Mnemiopsis leidyi (sea walnut)

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Mnemiopsis leidyi from the Black Sea

Mnemiopsis leidyi from the Black Sea, size 110 mm

Tamara Shiganova

Identity

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Preferred Scientific Name

Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz, 1865

Preferred Common Name

sea walnut

Other Scientific Names

Mnemiopsis gardeni L. Agassiz, 1860
Mnemiopsis mccradyi Mayer, 1900

Local Common Names

Denmark: amerikansk ribbegople
Finland: amerikankampamaneetti
Germany: Meerwalnuss; Rippenqualle
Lithuania: mnemiopsis
Netherlands: Amerikaanse langlobribkwal
Norway: amerikansk kammanet; amerikansk lobemanet
UK: American comb jelly; comb jelly; comb jellyfish; sea gooseberry; warty comb jelly

Summary of Invasiveness

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The native habitat of the ctenophore M. leidyi is the Atlantic coast of North and South America where it can live over a broad range of salinity and temperature conditions. M. leidyi is a polymorphic species with wide environmental tolerance and high phenotypic variability. It may reach high numbers in conditions of abundant prey (zooplankton concentrations) in optimal salinity and temperature conditions in native areas. It is a self-fertilizing hermaphrodite, pre-adapted to rapid colonization (Kremer, 1976). Pianka reported that up to 100% normal development has been repeatedly obtained from self-fertilized eggs of single ctenophores, and the significance of out-breeding in ctenophores is controversial. In addition, M. leidyi has an ability to regenerate from fragments larger than one quarter of an individual. It is also a generalist carnivorous feeder. It was accidentally introduced first into the Black Sea in the early 1980s, possibly with ballast water from the northwestern Atlantic coastal region. From the Black Sea, it spread north to the Sea of Azov, south to the Sea of Marmara and to the eastern Mediterranean. In 1999, it reached the Caspian where it is currently expanding at an even more rapid rate than in the Black Sea. In 2005, it was found in the Adriatic Sea. In 2006, it was first recorded in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea.

Taxonomic Tree

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Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Metazoa
Phylum: Ctenophora
Class: Tentaculata
Order: Lobata
Family: Bolinopsidae
Genus: Mnemiopsis
Species: Mnemiopsis leidyi

Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature

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Until recently, three species were included in the Mnemiopsis genus: M. gardeni, M. leidyi and M. mccrady (Moser, 1908, 1909; Mayer, 1912; Main, 1928; Pratt, 1935). When the genus Mnemiopsis appeared in the Black Sea observations of the new ctenophore were significantly aggravated by the inconsistencies between the descriptions of the morphological features of the Mnemiopsis genus by researchers (L. Agassiz, 1860; A. Agassiz, 1865; Fewkes, 1881) and the later descriptions of this genus by Mayer (1912), Main (1928), and Pratt (1935).

The problem was resolved by Seravin (1994), who revised the Mnemiopsis genus with the conclusion that it included only one polymorphic species of lobate ctenophore - Mnemiopsis leidyi Agassiz 1865. Both M. mccradyiand M. gardeni are synonyms of this species (Seravin, 1994).

Genetic analyses of the Black Sea and the North and South American individuals were made by K. Bayha (Bayha et al., 2002), who confirmed the identification made by L.A. Seravin (1994). Thus, the taxonomical status of the Black Sea Mnemiopsis, is in accordance with the taxonomical guide of Costello et al. (2001).

Description

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M. leidyi is characterized by the presence of two large mobile lobes referred to as lateral or oral lobes). The oral lobes are derivatives of the ctenophore body (spherosome). Four smaller lobes are situated under the two principal oral lobes. Closing over one another by their distal edges, they completely envelop the mouth area of the animal (Agassiz, 1860; Mayer, 1912; Seravin, 1994).

Under the oral lobes, four smaller lobes are located called auricles. When oral lobes are closed, they completely cover the auricles. At the oral edge of the body, on either flattened side, there is a tentacular apparatus. The central part of the tentacular apparatus is located above the lip of the slit-like mouth. Right and left of the tentacular bulb, fascicles of thin tentacles extend over the sides of the body following special deep grooves. Both sides of the long slit-like mouth are bordered with a row of short simple tentacles, which are continuous with those of the deep lateral furrows.

