Species Regional Summary
Molgula manhattensis
Northern California to Mid Channel Islands ( NEP-V )

Invasion History Vectors Impacts References

Invasion

Invasion Description

1st record: Marshall/CA/Tomales Bay (1949, Hedgepeth 1952, cited by Carlton 1979)

Geographic Extent

Marshall/CA/Tomales Bay (1949, Hedgepeth 1952, cited by Carlton 1979); Inverness/CA/Tomales Bay (1949, Hedgepeth 1952, cited by Carlton 1979); Marshall/CA/Tomales Bay (2003, de Rivera et al. 2005a); Nick's Cove/CA/Tomales Bay (2003, de Rivera et al. 2005a); Sacramento Landing/CA/Tomales Bay (2003, de Rivera et al. 2005a); Shell Beach/CA/Tomales Bay (2003, de Rivera et al. 2005a); Thomas Station/CA/Tomales Bay (2003, de Rivera et al. 2005a); CA/San Francisco Bay (1950s, Hedgepeth 1962, cited by Carlton 1979); CA/South San Francisco Bay (Hopkins 1968, cited by Cohen and Carlton 1995); CA/San Pablo Bay (Hopkins 1968, cited by Cohen and Carlton 1995; Peterson and Vayssieres 2010, present in dry years); China Camp/CA/San Pablo Bay (2005, Robinson et al. 2011); Martinez/CA/Carquinez Straits (Hopkins 1968, cited by Cohen and Carlton 1995); Sierra Point Marina/CA/South San Francisco Bay (2004, Cohen et al. 2005); San Francisco Marina/CA/San Francisco Bay (2010, Marrafini et al. 2017); Pier 39, San Francisco/CA/San Francisco Bay (2004, Cohen et al. 2005); San Leandro Marina/CA/South San Francisco Bay (2004, Cohen et al. 2005; 2010, Marrafini et al. 2017); Coast Guard Island, Oakland/CA/Oakland estuary (2004, Cohen et al. 2005); Presidio Yacht Club, San Francisco/CA/Golden Gate (2004, Cohen et al. 2005); Richmond Marina/CA/San Francisco Bay (2004, Cohen et al. 2005, Marradini et al. 2017); ; Pete's Harbor /CA/South San Francisco Bay (2004, Cohen et al. 2005); Coyote Point Marina/CA/South San Francisco Bay (2004, Cohen et al. 2005); Brisbane/CA/Brisbane Lagoon, South San Francisco Bay (2004, Cohen et al. 2005); Fruitvale Bridge, Alameda/CA/Oakland estuary (2004, Cohen et al. 2005); San Leandro Marina/CA/South San Francisco Bay (2004, Cohen et al. 2005); CA/South Francisco Bay (2012-2013, Jimenez et al. 2017, mostly on hard and substrates)South Marsh Trail/CA/Elkhorn Slough (1998, Wasson et al. 2001); CA/Whistlestop Lagoon (1998, Wasson et al. 2001); Santa Cruz/CA/Santa Cruz Harbor (2003, de Rivera et al. 2005a); CA/Morro Bay (2005, Needles 2007; Needles and Wendt 2012)

Vectors

Level Vector
Alternate Hull Fouling
Alternate Oyster Accidental

Regional Impacts

Ecological ImpactCompetition
Extremely dense populations have been noted in San Francisco Bay, clogging bottom trawls (Ganssle 1968, cited by Cohen and Carlton 1995). Communities of Molgula manhattensis and Pinuauy crocea occupied considerable space on fouling plates in the winter of 1980/81, but were displaced by heavy settlement of mussels in Spring (Okamura 1986). When another tunicate, Ciona intestinalis was removed from experimental trials, M. manhattensis covered up to 92% of fouling plates (Blum et al. 2007).
 

References

Full Reference List for Molgula manhattensis

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