Fran Oficialdegui

Freshwater crayfish are amongst the largest macroinvertebrates and play a keystone role in the ecosystems they occupy. Understanding the global distribution of these animals is often hindered due to a paucity of distributional data. Additionally, non-native crayfish introductions are becoming more frequent, which can cause severe environmental and...

Records count per crayfish taxa integrated in WoC platform.

Crayfish and A. astaci records integrated in WoC platform count per major hydrographic basins.

Crayfish and A. astaci records integrated in WoC platform count per country.

Invasive species can become key trophic resources for native predators, and thus understanding predator-invasive prey interactions is relevant to assess invasion impacts. The Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) has recently invaded coasts and lower stretches of rivers across the Western Palearctic, often establishing very abundant populations....

Invasive crayfish, alongside their associated pathogens, have accelerated the decline of their Eurasian native counterparts, restricting their distributions to small populations nearing extinction. Using past sampling records, as well as conducting two field sampling campaigns with baited traps and environmental DNA (eDNA) in 2021 and 2023, we stud...

The red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii is one of the most prominent invasive crayfish species in Europe. Here, we document the first recording of this species in Slovakia, including evidence of its occurrence in two natural localities, both fed by thermal springs. The first locality is near Turčianske Teplice in Central Slovakia, immediately do...

Trophic interactions are a critical component of ecosystem stability, governing prey-predator relationships. Crayfish are involved in numerous interactions within freshwater communities and, when non-native, they can negatively impact the structure and dynamics of ecosystems. During biotic interactions or unsuccessful molts, they are able to autoto...

Rising global food demands have led to unprecedented aquaculture growth. Aquaculture has simultaneously become a major global pathway for biological invasions. Non-native farmed species, while highly productive, can undermine sustainability agendas because of their environmental and socio-economic damages when they escape. We analyse global non-nat...

The Iberian Peninsula is a hotspot of freshwater fish biodiversity. This highly endemic fauna is exceptionally vulnerable to the spread of non-native fish species. Preventing introductions and targeting the early stages of invasion are still the most cost-effective management options. Because these approaches directly depend on people's attitudes a...

Freshwater fish of the Iberian Peninsula are exceptionally vulnerable to a myriad of threats, particularly the one posed by invasive fish. Preventing introductions and targeting the early stages of invasion are the most cost-effective management options for the spread of invasive species. Because these approaches directly depend on people's attitud...

An eco‐monitoring programme to assess faunal biodiversity in the main rivers of the northern Iberian Peninsula (Spain) reveals the first occurrence of the marbled crayfish Procambarus virginalis (Decapoda: Cambaridae) in Iberian inland waters. Iberian specimens have been identified by combining morphological and genetic traits. We discuss the most...

¿Conoces a los responsables de los estornudos del 30 % de la población mundial? ¿Qué tipo de bicho perseguido hasta la muerte está siendo clave en los estudios biomédicos? ¿Sabías que la revolución de la escritura en Occidente fue posible gracias a unas avispas con muchas agallas? ¿Has oído hablar de un fósil viviente con varios récords Guinness? ¿...

In interdisciplinary fields such as biodiversity conservation or invasion science-where multiple perspectives from diverse disciplines often need to converge for effective environmental management, it is crucial to minimise terminological confusion in order to understand and transmit concepts accurately. The diversity of perspectives can exert a su...

Las invasiones biológicas, además de tener impactos en la biodiversidad y los ecosistemas de las zonas invadidas, causan costes económicos desorbitados. En España ya se han estimado, como mínimo, un gasto de más de doscientos millones de euros. Aún así, las cifras reales probablemente sean superiores a las que conocemos a día de hoy.

Upstream migration of the Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus is well described in its native range, but it is little known in invaded areas. Here, we report several long‐distance migration events of the blue crab in the Iberian Peninsula and use a global database to calculate the probability of occurrence of the species in relation to distance...

Standardized terminology in science is important for clarity of interpretation and communication. In invasion science – a dynamic and rapidly evolving discipline – the proliferation of technical terminology has lacked a standardized framework for its development. The result is a convoluted and inconsistent usage of terminology, with various discrep...

Invasive non-native species are a growing burden to economies worldwide. While domesticated animals (i.e., livestock, beasts of burden or pets) have enabled our ways of life and provide sustenance for countless individuals, they may cause substantial impacts when they escape or are released (i.e., become feral) and then become invasive with impacts...

Freshwater ecosystems are invaded by a non‐random selection of taxa, among which crayfish stand out with successful examples worldwide. Species distribution models (SDMs) have been used to detect suitable areas for invasive species and predict their potential distributions. However, these prediction exercises assume the stability of realized enviro...

