Biologia e interações interespecífica do mexilhão dourado Limnoperna fortunei(Dunker 1857)

Abstract

Limnoperna fortunei is an exotic species originating from Asia. The factors that determine the distribution and abundance of this species are still poorly understood, as little research has investigated the biology of the species to date. The understanding of these variables and interactions, such as interspecific, reproduction and parasitism should help clarify the determinants of the distribution and abundance, in time and space, of this species. In this sense, the general objective of this study is to describe some aspects of the biology and interspecific interactions of the species, distributed in four chapters. In the first stage, a literature review on the Phylum Mollusca was carried out. In the second stage, L. fortunei was cultured in the laboratory under partially controlled conditions. In the third stage, benthonic macrofauna was collected from January to December 2021 in four points of the Lower Rio Grande Basin to evaluate the local diversity. This step aimed to understand the interaction of the invader with the macrobenthic communities in substrates of different composition. In the fourth and last stage, inspections were performed by dissection and photostimulation of the mollusks in search of potential parasites. In summary, it was evident in the present work that the Phylum Mollusca presents an expressive biological variety, yet there is a lack of work in several areas such as biological invasion that can lead to a decline in native diversity. In the cultivation stage, young organisms were found to be small in size when compared to other mussels, thus indicating reproduction in the laboratory. In the parasite survey, no parasites were found in the exotic mollusks L. fortunei, M. tuberculata, and C. fluminea, while cercariae were found in the native mollusk P. canaliculata. In view of the above, these characteristics of L. fortunei may offer advantages over the native biota, consequently favoring its success in Brazilian watersheds. Therefore, seeking to understand the biology of L. fortunei is one way to build knowledge to mitigate its impact, whether environmental, social or economic.