Rangia cuneata - Atlantic rangia
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Rangia cuneata (G. B. Sowerby I, 1832)
2001 - 2010
NW Atlantic
Shipping (ballast water)
The Atlantic rangia is native to the Gulf of Mexico. The species also colonised the more northern estuaries along the east coast of North America up to the Hudson River (New York) [6]. Outside the Gulf of Mexico, this species is considered a non-native, invasive species. Introductions outside its natural range occurred through ballast water transport and not by natural spreading [7].
First observation in Belgium
In August 2005, small individuals of the Atlantic rangia were observed for the first time in the port of Antwerp, in an industrial test installation [8]. This installation was set up to monitor another non-native bivalve species, Conrad’s false mussel Mytilopsis leucophaeata [9]. However, it is very likely that the species was already present in the port of Antwerp several years prior to this first observation. In May 2007, a large population of different age classes was found in the Verrebroek dock at Linkeroever. The presence of individuals with an age of at least six years suggests that the introduction to the port of Antwerp dates back to 2001, or even 2000, when this dock became operational [10].
Spreading in Belgium
After the first observation, adult populations of this species were regularly spotted in Antwerp’s industrial cooling water systems from February 2006 onwards. The various observations are mainly the result of intensive monitoring studies [8]. Recently, Atlantic rangia was also detected during large-scale inventory campaigns in the port of Ghent and the canal of Ghent-Terneuzen [11, 12]. It is suspected that this alien species also occurs in other harbours and canals, but has not yet been observed there. Further, juveniles of this species might have been confused in the past with those from other mactrid clams found in estuaries, such as Mulinia lateralis [8]. In 2019, the species was also found in the coastal area, the inner harbour of Ostend and in the Yser in Nieuwpoort [13].
Spreading in neighbouring countries
The first observation in Belgium in 2005 was also the first observation of this species in Europe [8]. In the meantime, the Atlantic rangia has also established itself in neighbouring countries. In the Netherlands, three specimens were found in 2007 in the Zuiderpolder of the North Sea Canal [11]. The species appears to thrive there, forming densities of up to 200 individuals per m2 in Zijkanaal C and Zijkanaal F [14]. The species is now also common in the IJ in Amsterdam [15, 16] and at other locations in the Netherlands [17-19]. In Germany, observations are reported from the Kiel Canal and from a nature reserve near Lübeck [20, 21]. The species was spotted in 2011 in the Vistula Lagoon in Poland. It was probably introduced there in 2007-2008 by ballast water from ships coming from the North Sea [7, 8, 22-25]. The species has also established itself in the Baltic Sea [24, 26, 27], the United Kingdom [28] and France [29-31].
As was the case for the east coast of North America, the Atlantic rangia probably arrived in the port of Antwerp through the transport of larvae in ballast water [7, 8]. In order to prevent the introduction of non-native species through this pathway, the Ballast Water Convention provides for stricter rules regarding the discharge of ballast water since 2017 [32].
The Atlantic rangia lives shallowly buried in the soil and therefore requires a sand or mud layer in order to be able to dig itself in [33]. The soil of industrial cooling water systems is covered by a layer of sand or mud, which explains the successful establishment of the species in these locations [8]. Rangia cuneata can easily adapt to varying salinities (typical for estuaries and harbours), thanks to an internal mechanism called ‘osmoregulation’. As a result, adult clams tolerate salinities between 0 (freshwater) and 33 psu (seawater), while juveniles tolerate variations between 2 and 22 psu. This feature allows the species to colonise places inhabited by only a few other molluscs [34].
In harbours, both the water temperature and salinity are ideal for the survival of the Atlantic rangia [8]. Despite its high salinity tolerance, the clam thrives best at salinities between 5 and 15 psu. For comparison: The North Sea has an average salinity of 35 psu. At higher salinities, the species experiences more competition with other organisms that live in saline environments [34, 35].
The species can also survive at different water temperatures. Juveniles are the most sensitive and can tolerate temperatures between 8 and 32°C [4]. Reproduction generally occurs at a water temperature above 15°C and a salinity of 0 to 15 psu [6, 36]. In the Vistula lagoon (Poland), mass mortality occurred due to low winter temperatures [37].
Atlantic rangias can withstand anoxic conditions, but cannot survive desiccation [38, 39]. They can move vertically in the sediment to bury themselves. [40]. Adult specimens prefer soft substrate at depths of less than 6 metres [33, 36, 41-43]. Larvae are more likely to die in the event of a combination of: (1) low salinity and high temperature; or (2) high salinity and low temperature [23, 36].
The introduction of the species can have both positive and negative consequences. Since the Atlantic rangia is a filter feeder, high densities of the species can improve water quality. The animal is possibly a food source for fish, birds and crabs. When the shallowly buried animals are reachable at low water levels, gulls are able to pick them up and drop them onto a hard surface until the shells break [13, 29].
On the other hand, the species may influence the environmental conditions, causing disturbance to other native species. They can also introduce parasites and diseases into newly colonised areas [23].
Although the Atlantic rangia prefers soft substrates in estuaries, it can also colonise pipes if there is a layer of soft sediment (sand, silt) present. Once established, this bivalve will influence the water flow causing an accumulation of sediment. This in turn facilitates the settlement of more individuals. Ultimately, this process causes poor water flow in industrial cooling water systems. Preventive cleaning of the pipes can be carried out at regular intervals to prevent the establishment of this species [4].
The consumption of self-collected Atlantic rangias is not without a risk. As filter feeders, they also absorb harmful substances or microalgae. Within Europe, the species is not commercialised, but outside Europe, specimens for sale are therefore subject to strict controls on origin and quality [4, 5]. Recently, scientists have discovered that the species is of great nutritional value, and could therefore be used in the small-scale aquaculture industry [44].
Both shell valves are thick and have a more or less oval shape. The outside of the shell varies in colour, from light brown to grey-brown and almost black. The inside of the shell is white with a blue-grey appearance. The shells have a strikingly protruding top or ‘umbo’. Adult individuals of the Atlantic rangia have a size between 2.5 and 6 cm. The largest specimen ever found had a length of 9.4 cm. Based on the average length, it has been calculated that the species has a lifespan of 4 to 5 years. Similarly, it was estimated that a large specimen of 7.5 cm must have reached an age of 10 years [4, 45].
The clam buries most of its body and feeds by filtering small food particles from the water [4, 33]. Larvae are released into the water column in two periods between March and November, each time after salinity has risen or fallen by approximately 5 to 10 psu. After approximately seven days, the larvae settle on the substrate, in which they will burry themselves [4, 36].
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