The ‘killer shrimp’Dikerogammarus villosus(Crustacea, Amphipoda) invading Alpine lakes: overland transport by recreational boats and scuba-diving gear as potential entry vectors?

The alien freshwater amphipod of Ponto-Caspian origin, Dikerogammarus villosus, also known as the killer shrimp, is recognized as being one of the worst invasive alien species in Europe, representing a major conservation problem. Recently, the species has been reported to invade lakes in the Alps in putative association with overland transport linked with recreational activities. This study provided a method to assess risk associated with this overland transport and an opportunity to set up a rationale for effective preventive conservation management. A field survey of 60 lakes encompassing all the Alpine area has revealed the presence of killer shrimp in 12 lakes. Subsequent multivariate d…