Ischadium recurvum

Invasion History

First Non-native North American Tidal Record: 1869
First Non-native West Coast Tidal Record:
First Non-native East/Gulf Coast Tidal Record: 1869

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General Invasion History:

Ischadium recurvum was first described by Rafinesque (as Mytilus recurvus) in 1820, from the Mississippi River near New Orleans (Johnson 1915). In 1822 Say gave it (as Mytilus hamatus) a similar distribution: 'Inhabits the Gulf of Mexico, frequently carried to New Orleans attached to the common oyster' (Say 1858). The Hooked Mussel is native to Chesapeake Bay, based on its occurrence in Tertiary fossils (Conrad 1830), museum specimens (Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2011; US National Museum of Natural history collections) and archaeological excavations (Torben Rick, personal communications). It is also likely native to Delaware Bay (Maurer et al. 1974), but its range was extended northward to New England by 19th century oyster transplants (Smith and Prime 1870; Perkins 1871; Richards 1938; US National Museum of Natural History 2011). Most of these introduced mussels have apparently died out, but populations persisted or have been re-introduced in Rhode Island estuaries (Sheldon Pratt, personal communication). There are two puzzling old records of individuals of this species in southern California (Carlton 1979).

North American Invasion History:

Invasion History on the West Coast:

The only two records from California are both puzzling. Dall (1921, cited by Carlton 1979) reported it from the 'Newport area', California. The specimens were dredged from the Pacific Ocean off Newport (Calton 1979). Live specimens of this species were also dredged off Redondo Beach in Santa Monica Bay, in 1931, at 152 m depth (Carlton 1979). Neither collection was associated with oysters, and both were in an exceptional habitat for this estuarine species. These have to be attributed to ballast water or fouling, but they occurred some distance from the nearest major ports, Los Angeles-Long Beach Harbors.

Invasion History on the East Coast:

Although early records are somewhat sporadic, the northern range edge of I. recurvum appears to be Chesapeake or Delaware Bay (Dall 1889; Maurer et al. 1974; US National Museum of Natural History collections, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2011). From 1869 to 1938, there were numerous reports of I. recurvum from Barnegat Bay, New Jersey to Welfleet Massachusetts, on Cape Cod Bay, usually on newly transplanted oysters (Smith and Prime 1870; Johnson 1915; Richards 1938; Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 2011; US National Museum of Natural History 2011). There have been few recent records north of the Chesapeake, and suggestions that the introduced mussels have died out due to cold winter weather (Gosner 1971; Morris 1975). However, they are locally common in brackish tributaries (Pettaquamscutt River, Kickamuit River) of Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island (Sheldon Pratt 1997, personal communication). Ischadium recurvum has been collected in fouling on ships on the East Coast of the United States (Visscher 1927; Davidson et al. 2008). The established populations in Rhode Island could result from persistence from the early oyster introductions, or represent new introductions by pleasure boats (James Carlton, personal communication).

Invasion History Elsewhere in the World:

Elsewhere in the World- In October 2018, specimens of the Hooked Mussel were found in the Nordseekanaal, in the Coenhaven section of Amsterdam. Growth lines indicated that the largest mussels were 6-7 years old, and that a population was established (Goud et al. 2019)

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Description

Ischadium recurvum is roughly triangular in shape, and strongly curved toward the beak, with strong radiating ribs. The beak is terminal, and the hinge has 3 or 4 small teeth. The exterior color of the shell is gray or brown, to dull bluish-black. The interior is polished and purplish, with a whitish margin. Adult mussels are 25-50 mm in length. This species is characteristic of estuaries, and is usually found attached to oysters, logs, pilings, or rocks, often in brackish water (Abbott 1974; Gosner 1971; Morris 1975; Lippson and Lippson 1997).

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Taxonomy

Ecology

General:

Ischadium recurvum has separate sexes. Animals mature at about one year of age. Eggs are brooded, but sperm are released into the water column. Fertilized eggs are brooded and develop into planktotrophic shelled veligers (Allen 1960).

Larvae settle on a variety of hard substrates, including oysters, wood, and rocks (Abbott 1974; Gosner 1971; Morris 1975; Lippson and Lippson 1997). They tolerate an extremely wide range of temperature and salinity, with water temperatures of 0 to 35?C (Nauman and Cory 1969) and salinities of 4.5-36 PSU (Allen 1960; Castagna and Chanley 1973). However, based on their geographical distribution and patterns of abundance, they appear to be most successful in regions with mild winters and low salinities (Abbott 1974; Morris 1975; Lippson and Lippson 1997).

Food:

Phytoplankton

Trophic Status:

Suspension Feeder

SusFed

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Habitats

General Habitat	Coarse Woody Debris	None
General Habitat	Oyster Reef	None
General Habitat	Marinas & Docks	None
General Habitat	Rocky	None
General Habitat	Vessel Hull	None
Salinity Range	Mesohaline	5-18 PSU
Salinity Range	Polyhaline	18-30 PSU
Salinity Range	Euhaline	30-40 PSU
Tidal Range	Subtidal	None
Tidal Range	Low Intertidal	None
Vertical Habitat	Epibenthic	None

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Life History

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Tolerances and Life History Parameters

Minimum Temperature (ºC)	0	Based on geographical range
Maximum Temperature (ºC)	37	Powerplant effluent, Patuxent River MD (Nauman and Cory 1969)
Minimum Salinity (‰)	4.5	Experimental (Allen 1960)
Maximum Salinity (‰)	36	Gulf of Mexico salinity
Minimum Reproductive Temperature	11.6	Field (Allen 1962, Chesapeake Bay)
Maximum Reproductive Temperature	24.5	Field (Allen 1962, Chesapeake Bay)
Minimum Reproductive Salinity	8	Experimental (Allen 1960)
Maximum Reproductive Salinity	36	Gulf of Mexico salinity
Minimum Length (mm)	25	Size at early maturity (Abbott 1974; Morris 1975; Gosner 1978)
Maximum Length (mm)	50	Abbott 1974; Morris 1975; Gosner 1978
Broad Temperature Range	None	Warm temperate-Tropical
Broad Salinity Range	None	Mesohaline-Euhaline

General Impacts

In its native range, Ischadium recurvum is often an abundant fouling organism and may 'wrap up' oysters when abundant (Andrews 1953), causing the oysters to grow in a misshapen fashion (Allen 1962). Ischadium recurvum may compete with oyster spat for space (Andrews 1953). Competition for food with oysters and other suspension-feeding fouling organisms is possible, especially when large biomasses of I. recurvum are present.

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References

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