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Investigate the distribution, dispersal mechanisms, growth rates, and reproductive biology of the invasive American whelk tingle, Urosalpinx cinerea, on British oyster grounds.

October 1, 1942Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

The American whelk tingle, Urosalpinx cinerea (Say), on British oyster beds

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Investigate the distribution, dispersal mechanisms, growth rates, and reproductive biology of the invasive American whelk tingle, Urosalpinx cinerea, on British oyster grounds.
Field surveys assessing established populations across Essex river estuaries (Blackwater, Colne, Crouch, Roach) and the Kentish Flats off Whitstable.
Growth and demographic analysis evaluating shell height increments, growth marks, and sexual dimorphism across age classes reaching up to 13–14 years.
Reproductive monitoring examining temperature thresholds for spawning, capsule deposition rates, incubation duration, and juvenile emergence numbers.
Lacking a free-swimming larval phase, autonomous migration is confined to local significance, making human-assisted transport the primary mechanism for colonization of new oyster beds.
Females exhibit faster growth and reach a larger terminal size than males, with females maintaining an annual shell height increment of ~0.2 cm up to age 7 compared to males remaining under 0.2 cm after year 3 (differing by ~0.25 cm at identical ages).
Spawning initiates at water temperatures of 12°C, producing an average of 25 capsules per laying (mainly in May–June), with an 8-week incubation yielding 11–74 emerging juveniles per capsule, demonstrating higher fecundity and size than in native American ranges.

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Implication

Field observation demonstrates rapid growth, high fecundity, and limited autonomous dispersal of Urosalpinx cinerea, suggesting human-mediated transport drives new infestations.

Cite This Study

Henri Cole (1942) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a93a2f5a05f7032207c01b5 https://doi.org/10.1017/s0025315400055119

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Implication

Field observation demonstrates rapid growth, high fecundity, and limited autonomous dispersal of Urosalpinx cinerea, suggesting human-mediated transport drives new infestations.

The American whelk tingle, Urosalpinx cinerea (Say), on British oyster beds

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Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

The American whelk tingle, Urosalpinx cinerea (Say), on British oyster beds

Key Points

Discussion

Implication

Cite This Study

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