Russian Journal of Biological Invasions

2011, issue № 4

CONTENTS

Invasion of brackish water harpacticoida Nitocra spinipes (Boeck, 1865) (Crustacea: Copepoda: Harpacticoida) into Lake Ladoga - Dudakova D.S. - Since 2003 a new invasive species – brackish water harpacticoida Nitocra spinipes has begun to occur in the meiobenthic fauna composition of Lake Ladoga.

Like most of similar introductions of non-native species its arrival is most likely connected to transfer of the ballast water by ships passing through the Volga-Baltic Waterway. The population density of these copepods at this stage is quite low and they are not found very often. But given the biological and ecological characteristics of the species, it should be expected an increase in this species number and its settling throughout the lake.

Invasion of Microtus rossiaemeridionalis on territory of the Russian Far East - Kartavtseva I.V., Tiunov M.P., Lapin A.S., Visotchina N.P., Ryabkova A.V. - For the first time in the south of the Far East Russia, Khabarovsk territory, in urbanized biotopes of vicinities of the city of Sovietskaja Gavan and two nearby settlements an East European vole Microtus rossiaemeridionalis Ognev, 1924 has been found. The species definition has been carried out both by chromosomal – 2n=54, NF=56, C-banding and morphological characteristics – body, cranium, baculum and sperms.

Dynamics of the northern border of game mammals spreading in Irkutsk region (Eastern Siberia) for the XXth century - Leontyev D.F. - Environmental changes have created conditions for expansion of the ranges of hoofed and carnivore commercial mammals to northern direction. The data on the changes of range boundaries of Cervus elaphus (Linnaeus, 1758), Capreolus pygargus (Pallas, 1771), Moschus moschiferus (Linnaeus, 1758), Meles leucurus (Hodgson, 1847), Neovison vison (Schreber, 1777) and Martes zibellina (Linnaeus, 1758) in Irkutskaya region (Eastern Siberia) are given.

The capture of blue crab (Callinectes sapidus, Decapoda, Crustacea) in the Russian sector of the Black Sea - Pashkov А.N., Reshetnikov S.I., Bondarev K.B. - The case of alien blue crab (Callinectes sapidus Rathbum, 1896) capture in the Russian sector of the Black Sea is described. All known cases of this species detection in the Black and Azov seas are listed. The degree, probability and possible consequences of blue crab naturalization in the Аzov-Black Sea basin are analyzed.

First finding of freshwater bryozoans Lophopodella carteri Hyatt, 1866 (Phylactolaemata) in Kiliy delta of Danube river - Sanzhak Yu.O., Lyashenko A.V., Gontar V.I. - New for the Ukraine freshwater bryozoan species Lophopodella carteri (Hyatt, 1866) was found in the mouth of the branch Bystry (the Kiliy delta of the Danube River) as a component of foulings.

Introduction of the wood bison (Bison bison athabascae Rhoads, 1898) in Central Yakutia - Safronov V.M., Smetanin R.N., Stepanova V.V. - In April 2006 thirty wood bison were brought to Central Yakutia from the National Park "Elk Island", Canada. There were 15 males and 15 females, 27 yearlings, 2 female bison and 1 male attained at the age of 2 years. Bison nurseries are enclosed on the territory of two Nature Parks – Lenskye Stolby (Lena Pillars, 91.6 ha) and Siine (100.9 ha). The first offspring (6 calves) was in 2008, the second in 2009 (7), and the third in 2010 (9). One calf born in 2009 died during its first day by a chance cause. Each year from 2008 to 2010 the growth of the herd was 23.1%, 26.9%, 30.8%, respectively. During summer the bison feed on pasture green forage that is their main food. The mean length of the animals' moves made 3.8 km, food movements – 2.4 km. Males and females consume up to 54.6 and 40.8 kg of green food per day, respectively. Since mid-September bison are fed up with hay and combined feed, in winter they are completely sustained on haylage, dry hay and formula feed. Artificial winter feeding of bison is a justifiable step during the process of their acclimation under the conditions of Yakutia. Late in autumn the bison motion activity increased (4.8 km), in winter it became decreased (2.7–3.6 km). During hard frosts their mobility was small (1.9 km). Currently adaptation of wood bison to their new environment and existence, the primary factors of which are long winter periods, short summers and extremely low winter air temperatures, progresses well. The bison overall number is 47 animals – 26 adults (53.3%) and 21 calves (44.7%); male-female ratio is 24 (51.1%) and 23 (48.9%), respectively. Extended reproduction of the bison pedigree stock and young generation in the animal nurseries will make it possible to solve the problem of their preservation and settling in other territories. In March 2011 a new batch of bison of 30 calves, born in 2010, was brought. In Yakutia their livestock population increased to 77 animals.

New species of infusorian Tintinnopsis tocantinensis Kofoid & Campbell, 1929 (Ciliophora: Spirotrichea: Tintinnida) from the Black Sea - Selifonova Zh.P. - In October-November 2010 Tintinnopsis tocantinensis Kofoid & Campbell 1929 was registered in Novorossiysk and Tuapse ports of the Black Sea for the first time. This tintinnid species is distributed in neritic zone of the Indian Ocean, South Atlantics, Gulf of Mexico and Mediterrenian Sea. To the Black Sea, this infusoria is obviously got with the ballast waters of commercial ships.

