Nematode fauna of the Paraná River delta (Argentina) and its relationship with the invasive mussel Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857)

SARDIÑA PAULA; CHAVES ELISEO

Quito

Congreso; Organización de Nematologos de America Tropical (ONTA); 2010

We studied the nematode communities in two rivers (Luján and Canal del Este) of the Paraná River delta, and we analyzed its relationship with L. fortunei. Samples were obtained from the mussel beds themselves and from the soft sediment beneath them. The genus Actinca, Aetholaimus, Anonchus, Aporcelaimellus, Aquatides, Labronemella, Mesodorylaimus, Xiphidorus, Monhystera, Aphanolaimus, Plectus, Panagrolaimus, Mononchus, Mylonchulus, Prismatolaimus, Tobrilus and Trypila were found, and other undetermined Triplonchida, Mermithidae, Dorylaiminae, Prodorylaiminae and Qudsianematinae. Samples from the mussel colonies grouped together independently of the river, while soft sediment samples grouped by river (CLUSTER on presence-absence data). Mylonchulus and Tobrilus characterized mussel samples, Anonchus characterized Luján River, and Mermithidae and Anonchus were characteristics of Canal del Este River. The structure of the nematode communities can be mainly attributed to two factors: the presence of L. fortunei, and the site-specific environmental conditions of each river. Like other benthic fauna, some nematode species benefits from L. fortunei fouling on human introduced hard substrates in the Paraná River delta, where soft sediments naturally prevail.