New species alert from Estonia.
Species name: Rangia cuneata
Family name:Mactridae
Synonyms: Gnathodon cuneata nasutus Dall, 1884. Gnathodon cuneatus G. B. Sowerby I, 1832. Gnathodon nasutus Dall, 1884. Rangia cyrenoides Des Moulins, 1832
On 25th of March 2015 new bivalve species Rangia cuneata was discovered in Estonian Baltic sea coast (Pärnu bay, on Pärnu city beach).
The species was discovered by a interested naturalist and confirmed by the expert Jonne Kotta. Based on dead specimens on the beach it seems that the species is quite numerous.
No further information on the species and its present in Estonia is available at the moment.
The species was identified in Belgium, Antwerp in 2005, Russia, Kaliningrad in 2010 (Invasion in 2007-2008?), Lithuania 2013 and Polen 2013, and now it seams to be spreading in the Baltic region.
Further information on the findings of the species in the region:
Belgium: http://www.aquaticinvasions.net/2006/AI_2006_1_4_Verween_etal.pdf
Kaliningrad: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1134%2FS2075111712030071
Lithuania: http://gamta.lt/cms/index?rubricId=d42d35cd-63cd-4800-9cfd-86ef9f305dac
Polen: http://www.foliamalacologica.com/download.php?ma_id=757 & http://link.springer.com/article/10.2478%2Fs13545-014-0158-3#page-1
Photo of Rangia cuneata by : KATARZYNA HORBOWA