Distribution of the alien bivalve Xenostrobus securis (Lamarck, 1819) in the coast of Bizkaia (northern Iberian Peninsula)

Abstract

The present work provides new information about the distribution of the invasive bivalve Xenostrobus securis (Lamarck, 1819) in the coast of Bizkaia (Bay of Biscay), including the first report of its presence at the estuaries of Barbadun, Butroe, Oka, Lea and Artibai. The knowledge of its distribution at the estuary of Nerbioi, where the species had been previously reported, is also expanded. Field observations were contrasted by molecular identification (MiniCOI gene; Glu-5’) of several individuals collected in every estuary. Present results prove that X. securis has the potential to carry out a successful colonization of a Basque estuary, with the ability to reach a very wide distribution. The ecological implications of this invasion and the affections to the ecosystems of the Bay of Biscay deserve further investigations.