Invasive Species Profiles
Corbicula fluminea
History
- First confirmed report in North America was in 1938 in the Columbia River drainage
- Since then Asian clams have become widely distributed especially in the southern United States
Characteristics
- Shells greenish-yellow to brown with thick concentric rings
- Thick symmetrical shell
- Up to 2 inches (5 cm) long
- Inside of shell is smooth and polished with a light purple tinge
- Three cardinal teeth in each valve
Habitat
- Large rivers and lakes
- Clams burrow prefer sandy or silty sediments into which they burrow up to 6-8 inches
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- Widely distributed in southern and western United States, in the Great Lakes and in southern New England
- Discovered in 2010 in Lake George, NY in the Champlain basin
Known Distribution in New Hampshire
- Cobbett's Pond, Windham
- Canobie Lake, Windham
- Little Island Pond, Pelham
- Long Pond, Pelham
- Sunset Lake (Wash Pond), Hampstead
- Beaver Lake, Derry
- Great Pond, Kingston
- Merrimack River south of Bow
Impacts
- Clogging of power plant and industrial water systems, irrigation canals and pipes and drinking water supplies
- May compete with native species for limited resources
- May promote algae blooms due to localized nutrient loading from dense clam beds (observed in Lake Tahoe, CA)
Additional Information
- USGS fact sheet: nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?speciesID=92
Source: NEANS Panel On-line Guide to ANS
Hemigrapsus sanguineus
History
- First recorded in the United States at Townsend Inlet, Cape May County, New Jersey in 1988
- May have been introduced via discharge of ship ballast water transported from the western North Pacific Ocean
Characteristics
- Commonly orange-brown, also green and maroon
- Light and dark bands on legs with red spots on the claws
- Square-shaped carapace (shell) with 3 spines on each side
- Can grow up to 2-3 in (5-7.6 cm) wide
Habitat
- Prefers rocks and cobble, but may be found in soft sediments and other habitats
- Primarily in mid to low intertidal zones; sometimes below the low-tide line
- Tolerant of a wide range of salinity and temperature
- Tends to aggregate in large numbers under rocks
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- Maine to North Carolina
- Native to Russia, Korea, China, and Japan
Known Distribution in New Hampshire
- Coastal areas
Impacts
- Eats young clams, mussels, oysters, larval and juvenile fish, algae, salt marsh grass, and many other species
- May threaten aquaculture
Carcinus maenas
History
- Believed to have first arrived in eastern North America around 1817, most likely in the dry ballast of cargo ships
- Negative impacts on soft-shell clams and other bivalves have been documented since 1950s
Characteristics
- Green to dark brown, sometimes with yellow, orange, or red, with darker mottling
- Walking legs green, speckled with black
- Carapace (shell) has 5 spines on each side
- Can grow up to 3.9 in (10 cm) wide
Habitat
- Salt marshes, sandy beaches, and rocky shores
- Usually on mud, sand, or pebbles
- Prefers sheltered areas
- Usually near the low-tide line
- Tolerates wide range of salinities (as low as 6 ppt)
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- Newfoundland to Delaware; has become the most common crab in many locations throughout this range
- Native to North Atlantic coast of Europe and the North African coast
Known Distribution in New Hampshire
- Coastal areas
Impacts
- Has become a dominant predator, feeding on clams, oysters, crabs, and mollusks
- Often blamed for collapse of soft-shell clam industry and reduction of other commercially important bivalves, including scallop and northern quahog
Cercopagis pengoi
History
- Fishhook water flea was first found in North America in 1998 in Lake Ontario
Characteristics
- Aggressive, predatory zooplankton that preys on smaller zooplankton
- Long tail spine with up to three pairs of barbs near its end
- Head is essentially composed of a single, large eye
Habitat
- Estuarine habitats, lakes, marine habitats, wetlands
- Tolerates wide range of salinity and temperature
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- New York and Great Lakes region
- Lake Champlain
- Native to Europe and Asia
Known Distribution in New Hampshire
- Unknown
Impacts
- A voracious predator that eats smaller zooplankton; competes with native fish and invertebrates that eat zooplankton
- Interferes with fisheries by clogging nets and fishing gear
Eriocheir sinensis
History
- Between 2005-2008, 19 individuals were confirmed along the U.S. Atlantic coast in the Chesapeake Bay (2005-2007), Delaware Bay (2007), Hudson River (2007-2008), and Raritan Bay and Toms River, New Jersey (2008)
- In Quebec, specimens have been collected from St. Lawrence River at Notre-Dame-de-Pierreville in 2004 and Quebec City in 2005
- Both females and males have been found, but an established reproductive population in eastern U.S. has not been confirmed as of the summer of 2008
Characteristics
- Light brown to olive green
- Carapace (shell) up to 4 in (10 cm) wide
- 4 lateral spines on each side of carapace
- Notch between the eyes
- Claws hairy with white tips
- Claws normally equal in size
- Legs longer than twice the carapace width
Habitat
- Estuaries, lakes, riparian zones, water courses, wetlands
- Burrows in the bottom and banks of freshwater rivers and estuaries
- Tolerates wide range of temperatures
- Catadromous life cycle: begins as estuarine larva, migrates into freshwater streams for 1-4 years, then returns to coast to reproduce
