Alien species
provided by World Register of Marine Species
It is believed that the softshell or sand gaper Mya arenaria was introduced from America in the 16th or 17th century. There is also evidence that Vikings brought this species to Europe around 1245-1295, intentionally as food or accidentally in bilge water. Because the sand gaper is able to survive in different types of environments, it has a worldwide distribution. It is a large clamp – up to 15 centimetres – which, when abundantly present, can significantly influence the environment. Because of its entrenched way of life (sometimes up to 50 centimetres deep in the soil!) its presence often remains unnoticed.
VLIZ Alien Species Consortium. (2010).
- license
- cc-by-4.0
- copyright
- WoRMS Editorial Board
Alien species
provided by World Register of Marine Species
De strandgaper Mya arenaria zou uit Amerika in de 16e of 17e eeuw geïntroduceerd zijn. Er zijn echter aanwijzingen dat de Vikingen deze soort - intentioneel als voedsel of toevallig in het water in de onderste regio van het schip - al omstreeks 1245-1295 naar Europa brachten. Omwille van de mogelijkheid om in verschillende omgevingstypes te overleven, heeft de strandgaper een wereldwijde verspreiding. Het is een grote schelpensoort - wel tot 15 centimeter - die wanneer hij in grote aantallen aanwezig is, de omgeving sterk kan beïnvloeden. Omwille van de ingegraven levenswijze (soms tot wel 50 centimeter diep in de zeebodem!) is de aanwezigheid ervan vaak moeilijk vast te stellen.
- license
- cc-by-4.0
- copyright
- WoRMS Editorial Board
Distribution
provided by World Register of Marine Species
Labrador to off Georgia; Western Europe
North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)
- license
- cc-by-4.0
- copyright
- WoRMS Editorial Board
Distribution
provided by World Register of Marine Species
Circumboreal, not reaching the Mediterranean
Hayward, P.J. & J.S. Ryland (Eds.). (1990). The marine fauna of the British Isles and North-West Europe: 1. Introduction and protozoans to arthropods. Clarendon Press: Oxford, UK. 627 pp.
- license
- cc-by-4.0
- copyright
- WoRMS Editorial Board
Habitat
provided by World Register of Marine Species
intertidal, bathyal, infralittoral and circalittoral of the Gulf and estuary
North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)
- license
- cc-by-4.0
- copyright
- WoRMS Editorial Board