Distribution

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M. leidyi was first discovered in the northwestern Black Sea in November 1982 (Pereladov, 1988) where it most probably was introduced with ballast waters from the northern American coastal area. By the autumn of 1988 it was found everywhere in the Black Sea (Vinogradov et al., 1989). M. leidyi spread to the Sea of Azov via the Kerch Strait in August 1988 (Studenikina et al., 1991); a first peak followed in September 1989. It can live in the Sea of Azov only during warm seasons, dying when temperature reaches 3°C and re-appears every spring or summer depending on direction of the current (Shiganova et al., 2001). Then probably in 1989-1990 it spread to the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea currents (Shiganova, 1993). It now occurs year-round in the upper water layer of the Sea of Marmara. M. leidyi was first recorded in Saronikos Gulf during late spring-summer 1990, as well as in the neighbouring, eutrophic Elefsis Bay (Aegean Sea). Swarms were observed during summer in several coastal areas of the Aegean Sea (Skyros, Limnos and Alonissos Islands, Halkidiki Peninsula) in 1991-1996. Furthermore M. leidyi populations were rare along the Limnos coasts in summer 1997, 1998, and 1999 (Shiganova et al., 2001). Further east, M. leidyi appeared in Mersin Bay in spring 1992 (Kideys and Niermann, 1994), and in Syrian coastal waters in October 1993 (Shiganova, 1997).

In 2005, M. leidyi was found in the Gulf of Trieste (Adriatic Sea) (Shiganova and Maley, 2008). But later it was not recorded there.

M.leidyi was first found in the Caspian Sea in autumn 1999, where it was introduced probably with ballast waters of oil tankers (Ivanov et al., 2000). In 2000 it spread across all areas of the Caspian with a salinity of minimum 4.3‰ (Shiganova et al., 2001; 2003). In the Caspian Sea in 2001it reached twice the maximum numbers recorded in the Black Sea in 1989 (Shiganova et al., 2004b).

In 2006, M. leidyi was found in the Kiel Bay of the Baltic Sea (Javidpour et al., 2006) and in the North Sea (Faasse and Bayha, 2006).

Distribution Table

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The distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.

Last updated: 10 Feb 2022

Continent/Country/Region	Distribution	Origin	First Reported	Invasive	Reference	Notes
Asia
Azerbaijan	Present				CABI (Undated) Seebens et al. (2017)	Original citation: Shiganova et al. (2004)
Georgia	Present	Introduced			Seebens et al. (2017)	First reported: 1980 - 1989
Iran	Present				CABI (Undated) Seebens et al. (2017)	Original citation: Shiganova et al. (2004)
Israel	Present	Introduced	2009		Seebens et al. (2017)
Kazakhstan	Present	Introduced	1999		Seebens et al. (2017) Shiganova et al. (2003) CABI (Undated)
Syria	Present				CABI (Undated) Seebens et al. (2017)	Original citation: Shiganova et al. (2001)
Turkey	Present	Introduced			Seebens et al. (2017) Shiganova (1993)	First reported: 1980 - 1989
Turkmenistan	Present				CABI (Undated) Seebens et al. (2017)	Original citation: Shiganova et al. (2004)
Europe
Belgium	Present	Introduced	2007		Seebens et al. (2017)
Bulgaria	Present	Introduced			Seebens et al. (2017) Konsulov and Kamburska (1997)	First reported: 1980 - 1989
Denmark	Present	Introduced	2005		Seebens et al. (2017) Tendal et al. (2008)
Finland	Present	Introduced	2006		Seebens et al. (2017)
France	Present	Introduced	2004		Seebens et al. (2017)
Germany	Present	Introduced	2006		Seebens et al. (2017)
Greece	Present	Introduced			Seebens et al. (2017)	First reported: 1980 - 1989
Italy	Present	Introduced	1980		Seebens et al. (2017)
Netherlands	Present	Introduced	2006		Faasse and Bayha (2006) Seebens et al. (2017)
Norway	Present	Introduced	1850		Seebens et al. (2017)
Poland	Present	Introduced	2007		Seebens et al. (2017)
Romania	Present	Introduced			Seebens et al. (2017)	First reported: 1980 - 1989
Russia	Present, Widespread	Introduced	1999	Invasive	Ivanov et al. (2000) Seebens et al. (2017)	First found in Caspian Sea in 1999
-Southern Russia	Present				Vinogradov et al. (1989) Shiganova (1998)
Slovenia	Present				Shiganova and Maley (2008)
Spain	Present	Introduced	2009		Seebens et al. (2017)
Sweden	Present	Introduced	2006		Seebens et al. (2017)
Ukraine	Present	Introduced	1982		Seebens et al. (2017) Zaika and Sergeeva (1990)
Sea Areas
Atlantic - Northeast	Present				Javidpour et al. (2006)
Atlantic - Western Central	Present	Native			Kremer (1994)	As Mnemiopsis sp.
Mediterranean and Black Sea	Present	Introduced		Invasive	Pereladov (1988) Vinogradov et al. (1989) Zaika and Sergeeva (1990) Studenikina et al. (1991) Shiganova (1993) Shiganova and Maley (2008) CABI (Undated)

