Leptastacus spinicaudatus (Scott T. & Scott A., 1895), Mesochra spinicauda Scott T. & Scott A., 1895, Paraleptastacus spinicauda (Scott T. & Scott A., 1895)

The specimen recorded furthest from Europe was near Fraser River, British Columbia (Webb 1989). However, the accuracy of the identification is questionable, and may likely be one the North American natives P. brevicaudatus or P. katamensis (Moore 1975).

Potential pathway(s) of introduction: Trans-oceanic shipping (ballast water)

It is predicted that Paraleptastacus spinicaudus will be introduced to the Great Lakes via ballast water (Wonham et al. 2005; U.S. EPA 2008). Paraleptastacus spinicaudus may be introduced to the Great Lakes via ships declaring “No Ballast on Board” (NOBOB) (Grigorovich et al. 2003), which are exempt from ballast water exchange. The majority of ships entering the Great Lakes are NOBOB vessels and 43% of these ships contain residual water with less than 10‰ salinity (Johengen et al. 2005). In the study, the temperature of the residual water from the vessels sampled ranged from -0.7 to 23.9°C; thus, Paraleptastacus spinicaudus is likely to survive the salinity and temperature of the NOBOB ballast water of some ships.  Adults are able to enter diapause and may survive anoxic ballast environments (Grigorovich et al. 2003). Paraleptastacus spinicaudus has been recorded in drifting algae collected in the Baltic Sea (Arroyo et al. 2006) and burrowing in the shallow sandy bottom of Puck Bay (Kotwicki et al. 2015), a water body with ports in direct trade with the Great Lakes (U.S. EPA 2008; NBIC 2009).

Paraleptastacus spinicaudus does not currently occur near waters connected to the Great Lakes basin. This species is not known to hitchhike or foul recreational gear. It is not cultured, stocked, or sold in the Great Lakes region

Paraleptastacus spinicaudus has a moderate probability of establishment if introduced to the Great Lakes (Confidence level: Moderate).

The native and introduced ranges of Paraleptastacus spinicaudus have similar climatic and abiotic conditions as the Great Lakes (Reid and Orlova 2002; Grigorovich et al. 2003; U.S. EPA 2008). Paraleptastacus spinicaudus primarily inhabits sand and sediments of coastal marine and estuarine environments, but it has been introduced to inland fresh waters before (Alexandrov et al. 2007); there are habitats available for this species in the Great Lakes region. Paraleptastacus spinicaudus has a moderately broad physiological tolerance. This species can tolerate a somewhat wide range of salinity, water temperatures, and oxygen levels. As a coastal marine and estuarine organism, increased salinization and warmer water temperatures due to climate change may make the Great Lakes more habitable for P. spinicaudus. 

Paraleptastacus spinicaudus primarily consumes suspended particulate matter and bacteria and occasionally microphytobenthos, all of which are plentiful in the Great Lakes (Cnudde et al. 2015). Little is known about the competitive abilities of P. spinicaudus, and its fecundity is moderate relative to other Paraleptastacus species. Due to the lack of information on the native range of this species, its spread and establishment success are unknown.

Mastitsky et al. (2014) could not find any information on subspecies Paraleptastacus spinicaudus triseta as the host for high impact parasites. There is insufficient information available to determine whether Paraleptastacus spinicaudus poses a threat to other species or water quality. There are no reports on how it affects or interacts with other species. It is unknown whether this species alters the physical components of the ecosystem.

There is little or no evidence to support that Paraleptastacus spinicaudus has the potential for significant socio-economic impacts if introduced to the Great Lakes.

It has not been reported that Paraleptastacus spinicaudus poses a threat to human health or water quality. There is no evidence that this species negatively impacts infrastructure, economic sectors, recreational activities and associated tourism, or the aesthetic appeal of the areas it inhabits.

There is little or no evidence to support that Paraleptastacus spinicaudus has the potential for significant beneficial impacts if introduced to the Great Lakes.

It has not been indicated that Paraleptastacus spinicaudus can be used for the control of other organisms or improving water quality. There is no evidence to suggest that this species is commercially, recreationally, or medically valuable. It does not have significant positive ecological impacts.

There are no known regulations for this species.*

*Ballast water regulations applicable to this species are currently in place to prevent the introduction of nonindigenous species to the Great Lakes via shipping. See Title 33: Code of Federal Regulations, Part 151, Subparts C and D (33 CFR 151 C) for the most recent federal ballast water regulations applying to the Great Lakes and Hudson River.

Note: Check federal, state/provincial, and local regulations for the most up-to-date information.

Control

Biological
There are no known biological control methods for this species.

Physical
There are no known physical control methods for this species.

Chemical
There are no known chemical control methods specific to this species.

Note: Check state/provincial and local regulations for the most up-to-date information regarding permits for control methods. Follow all label instructions.