Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MF > MF07221
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 59(7)

Invasive character of the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana Kellogg 1906 (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) and its potential impact on Australian inland hypersaline waters

David R. Ruebhart A B C G , Ian E. Cock D E and Glen R. Shaw B C F
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A HydroTox Services Australia Pty Ltd, PO Box 248, Corinda, Queensland 4075, Australia.

B School of Public Health, Logan Campus, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia.

C Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment, PMB 3 Salisbury, South Australia 5108, Australia.

D Biomolecular and Physical Sciences, Logan Campus, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia.

E Genomics Research Centre, Gold Coast Campus, Griffith University, Parklands Drive, Southport, Queensland 4215, Australia.

F Australian Rivers Institute, Logan Campus, Griffith University, University Drive, Meadowbrook, Queensland 4131, Australia.

G Corresponding author. Email: david_ruebhart@hydrotox.com.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 59(7) 587-595 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF07221
Submitted: 23 November 2007  Accepted: 11 May 2008   Published: 24 July 2008

Abstract

Brine shrimp (Artemia species) are a major faunal element in many hypersaline biotopes throughout the world and are used extensively in aquaculture, the aquarium trade, solar salt fields and in toxicity bioassays. Commercially available brine shrimp are generally Artemia franciscana cysts, primarily harvested from Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA. The invasive potential of this species raises concerns about its presence in Australia. We reviewed recent overseas reports of the occurrence of A. franciscana populations and confirm that the use of this species has extended its natural geographic range through both deliberate and inadvertent releases. In Australia, Artemia species have been previously identified as being a threat to ecosystem health and biodiversity; however, the specific recognition of A. franciscana was not made. In reviewing the biogeography of Artemia species in Australia, we provide a collation of the reported populations of A. franciscana. The biological attributes of this species contributing to its invasive success are also compiled. The implications of further releases and increases in the range of this species to Australian inland waters are discussed. We appeal for increased vigilance regarding the importation and use of this potentially highly invasive species and monitoring for its presence.

Additional keywords: biogeography, conservation, invasive species, Parartemia.


Acknowledgements

Funding for this work was provided by the Cooperative Research Centre for Water Quality and Treatment and Griffith University. Dr Marc Seifert (Department of Natural Resources and Water, Queensland) is thanked for his critical review of the draft manuscript. Professor Brian Timms (University of Newcastle, New South Wales) and an anonymous reviewer are also thanked for suggesting further improvements in the manuscript.


References

Abatzopoulos T. J., Beardmore J. A., Clegg J. S., and Persoone G. (Eds) (2002). ‘Artemia: Basic and Applied Biology.’ (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht, Netherlands.)

Abatzopoulos, T. J. , Agh, N. , Van Stappen, G. , Rouhani, S. M. , and Sorgeloos, P. (2006). Artemia sites in Iran. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 86, 299–307.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Abreu-Grobois F. A. (1987). A review of the genetics of Artemia. In ‘Artemia Research and its Applications, Vol. 1’. (Eds P. Sorgeloos, D. A. Bengston, W. Decleir and E. Jaspers.) pp. 61–99. (Universa Press: Wetteren.)

Abreu-Grobois A., and Beardmore J. A. (1982). Genetic differentiation and speciation in the brine shrimp Artemia. In ‘Mechanisms of Speciation’. (Ed. C. Barigozzi.) pp. 345–376. (Alan. R. Liss: New York.)

Actis Environmental Services (1999). Commercial use of saline groundwater extracted from the Toolibin Lake District. Commissioned by the Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth.

Amat, F. , Hontoria, F. , Ruiz, O. , Green, A. J. , Sánchez, M. I. , and Figuerola, J. , et al. (2005). The American brine shrimp as an exotic invasive species in the western Mediterranean. Biological Invasions 7, 37–47.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Arthington A. H., and McKenzie G. (1997). Review of impacts of displaced/introduced fauna associated with inland waters, Australia: State of the Environment Technical Paper Series inland Waters, Department of the Environment, Canberra.

Artom, C. (1931). L’origine e l’evoluzione della partenogenesi attraverso i differenti biotopi di una specie collettiva (Artemia salina L.) con speciale riferimento al biotipo diploide partenogenetico di Sete. Memorie della Reale Accademia d’Italia. Classe di Scienze Fisiche Matematiche e Naturali 2, 1–57.
BEST Commission (2003). The national invasive species strategy for the Bahamas. The Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology (BEST) Commission, Ministry of Health and Environment in conjunction with the British High Commission, Nassau.

