North-Western Journal of Zoology Vol. 5, No. 2, 2009, pp.424-428 P-ISSN: 1584-9074, E-ISSN: 1843-5629 Article No.: 051207 First record of the spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus (Rafinesque, 1817) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Cambaridae) in Romania Lucian PÂRVULESCU1,*, Cristian PALO31 and Paul MOLNAR1 1. West University of Timisoara, Faculty of Chemistry, Biology and Geography, Timisoara, 300115, Romania * Corresponding author: L. Pârvulescu, E-mail: [email protected] Abstract. Until recently, no invasive crayfish species have been reported in Romania. This is the first record of the cambarid species Orconectes limosus on Romanian territory; years after the countries on the upstream stretch of the Danube River reported the presence of the species on their territories. Monitoring activities in the area where the Danube enters Romania show that the extent of the invasion is currently relatively low; the species has been found on 55 of the 1073 km that comprise the Romanian sector of the Danube River. Key words: non-native crayfish, invasive species, Orconectes limosus, spiny-cheek crayfish At least eight species of non-native crayfish transferred to other regions, such as Poland, are known to reside in Europe (Chucholl & France, Germany and Austria (Henttonen & Daudey 2008). They were introduced either Huner 1999, Holdich 2002), and its range intentionally or accidentally during the 19th has spread towards Romania. and the 20th centuries, and belong to the Among the countries on the upstream genera Orconectes, Pacifastacus, Procambarus stretch of the Danube River, Hungary has and Cherax (Holdich 2002, Pöckl et al. 2006, abundant populations of spiny-cheek cray- Souty-Grosset et al. 2006). These species can fish, where it spread rapidly downstream spread actively from one area to another (Puky et al. 2005, Puky & Schád 2006). It has through canals and rivers, passively during recently been found also in the River Tisza floods, or through human mediated dis- as well as in its tributaries (Sallai & Puky persal mechanisms (Holdich & Pöckl 2007). 2008). Serbia has also reported this species The spiny-cheek crayfish is a native of to be present in the Danube (Pavlovi et al. north-eastern USA. It was intentionally 2006). In Croatia, the species was found in a introduced to Europe in 1890, when about swamp in the Kopaki Nature Park (it 90 individuals were bought from probably arrived there from the Danube); in Pennsylvania and released into a fishpond a short time, it has extended onwards into in Barnówko, currently in Poland, close to the Drava River (Maguire & Klobuar 2008). the German border (Hamr 2002). After In Slovakia, the species has recently been establishment in Europe, the species has found in the Ipel (along the right bank, at ©NwjZ, Oradea, Romania, 2009 North-West J Zool, 5, 2009 www.herp-or.uv.ro/nwjz Oradea, Romania First record of the spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus in Romania 425 Salka) and Váh rivers, both tributaries of the A monitoring program of the Danube Danube (Janský and Kautman 2007, Puky River was launched in the Orova area, 2009). along with observations carried out in Ecological preferences of O. limosus in- several upstream points, as shown in the clude: lowland waters, silty, turbid and Table 1 and Figure 2. The rangers of the Iron muddy environments, such as large rivers, Gates (Porile de Fier) Natural Park pro- streams, polluted canals and rivers, ponds vided additional data by keeping records of and lakes. However, in Canada it has been the crayfish collected by fisher-men in the found in stony streams with moderate region. currents and in Europe, can be found in a The left shore of the Danube River, wider range of habitats (Ahern et al. 2008, between Bazia and Gura Vii, is part of the Bohl 1999, Pöckl 1999, Petrusek et al. 2006), Porile de Fier Natural Park. The park is including cold, fast flowing waters, even located in SW Romania, near the Serbian though it displays a preference for deep, border, and stretches over the southern part calm waters. The species has also been of the Locvei and Almjului Mountains, as found in ponds and lakes which may be well as over the south-western portion of organically rich and polluted (Holdich & the Mehedini Plateau. A great number of Black 2007). streams emerging from these mountains On the 3rd of May 2008, during a flow directly into the Danube and are home didactic expedition in the Bazia area (the to the stone crayfish - Austropotamobius location where the Danube enters Romania), torrentium (Schrank, 1803), as seen Figure 2 we noticed and subsequently collected one (Pârvulescu 2007, Pârvulescu 2008). This live adult spiny-cheek crayfish (Orconectes species is rated as a « prioritary species » in limosus) (Fig.1). We found it on the the Council Directive 92/43/EEC and is Romanian shore of the Danube, at the Balta also listed as « vulnerable » (IUCN 2008). Nera-Dunre (the Nera-Danube Pond; Thus, a series of management measures are 44°49'57"N, 21°22'22"E). necessary steps, amongst which the periodic Table 1. The state of the invasion in the Danube is as follows, compared to the native species of crayfish (January 2009): Locality Bazia4 Moldova Sichevia Berzasca Ieelnia Orova Veche latitude 44°49'57"N 44°43'37"N 44°39'27"N 44°38'12"N 44°40'49"N 44°42'32"N longitude 21°22'22"E 21°36'52"E 21°51'01"E 21°57'46"E 22°21'38"E 22°24'43"E distance* 1073 1048 1025 1018 961 954 Astacus leptodactylus Present Present Present Present Present Present Orconectes limosus Present Present Present Present Absent Absent * Kilometres river distance from Sulina (the mouth of the river in the Black Sea) North-West J Zool, 5, 2009 426 Pârvulescu, L. et al. rd Figure 1. Orconectes limosus, captured in Bazia4 (SW Romania) on the 3 May 2008. Figure 2. The presence of Orconectes limosus versus indigenous crayfish distribution in SW Romania, as revealed by recent data. measurment of population size is of great When a non-native crayfish species is importance (Holdich et al. 2002). Never- introduced and stabilized in a new water- theless, the stone crayfish remain vulnerable body, it has an impact on the autochtonous to various threats, including overexploita- biota (Holdich & Pöckl 2007). As the spiny- tion, habitat modification, pollution, and the cheek crayfish is capable of rapid and spread of non-native crayfish species or strong expansion, it represents a potential crayfish plague (Holdich & Pöckl 2005). danger to the indigenous crayfish. The most North-West J Zool, 5, 2009 First record of the spiny-cheek crayfish Orconectes limosus in Romania 427 serious is its ability to carry the pathogen of Decapoda: Cambaridae), identified in the UK. crayfish plague, the parasitic saprolegnious Aquatic Invasions 3 (1): 102-104. Aphanomyces astaci Bohl, E. (1999): Crayfish stock situation in Bavaria oomycete Schikora, 1903 (Germany) – attributes, threats and chances. (Vey et al. 1983, Kozubíková et al. 2006, Freshwater Crayfish 12: 765-777. Orconectes 2009). This pathogen, of North American Chucholl, C., Daudey, T. (2008): First record of juvenilis (Hagen, 1870) in eastern France: update to origin, is usually lethal for crayfish species the species identity of a recently introduced from other parts of the world (Unestam orconectid crayfish (Crustacea: Astacida). Aquatic 1969, Alderman et al. 1987), and still causes Invasions 3 (1): 105-107. Orconectes mass crayfish mortality, including the stone Hamr, P. (2002): , Pp. 585-608. In: Biology of Freshwater Crayfish. Holdich, D.M. (ed.) Blackwell crayfish, in Central Europe (Kozubíková et Science. al. 2008) and elsewhere (number of Henttonen, P., Huner, J.V. (1999): The introduction of references available, if necessary). Along- alien species of crayfish in Europe: A historical introduction, Pp. 13-22. In: Gherardi, F., Holdich, side concerns about its role in transmitting D.M. (eds.) Crayfish in Europe as alien species. How disease, spiny-cheek crayfish as aggressive to make the best of a bad situation? Crustacean competitors seem able to replace native Issues 11, A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam. species in direct competition (Schulz et al. Holdich, D.M. (2002): Present distribution of crayfish in Europe and some adjoining countries. Bulletin 2006). Français de la Peche et de la Pisciculture 367 (4): We propose including the spiny-cheek 611-650. crayfish in national monitoring programs Holdich, D.M. (2003): Crayfish in Europe – an overview of taxonomy, legislation, distribution, and crayfish and adapting management measures in all plague outbreaks. Pp. 15-34. In: Holdich, D.M., of the protected areas that are located on the Sibley, P.J. (eds.) Management & Conservation of downstream stretch of the Danube River or Crayfish. Proceedings of a conference held in th that are crossed by its first degree tribu- Nottingham on 7 November, 2002. Environment Agency, Bristol. taries. We also propose the use of the Roma- Holdich, D.M., Reynolds, J., Edsman, L. (2002): nian term « rac dungat » (literally « striped Monitoring in conservation and management of crayfish ») to designate the Orconectes indigenous crayfish populations. Bulletin Français limosus de la Pêche et de la Pisciculture 367: 875-879. species, which as of now, is present Holdich, D.M., Black, J. (2007): The spiny-cheek crayfish, in the Romanian fauna. Orconectes limosus (Rafinesque, 1917) [Crustacea: Decapoda: Cambaridae], digs into the UK. Aquatic Invasions 2 (1): 1-15. IUCN (2008): Red List of Threatened Species, http://www.iucnredlist.org. Cambridge, accessed Acknowledgements. We would like to thank the Iron at: 2009. 02. 12. Gates (Porile de Fier) Natural Park Administration and Janský, V., Kautman, J. (2007): Americký rak Orconectes Biologist Amalia Bl2oiu for their involvement in the limosus (Crustacea: Decapoda: Cambaridae) už aj na field,collecting crayfish.