History of Introduction and Spread

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The native habitat of the ctenophore, Mnemiopsis, is the temperate to subtropical estuaries along the Atlantic coast of North and South America (Kremer, 1994; Mianzan, 1999).

Risk of Introduction

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M. leidyi is able to occupy and establish itself in any temperate or subtropical productive or eutrophicated coastal area, semi-closed seas or estuaries where salinity is not less than 4‰ and temperature not higher than 28°C.

Habitat List

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Category	Habitat	Presence
Brackish	Inland saline areas	Present, no further details
Littoral	Coastal areas	Present, no further details
Brackish	Estuaries	Present, no further details
Marine
Marine	Inshore marine	Present, no further details
Marine	Pelagic zone (offshore)	Present, no further details
Marine	Benthic zone	Present, no further details

Biology and Ecology

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Reproductive Biology

M. leidyi is a hermaphrodite with two fascicles of gonads (ovaries and testicles) in its gastrodermis. The gonads of the Black Sea Mnemiopsis are located along eight meridional canals of the gastrovascular system. They are localized in the spaces between the ctens (comb flappers). The rows of ovaries face the principal symmetry planes - saggital and tentacular. On the opposite side of each meridional canal, rows of testicles extend. Thus, in adjacent canals, the rows of testicles are arranged in a mirror-like manner, which is characteristic of Lobata. Gonads are formed in the central parts of the canals from the level of the statocyst almost up to the extreme ctens toward the oral edge of the body.

All the planktonic Ctenophora are simultaneous hermaphrodites capable of self-fertilization; therefore, a single adult individual may give birth to a viable posterity (Hirota, 1972; Pianka, 1974; Reeve and Walter, 1978, Shiganova, 2000). Planktonic ctenophores may sire before they reach the size of an adult individual. Pianka (1974) described cases of pedogenesis (sexual maturity and ability of reproducing of larvae and juvenile individuals) and dissogeny (reproduction with the existence of two periods of sexual maturity of the same animal at the larva and adult stages) in the reproduction of M. leidyi.

The genetic analysis of ctenophores from different parts of the recipient habitat performed jointly with the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research using sequences of DNA ribosomes showed for the first time that cross-impregnation of M. leidyi is widely spread reaching up to 50% (Kasapidis et al., in press).

The fecundity of M.leidyi depends on the size of the ctenophores. Previously, this has been shown for the individuals from the North American waters as well (Baker and Reeve, 1974; Kremer, 1975). Larger individuals produce more eggs; in experiments, the largest animals spawned 9990 (Baker and Reeve, 1974) and 14,000 (Kremer, 1975) eggs. Baker and Reeve, (1974) observed six individuals for 23 days after their hatching. These individuals began to produce eggs in 13 days after hatching when they reached a mean length of 26 mm; their maximal fertility exceeded 12,000 eggs.

The fecundity of the Black Sea ctenophores, as confirmed by recorded data, also changes depending on the body size. According to experimental data, in the Black Sea, Mnemiopsis begins to reproduce at a total length of 29–35 mm. Its maximal fertility (6200 eggs/individual.) was registered for an individual 92 mm long. The mean fertility calculated for freshly hauled ctenophores comprised 2534±1818 eggs/individual at a temperature of 25°C. The time for beginning production depends on the water temperature. The first egg spawning in the Black Sea was noted at 21°C, though intensive reproduction begins at a temperature of 23°C and the reproduction intensity increases with the temperature growth up to 25-26°C. Already at 27°C, one observes a decrease in the reproduction rate and at 28°C no Mnemiopsis reproduction was observed in the sea (Shiganova, 2000).

Eggs of M. leidyi represent spheres are 0.3–0.4 mm in diameter with a thin non-structured membrane. The outer eggs acquire a thick outer capsule during 1 min of their contact with seawater. At a temperature of 22–23°C, approximately a day later, a cydippide larva emerges from the egg.

