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Journal Molluscan Studies Advance Access originally published online on January 26, 2006
Journal of Molluscan Studies 2006 72(2):207-210; doi:10.1093/mollus/eyi067
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© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Malacological Society of London, all rights reserved

ENDOSYMBIONTS OF DREISSENA POLYMORPHA IN IRELAND: EVIDENCE FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF ADULT MUSSELS

LYUBOV E. BURLAKOVA1, DIANNA K. PADILLA2,3, ALEXANDER Y. KARATAYEV1 and DAN MINCHIN4

1Department of Biology, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX 75962-3003, USA; 2Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794-5245, USA; 3National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, 735 State Street Suite 300, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, USA; and 4Marine Organism Investigations, Marina Village, Ballina, Killaloe, Co Clare, Ireland

Correspondence: L.E. Burlakova; e-mail: lburlakova{at}sfasu.edu

Although zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) have invaded waters across Europe for over 200 years, they colonized Ireland only within the past decade. To test the hypothesis that Ireland was colonized by adult D. polymorpha, we examined mussels from different sites along the Lower Shannon River system in Ireland for the presence of host specific and generalist endosymbionts.Within the mantle cavity and/or associated with zebra mussel tissues we found species specific-ciliates (Conchophthirus acuminatus and Ophryoglena hemophaga) and generalist symbionts (the ciliate Ancistrumina limnica, nematodes, oligochaetes and chironomids). We found a significant difference in the prevalence of symbionts among sites, but all mussels at all sites harboured one specialist species C. acuminatus, and all of the mussels at three of the four sites also had the second specialist, O. hemophaga. Thus, with the introduction of D. polymorpha into Ireland, at least two additional species, their host-specific symbionts C. acuminatus and O. hemophaga, have also been introduced. The presence of these symbionts in Ireland supports the hypothesis that adult zebra mussels were introduced into Ireland, rather than larval stages. This contrasts with the introduction of zebra mussels to North America, where adult zebra mussels are devoid of host-specific symbionts.

(Received 8 June 2005; accepted 7 November 2005)


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