Invasive Species List/Aquatic Animals

This page contains information on aquatic animal species on the Invasive Species List. For more general information about the event, see Invasive Species.

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)
Identification Tips:
 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Clupeiformes; Family-Clupeidae; Subfamily-Alosinae; Genus-Alosa; Species-A. pseudoharengus


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 * Pupa: (Nymph can replace Larvae/Pupa)


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Asian Carps
Asian carp is a term used to refer to introduced carp species native to Asia, the most significant of which include silver carp, bighead carp, grass carp, and black carp.

Silver Carp (Hypophthalmicthys molitrix)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Cypriniformes; Family-Cyprinidae; Genus-Hypophthalmichthys; Species-H. molitrix

Bighead Carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Cypriniformes; Family-Cyprinidae; Genus-Hypophthalmichthys; Species-H. nobilis

Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Cypriniformes; Family-Cyprinidae; Subfamily-Leuciscinae; Genus-Ctenopharyngodon; Species-C. idella

Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Cypriniformes; Family-Cyprinidae; Genus-Mylopharyngodon; Species-M. piceus

Asian Clam (Corbicula fluminea)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Mollusca; Class-Bivalvia; Subclass-Heterodonta; Order-Veneroida; Superfamily-Cyrenoidea; Family-Cyrenidae; Genus-Corbicula; Species-C. fluminea

Asian Shore Crab (Hemigrapsus sanguineus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Arthropoda; Subphylum-Crustacea; Class-Malacostraca; Order-Decapoda; Infraorder-Brachyura; Family-Varunidae; Genus-Hemigrapsus; Species-H. sanguineus

Asian Swamp Eel (Monopterus albus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Synbranchiformes; Family-Synbranchidae; Genus-Monopterus; Species-M. albus

Chinese Mitten Crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Arthropoda; Subphylum-Crustacea; Class-Malacostraca; Order-Decapoda; Infraorder-Brachyura; Family-Varunidae; Genus-Eriocheir; Species-E. sinensis

Clubbed Tunicate (Styela clava)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Subphylum-Tunicata; Class-Ascidiacea, Order-Stolidobranchia; Family-Styelidae; Genus-Styela; Species-S. clava

Eurasian Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Perciformes; Family-Percidae; Genus-Gymnocephalus; Species-G. cernuus

European Green Crab (Carcinus maenas)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Arthropoda; Subphylum-Crustacea; Class-Malacostraca; Order-Decapoda; Infraorder-Brachyura; Family-Portunidae; Genus-Carcinus; Species-C. maenas
 * Similar species: dungeness crab, helmet crab
 * Dungeness crabs have 10 small spines, whereas European green crabs have 5 larger spines.
 * Helmet crabs have stiff hairs covering their entire body, unlike European green crabs.

Lionfish (Pterois volitans)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Scorpaeniformes; Family-Scorpaenidae; Subfamily-Pteroinae; Genus-Pterois; Species-P. volitans

Northern Snakehead (Channa argus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Perciformes; Family-Channidae; Genus-Channa; Species-C. argus
 * Similar species: North American bowfin, blotched snakehead, burbot
 * North American bowfin is distinguished by a rounded tail and an eyespot near the tail in males.
 * Blotched snakehead is distinguished by its car-like markings on the caudal peduncle.
 * Burbot is distinguished by a split dorsal fin and a single barbel on the lower jaw.

New Zealand Mud Snail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Mollusca; Class-Gastropoda; Superfamily-Rissooidea; Family-Hydrobiidae; Genus-Potamopyrgus; Species-P. antipodarum

Nutria (Myocastor coypus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Mammalia; Order-Rodentia; Family-Myocastoridae; Genus-Myocastor; Species-M. coypus

Quagga Mussel (Dreissena bugensis)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Mollusca; Class-Bivalvia; Subclass-Heterodonta; Order-Veneroida; Superfamily-Dreissenoidae; Family-Dreissenidae; Genus-Dreissena; Species-D. bugensis

Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Perciformes; Suborder-Gobioidei; Family-Gobiidae; Subfamily-Benthophilinae; Genus-Neogobius; Species-N. melanostomus
 * Native to all shallow water regions of the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Marmara Sea and in all areas of the Sea of Azov.
 * Introduction:
 * Was first recorded in North America in 1990 in the St Clair River at Sarnia, Ontario.
 * Likely introduced accidentally in ballast water.

Rusty Crayfish (Orconectes rusticus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Arthropoda; Subphylum-Crustacea; Class-Malacostraca; Order-Decapoda; Superfamily-Astacoidea; Family-Cambaridae; Genus-Orconectes; Species-O. rusticus

Sea Lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Superclass-Agnatha; Class-Hyperoartia (Petromyzontida); Order-Petromyzontiformes; Family-Petromyzontidae; Genus-Petromyzon; Species-P. marinus
 * Similar species: silver lamprey, chestnut lamprey, American brook lamprey, northern brook lamprey
 * Silver lampreys, chestnut lampreys, and northern brook lampreys have a single dorsal fin that is continuous with the caudal fin, unlike the sea lamprey which has a separated dorsal fin with two lobes. In addition, the 2nd dorsal fin lobe is separated from the caudal fin by a deep notch.
 * American brook lampreys have a dorsal fin that is separated by a deep notch, and the dorsal and caudal fins are nearly separate. This is unlike the sea lamprey, whose dorsal fin has well-separated lobes and whose 2nd dorsal fin lobe is separated from the caudal fin by only a deep notch.

Sea Squirt (Didemnum vexillum)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Subphylum-Tunicata; Class-Ascidiacea; Order-Aplousobranchia; Family-Didemnidae; Genus-Didemnum; Species-D. vexillum

Spiny Water Flea (Bythotrephes longimanus)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Arthropoda; Subphylum-Crustacea; Class-Branchiopoda; Order-Cladocera; Family-Cercopagididae; Genus-Bythotrephes; Species-B. longimanus

Veined Rapa Whelk (Rapana venosa)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Mollusca; Class-Gastropoda; Superfamily-Muricoidea; Family-Muricidae; Subfamily-Rapaninae; Genus-Rapana; Species-R. venosa

White Spotted Jellyfish (Phyllorhiza punctata)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Cnidaria; Class-Scyphozoa; Order-Rhizostomae; Family-Mastigiidae; Genus-Phyllorhiza; Species-P. punctata

Zebra Mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

 * Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Mollusca; Class-Bivalvia; Subclass-Heterodonta; Order-Veneroida; Superfamily-Dreissenoidae; Family-Dreissenidae; Genus-Dreissena; Species-D. polymorpha