Simple Control Method to Limit the Spread of the New Zealand Mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum

Abstract

The invasive New Zealand mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum is now well established in rivers in the western United States and is rapidly expanding its range. Potamopyrgus antipodarum is most likely to be spread to new waters via contaminated equipment. To assess a possible method for controlling their spread, we conducted a desiccation and freezing experiment on seven size-classes of P. antipodarum to determine mortality at different temperatures and low or high humidity. Our results show that P. antipodarum does not survive freezing or desiccation at high temperatures with low humidity. At all temperatures, larger P. antipodarum generally survived desiccation longer than smaller ones, and for all size-classes mortality generally increased with increased exposure time. We recommend thoroughly freezing or drying potentially contaminated equipment to limit the spread of P. antipodarum to uninfected aquatic ecosystems.