Species Regional Summary
Microcosmus squamiger
Pt. Conception to Southern Baja California ( NEP-VI )

Invasion History Vectors Impacts References

Invasion

Invasion Description

1st record: Long Beach/CA/Alamitos Bay (1986, Lambert and Lambert 1998)

Geographic Extent

Baja California/Mexico/Bahia San Quintin (2002, Rorriguez and Ibarra-Obando 2008, = Bahia Falsa, Rius et al. 2008); Ensenada, Baja California/Mexico/Pacific Ocean (2000, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Shelter Island, San Diego/CA/San Diego Bay (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Harbor Island, San Diego/CA/San Diego Bay (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Fiddlers Cove, San Diego/CA/San Diego Bay (1995, Lambert and Lambert 2003); 24th St, San Diego/CA/San Diego Bay (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); J St., San Diego/CA/San Diego Bay (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); San Diego/CA/San Diego Bay (2001, Fairey et al. 2002); Quivera Basin, San Diego/CA/Mission Bay (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Dana Landing, San Diego/CA/Mission Bay (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); South Shores Boat Ramp, San Diego/CA/Mission Bay (1997, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Bahia Point, San Diego/CA/Mission Bay (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Mission Bay Yacht Club, San Diego/CA/Mission Bay; (1997, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Santa Clara Boat Launch, San Diego/CA/Mission Bay; (1997, Lambert and Lambert 2003); San Diego/CA/Mission Bay (2001, Fairey et al. 2002); San Diego County/CA/Oceanside Harbor (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003; 2001, Fairey et al. 2002; 2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014); Dana Point/CA/Dana Point Harbor (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003; 2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014); Newport Beach/CA/Newport Bay (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003; 2001, Fairey et al. 2002; 2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014); Huntington Beach/CA/Huntington Harbor (2001, Fairey et al. 2002; 2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014); San Diego/CA/Mission Bay (2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014); CA/Hunntington Harbor (2013, Obaza and Williams 2018); Long Beach/CA/Alamitos Bay (1986, Lambert and Lambert 1998); Long Beach Marina/CA/Alamitos Bay (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003; 2013, Obaza et al. 2018); Impound Marina, Long Beach/CA/Los Angeles-Long Beach Harbor (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003; 2013, Obaza and Williams 2018); Long Beach/CA/Long Beach Harbor 2001, (Fairey et al. 2002; 2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014; 2017, Ruiz and Geller 2021, 1 of 10 sites); Los Angeles/CA/Los Angeles Harbor 2001, (Fairey et al. 2002); Redondo Beach/CA/King Harbor (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Venice/CA/Marina del Rey (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003; San Diego/CA/Mission Bay (2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014); Jacks Landing/CA/Port Hueneme; (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Anacapa Island MarinaCA/Port Hueneme; (1994, Lambert and Lambert 2003); !sland Packers, Oxnard/CA/Ventura Harbor (1996, Lambert and Lambert 2003); Pierpoint Yacht Club, Oxnard CA/Channel Islands Harbor (1997, Lambert and Lambert 2003; 2001, Fairey et al. 2002; 2013, Obaza and Williams 2018); San Diego/CA/Mission Bay (2011, California Department of Fish and Wildlife 2014); Catalina Island/CA/Cat Harbor (1992, Lambert and Lambert 1998); Catalina Island/CA/Avalon Harbor (2001, Fairey et al. 2002)

Vectors

Level Vector
Probable Hull Fouling

Regional Impacts

Economic ImpactFisheries
Oyster culture racks, ropes, and shells (of Crassostrea gigas, Pacific Oyster) in Bahia San Quintin, Baja California, Mexico were badly fouled by tunicates, beginning in 2002. Microcosmus squamiger was a major organism in this fouling (Rodriquez and Ibarra-Obando 2008).
 
Ecological ImpactCompetition
Microcosmus squamiger now greatly outnumbers Styela canopus, an earlier invader, in San Diego Bay. It forms single-species patches at some locations, suggestive of competition (Lambert and Lambert 2003).
 

References

Full Reference List for Microcosmus squamiger

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