkoae
Anistratenko in Anistratenko et Stadnichenko,
1995; and
P. polistchuki
Anistratenko, 1991.
Molecular genetic studies on
Potamopyrgus
from
some Western European habitats demonstrated the
existence of two strains both genetically and morpho-
logically differing from each other [6, 7]. They are
assumed to have invaded from isolated habitats on the
North Island of New Zealand in different periods of
time.
Potamopyrgus
may also form new pure strains or
species in the area of invasion (saltatory speciation,
which is possible for clonal invading species) [8].
The first
Potamopyrgus
in the Sea of Azov–Black
Sea basin were found in 1951, simultaneously in the
Razim lagoon [9] and the Dnieper estuary [10].
Later, they were found in a number of marine and
mesohaline localities (the Dnieper–Bug and Berezan’
estuaries, Shabolatsky (Budak) Liman, and Razim
lagoon); however, there were no rapid spread or forma-
tion of large colonies until recently. Currently, these mol-
lusks are extremely rapidly expanding in fresh and oligo-
haline waters. Between 2003 and 2007, they were found
in many new sites, including the Stentsovsko-Zhebriyan-
ski Plavni wetland of the Danube River, Lake Yalpug, the
upper Sukhoi Liman and rivers flowing into it, the Dni-
ester estuary and springs flowing into it, and the Kuchur-
ganski Liman [8]. In most of them,
Potamopyrgus
are
abundant (more than 1000 specimens per square meter).
Potamopyrgus
are highly eurybiontic (highly toler-
ant to drying and variations in oxygen concentration
and salinity) and have a specific reproduction strategy
GENERAL
BIOLOGY
The Don River Basin Is a New Stage of Expansion
of
Potamopyrgus jenkinsi
(Smith, 1889)
(Gastropoda, Hydrobioidea) in Europe
M. O. Son, M. V. Nabozhenko, and I. V. Shokhin
Presented by Academician G.G. Matishov October 10, 2007
Received October 30, 2007
DOI:
10.1134/S0012496608020178
Odessa Branch, Institute of the Biology of Southern Seas,
National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
Odessa, Ukraine
Southern Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences,
pr. Chekhova 41, Rostov-on-Don, 344006 Russia
Azov Branch, Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Kola
Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Azov, Russia
130
DOKLADY BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Vol. 419
2008
SON et al.
(parthenogenesis and hypogenesis from the clutch),
which allows them to easily invade unsaturated water
ecosystems, including springs, small rivers, brackish
ponds, and shoals.
Until recently, findings of
Potamopyrgus
in Russia
were restricted to desalinated areas of the Baltic Sea
[11]. In the summer of 2007, they were found in a
spring stream flowing into the Don River and on the
shoal in the Don itself near the mouth of this stream, as
well as in a spring in the Botanic Garden of Southern
Federal University (Rostov-on-Don), where they were
as abundant as 2000 specimens per square meter. In
total, about 300 specimens were collected. This popu-
lation of
Potamopyrgus
was the first to be found in the
Russian part of the Sea of Azov–Black Sea basin.
The diversity of
Potamopyrgus
in this habitat is nar-
rower than in the Sea of Azov–Black Sea basin as a whole:
only one strain,
P. jenkinsi
sensu stricto, has been found
there, whereas
P. polistchuki
, a clone with distinct concho-
logical differences from
P. jenkinsi
, is as abundant as the
latter in springs of the northern Black Sea basin.
Note that this species has all possibilities to spread over
the lower Don basin (and later, probably, the lower Volga
basin) owing to the large catchment area, numerous small
rivers, and intense navigation. The potential geographic
range of
P. jenkinsi
covers the entire Cis-Caucasus region,
with its well-developed network of canals.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This study was supported by the Southern Scientific
Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (project
no. 00-07-02), Program of Basic Research of the Pre-
sidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences (project
no. 00-07-50), Department of Geosciences of the Rus-
sian Academy of Sciences (project no. 00-07-110),
Russian Foundation for Basic Research (project no. 06-
05-96700-yuk), and European Commission 6th Frame-
work Program Integrated Project (ALARM).
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The general appearance of a specimen of
Potamopyrgus
jenkinsi
(Smith, 1889) from the Gnilovskii Brook (Rostov-
on-Don).
