Parthenogenesis in an outsider crayfish

Gerhard Scholtz (), Anke Braband, Laura Tolley, André Reimann, Beate Mittmann, Chris Lukhaup, Frank Steuerwald and Günter Vogt
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Gerhard Scholtz: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Biologie/Vergleichende Zoologie
Anke Braband: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Biologie/Vergleichende Zoologie
Laura Tolley: Universität Heidelberg, Institut für Zoologie
André Reimann: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Biologie/Vergleichende Zoologie
Beate Mittmann: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Institut für Biologie/Vergleichende Zoologie
Chris Lukhaup: Gotenstrasse 16
Frank Steuerwald: Universität Heidelberg, Institut für Zoologie
Günter Vogt: Universität Heidelberg, Institut für Zoologie

Nature, 2003, vol. 421, issue 6925, 806-806

Abstract: Abstract It has been rumoured1 that an unidentified decapod crustacean, a crayfish of marbled appearance and of uncertain geographical origin that was introduced into the German aquarium trade in the mid-1990s, is capable of unisexual reproduction (parthenogenesis). Here we confirm that this marbled crayfish ('Marmorkrebs') is parthenogenetic under laboratory conditions and use morphological and molecular analysis to show that it belongs to the American Cambaridae family. Although parthenogenesis is widespread among the Crustacea2, and shrimp, lobsters, crayfish and crabs are otherwise versatile in their modes of reproduction3,4,5, it has not been reported before in decapods, the largest and economically most important crustacean group. By virtue of its parthenogenetic reproduction, the marbled crayfish emerges not only as an interesting laboratory model but also as a potential ecological threat in that it could outcompete native forms should even a single specimen be released into European lakes and rivers.

Date: 2003
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DOI: 10.1038/421806a

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