The Ponto-Caspian mysid Paramysis lacustris (Czerniavsky, 1882) has colonized the Middle Danube

Abstract

In 2017, the mysid Paramysis lacustris (Czerniavsky, 1882) was found for the first time in the Hungarian Danube section, representing the first psammo-pelophilous Ponto-Caspian peracarid colonizing the Middle Danube. In 2018, a brief survey focusing on this species revealed its presence in a more than 500-km-long river section spanning from Austria (Vienna, river km 1926) to Croatia (Batina, river km 1425). The largest populations of P. lacustris might be formed in reservoirs and slow-flowing stretches, where the appearance of the species might imply a considerable impact in connection with its zooplanktivorous feeding and important role in the diet of fish. Similar to all the other Ponto-Caspian peracarids that have crossed the Middle Danube, P. lacustris can reasonably be expected to continue its spread toward Western Europe in the future.

Keywords

• range expansion
• Crustacea
• Mysida
• psammo-pelophilous
• jump dispersal