Black bullhead	Status LU: established. 1st record: 1892.
	Schwaarzen Zwergwels1	Status Eur.: established.
	Poisson-chat commun	RA: not yet assessed. Harmonia+: not yet assessed.
	Schwarzer Zwergwels	Wikipedia:     | Wikispecies:
	Zwarte dwergmeerval	Back to the list of vertebrates

Brief description

Ameiurus melas L., the black bullhead or black bullhead catfish is a species of bullhead catfish. Like other bullhead catfish, it has the ability to thrive in waters that are low in oxygen, brackish, turbid and/or very warm. It also has barbels located near its mouth, a broad head, spiny fins, and no scales. It can be identified from other bullheads as the barbels are black, and it has a tan crescent around the tail. Its caudal fin is truncated (squared off at the corners). Like virtually all catfish, it is nocturnal, preferring to feed at night, although young feed during the day. It has a typical length of 8-14 in, with the largest specimen being 24 in, making it the largest of the bullheads. It is typically black or dark brown on the dorsal side of its body and yellow or white on the ventral side.

Like most of the bullheads it has a squared tail fin, which is strikingly different from the forked tail of channel and blue catfish. It is a bottom-rover fish, meaning it is well-adapted for bottom living.

The species, which is known to be invasive, was brought to Europe as early as the 19th century and later also spread through the aquarium trade. In warmer waters, the bullhead, which is tolerant of oxygen deficits and higher temperatures, often reproduces very strongly.

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

In 1892, eight live specimens of Ameiurus melas L. were introduced in a pond near Diekirch. In 1996/1997, the species could not be detected during a systematic survey. In 1998, the black bullhead was documented by a recreational fisherman in the Moselle near Bech-Kleinmacher. In 2005, 2 adult and 300 juvenile bullheads were caught in the Moselle near Stadtbredimus during a systematic survey. A second breeding occurrence of about 500 individuals was observed in the same year in the marina near Schwebsange. The black bullhead has established itself as an independent population in the Luxembourgian Moselle (Administration de la Gestion de l’Eau 2010).

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Not assessed yet.

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Bibliography

• Administration de la gestion de l’eau, 2010. Les poissons au Luxembourg : Cartographie des poissons, lamproies et écrevisses du grand-duché de Luxembourg. 2e éd., 213 pp.

 Page content last updated on 2023-09-27. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2022-09-06.

1. Administration de la gestion de l’eau 2010: 166.[↩]

	n/a	Status LU: established. 1st record: ?
	n/a	Status Eur.: established. 1st record: ~2000 (NL).
	n/a	RA: ISEIA: C2. Harmonia+: n/a.
	Namenloser Rückenkanker	Wikipedia: | Wikispecies: n/a (2020)
	n/a	Back to the list of invertebrates

Brief description

Since probably 2000, a completely unknown harvestman started its quick expansion through Central Europe. The species could be classified in the genus Leiobunum, but is different from other European species. It has been named provisionally as Leiobunum sp. (sensu Wijnhoven et al. 2007). It is assumed that it arrived with ships from overseas, probably reaching the Netherlands first. It is still unknown exactly where it came from (Wijnhoven et al. 2007).

The area of origin is unknown to date, since about 2000 the species has probably spread from the Netherlands into Western Germany on both sides of the Rhine valley to Switzerland and Vorarlberg (Wijnhoven et al. 2007), in the meantime also to Schleswig-Holstein (Staudt 2012).

Habitat: Primarily possibly a rock dweller, in Europe in habitats of anthropogenic origin: industrial wastelands, ruins and house walls (Wijnhoven et al. 2007). Leiobunum sp. generally tend to cluster together during the day. This behaviour is even more pronounced in the species in question. Mass aggregations of several hundreds of individuals have been observed. Many observations show that in spite of its high reproduction rate this “new” Leiobunum sp. seems to coexist well with indigenous species and integrates in the native fauna without great damage. But surely great colonies of the species compete for food with other similar predators.

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

No records of Leiobunum sp. (sensu Wijnhoven et al. 2007) are present in the MNHNL-mdata portal (MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2020).

Already widespread in the Gutland, Leiobunum sp. still largely absent in the Ösling (Muster & Meyer 2014: 79). In Luxembourg exclusively synanthropic, larger aggregations have so far only been observed on industrial ruins in the Minette area, in small numbers of individuals in many places on average house walls.