Bowen, S. T. , Durkin, J. P. , Sterling, G. , and Clark, L. S. (1978). Artemia hemoglobins: genetic variation in parthenogenetic and zygogenetic populations. The Biological Bulletin 155, 273–287.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Browne R. A., and Wanigaseka G. (2000). Combined effects of salinity and temperature on survival and reproduction of five species of Artemia. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 244, 29–44.

Bunn, S. E. , and Edward, D. H. D. (1984). Seasonal meromixis in three hypersaline lakes on Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 35, 261–265.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Criel G. R. J., and Macrae T. H. (2002a). Artemia morphology and structure. In ‘Artemia: Basic and Applied Biology’. (Eds T. J. Abatzopoulos, J. A. Beardmore, J. S. Clegg and P. Sorgeloos.) pp. 1–37. (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.)

Criel G. R. J., and Macrae T. H. (2002b). Reproductive biology of Artemia. In ‘Artemia: Basic and Applied Biology’. (Eds T. J. Abatzopoulos, J. A. Beardmore, J. S. Clegg and P. Sorgeloos.) pp. 39–128. (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.)

Dockery M., and Tomkins S. (2000). ‘Brine Shrimp Ecology: a Classroom-based Introduction to the Learning of Ecology at Key Stages 3 and 4.’ (The British Ecological Society: London.)

Duggen, S. , Hoernle, K. , van den Bogaard, P. , Rupke, L. , and Phipps Morgan, J. (2003). Deep roots of the Messinian salinity crisis. Nature 422, 602–606.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Environment Australia (2001). ‘A Directory of Important Wetlands in Australia.’ (Environment Australia: Canberra.)

Gajardo G., Abatzopoulos T. J., Kappas I., and Beardmore J. A. (2002). Evolution and speciation. In ‘Artemia: Basic and Applied Biology’. (Eds T. J. Abatzopoulos, J. A. Beardmore, J. S. Clegg and P. Sorgeloos.) pp. 225–250. (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.)

Gajardo G., da Conceicao M., Weber L., and Beardmore J. A. (1995). Genetic variability and interpopulation differentiation of Artemia strains from South America. Hydrobiologia 302, 21–29.

Geddes, M. C. (1979). Occurrence of the brine shrimp Artemia (Crustacea: Anostraca) in Australia. Crustaceana 36, 225–228.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Geddes M., and Williams W. D. (1987). Comments on Artemia introductions and the need for conservation. In ‘Artemia: Research and its Applications, Vol. 3’. (Eds P. Sorgeloos, D. A. Bengston, W. Decleir and E. Jaspers.) pp. 19–26. (Universa Press: Wetteren.)

Gelabert Fernandez R. (2001). Artemia bioencapsulation I. Effect of particle sizes on the filtering behaviour of Artemia franciscana. Journal of Crustacean Biology 21, 435–442.

Green, A. J , Sanchez, M. I. , Amat, F. , Figuerola, J. , Hontoria, F. , and Ruiz, O. (2005). Dispersal of invasive and native brine shrimps Artemia (Anostraca) via waterbirds. Limnology and Oceanography 50, 737–742.
Krijgsman W., Hilgen F. J., Raffi I., Sierro F. J., and Wilson D. S. (1999). Chronology, causes and progression of the Messinian salinity crisis. Nature 400, 652–655.

Kuenen, D. J. , and Baas Becking, L. G. M. (1938). Historical notes on Artemia salina (L.). Zoologische Mededeelingen 20, 222–230.
Marcarelli A. M., Wurtsbaugh W. A., Horrocks J., Jensen R. S., Markland K. B., Parker J. N., Robinson J., and Van Dyke E. (2005). Ecological analyses of nutrients, plankton and benthic communities in Farmington Bay and the Great Salt Lake, Utah (2004). Aquatic Ecology Practicum (AWER 4510) Class Project: College of Natural Resource, Utah State University.

McMaster, K. , Savage, A. , Finston, T. , Johnson, M. S. , and Knott, B. (2007). The recent spread of Artemia parthenogenetica in Western Australia. Hydrobiologia 576, 39–48.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Nairn M. E., Allen P. G., Inlis A. R., and Tanner C. (1996). ‘Australian Quarantine: A Shared Responsibility.’ (Department of Primary Industries and Energy: Canberra.)

NHMRC and NRMMC (2004). Australian Drinking Water Guidelines 2004, National Water Quality Management Strategy. National Health and Medical Research Council and the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council, Canberra.