The larva is completely formed under the egg capsule when its length reaches approximately 0.3 mm; in so doing, it acquires the characteristic shapes of the body and cilia. When the embryo obtains mobility, the capsule loses its elasticity and its shape becomes variable. Before hatching, the embryo already has double rows of minor tentacles.

In the subsurface waters of the Black Sea, at a temperature of 21-23°C, the embryonic development is completed over 20-24 h, while at a temperature of 25-26°C it takes 17-20 h. The size of the larva hatched is 0.3-0.4 mm

The larva is spherical in shape with eight rows of meridional canals with comb flappers; it is provided with double tentacles (tentilla) typical of a cydippid individual. The larva of M. leidyi can fully retract both tentacles into tentacular sheaths located on the sides of the body between the oral and aboral poles.

When the size of the larva reaches about 5 mm, oral lobes start to develop on either side of the mouth aperture At this time, the lower parts of the vertical meridional and paragistal canals lengthen. The primary tentacular bulbs also subside at this time and are located close to the mouth aperture on both sides. At this stage, the Mnemiopsis larvae resemble representatives of the Bolinopsis genus. The auricles are the last to appear after the lobes are already formed.

Physiology and Phenology

Size of ctenophore and morphological features are different in different conditions. The largest size M. leidyi reached in temperate conditions with salinity 18-20‰ in the Black Sea was 160-180 mm, with mean range of adult individuals 30-120 mm). In the Sea of Azov and the Caspian Sea M. leidyi is smaller: mean length of adult individuals is 20-30 mm, with maximal 65 mm. In lower salinity conditions M. leidyi is a smaller size.

M. leidyi is a polymorphic species with wide environmental tolerance. Therefore it could establish in different environmental conditions of the southern seas and recently in the Baltic Sea. Conditions determine its morpho-physiological features in a possible range of phenotypic alternative development.

Physiological features in different environments determine the seasonal cycle, which includes fecundity, reproduction time and duration, population growth and size, pattern of distribution and finally population predation rate on zoo- and ichthyoplankton. Minimal population size and absence in the inshore waters in spring occurs after cold winters (Shiganova, 2007).

Nutrition

The feeding mechanism of adult lobate ctenophores may be subdivided into two groups. In the first group, the prey may be captured only by pre-oral lobes; in the second, both lobes together with secondary hunting tentilla are in action. Most of lobate ctenophores including M. leidyi feature the second type of feeding. If the prey is active and relatively large as, for example, a copepod, it is captured mainly by the lobes either through mantling the prey by mucus or through simple closing the lobes. Relatively inactive preys such as nauplii or eggs get into the mouth passing by the lobes. Using these two feeding mechanisms, M. leidyi has wider possibilities of capturing preys of different sizes and kinds than if only one feeding mechanism was used. The food particles ingested are rapidly transported to the aboral edge of the gastrovascular atrium and digested there. Therefore, when examining the contents of the gastrovascular atriums of the ctenophores sampled from the sea, food accumulation is registered deep in the gastrovascular atrium. During the digestion, the protective cover of the prey is destroyed and the liquefied contents transferred to the infundibulum of the ctenophore and distributed through the canals of the gastrovascular system. The minor liquefied remains are removed via the anal pores at the aboral edge of the body; meanwhile, chitinous shells of crustaceans and mollusk valves are removed through the mouth. The observations of the feeding behavior of ctenophores under laboratory conditions showed that, in the course of digestion, the ingestion and removal of undigested remains proceed independently and continuously (Reeve and Walter, 1978).

Almost exclusively, the ctenophores of the Lobata order are zooplankton-feeding predators; occasionally phytoplankton and detritus were encountered in their gastrovascular cavities (Reeve and Walter, 1978).

According to most of the scientists who studied the feeding of Mnemiopsis, it is capable of feeding (or, at least, of ingesting and killing) any organisms available to be captured by its oral lobes - holoplanktonic organisms, planktonic larvae of benthic animals (meroplankton), and fish eggs and larvae (Nelson, 1925; Main, 1928; Tsikhon-Lukanina et al., 1993). Similar to the majority of lobate ctenophores, M. leidyi is capable of excessive feeding; even if its gastrovascular atrium is full, it continues hunting and vomits large amounts of undigested food in mucous clots (Harbison et al., 1978).