Remarks (Muster & Meyer 2014: 82): Due to the occurrence of mass aggregations with > 1000 specimens the species became the focus of media and sensation-hungry public after 2007. Suddenly, weavers were the focus of exhibitions, local publications, radio and television broadcasts. Wijnhoven et al. (2007) also warned urgently of an imminent invasion of unprecedented proportions and possible dramatic effects on the native opilionid fauna. A few years after this initial uncertainty, the situation is now much more relaxed. Despite the now widespread distribution in Luxembourg, no mass increases could be registered. Only in the former Goodyear test site near Esch-sur-Alzette and at industrial ruins near Rodange larger colonies of 100-200 specimens were sighted. Otherwise only smaller groups of maximum 10 specimens were observed, often only single specimens. It was noticeable that often only one dwelling house per small village was inhabited, while other similar houses remained unoccupied. In this context, observations from the Ruhr area seem interesting, according to which the animals show a preference for calcareous surfaces rich in structure (Toss 2010). The effects on other weaver’s apprentice species are also likely to be less severe than originally assumed. Leiobunum rotundum is often found at or even within aggregations of the Nameless Spine Anchor, while they even seem to evade Dicranopalpus ramosus (Wijnhoven 2011).

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

C2 (2+2+2+1) (Ries et al. 2017: 68).

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Bibliography

• MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2020. MNHNL-mdata, online portal combining species observation from Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist and GBIF. National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [Accessed 2020-03-05]
• Muster, C. & M. Meyer, 2014. Verbreitungsatlas der Weberknechte des Großherzogtums Luxemburg, Ferrantia 70. Musée national d’histoire naturelle, Luxembourg, 112 S. [pp. 79-82] (PDF 3.8 MB)
• Ries, C., A. Arendt, C. Braunert, S. Christian, A. Dohet, A. Frantz, G. Geimer, M. Hellers, J. A. Massard, X. Mestdagh, R. Proess, N. Schneider & M. Pfeiffenschneider, 2017. Environmental impact assessment and black, watch and alert list classification after the ISEIA Protocol of invertebrates in Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 119: 63-70. [PDF 360 KB]
• Staudt, A., 2012. Nachweiskarten der Spinnentiere Deutschlands (Arachnida: Araneae, Opiliones, Pseudoscorpiones). http://www.spiderling.de/arages/
• Toss, K., 2010. Auffällig unauffällig: Der bislang unbestimmte Weberknecht der Gattung Leiobunum ist im westlichen Ruhrgebiet weit verbreitet. Elektronische Aufsätze der Biologischen Station Westliches Ruhrgebiet 19: 1-5.
• Wijnhoven, H., A.L. Schönhofer & J. Martens, 2007. An unidentified harvestman Leiobunum sp. alarmingly invading Europe (Arachnida: Opiliones). Arachnol. Mitt. 34: 27-38. (https://www.natur-in-nrw.de/Download/Martens_Leiobunum_2007.pdf)

 Page content last updated on 2020-03-05. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2019-12-10.

	Killer shrimp	Status LU: present. 1st record: 2006.
	Killercrevette	Status Eur.: established.
	Crevette tueuse	RA: ISEIA: A1, Black List. Harmonia+: 0,50
	Großer Höckerflohkrebs	Wikipedia: | Wikispecies: n/a (2020)
	Pontokaspische Vlokreeft	Back to the list of invertebrates

Brief description

Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894) is a freshwater amphipod originating from the Ponto-Caspian region. Its range expansion began in the late twentieth century and was associated with re-opening of the shipping canal between the Danube River and Main River (Vaate et al., 2002). Large body size, extremely voracious predatory behaviour, high fecundity and wide environmental tolerance make this amphipod a very successful invader of European waters. Invasion of D. villosus often results in significant local reduction or even extinction of native amphipods and other macroinvertebrates on which it preys (CABI 2019).

D. villosus is included on the list of the 100 most invasive exotic species of Europe (Devin & Beisel 2009).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky, 1894) was first recorded in 2006: several specimen collected on 2006-05-12 in the river Moselle near Stadtbredimus were discovered in the Museums collections in July 2021 (Weigand in litt.). Another observation was made on 2018-06-20 in the river Sure near Wasserbillig / Langsur (MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF 2021). Accordingly, the Killer shrimp has been moved from the Alert List (Ries et al. 2017: 68) to the Black List.

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

Following the discovery of the Killer shrimp in July 2021 in the Museums collections (Weigand in litt.), the species was reassessed on 2021-07-29 to A1 (3+2+3+3) = Black List by C. Ries. Initial assessment: A0 (3+2+3+3) = Alert List (Ries et al. 2017: 68).

