Gammarus tigrinus
Gammarus tigrinus
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Photo credit: Smithsonian Environmental Research Center
Gammarus tigrinus
Habitat:
Description:
Origin and Distribution:
Impacts:
Is it found in Northern Ireland? Is found in Northern Ireland. Distribution map can be found on NBN Atlas Northern Ireland
How did it get here?
You can help by reporting any sightings: @ the Centre for Environmental Data & Recording (CEDaR) - Or via the iRecord App.
Prevent Spread
Current Legislation Position (Northern Ireland only):
Gammarus tigrinus
Habitat:
- Freshwater and brackish rivers, lakes and canals
Description:
- 14mm long, slender body
- Pale yellow to green with dark patches or bands between segments
- Lower body is dark and upper is red
Origin and Distribution:
- Native to north America
- Came in ballast water from ships during WW1 then recreational boats helped it spread
- Currently most prevalent in the West Midlands of GB but is expanding its range
Impacts:
- Replaces native species and predates on them
- Brings new diseases which native populations can’t fight
- Predates on other macroinvertebrates changing the food web structure
- Can cause damage to fishing industry by causing damage to equipment and caught fish
Is it found in Northern Ireland? Is found in Northern Ireland. Distribution map can be found on NBN Atlas Northern Ireland
How did it get here?
- Ballast water from ships
- Imported as fish food
You can help by reporting any sightings: @ the Centre for Environmental Data & Recording (CEDaR) - Or via the iRecord App.
Prevent Spread
- Check and clean boats and equipment when being moved between waterbodies or taken
- Do not release animals into waterbodies or move individuals between waterbodies
- Do not dump pond water or plants into waterbodies without checking for invasive species
- Report all sightings
- Great care must be taken to ensure individuals kept in confinement do not escape
Current Legislation Position (Northern Ireland only):
- Gammarus tigrinus is listed in Schedule 9 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 and as such, under Article 15 it is an offence to release or allow this species to escape into the wild.