Associations

Introduction of M. leidyi into the Black Sea had catastrophic effects on ecosystem and fish stocks. In 1997, an accidental invasion occurred in the Black Sea when the ctenophore Beroe ovata was released with ballast waters. B. ovata is a predator feeding on planktivorous comb jellies and M. leidyi above all. As with its predecessor, B. ovata arrived with ballast waters from the same coastal waters of North America (Seravin et al., 2002).

B. ovata is the best candidate to control M. leidyi population size as shown in the Black Sea by a natural experiment. B. ovata is only able to eat planktivorous ctenophores. It controls its own population size by stopping reproduction in the absence of available prey; large adult individuals are eliminated and others stay near the bottom without movements until prey is available.

Environmental Requirements

Optimal conditions for M. leidyi are temporal or subtropical climates. Climatic conditions control epidemics of M. leidyi even in optimal environments and spread to adjacent seas from the Black Sea to the Sea of Azov or eastern Mediterranean or from the Southern Caspian to the Middle and Northern Caspian (Shiganova et al., 2007).

Climate

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Climate	Status	Description	Remark
C - Temperate/Mesothermal climate	Preferred	Average temp. of coldest month > 0°C and < 18°C, mean warmest month > 10°C

Air Temperature

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Parameter	Lower limit	Upper limit
Absolute minimum temperature (ºC)	2	3
Mean annual temperature (ºC)	20	25
Mean maximum temperature of hottest month (ºC)	27	31
Mean minimum temperature of coldest month (ºC)	4	6

Water Tolerances

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Parameter	Minimum Value	Maximum Value	Typical Value	Status	Notes
Depth (m b.s.l.)	25	50		Optimum	100 m+ tolerated. Present in the upper layer above the thermocline in warm seasons; in upper layer up to 25-50 m during other seasons. During unfavourable conditions they go down and stay near bottom
Dissolved oxygen (mg/l)			>1	Optimum
Salinity (part per thousand)	6	25		Optimum	4-39 tolerated
Water temperature (ºC temperature)	23	26		Optimum	6-31 tolerated

Natural enemies

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Natural enemy	Type	Life stages	Specificity	References	Biological control in	Biological control on
Beroe ovata	Predator

Notes on Natural Enemies

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Only few animals are known to feed on M. leidyi, foremost of which are the scyphomedusan Chysaora quinquecirrha and the ctenophore Beroe ovata (Purcell et al., 2001).

Chrysaora quinquecirrha scyphomedusae is a main predator of M. leidyi in North American waters. It has strict seasonal development. It first appeared in May or June in the tributaries of the mesohaline region of Chesapeake Bay when temperatures exceed 17°C, and about a month later in the mainstem of the bay. Polyps and medusae of C. quinquecirrha are found in Chesapeake Bay at salinities above 5 and below 25. Abundances of Mnemiopsis and C. quinquecirrha medusae have been shown to vary inversely in tributaries of Chesapeake Bay. Ctenophores in the tributaries are numerous in spring before the medusae are large or abundant, then decrease or disappear when medusae become numerous, and rebound when the medusae die in the autumn. Predation rates on ctenophores by medusae were sufficient to eliminate ctenophores from the tributaries, where medusae were abundant, but not in the main bay, where medusae were less abundant. Densities and biomasses of medusae and ctenophores also vary inversely in the mainstem Chesapeake Bay.

Firstly, medusa C. quinquecirrha does not always overcome population of M. leidyi and it consumes mainly small size of M. leidyi and secondly, more importantly, C. quinquecirrha is a dangerous animal for people.

The vermform larval sea anemone, Edwardsia leidyi, frequently infects M. leidyi . It is unknown to what extent this endobiont is parasitic. Infected ctenophores often are as vigorous as uninfected ones. Anemones cannot live in the low salinity and although tissue damage results, M. leidyi can regenerate tissue.

Therefore the only invertebrate predator that was proposed was a Bero species endemic to the eastern seaboard of the Americas. This species is found in estuaries in both North and South America and is often closely associated with populations of M. leidyi and create feedback predator-prey.

The species of Beroe ovata has two outstanding advantages: firstly, it is highly specific in its feeding, so that even its larval stage feeds on M. leidyi. Secondly, its reproductive rate and fecundity are almost as great as that of M. leidyi, so that its population can grow at similar rates to its prey (Gezamp, 1997).

Interannual variation in abundance of Mnemiopsis is strongly related to predator abundance in US waters. Kremer (1976) reported the population abundance in Narragansett Bay decreased dramatically in September, 1974 with increasing numbers of the ctenophore predator, B. ovata.

