Reproductive plasticity in freshwater invader: from long-term sperm storage to parthenogenesis

Orconectes limosus, a North American crayfish species, is one of the most important aquatic invaders in European inland waters. Despite more than 120 years occurrence in Europe and intense research, there are still gaps in knowledge of its life history and ecology. Investigation into O. limosus invasive success requires identifying the mechanisms that enabled them to establish dense and widespread populations from small initial numbers without observable limitation by an introduction bottleneck. In part, O. limosus success may lie in its ability to reproduce by facultative parthenogenesis. Moreover, there are possible other mating scenarios, because of two mating seasons (autumn and spring) in O. limosus. This work investigated the effect of four reproductive scenarios (autumn mating only, spring mating only, autumn and spring mating, and without mating) on the reproductive success of O. limosus. Females successfully reproduced in all tested mating regimes using parthenogenesis as well as log term sperm storage. This reproductive plasticity likely facilitates the overwhelming success of O. limosus spread and establishment in new localities. It can explain the spread of O. limosus from the initial introduction of 90 specimens to most of continental Europe and Great Britain. These conclusions imply a serious threat, not only for autochthonous European astacofauna, but for other aquatic organisms as well as entire ecosystems.