Identification and Spread of the Ghost Silverfish (<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>) among Museums and Homes in Europe
<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i> was first described in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1910, and this island is probably the origin of this species. Later, it was also found in the Caribbean (Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago). Up until the present, it has only been identified within buildings (a synanthrop...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/13/9/855 |
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| author | Pascal Querner Nikolaus Szucsich Bill Landsberger Sven Erlacher Lukasz Trebicki Michał Grabowski Peter Brimblecombe |
| author_facet | Pascal Querner Nikolaus Szucsich Bill Landsberger Sven Erlacher Lukasz Trebicki Michał Grabowski Peter Brimblecombe |
| author_sort | Pascal Querner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i> was first described in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1910, and this island is probably the origin of this species. Later, it was also found in the Caribbean (Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago). Up until the present, it has only been identified within buildings (a synanthropic species), and its natural habitat is unknown. In 2007, it was discovered in Germany and was considered a neobiotic species of Lepismatidae in Europe. It has rapidly spread throughout Europe and beyond in recent years. This led us to analyze the available data of the first occurrences in Germany, Austria, and other European countries. Furthermore, we compared the spread inside of museums in Vienna (Austria) and Berlin (Germany). These museums have been monitored for a long period with sticky traps, representing the best source of information on the dispersion dynamics of <i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>. We found a scattered occurrence of this species in 18 countries in Europe (including Russia and Ukraine). The first record for Poland has not previously been published; however, this species has been present there since 2014. Surprisingly, it was found in Hungary in 2003, but a record was only published online in 2021. Additionally, in Germany and Austria, where most data are available, the spread of the species does not follow any clear pattern. In museums in Berlin, the species has only been found in one location. In contrast, the species rapidly spread in museums in Vienna between 2014 and 2021, from four to 30 locations, and it is now a well-established species with occasional high abundance. We examined the spread of the species at three spatial scales: (i) Europe, (ii) national, and (iii) regional. Our observations indicate that it is possibly distributed with materials (packaging material, hygiene articles, paper, cardboard, and collection items). Little is yet known about the biology of this introduced pest. We describe its preferred habitat within buildings, its climate requirements, and its potential to act as a new museum pest in Central Europe. This species seems to thrive at room temperature in buildings. Further impact on the species due to climate change in the future is also discussed. We offer a simple morphological key and a detailed identification table to help correct species identification. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:39:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-893b39b95d2347ab879f68563a6a5084 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T23:39:05Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-893b39b95d2347ab879f68563a6a50842023-11-23T16:55:50ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502022-09-0113985510.3390/insects13090855Identification and Spread of the Ghost Silverfish (<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>) among Museums and Homes in EuropePascal Querner0Nikolaus Szucsich1Bill Landsberger2Sven Erlacher3Lukasz Trebicki4Michał Grabowski5Peter Brimblecombe6Natural History Museum Vienna, 1. Zoology, Burgring 7, 1010 Vienna, AustriaNatural History Museum Vienna, Central Research Laboratories, Burgring 7, 1010 Vienna, AustriaRathgen Research Laboratory, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Stiftung Preußischer KulturbesitzSchloßstraße 1A, 14059 Berlin, GermanyMuseum für Naturkunde, Moritzstraße 20, D-09111 Chemnitz, GermanyDepartment of Invertebrate Zoology & Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, PolandDepartment of Invertebrate Zoology & Hydrobiology, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, PolandDepartment of Marine Environment and Engineering, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i> was first described in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) in 1910, and this island is probably the origin of this species. Later, it was also found in the Caribbean (Cuba and Trinidad and Tobago). Up until the present, it has only been identified within buildings (a synanthropic species), and its natural habitat is unknown. In 2007, it was discovered in Germany and was considered a neobiotic species of Lepismatidae in Europe. It has rapidly spread throughout Europe and beyond in recent years. This led us to analyze the available data of the first occurrences in Germany, Austria, and other European countries. Furthermore, we compared the spread inside of museums in Vienna (Austria) and Berlin (Germany). These museums have been monitored for a long period with sticky traps, representing the best source of information on the dispersion dynamics of <i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>. We found a scattered occurrence of this species in 18 countries in Europe (including Russia and Ukraine). The first record for Poland has not previously been published; however, this species has been present there since 2014. Surprisingly, it was found in Hungary in 2003, but a record was only published online in 2021. Additionally, in Germany and Austria, where most data are available, the spread of the species does not follow any clear pattern. In museums in Berlin, the species has only been found in one location. In contrast, the species rapidly spread in museums in Vienna between 2014 and 2021, from four to 30 locations, and it is now a well-established species with occasional high abundance. We examined the spread of the species at three spatial scales: (i) Europe, (ii) national, and (iii) regional. Our observations indicate that it is possibly distributed with materials (packaging material, hygiene articles, paper, cardboard, and collection items). Little is yet known about the biology of this introduced pest. We describe its preferred habitat within buildings, its climate requirements, and its potential to act as a new museum pest in Central Europe. This species seems to thrive at room temperature in buildings. Further impact on the species due to climate change in the future is also discussed. We offer a simple morphological key and a detailed identification table to help correct species identification.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/13/9/855introduced pestinvasive speciesDNA barcodingidentification keymonitoringinsect traps |
| spellingShingle | Pascal Querner Nikolaus Szucsich Bill Landsberger Sven Erlacher Lukasz Trebicki Michał Grabowski Peter Brimblecombe Identification and Spread of the Ghost Silverfish (<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>) among Museums and Homes in Europe Insects introduced pest invasive species DNA barcoding identification key monitoring insect traps |
| title | Identification and Spread of the Ghost Silverfish (<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>) among Museums and Homes in Europe |
| title_full | Identification and Spread of the Ghost Silverfish (<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>) among Museums and Homes in Europe |
| title_fullStr | Identification and Spread of the Ghost Silverfish (<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>) among Museums and Homes in Europe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification and Spread of the Ghost Silverfish (<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>) among Museums and Homes in Europe |
| title_short | Identification and Spread of the Ghost Silverfish (<i>Ctenolepisma calvum</i>) among Museums and Homes in Europe |
| title_sort | identification and spread of the ghost silverfish i ctenolepisma calvum i among museums and homes in europe |
| topic | introduced pest invasive species DNA barcoding identification key monitoring insect traps |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/13/9/855 |
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