The harvest fish, Peprilus alepidotus (Herman et al., 1968; Harbison, 1993; Gesamp, 1997) and butterfish, Peprilus triacanthus (Oviatt and Kremer, 1977), are predators on M. leidyi, the latter appearing to be nutritionally adequate for juvenile butterfish, insofar as the carbon requirement is concerned.

In Narragansett Bay, for example, the butterfish occurs, and may be primary predator on Mnemiopsis. Grazing experiments led Oviatt and Kremer (1977) to conclude that this predator accounts for the local late summer - early autumn decline of M. leidyi. However, the field evidence is less convincing.

Theharvestfish, P. alepidotus, and butterfish P. triacanthus, because of the low salinities in much of Chesapeake Bay (5-7‰), are found mostly in the southern bay (11-15‰) (Purcell et al., 2001). Oviatt and Kremer (1977) estimated that butterfish could eat 4 to 184 mL ctenophore /hour per g fish DW-1, and that this predation probably accounts for the autumn decline of the Mnemiopsis population in Narragansett Bay. No estimates of fish predation on Mnemiopsis exist elsewhere.

Both species can eat M. leidyi but they are subtropical- temperate coastal species endemic of North America. They are not found in low salinity in the Chesapeake Bay, although in experimental conditions P. triacanthus lived two weeks in salinity 4%. Among the disadvantages of the introduction are that its reproductive biology is poorly known, its eggs and larvae may be vulnerable to predation by M. leidyi (Gezamp, 1997) and their introduction would be very expensive transcontinental measurement.

Thus, the food web involving M. leidyi seems to be relatively simple based on available information. Only a few predators identified to date are very significant. Moreover, the distributional and/or seasonal ranges of occurrence for M. leidyi and its predators frequently do not overlap.

Only these species specialize on the Mnemiopsis feeding. But a variety of fishes are known to consume gelatinous species, not only ctenophores (Harbison, 1993; Purcell et al., 2001). Some more tolerant for temperate regions with low salinity basin species were proposed for introduction into the Black Sea by the Gezamp group of experts (Gezamp, 1997).

The Baltic cod, Gadus morhua callarias, is a commercially valuable temperate species, but this species inhabits cooler waters than Caspian Sea waters. It lives in the Baltic Sea near the bottom where the temperature is not higher than 14°C. Although this species is omnivorous, the main food of cod is small pelagic fish and benthic animals. It is not yet known, if it can eat M. leidyi, however it eats other ctenophores, particularly Beroe cucumis (Kamshilov, 1960). Disadvantages are that it will also eat commercially valuable small pelagic fish and it lives in cooler waters than Caspian Sea.

Oncorhynchus keta, the chum salmon, is an anadromous salmonid of high commercial value. It appears, in contrast to other representatives of the genus, to have gelatinous zooplankton as a major component of its diet. It spawns in the rivers and its early ontogenetic stages develops in fresh water, and is therefore not vulnerable to predation by M. leidyi. It is easily cultured, and its populations can be controlled in the rivers. However, it is not know if it eats M. leidyi. Among potential disadvantages are the facts that it is omnivorous on small pelagic fish, it may not be able to establish itself in the rivers that flow into the Caspian Sea, because of pollution and dams, and it may compete with native sturgeons.

Although a group of experts from the international commission of the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (GESAMP) (IMO/FAO/UNESCO-IOC/WMO/WHO/IAEA/UN/UNEP) (GESAMP, 1997) proposed the introduction of potential predators for M. leidyi into the Black Sea, their suggestions were not intentionally implemented. However, a predator of M. leidyi, Beroeovata accidentally appeared in the Black Sea in 1997 for the first time. It is a great natural experiment which provides an excellent example and shows the way to combat population of Mnemiopsis in the Caspian Sea.

Pathway Causes

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Cause	Notes	Long Distance	Local	References
Interconnected waterways			Yes	Shiganova et al. (2001)

Pathway Vectors

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Vector	Notes	Long Distance	Local	References
Ship ballast water and sediment		Yes
Water		Yes	Yes	Shiganova et al. (2001)

Economic Impact

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Losses for fishery industry are large for countries surrounding the Black, Azov and Caspian Sea areas.

