Printer friendly version Share  News Release   23 August 2012
Pensoft Publishers  How can aquatic invertebrates spread among
different catchments? Spanish researchers have found that an
invasive snail from New Zealand (the mudsnail Potamopyrgus
antipodarum) can survive up to two days out of water. This
allows the species to use birds or fishing tools as vectors to
invade new water bodies.  Nowadays, an increasing number of
rivers and lakes are being invaded by exotic snails, which come
from remote regions, and even other continents. Such species
represent a threat to native species, as they compete for food
or space with them.  This is the case of the mudsnail
Potamopyrgus antipodarum. This small aquatic snail is native to
New Zealand, and has spread throughout rivers, lakes or streams
in Europe, Australia, America and Asia. The invasion success of
this mudsnail may be partly due to the ability of females to
reproduce without participation of males (i.e. parthenogenesis).
This means that only one female is ab