First record of the non-native green palpworm Marenzelleria viridis (Annelida: Spionidae) in the Clyde Estuary

Abstract

The non-native polychaete worm Marenzelleria viridis (Verrill, 1873) was found for the first time in the upper Clyde Estuary in 2016. This represents the first occurrence of this alien species on the west coast of Scotland. It appearsto be well established in low salinity waters at Govan Wharf where it dominated the biomass of riverbed infaunal invertebrates with densities of around 1,300 worms m-2.