Environmental Impact

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M. leidyi is a real ecosystem engineer. It affects physical conditions of several recipient productive ecosystems; for example in - the decrease in water transparency, hydrochemical - change nutrients contents and biota. After M. leidyi invasion cascading effects occurred at the higher trophic levels, from a decreasing zooplankton stock to collapsing planktivorous fish to dolphins (bottom-up). Similar effects occurred at lower trophic levels: from a decrease in zooplankton stock to an increase in phytoplankton, relaxed from zooplankton grazing pressure (top-down) and from increasing bacterioplankton to increasing zooflagellata and infusoria (Shiganova at al., 2004 a,b).

Threatened Species

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Threatened Species	Conservation Status	Where Threatened	Mechanism	References	Notes
Huso huso (beluga)	CR (IUCN red list: Critically endangered); USA ESA listing as threatened species	Mediterranean and Black Sea	Predation	US Fish and Wildlife Service (2004)	Black Sea basin

Risk and Impact Factors

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Invasiveness

Proved invasive outside its native range
Has a broad native range
Abundant in its native range
Highly adaptable to different environments
Is a habitat generalist
Pioneering in disturbed areas
Capable of securing and ingesting a wide range of food
Highly mobile locally
Fast growing
Has high reproductive potential
Gregarious
Has high genetic variability

Impact outcomes

Altered trophic level
Damaged ecosystem services
Ecosystem change/ habitat alteration
Increases vulnerability to invasions
Modification of hydrology
Modification of natural benthic communities
Modification of nutrient regime
Modification of successional patterns
Negatively impacts aquaculture/fisheries
Negatively impacts tourism

Impact mechanisms

Competition - monopolizing resources
Pest and disease transmission
Herbivory/grazing/browsing
Interaction with other invasive species
Predation
Rapid growth

Likelihood of entry/control

Highly likely to be transported internationally accidentally

Uses List

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General

Research model

Similarities to Other Species/Conditions

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M. leidyi may be mixed with other representatives of another Lobata species of genus Bolinopsis. B. infundibuilum, occursin the northern Atlantic, North, Baltic and Barrens Sea (Greve, 1970; Seravin, 1998) and the subtropical species B. vitrea, which occurs in the Mediterranean Sea and southern coastal America (Shiganova et al., 2004c; Oliveiro and Migotto, 2006). Oral lobes of both species originate about half-way between the mouth and the infundibulum while in M. leidyi oral lobes originate near the level of the infundibulum.

Prevention and Control

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Due to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authority should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product's label.

There should be strict control of ballast waters in harbours to avoid introduction of alien species.

References

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Agassiz A, 1865. North American Acalephae. llustrated catalog of the Museum of Compar. Zool., 1-234.

Agassiz L, 1860. Contribution of the natural history of the United States of America. Boston, USA: Truber and Co, 1-321.

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Shiganova TA, 1993. Ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi and ichthyoplankton in the Sea of Marmara in October of 1992. Oceanology, 33:900-903.

Shiganova TA, 1997. Mnemiopsis leidyi abundance in the Black Sea and its impact on the pelagic community. In: Sensitivity of North Sea, Baltic Sea and Black Sea to Antropogenic and Climatic Changes [ed. by Ozsoy E, Mikaelyan A] Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 117-130.

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Shiganova TA, 2000. Review of research of biology of invader Mnemiopsis leidyi (A.Agassiz) in the Black Sea. In: Ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi (A.Agassiz) in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea and its effects on ecosystems [ed. by Volovik SP]: Rostov-on-Don, 33-75.

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Shiganova TA, Bulgakova YV, Siokou-Frangou I, Christou ED, Maley A, 2007. Changes in ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi phenology and population dynamics linked to environmental variability and climate forcing in its recipient areas of the Southern Seas. Human and Climate forcing of Zooplankton Populations. In: International Zooplankton Production Symposium. 28 May-1 June 2007, Hiroshima, Japan.

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Shiganova TA, Mirzoyan ZA, Studenikina EA, Volovik SP, Siokou-Frangou I, Zervoudaki S, Christou ED, Skirta AY, Dumont H, 2001. Population development of the invader ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in the Black Sea and other seas of the Mediterranean basin. Marine Biol, 139:431-445.

Shiganova TA, Musaeva EI, Bulgakova YV, Mirzoyan ZA, Martynyuk ML, 2003. Invaders Ctenophores Mnemiopsis leidyi (A. Agassiz) and Beroe ovata Mayer 1912, and Their Influence on the Pelagic Ecosystem of Northeastern Black Sea. Biology Bulletin, 30(2):180-190.