- Able to survive in highly polluted aquatic habitats
- Adept at walking on land and around barriers
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- Native to east Asia
- Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, Hudson River, New Jersey, Quebec
Known Distribution in New Hampshire
- Unknown
Impacts
- Efficient predator and competitor for food; may have a profound effect on native biological communities
- Damage to fishing gear
- Clogged pumps, screens, and intake pipes
- Burrowing activity may accelerate erosion of banks and levees
Dreissena rostriformis bugensis
Similar Species
- Zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha
History
- Native to Ukraine
- Initial introduction believed to be the result of ballast water discharge from transoceanic ships
- Since being first discovered in Great Lakes in 1988-89, the species has spread widely into freshwater habitats across North America
- Slowly dominating over zebra mussel in US and Europe
Characteristics
- Bi-valve up to 1.5 inches (4 cm)
- Shell usually has dark concentric rings; color is paler near the hinge
- When laid on edge, quagga shell topples over whereas the zebra shell is stable
- Valves (shell halves) are asymmetrical forming a curved line when valves are closed
Habitat
- Lakes, estuaries, streams
- Can colonize both hard and soft substrata
- Tolerate salinity to 6 ppt, temperatures to approximately 29 degrees C
- Quagga mussel can live at greater depths than zebra mussel
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- New York, Massachusetts, and the St. Lawrence River as far north as Quebec City
Known Distribution in New Hampshire
- Unknown
Impacts
- Voracious filter feeders, removing microscopic plants and animals from the water, reducing food available to other aquatic animals
- May cause declines in fish populations
- Clog intakes for power plants, industrial facilities, and public drinking water supplies
- Heavily colonize both hard and soft surfaces including beaches, boat hulls, docks, etc.
- High potential for rapid adaptation to extreme environmental conditions
- Economic impacts in the billions of dollars
Orconectes rusticus
Similar Species
- Native crayfish
Characteristics
- Brown body up to 4 in (10.2 cm) long
- Dark, rusty spots on each side of carapace
- Large, black-tipped claws
Habitat
- Lakes, ponds, streams
- Clay, silt, sand, gravel, or rock bottom areas
- Prefer areas with rocks, logs, or other debris as cover
- Can live in both fast- and slow-moving areas of streams
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont
- Native range: Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan
Known Distribution in New Hampshire
- One record of specimen found near Lake Waukewan in 1989 (USGS database)
Impacts
- Severely reduce cover of aquatic plants, eliminating habitat for invertebrates, food for fish and ducks, shelter for young fish, nesting substrate for fish, and erosion control
- Reduce native crayfish populations by competing for food and daytime hiding locations
Bythotrephes longimanus
History
- Spiny water flea was first found in North America in 1984 in Lake Huron
Characteristics
- Small predatory crustacean
- Grows up to 0.6 in (15 mm) long
- Long, straight tail spine is twice as long as body
Habitat
- Estuaries, lakes, wetlands
- Upper water column of large and small temperate lakes
- Can tolerate brackish water
- Limited to regions where water temperature is 4-30 degrees C and salinity is 0.04-8.0%
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- New York and Great Lakes region
- Lake Champlain
- Native to Europe and Asia
Known Distribution in New Hampshire
- Unknown
Impacts
- Competes directly for prey with juvenile and small fish; implicated as a factor in decline of alewife
- Substantial impact on zooplankton community structure
- Can foul fishing lines and downrigger cables
Dreissena polymorpha
Similar Species
- Quagga mussel Dreissena bugensis
History
- Believed to be introduced to the Great Lakes during ballast water exchange from a cargo ship from the Black Sea
- Since being discovered in Great Lakes in 1988, the species has spread widely into freshwater habitats across North America
- Native to Black, Caspian, and Azov Seas
Characteristics
- Named for the striped pattern on its shell - Black or brownish shell with cream or white stripes
- Shells colors vary widely; some pale or completely white
- Maximum size less than 2 in (5 cm) long; often less than 1 in
- Zebra shell is stable when placed on it's flattened hinge side while quagga mussels, lacking a flat side, fall over
- Valves (shell halves) are symmetrical, forming a straight line when closed whereas the quagga mussel valves are asymmetrical, forming a curved line when the valves are closed
Habitat
- Lakes, estuaries, streams
- Attached to hard surfaces such as rocks, wood, and plants and to manmade structures of concrete, metal, and fiberglass
- Tolerate salinity to 6 ppt, temperatures to approximately 29 degrees C
Known Distribution in the Northeast
- 21 states and 2 provinces including Quebec, New York, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut
Known Distribution in New Hampshire
- Unknown
Impacts
- Voracious filter feeders, removing microscopic plants and animals from the water, reducing food available to other aquatic animals
- May cause declines in fish populations
- Clog intakes for power plants, industrial facilities, and public drinking water supplies
- Foul boat and ship hulls
- Economic impacts in the billions of dollars
Additional Information