Invasion
Invasion Description
1st Record: Tampa/FL/Hillsboro River (1910, USNM 31899, US National Museum of Natural History 2009, approximate date, ID by Harriet Richardson)
Geographic Extent
Tampa/FL/Hillsboro River (USNM 31899, US National Museum of Natural History 2009); FL/Manatee River, Tampa Bay (Estevez 1974, in salt marshes, in roots of Typha, Scirpus and Juncus; Conover and Reid 1975); FL/Myakka River (Estevez 1974, in salt marshes, in roots of Typha, Scirpus and Juncus); FL/Braden River (Estevez 1974, in salt marshes, in roots of Typha, Scirpus and Juncus); Maximo Park, St. Petersburg/FL/Tampa Bay (Conover and Reid 1975); Bradenton/FL/Braden River, Tampa Bay tributary (Davidson et al. 2016)
Vectors
| Level | Vector |
|---|---|
| Probable | Hull Fouling |
Regional Impacts
| Ecological Impact | Habitat Change | |
| Extensive damage to roots of Red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) was found with 70-80% of mangrove roots infested, and 20-40% of roots severed (Conover and Reid 1975). In caging experiments in Rookery Bay (Bear Creek and Environmental Learning Center) and Braden River, exclusion of S. terebrans resulted in much more extensive growth and complexity of mangrove roots (Davidson et al. 2016). Extensive burrowing was also found in tidal brackish and fresh marshes, in peat and roots of Juncus plants. Burrows were especially common on the scarps of receding marshes, and could be accelerating marsh retreat (Estevez 1994). Boring by S. terebrans in plastic foam floats contribute to pollution by plastic particles, with adverse consequences to marine foodwebs (Davidson 2012). | ||
| Economic Impact | Shipping/Boating | |
| Sphaeroma terebrans has caused damage to docks, pilings, and boat hulls (Atwood 1920). Damage to plastic floats was extensive in southwest Florida and in Lake Pontchartrain LA (Davidson 2012). | ||