Expansion of the range of the new invasive species Mytilus galloprovincialis (Bivalvia: mytilidae) in the Caspian Sea

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  • Authors: M. Khlopkova, R. Barkhalov, E. Lobachev
  • Affiliations:
    1. Precaspian Institute of Biological Resources of the Daghestan Federal Research Centre of the of RAS, Makhachkala, Russia
  • Keywords: invasive species, mussel, Dagestan coast, Russian sector of the Caspian Sea

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Abstract

This article reports the discovery of an alien, a bivalve mollusk, atypical for the native fauna of the Dagestan coast of the Middle Caspian Sea, identified on the basis of conchiological features as Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lamarck, 1819). In the autumn of 2024, single live individuals of a new invasive species, Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels, wererecorded on the Dagestancoast of the MiddleCaspian Sea near the mouth of the SamurRiverandin the area of 7Karaman, in the winter of 2025in the area of the beach "Dagestanskie Ogni". InMarch2025, 29musselshells were foundinstormsurgeson the coast,near the border of DagestanandAzerbaijan. The alien most likelyenteredtheCaspianSeafrom the Azov-Black Seabasinthrough the Volga-Don Canalwithballastwatervessels.Furthermonitoring of invasions of newalienmolluskson the Dagestancoast of the Russiansector of the CaspianSea is necessary.

Keywords: invasive species, mussel, Dagestan coast, Russian sector of the Caspian Sea

Authors

M. Khlopkova
Precaspian Institute of Biological Resources of the Daghestan Federal Research Centre of the of RAS, Makhachkala, Russia
R. Barkhalov
Precaspian Institute of Biological Resources of the Daghestan Federal Research Centre of the of RAS, Makhachkala, Russia
E. Lobachev
Precaspian Institute of Biological Resources of the Daghestan Federal Research Centre of the of RAS, Makhachkala, Russia