Study: Niche dynamics along two centuries of multiple crayfish invasions https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.14007 Cover image: Italian crayfish (Austropotamobius fulcisianus), in its native range. This species was introduced to Spain in the 16th century and became widely distributed and exploited until the introduction of North American crayfish a...

Aquatic ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the introduction of non-indigenous species (NIS), leading to multi-faceted ecological, economic and health impacts worldwide. The Iberian Peninsula comprises an exceptionally biodiverse Mediterranean region with a high number of threatened and endemic aquatic species, most of them strongly impacted...

The invasive red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii is recorded for the first time in Slovakia from two natural localities fed by local thermal springs. The first locality is near Turčianske Teplice in Central Slovakia, just downstream of a commercial culturing facility for aquatic ornamentals, while the other is located approximately 150 km southw...

The realised ecological niches of species may change in response to dynamic abiotic and biotic environments, particularly under fast global change. To fully understand the dynamics of niche features and their drivers, it is essential to have a long‐term view of species distributions and the factors that may have influenced them. Here, we analysed t...

Standardized terminology in science is important for clarity of interpretation and communication. In invasion science — a dynamic and quickly evolving discipline — the rapid proliferation of technical terminology has lacked a standardized framework for its language development. The result is a convoluted and inconsistent usage of terminology, with...

Biological invasions are a global challenge that has received insufficient attention. Recently available cost syntheses have provided policy and decision makers with reliable and up-to-date information on the economic impacts of biological invasions, aiming to motivate effective management. The resultant InvaCost database is now publicly and freely...

The European Union's (EU) environmental legislation establishes common measures to prevent the entry and spread of invasive non‐native species and to minimize their impacts. However, species that are native to at least one member state but non‐native and potentially invasive in others (NPIS) are in limbo because they are neither legally regulated a...

Numerous bird species exhibit striking white patches on their plumages that have been reported as signals of individual quality in the context of sexual selection. Whereas differences in white plumage traits between individuals have been well studied, phenotypic variation and the factors affecting their consistency within the individual have receiv...

Background Biological invasions threaten the functioning of ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being by degrading ecosystem services and eliciting massive economic costs. The European Union has historically been a hub for cultural development and global trade, and thus, has extensive opportunities for the introduction and spread of alien spec...

Catchment urbanisation results in urban streams being exposed to a multitude of stressors. Notably, stressors originating from diffuse sources have received less attention than stressors originating from point sources. Here, advances related to diffuse urban stressors and their consequences for stream benthic communities are summarised by reviewing...

The authors regret that the printed version of the above article contained an incomplete version of Table 1, in which only 20 invasive alien species were published out of the top-ranked 24 that should have been. The correct Table 1 is shown below. The authors apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Europe has experienced a substantial increase in non-indigenous crayfish species (NICS) since the mid-20th century due to their extensive use in fisheries, aquaculture and, more recently, pet trade. Despite relatively long invasion histories of some NICS and negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystemfunctioning, large spatio-temporal analyses o...

As the number of introduced species keeps increasing unabatedly, identifying and prioritising current and potential Invasive Alien Species (IAS) has become essential to manage them. Horizon Scanning (HS), defined as an exploration of potential threats, is considered a fundamental component of IAS management. By combining scientific knowledge on tax...

Background: Biological invasions threaten the functioning of ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being by degrading ecosystem services and eliciting massive economic costs. The European Union, as the world’s third-largest economy, has historically been a hub for cultural development and global trade, and thus, has extensive opportunities for t...

Biological invasions are a global challenge that has received insufficient attention. Recently available cost syntheses have provided policy and decision makers with reliable and up-to-date information on the economic impacts of invasive alien species, aiming to motivate effective management. The resultant InvaCost database is now publicly and free...

An important goal of LIFE INVASAQUA is to develop tools that will improve management and increase the efficiency of the Early Warning and Rapid Response (EWRR) framework for Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in the Iberian Peninsula. Horizon scanning for high risk IAS is basic when implementing measures to reduce new invasions and to focus efforts on th...

A collective understanding of economic impacts and in particular of monetary costs of biological invasions is lacking for the Nordic region. This paper synthesizes findings from the literature on costs of invasions in the Nordic countries together with expert elicitation. The analysis of cost data has been made possible through the InvaCost databas...

Despite voluminous literature identifying the impacts of invasive species, summaries of monetary costs for some taxonomic groups remain limited. Invasive alien crustaceans often have profound impacts on recipient ecosystems, but there may be great unknowns related to their economic costs. Using the InvaCost database, we quantify and analyse reporte...

Las invasiones biológicas son una de las mayores causas de pérdida de biodiversidad. Para paliar los impactos de las especies exóticas invasoras (EEIs) que suponen una amenaza grave, se creó el Catálogo Español de Especies Exóticas Invasoras, una herramienta dinámica en su creación, pero rígida en su aplicación. Aunque sujeto a continuas modificaci...

