Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: ~2 mi NE of Parkersburg/GA/Skidaway River (1997, USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program 2009)
Geographic Extent
~2 mi NE of Parkersburg/GA/Skidaway River (1997, Hollebone and Hay 2007, USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Program 2009); Priest Landing/GA/Wilmington River estuary (2010, Byers et al. 2014, (31 57 45.340 N, 81 09 48.080 W)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Alternate | Ballast Water |
| Alternate | Oyster Accidental |
| Alternate | Natural Dispersal |
| Alternate | Hull Fouling |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Competition | |
| In mesocosm experiments conducted in Georgia, high abundances of Petrolisthes armatus suppressed recruitment of oysters and mud crabs (Panopeus herbstii) (Hollebone and Hay 2008). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Food/Prey | |
| In Georgia estuaries, where Petrolisthes armatus is very abundant, P. armatus was readily consumed by native fishes and the native crabs Callinectes sapidus and Panopeus herbstii in tethering experiments (Hollebone and Hay 2008). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Habitat Change | |
| In mesocosm experiments conducted in Georgia, high abundances of Petrolisthes armatus promoted macroalgal growth (Ulva spp.) (Hollebone and Hay 2008). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Herbivory | |
In mesocosm experiments conducted in Georgia, high abundances of Petrolisthes armatus suppressed a phytoplankton bloom, through filter-feeding (Hollebone and Hay 2008). | ||
| Ecological Impact | Trophic Cascade | |
| In oyster reefs in Georgia, high abundances of Petrolisthes armatus increased recruitment of Oyster Drills (Urosalpinx cinerea), due to switching of predation by mud crabs Panopeus herbstii to P. armatus, decreasing predation on the oyster drills (Hollebone and Hay 2008). High abundances of P. armatus also influenced the effects of mud crabs on Hard Clam (Mercenaria mercenaria behavior. In experiments, the absence of P. armatus, clams reduced their filtering in the presence of mud crabs. When P. armatus, was abundant, clam filtering rates were not reduced. Howver, P. armatus did not significantly affect overall filtering rates, either by their own filtering, or by effects on mud crabs or oysters (Byers et al. 2014). | ||