Biofouling of the golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) over the Anomura crab Aegla platensis Schmitt, 1942.

Abstract

This note reports the first occurrence of golden mussel Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker,
\n1857) colonizing (biofouling) the surface body of the anomuran crab Aegla platensis Schmitt, 1942 on the São Gonçalo channel, Mirim Lagoon, Brazil. One live individual of A. platensis (25.5 mm tail to head; 2.8 g) was colleted at São Gonçalo channel carrying 62 individuals (30.4 g) of L. fortunei, with total length ranging from 7 to 23 mm. The total weight recorded for the crab was 10
\ntimes lower than the total weight of the bivalves incrusted, which suggest that this could be a new factor affecting the preservation of this endemic South America crab that is already in a vulnerable
\nstate of conservation in the Rio Grande do Sul, state. Like A. platensis, other benthic invertebrates could be also negatively affected by L. fortunei, and further investigation is currently needed to
\nassess the potential ecological negative effects on the local biodiversity.