Harmonia+ protocol

Overall risk score 0,50 = (Overall Invasion score 0,82 x Overall Impact score 0,61) (evaluated by Tiago De Sousa, Manou Pfeiffenschneider and Roland Proess).

Worldwide distribution

Bibliography

• CABI, 2019. Dikerogammarus villosus. In: Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. URL: www.cabi.org/isc [accessed 2020-03-13]
• Devin, S. & J.-N. Beisel, 2009. Dikerogammarus villosus (Sowinsky), killer shrimp (Gammaridae, Crustacea). In: Handbook of alien species in Europe. Springer, 309.
• MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2021. Dikerogammarus villosus in MNHNL-mdata, online portal combining species observation from Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist and GBIF. National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [accessed 2020-03-13]
• Ries, C., A. Arendt, C. Braunert, S. Christian, A. Dohet, A. Frantz, G. Geimer, M. Hellers, J. A. Massard, X. Mestdagh, R. Proess, N. Schneider & M. Pfeiffenschneider, 2017. Environmental impact assessment and black, watch and alert list classification after the ISEIA Protocol of invertebrates in Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 119: 63-70. [PDF 360 KB]

 Page content last updated on 2024-03-06. Last proofread by Caroline Grounds on 2019-12-10.

	New Zealand mud snail	Status LU: established. 1st record: 1996.
	Neiséilännesch Zwergdeckelschleek	Status Eur.: established.
	Hydrobie des antipodes	RA: ISEIA: A3, Black List. Harmonia+: n/a.
	Neuseeländische Zwergdeckelschnecke	Wikipedia: | Wikispecies: n/a (2020) | CABI
	Jenkins’ waterhoren	Back to the list of invertebrates

Brief description

Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) is an aquatic snail native to New Zealand. It has been introduced to Europe, North America, Australia, Iraq, Turkey and Japan. In several ecosystems it is considered invasive because it becomes highly abundant, impacting the structure and function of the invaded ecosystems. Females are parthenogenetic, meaning they can reproduce without males, so a population can be founded by a single female. Most the non-native populations are female. There can be up to six generations per year, with an average number of 230 offspring per adult per year. P. antipodarum can also tolerate desiccation for several days, which allows for rapid spread (such as by birds and fishing tools) throughout different aquatic ecosystems. In several countries, including Spain, USA and Australia, it is considered as an invasive species (CABI 2019).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) was first documented by Gerhard Weitmann and Klaus Groh on 17 June 1996 in the Moselle river in the municipality of Remich (MNHNL 2000-).

Currently, 52 records of the New Zealand mud snail are accessible through the MNHNL-mdata portal (MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF 2019).

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

A3 (3+2+3+3) = Black List (Ries et al. 2017: 68).

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Bibliography

• CABI, 2019. Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843). In: Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. URL: www.cabi.org/isc [accessed 2020-04-21]
• MNHNL, 2000-. Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) in Recorder-Lux, database on the natural heritage of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Musée national d’histoire naturelle, Luxembourg. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [Accessed 2019-10-24]
• MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2019. Potamopyrgus antipodarum (Gray, 1843) in MNHNL-mdata, online portal combining species observation from Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist and GBIF. National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [Accessed 2019-10-24]
• Ries, C., A. Arendt, C. Braunert, S. Christian, A. Dohet, A. Frantz, G. Geimer, M. Hellers, J. A. Massard, X. Mestdagh, R. Proess, N. Schneider & M. Pfeiffenschneider, 2017. Environmental impact assessment and black, watch and alert list classification after the ISEIA Protocol of invertebrates in Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 119: 63-70. [PDF 360 KB]

 Page content last updated on 2020-04-21.

	Chinese pond mussel	Status LU: absent.
	Chinesesch Weiermuschel	Status Eur.: established.
	Anodonte chinois	RA: ISEIA: C0. Harmonia+: n/a.
	Chinesische Teichmuschel	Wikipedia: | Wikispecies: n/a (2020) | CABI
	n/a	Back to the list of invertebrates

Brief description

Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) is a species of freshwater mussel, an aquatic bivalve mollusk in the family Unionidae, the river mussels. The Chinese pond mussel can reach sizes of up to 30 cm and an age of 12–14 years. Yet, they can reproduce in their first year while only 3–4 cm in size. This large freshwater mussel is a habitat generalist with high silt tolerance. It is established worldwide despite having, like all unionid mussels, an obligatory parasitic stage (glochidium), which must encyst on host fish. The species is a broad host generalist, which can complete its development on all fish species tested, both coinvasive and native. The presence of S. woodiana can seriously influence indigenous unionid populations. Sinanodonta woodiana’s great success is attributed to importation and commercialization of Asian carp, its native host. S. woodiana was introduced in Tuscany both inadvertently, and for artificial pearl production. The species is also sold in garden centers as biofiltration for artificial ponds (CABI 2019).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) has not yet been observed in Luxembourg (MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF 2020).

