Population study of non-native bivalves Mytilaster lineatus (Mullusca: Mytilidae) and Mytilopsis leucophaeata (Mullusca: Dreissenidae) in the Southwestern Caspian Sea

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Inland Water Aquaculture Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute, Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bandar Anzali, Iran

2 Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

10.22124/cjes.2026.9908

Abstract

Despite being a closed basin isolated from open marine and oceanic environments, the Caspian Sea has not been spared from alien species, and a large number of invasive species have established themselves. In recent years, man-mediated vectors have further facilitated their introduction and spread, sometimes resulting in destructive ecological impacts. The density and abundance of Mytilaster lineatus (Gmelin, 1791) and Mytilopsis leucophaeata (Conrad, 1831) were assessed in two Southwestern Caspian Sea ports, revealing habitat segregation and greater environmental tolerance in M. leucophaeata. M. leucophaeata was primarily distributed at salinities between 0.5 and 3.9 PSU (practical salinity units), although it was observed at levels up to 11.7 PSU. In contrast, M. lineatus occurred predominantly at salinities of 10.5 to 12 PSU in the Caspian Sea. The nutrient concentrations were higher in habitats where M. leucophaeata was present. During the initial 100 days, M. lineatus and M. leucophaeata exhibited their peak daily growth rates at approximately 0.12 mm day-1 and 0.13 mm day-1, respectively. A year later, their average shell heights reached 15.3 mm and 16.3 mm, with maximum theoretical shell heights (H∞) estimated at 19.98 mm and 21.49 mm, respectively, based on the von Bertalanffy growth model. Their high growth rate may pose a more severe biofouling threat to maritime and shipping industries than what is typically observed in European brackish waters.

Keywords

Caspian Journal of Environmental Sciences

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 08 September 2026

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