The apparent demise of the Asian date mussel Musculista senhousia in Western Australia: or using acts of god as an eradication tool

Musculista senhousia (Benson in Cantor, 1842) is a small thin-shelled mytilid inhabiting intertidal and shallow subtidal sediments. Prior to 2000, M. senhousia was widespread in the Swan River estuary, Perth, Western Australia. In 2000 the Perth region experienced its largest recorded summer rainfal...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Biological invasions 2010-04, Vol.12 (4), p.715-719
Main Authors: McDonald, Justin I., Wells, Fred E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Algae
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Brackish
Conservation biology
Cyanobacteria
Developmental Biology
Ecology
Endangered & extinct species
Estuaries
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Invasion Note
Life Sciences
Marine
Microcystis aeruginosa
Mollusca
Mollusks
Musculista senhousia
Nonnative species
Plant Sciences
Toxins
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Summary:Musculista senhousia (Benson in Cantor, 1842) is a small thin-shelled mytilid inhabiting intertidal and shallow subtidal sediments. Prior to 2000, M. senhousia was widespread in the Swan River estuary, Perth, Western Australia. In 2000 the Perth region experienced its largest recorded summer rainfall event, with over 270 GL entering the estuary. The rainfall formed a freshwater lens over much of the river and a subsequent toxic algal bloom of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa . M. aeruginosa produces a toxin microcystin, known to have adverse effects upon molluscs. Surveys to assess the status of M. senhousia in the estuary in 2007 failed to find any individuals. We suggest the apparent death of M. senhousia from the estuary may be attributable to a combination of high seasonal variability in the mussel’s populations, high summer rainfall reducing salinity, and a toxic algal bloom that eliminated any remaining M. senhousia individuals.
ISSN:1387-3547
1573-1464
DOI:10.1007/s10530-009-9478-4