A flyer about invasive mussels has been published by natur&ëmwelt.

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

C0 (2+1+2+1) (Ries et al. 2017: 68).

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Bibliography

• CABI, 2019. Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834). In: Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. URL: www.cabi.org/isc [accessed 2020-04-21]
• MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2020. Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) in MNHNL-mdata, online portal combining species observation from Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist and GBIF. National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [Accessed 2020-04-21]
• Ries, C., A. Arendt, C. Braunert, S. Christian, A. Dohet, A. Frantz, G. Geimer, M. Hellers, J. A. Massard, X. Mestdagh, R. Proess, N. Schneider & M. Pfeiffenschneider, 2017. Environmental impact assessment and black, watch and alert list classification after the ISEIA Protocol of invertebrates in Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 119: 63-70. [PDF 360 KB]

 Page content last updated on 2024-09-09.

	Zebra mussel	Status LU: established. 1st record: <1892.
	Zebramuschel	Status Eur.: established.
	Moule zébrée	RA: ISEIA: A2, Black List. Harmonia+: n/a.
	Zebramuschel	Wikipedia: | Wikispecies: n/a | CABI
	Driehoeksmossel	Back to the list of invertebrates

Brief description

To date, D. polymorpha has been the most aggressive freshwater invader worldwide. Dreissenids are the only freshwater bivalves that attach to hard substrates in high densities and have a planktonic larval stage. This life history facilitates their abilities as invaders, and allows them to become enormously abundant when introduced into a new water body. Once introduced their populations can grow rapidly, and the total biomass of a population can exceed 10 times that of all other native benthic invertebrates. D. polymorpha is native to the drainage basins of the Black, Caspian and Aral Seas. During the nineteenth century its range has expanded westward to most of western Europe, the UK, and North America, where it is found in the Great Lakes and all major river drainages east of the Rocky Mountains and causes multiple economic impacts on fisheries, aquaculture, water attractions and aquatic transport (CABI 2019).

Status and distribution in Luxembourg

In Luxembourg, Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) was first mentioned by Victor Ferrant in 1892 as occurring in the Moselle river (Ferrant 1892; Dhur & Massard 1995; MNHNL 2000-).

An identification sheet of the species has been published by the MECDD in French and German. A flyer about invasive mussels has been published by natur&ëmwelt.

Risk assessment

ISEIA protocol

A2 (3+3+3+3) = Black List (Ries et al. 2017: 68).

Harmonia+ protocol

Not assessed yet.

Worldwide distribution

Bibliography

• CABI, 2019. Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771). In: Invasive Species Compendium. Wallingford, UK: CAB International. URL: www.cabi.org/isc [accessed 2020-04-21]
• Dhur, G. & J.A. Massard, 1995. Étude historique et faunistique des Invertébrés immigrés ou introduits dans la Moselle luxembourgeoise et ses affluents. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 96: 127-156. [PDF 1896 KB]
• Ferrant, V., 1892. Beiträge zur Molluskenfauna des Grossherzogtums Luxemburg (Schluss). Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 2: 21-26. [PDF 419 KB]
• MNHNL, 2000-. Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) in Recorder-Lux, database on the natural heritage of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Musée national d’histoire naturelle, Luxembourg. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [Accessed 2019-10-24]
• MNHNL, iNaturalist & GBIF, 2019. Dreissena polymorpha (Pallas, 1771) in MNHNL-mdata, online portal combining species observation from Recorder-Lux, iNaturalist and GBIF. National Museum of Natural History, Luxembourg. URL: https://mdata.mnhn.lu [Accessed 2019-10-24]
• Ries, C., A. Arendt, C. Braunert, S. Christian, A. Dohet, A. Frantz, G. Geimer, M. Hellers, J. A. Massard, X. Mestdagh, R. Proess, N. Schneider & M. Pfeiffenschneider, 2017. Environmental impact assessment and black, watch and alert list classification after the ISEIA Protocol of invertebrates in Luxembourg. Bull. Soc. Nat. luxemb. 119: 63-70. [PDF 360 KB]

 Page content last updated on 2024-09-09.