Genetic Characterization of Invasive Mysterysnails in Western Pennsylvania

Abstract:

The Chinese mysterysnail (Cipangopaludina chinensis) and the Japanese mysterysnail (C. japonica) are species of freshwater snails native to East Asia that have become invasive in the United States, particularly on the East Coast. Both species reproduce rapidly, leading to high population densities. This attribute, paired with their ability to use multiple feeding mechanisms and resist predators, allows both the Chinese and Japanese mysterysnails to outcompete native species and shift food web dynamics. The abundance of C. chinensis and C. japonica in waterbodies of western Pennsylvania is largely unknown, as they are morphologically similar and understudied. Our goal for this study was to determine which species of mysterysnails are present in western Pennsylvania waterbodies through genetic barcoding. In this project, previously collected specimens from Presque Isle State Park, Pymatuning State Park, Moraine State Park, and other locations in western Pennsylvania were dissected, and DNA was isolated from these tissues. A highly variable region of the mitochondrial genome’ the cytochrome c oxidase 1 gene (CO1)’was amplified via PCR and subsequently sequenced. The mysterysnail sequences were aligned with validated sequences in NCBI BLAST to determine the putative identity of the species present at each location. We will present which snail species were found at each location at the Sigma Xi Undergraduate Research Conference. Verifying the mysterysnail species present in each waterbody will help focus control efforts and facilitate future research concerning the ecological impacts of both species.