Authors: Justin I McDonald Fred E Wells
Publish Date: 2009/05/26
Volume: 12, Issue: 4, Pages: 715-719
Abstract
Musculista senhousia Benson in Cantor 1842 is a small thinshelled mytilid inhabiting intertidal and shallow subtidal sediments Prior to 2000 M senhousia was widespread in the Swan River estuary Perth Western Australia In 2000 the Perth region experienced its largest recorded summer rainfall event with over 270 GL entering the estuary The rainfall formed a freshwater lens over much of the river and a subsequent toxic algal bloom of the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa M aeruginosa produces a toxin microcystin known to have adverse effects upon molluscs Surveys to assess the status of M senhousia in the estuary in 2007 failed to find any individuals We suggest the apparent death of M senhousia from the estuary may be attributable to a combination of high seasonal variability in the mussel’s populations high summer rainfall reducing salinity and a toxic algal bloom that eliminated any remaining M senhousia individualsWe thank Dr Kashane Chalermwat of Burapha University Thailand Mike Travers and Emily Gates who assisted in the fieldwork component Dr Grey Coupland who reviewed a draft of this paper This project was funded by a Natural Heritage Trust grant project no 053085
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