Species Regional Summary
Didemnum vexillum
Narragansett Bay ( M020 )

Invasion History Vectors Impacts References

Invasion

Invasion Description

1st Record: Coasters Harbor Island, Newport/RI/East Passage, Narragansett Bay (2000, MIT Sea Grant 2003-2007). Didemnum vexillum was present at 9 of 43 sites in 2005, but only 5 of 32 sites. Occurrences were correlated with salinity, and the species did not persist where surface salinitiesdropped bleow 20 PSU (Auker 2019).

Geographic Extent

South Pier, Prudence Island/RI/Narragansett Bay (2005, Auker and Oviatt 2008; Absent 2015, Auker 2019); Fort Wetherill, Jamestown/RI/East Passage, Narragansett Bay (2005, Auker and Oviatt 2008; Auker 2019); Jamestown Boatyard, Jamestown/RI/Narragansett Bay (Ruiz et al., unpublished data); New England Boatworks, Jamestown/RI/Narragansett Bay (Ruiz et al., unpublished data); Coasters Harbor Island, Newport/RI/East Passage, Narragansett Bay (2000, MIT Sea Grant 2003-2007) ; Fort Adams State Park/Newport/RI/Narragansett Bay (2010, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management 2013); URI Dock, Graduate School of Oceanography (2002, USGS Woods Hole Science Center 2003-2007; Auker and Oviatt 2008), ; 41 deg 29.3 min N lat, 71 deg 25.5 min W lo), Beavertail Point, Jamestown/RI/Narragansett Bay (2005, USGS Woods Hole Science Center 2007).

Vectors

Level Vector
Probable Hull Fouling

Regional Impacts

Ecological ImpactCompetition
In Narragansett Bay, Didemnum dominated plates in the fall, and overgrew recruits of the Blue Mussel (Mytilus edulis) (Auker and Oviatt 2008).
 

References

Full Reference List for Didemnum vexillum

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