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Distribution References

CABI, Undated. Compendium record. Wallingford, UK: CABI

CABI, Undated a. CABI Compendium: Status as determined by CABI editor. Wallingford, UK: CABI

Faasse M A, Bayha K M, 2006. The ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz 1865 in coastal waters of the Netherlands: an unrecognized invasion? Aquatic Invasions. 1 (4), 270-277. DOI:10.3391/ai.2006.1.4.9

Ivanov V I, Kamakim A M, Ushivtzev V B, Shiganova T, Zhukova O, Aladin N, Wilson S I, Harbison G R, Dumont H J, 2000. Invasion of Caspian Sea by the comb jellyfish M. leidyi (Ctenophora). Jour. Biological Invasions. 255-258.

Javidpour J, Sommer U, Shiganova T, 2006. First record of Mnemiopsis leidyi A. Agassiz 1865 in the Baltic Sea. Aquatic Invasions. 1 (4), 299-302. DOI:10.3391/ai.2006.1.4.17

Konsulov A, Kamburska L, 1997. Sensivity to Antropogenic Factors of the Plankton Fauna Adjacent to the Bulgarian Coast of the Black Sea. In: Sensitivity of North Sea, Baltic Sea and Black Sea to Antropogenic and Climatic Changes. [ed. by Ozsoy E, Mikaelyan A]. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 95-105.

Kremer P, 1994. Patterns of abundance for Mnemiopsis in US coastal waters: a comparative overview. ICES Journal of Marine Science. 347-354.

Pereladov M V, 1988. Some observations for biota of Sudak Bay of the Black Sea. In: III All-Russian conference of marine biology. [III All-Russian conference of marine biology.], 1 Kiev, Russia: Naukova Dumka. 237-238.

Seebens H, Blackburn T M, Dyer E E, Genovesi P, Hulme P E, Jeschke J M, Pagad S, Pyšek P, Winter M, Arianoutsou M, Bacher S, Blasius B, Brundu G, Capinha C, Celesti-Grapow L, Dawson W, Dullinger S, Fuentes N, Jäger H, Kartesz J, Kenis M, Kreft H, Kühn I, Lenzner B, Liebhold A, Mosena A (et al), 2017. No saturation in the accumulation of alien species worldwide. Nature Communications. 8 (2), 14435. http://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14435

Shiganova T A, 1993. Ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi and ichthyoplankton in the Sea of Marmara in October of 1992. Oceanology. 900-903.

Shiganova T A, 1998. Invasion of the Black Sea by the ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi and recent changes in pelagic community structure. Fisheries Oceanography. 7 (3-4), 305-310.

Shiganova T A, Maley A, 2008. Native and non-native ctenophores in the Gulf of Trieste, northern Adriatic Sea. Journal of Plankton Research.

Shiganova T A, Musaeva E I, Bulgakova Y V, Mirzoyan Z A, Martynyuk M L, 2003. Invaders Ctenophores Mnemiopsis leidyi (A. Agassiz) and Beroe ovata Mayer 1912, and their influence on the Pelagic Ecosystem of Northeastern Black Sea. Biology Bulletin. 30 (2), 180-190.

Studenikina E I, Volovik S P, Miryozan I A, Luts G I, 1991. The ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi in the Sea of Azov. Oceanology. 722-725.

Tendal O S, Kathe R J, Riisgǻrd H U, 2008. Invasive ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi widely distributed in Danish waters. Aquatic Invasions.

Vinogradov M E, Shushkina E A, Musaeva E I, Sorokin P Y, 1989. Ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi (A. Agassiz) (Ctenophora: Lobata) - new settlers in the Black Sea. Oceanology. 293-298.

Zaika V Y, Sergeeva N G, 1990. Morphology and development of Mnemiopsis mccradyi (Ctenophora, Lobata) in the Black Sea. Zool. Zhurnal. 5-11.

Links to Websites

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Website	URL	Comment
Caspian Environment Programme	http://www.caspianenvironment.org/
GISD/IASPMR: Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource and DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway	https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m93f6	Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list.
Global register of Introduced and Invasive species (GRIIS)	http://griis.org/	Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list.
Regional Biological Invasions Centre	http://www.zin.ru/rbic/

Organizations

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Russian Federation: P. P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology RAS, 36 Nakhimovsky Avenue, 117997 Moscow, http://www.ocean.ru

Contributors

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04/02/08 Original text by:

Tamara Shiganova, PP Shirshov Inst. of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nakhimovsky avenue, 3617997 Moscow, Russia

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Datasheet

Mnemiopsis leidyi (sea walnut)

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