Colonization and spread of Limnoperna fortunei in Japan

Abstract

The golden mussel, Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker 1857), is an invasive freshwater bivalve native to continental China. In Japan, it was first found in Lake Biwa in 1992. In the 2000s, it began to be found in eastern Japan, including in the Tokai and Kanto regions. One possible route for the arrival of L. fortunei to Japan is believed to be among edible freshwater clams (the Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea) imported from China. DNA data suggest that the mussel’s invasion of Japan has occurred on at least two separate occasions. As of 2013, the mussel has been found in 12 of Japan’s 47 prefectures. Its routes of dispersal among water systems have not yet been fully identified. However, one of the most important known routes of its range expansion within and among water systems is via irrigation infrastructure such as canals and headrace channels. By using information on water current and data on the distribution of the mussel in irrigation facilities, we may be able to predict the areas that will likely be invaded.