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.

Aquatic Animals

Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus)

Taxonomy: Kingdom-Animalia; Phylum-Chordata; Class-Actinopterygii; Order-Clupeiformes; Family-Clupeidae; Subfamily-Alosinae; Genus-Alosa; Species-A. pseudoharengus

Identification Tips:

Anatomy:

Legs:

Body:

Eyes:

Mouth:

Misc/General:

Adaptive anatomy:

Introduction:

How introduced: Where/when:

How spread:

Life Cycle:

Egg:

Larvae:

Pupa: (Nymph can replace Larvae/Pupa)

Reproduction:

General Reproduction:

What makes it so good at reproducing?:

Ecology:

Diet:

Behavior:

Niche:

Trophic Level:

Native habitat:

Characteristics of said habitat:

Where it’s a problem (“new” habitat):

Characteristics of new habitat:

Preventative measures:

Laws and effectiveness:

Control measures and effectiveness:

Damage (why it’s a problem):

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