Poster presented in the Symposium for European Freshwater Sciences (SEFS 12), from the study: https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.12531

The European Commission has recently adopted its EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, which sets out an ambitious plan for reversing biodiversity loss, and preserving and restoring protected ecosystems. A central binding target is focused on enlarging the EU network of legally protected areas (Natura 2000, the largest global network of the world), an...

Se presenta una lista actualizada de las especies exóticas que se encuentran en etapa de establecimiento o de propagación de la invasión en aguas continentales de la península ibérica. La lista está basada en la evaluación sistemática de los datos en colaboración con un amplio equipo de expertos de España y Portugal. Esta lista de actualización es...

Biological invasions are increasingly recognized ecological and economic threats to biodiversity and are projected to increase in the future. Introduced freshwater crayfish in particular are protruding invaders, exerting tremendous impacts on native biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, as exemplified by the North American spiny-cheek, signal and...

An updated list is presented of the alien species in the establishment or spread invasion stage in in-land waters at the Iberian Peninsula. The list is based on a systematic assessment of information in collaboration with a wide expert team from Spain and Portugal. This updated list is an important tool supporting the implementation of the IAS Regu...

An updated list is presented of the alien species in the transport or introduction invasion stage in inland waters of the Iberian Peninsula. The list is based on a systematic assessment of information in collaboration with a wide expert team from Spain and Portugal. This list is an important tool to support the implementation of the IAS Regulation,...

Aquaculture is a known introduction pathway of invasive alien species, which have become direct facilitators of biodiversity decline worldwide. By Phillip Haubrock, Francisco J. Oficialdegui, and Antonin Kouba. Published in Worldfishing & Aquaculture

Despite voluminous literature identifying invasive species impacts, understandings of monetary costs remain limited. Recently, profound impacts have been attributed to invasive crustaceans, but associated monetary costs lack synthesis. Here, we analyse globally reported costs of invasive freshwater craysh across taxonomic, spatial and temporal desc...

The redclaw is a parastacid crayfish endemic to the tropical and subtropical freshwater ecosystems of north-eastern Australia and southern New Guinea. Given its broad environmental tolerance, fast growth, early maturation, high fecundity, gregariousness, general non-burrowing behavior as well as a high yield of ‘tasty meat’, it has become a target...

The redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus; hereafter redclaw), native to northern Australia and southern New Guinea, is among the largest freshwater deca-pods. It matures early and is considered highly prolific as females may lay over one thousand eggs in a single clutch. Despite generally preferring slow-moving streams in its native range, it h...

Flexible management of exploited invasive species is needed when population control is unfeasible to avoid societal opposition and legal setbacks. Conservation conflicts arise frequently in the management of non-native invasive species (NIS) when such species provide socioeconomic benefits and have negative environmental impacts (van Wilgen & Rich...

• Patterns of genetic diversity in invasive populations can be modulated by a range of factors acting at different stages of the invasion process, including the genetic composition of the source population(s), the introduction history (e.g. propagule pressure), the environmental suitability of recipient areas, and the features of secondary introduc...

One of the biggest threats to biodiversity is the invasion of non-native species, also called invasive alien species. It is crucial for scientists to determine the main introduction routes by which non-native species enter into an ecosystem. We studied the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii), a freshwater crustacean, and looked at the genetic...

The red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) (hereafter RSC), native to the southern United States and north-eastern Mexico, is currently the most widely distributed crayfish globally as well as one of the invasive species with most devastating impacts on freshwater ecosystems. Reconstructing the introduction routes of invasive species and identify...

This supplementary material shows the invasion history of the red swamp crayfish in each of the 40 countries where it is present, a list of references and methodology used for the literature search in the review: Oficialdegui, F.J., Sánchez, M.I. & Clavero, M. One century away from home: how the red swamp crayfish took over the world. Rev Fish Bio...

One of the biggest challenges in understanding and managing biological invasions is the identification of the routes of introduction. This information is often incomplete because of unnoticed, unreported and, sometimes, illegal translocations. Reports on the introduction of the red swamp crayfish ( Procambarus clarkii ) into Europe describe that it...

Emerging infectious diseases are increasingly recognized as a severe threat to wildlife. Chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is considered one of the most important causes for the decline of amphibian populations worldwide. Identifying potential biological reservoirs and characterizing the role they can play in pathogen...

https://idus.us.es/handle/11441/87799

• Understanding how introduced species succeed and become widely distributed within non‐native areas is critical to reduce the threats posed by them. Our goal was to reconstruct the main invasion routes and invasion dynamics of a global freshwater invader, the red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, through the analysis of its genetic variability...