Nunes, B. S. , Carvalho, F. D. , Guilhermino, L. M. , and Van Stappen, G. (2006). Use of the genus Artemia in ecotoxicity testing. Environmental Pollution 144, 453–462.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Persoone G., and Sorgeloos P. (1980). General aspects of the ecology and biogeography of Artemia. In ‘The Brine Shrimp Artemia, Vol. 3. Ecology, Culturing, Use in Aquaculture’. (Eds G. Persoone, P. Sorgeloos, O. Roels and E. Jaspers.) pp. 3–24. (Universa Press: Wetteren.)

Pinder, A. M. , Halse, S. A. , Shiel, R. J. , Cale, D. J. , and McRae, J. M. (2002). Halophile aquatic invertebrates in the wheatbelt region of south-western Australia. Verhandlungen der Internationalen Vereinigung für Theoretische und Angewandte Limnologie 28, 1687–1694.
Tanguay J. A., Reyes R. C., and Clegg J. (2004). Habitat diversity and adaptation to environmental stress in encysted embryos of the crustacean Artemia. Journal of Biosciences 29, 489–501.

Timms, B. V. (1987). Limnology of Lake Buchanan, a tropical saline lake and associated pools of North Queensland. Australian Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38, 877–884.
Timms B. V. (2006). ‘Crustacea: Branchiopoda (Excl. Cladocera) (part). Australian Faunal Directory.’ (Australian Biological Resources Study: Canberra.) Available at http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/abrs/online-resources/fauna/afd/index.html [Verified 8 February 2007].

Timms, B. V. (2007). The biology of the saline lakes of central and eastern inland of Australia: a review with special reference to their biogeographical affinities. Hydrobiologia 576, 27–37.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Torrentera L., and Abreu-Grobois F. A. (2002). Cytogenic variability and differentiation in Artemia (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) populations from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Hydrobiologia 486, 303–314.

Treece G. D. (2000). Artemia production for marine larval fish culture. Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, Publication No. 702.

Triantaphyllidis, G. , Abatzopoulos, T. , and Sorgeloos, P. (1998). Review of the biogeography of the genus Artemia (Crustacea, Anostraca). Journal of Biogeography 25, 213–226.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Triantaphyllidis G. V., Pilla E. J. S., Thomas K. M., Abatzopoulos T. J., Beardmore J. A., and Sorgeloos, P. (1994). International Study on Artemia. LII. Incubation of Artemia cyst samples at high temperature reveals mixed nature with Artemia franciscana cysts. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 183, 273–282.

Van Stappen G. (1996). Introduction, biology and ecology of Artemia. In ‘Manual on the Production and Use of Live Food for Aquaculture. FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 361’. (Eds P. Lavens and P. Sorgeloos.) pp. 79–106. (FAO: Rome.)

Van Stappen G. (2002). Zoogeography. In ‘Artemia: Basic and Applied Biology’. (Eds T. J. Abatzopoulos, J. A. Beardmore, J. S. Clegg and P. Sorgeloos.) pp. 171–224. (Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht.)

Van Steertegem M., and Persoone G. (1993). Cyst-based toxicity tests. V. Development and critical evaluation of standarized toxity tests with brine shrimp Artemia (Anostraca, Crustacea). In ‘Progress in Standardization of Aquatic Toxcity Tests’. (Eds A. M. V. M. Soares and P. Calow.) pp. 81–97. (Lewis Publishers: Boca Raton, FL.)

Vanhaecke P., Tackaert W., and Sorgeloos P. (1987). The biogeography of Artemia: an updated review. In ‘Artemia Research and its Applications, Vol. 1. Morphology, Genetics, Strain characterization, Toxicology’. (Eds P. Sorgeloos, D. A. Bengston, W. Decleir and E. Jaspers.) pp. 129–155. (Universa Press: Wetteren.)

Weekers, P. H. H. , Murugan, G. , Vanfleteren, J. R. , Belk, D. , and Dumont, H. J. (2002). Phylogenetic analysis of anostracans (Branchiopoda: Anostraca) inferred from nuclear 18S ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA) sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 25, 535–544.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed |

Williams, W. D. , and Kokkinn, M. J. (1988). The biogeographical affinities of the fauna in episodically filled salt lakes: a study of Lake Eyre South, Australia. Hydrobiologia 158, 227–236.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Zheng, B. , Sun, S. , and Lin, M. A. (2004). The occurrence of an exotic bisexual Artemia species, Artemia franciscana, in two coastal salterns of Shandong Province, China. Journal of Ocean University of China 3, 171–174.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |