Tolerance to desiccation of an invasive mussel, Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) (Bivalvia, Mytilidae), under experimental conditions.

Limnoperna fortunei (Dunker, 1857) (Bivalvia, Mytilidae) was first reported from Río de La Plata in 1991; soon thereafter, it spread widely throughout the basin, causing great damage to all sorts of water supply systems. The desiccation period that young and adults can tolerate was analyzed in laboratory and outdoor experiments. L. fortunei is tolerant to desiccation. The tolerance increases with size. About 72 h was required to kill small mussels (up to 6 mm), 192 h to kill medium-sized adults (>6–15 mm) and 276 h to kill maximum-sized mussels adults (>15–27 mm) in laboratory exposures, and 72 h, 96 h and 108 to kill small, medium-sized and maximum sized mussels in outdoor exposures. The results have implications for using desiccation to combat the spread of L. fortunei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]