The first find of the North American freshwater limpets Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) (Mollusca, Gastropoda) in the Middle Volga basin - Rimma P. Tokinova - The North-American freshwater gastropod Ferrissia fragilis (Tryon, 1863) has been recorded for the first time in the Middle Volga basin in October 2008. Live specimens and shells of mollusks were found in the coastal zone of the lake Middle Kaban, which is a cooling pond of Kazan Thermal Power Plant. Most likely, this alien gastropod was introduced into the lake from an amateur aquarium. Within population of F. fragilis a variability of shell shape cups was marked.

About finding of Rosa glauca Pourr. (Rosaceae) in Mordovian Republic - Hapugin A.A. - The data about a new to flora of Mordovian Republic alien species of Rosa glauca Pourr. are given. Several locations of the species were discovered in Romodanovskiy district. One cenopopulation of R. glauca was registered on a steppe plot together with several rare plant species – Adonis vernalis L. and Iris aphylla L.

Ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi (A. Agassiz, 1865) in the coast water of the East Caspian Sea (Turkmen sector) - Shakirova F.M. - Ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi got into the Caspian Sea at the end of the 90s of the 20th century admittedly with the ballast water of ships. The first information about its appearance in the coast water of the Turkmen sector was obtained in September 1999. Its active propagation is noted in summer-autumn period (June – October) along the whole areas of water from Gasankuli to Bekdash. In the population in all locations and for the whole warm period of the year small young individuals predominate greatly (70–80%) that points to a high intensity of reproduction. The adult part of the population differs by a small size, reaching usually less than 35–50 mm.

Quantitative development of ctenophore in Turkmen area of water is characterized by high number of species at relatively small indices of the biomass. In the littoral regions and bays at the depth of 2–3 to 10 m the number of animals in summer-autumn period varies usually from 20 to 70 ekz./m², exceeding 500 ekz./m² in separate concourses, while biomass varies from 5 to 326 g/m². The maximum population number of animals was noted in the middle of September 2002 in the region of Karabogazgol and reached 1320 ekz./m², at biomass of 118.0–326.0 g/m².

Role of Viviparus viviparus (L.) (Gastropoda, Viviparidae) in formation of macroinvertebrate communities in Novosibirsk reservoir - Yanygina L.V. - The results of an investigation into the size structure and spatial distribution of Viviparus viviparus (L.) in Novosibirsk reservoir are presented. The abiotic factors contributing to species dispersal are analyzed. The change in taxonomic structure of macroinvertebrate communities at the sites of V. viviparus dispersal is noted.

Morphology, growth and reproduction of the non-indigenous topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva (Temminck et Schlegel, 1846) in the wetland of Alma-Gol, northern Iran - Patimar R., Baensaf S. - Observation of topmouth gudgeon was actually the first record of its being in this wetland, indicating increasing of its distribution in new habitats. So, morphological characters, growth and reproduction of this species as newly introduced non-indigenous fish into Iran were studied in the Alma-Gol wetland (northern Iran) during a period from September 2000 to August 2002. Inter-sexual comparison of morphological characters revealed that there are significant differences in total length, head width, A-C distance and dorsal fin rays between sexes. The maximum age of the fish studied was 3+ years and 4+ for females and males respectively. Observed lengths-at-age were different between sexes, with males longer and heavier than females in all age groups. The slope of the total length-weight relationships differed significantly between sexes, being negative allometric for both sexes. The overall ratio of males to females was 1.625:1. The highest average values of GSI were 11.93 and 6.98 for females and males respectively in spring samplings. Absolute fecundity estimates ranged from 965 to 2930, with a mean value of 2214.34 ± 445.24(SD) eggs.

Fish community successions in Lake Ulungur: a case of fish invasions in fragile oasis - Tang F.J., Brown A., Keerjiang A. - Lake Ulungur, located in the desert region of northwest China, is one of the most important fishing grounds in the Chinese inland area. Ulungur possessed a simple fish assemblage of 7 indigenous species of fish, dominated by the common perch, Perca fluviatilis Linnaeus and Leuciscus dzungaricus. Over the last 40 years, 14 non-indigenous species of fish have been introduced into this fragile ecosystem via intentional or unintentional human activities. Over the decades since these introductions, the fish community of Ulungur has been severely altered. Most of the niches that had inhabited by the native species of fishes are now occupied by these non-native species. The two, once dominate species, the common perch and Leuciscus dzungaricus, have become endangered and threatened with extinction, while the non-native Pond smelt (Hypomesus olidus Pallas), the Aral bream (Abramis brama orientalis Berg) and the Northern pike (Esox lucius Linnaeus), have become the most prevalent species. In this paper, non-indigenous fish introductions and the corresponding changes in native fish communities in Ulungur are outlined. Possible mechanisms of community succession were analyzed to provide information for the management of fish introduction.