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Aggressive interactions and interspecific competition between the indigenous crayfish Astacus astacus (Linne) and the non-indigenous Orconectus limosus (Rafinesque)
Maiwald T, Schulz HK, Śmietana P and Schulz R 
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Abstract
To assess the potential impact of the non-indigenous crayfish species Orconectes limosus on the European native crayfish Astacus astacus, intra- and interspecific aggressive interactions and competition for shelter were experimentally studied in the laboratory. Inter- and intraspecific pairs constituted of specimens of the same sex and same total length. Agressive Interactions were examined according to three size classes: youngest of the year (YOY) (24-37 mm total length), juvenile (51-71 mm total length), and adult (75-105 mm total length). Shelter competition was tested for the size classes YOY and juvenile. In intraspecific pairs, A. astacus YOY showed a higher frequency of aggressive interactions than O. limosus YOY. In interspecific pairs A. astacus was significantly dominant over O. limosus in all size groups. Overall shelter usage of O. limosus was lower than of A. astacus. An exclusion of A. astacus from shelter by O. limosus was never observed. The results of this study exclude direct aggressive interaction as mechanism of replacement with this pair of crayfish species.
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Maiwald T, Schulz HK, Śmietana P and Schulz R. (2006). Aggressive interactions and interspecific competition between the indigenous crayfish Astacus astacus (Linne) and the non-indigenous Orconectus limosus (Rafinesque). Freshwater Crayfish 15(1):203-211. doi: 10.5869/fc.2006.v15.203
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