TEREDINIDAE, Rafinesque, 1815

Mead, A., Carlton, J. T., Griffiths, C. L. & Rius, M., 2011, Introduced and cryptogenic marine and estuarine species of South Africa, Journal of Natural History 45 (39 - 40), pp. 2463-2524 : 2497-2498

Family TEREDINIDAE

The biogeographic origins of many species of shipworms are now obfuscated by centuries of global shipping. We identify two teredinids here as introduced, but note that there are several additional cryptogenic species. We consider all shipworms noted here to have been transported historically in the wooden hulls of sailing vessels, although modern day transport for those species with planktotrophic larvae in ballast water is also possible.

Teredo navalis Linnaeus, 1758 Introduced

It seems likely that this possibly European ( Hoppe 2002) shipworm was one of the earliest introductions to South Africa. Noble (1886) and Hammersley-Heenan (1893) appear to be among the first to collect and record Teredo navalis from South Africa, but these dates cannot be taken as evidence of the timing of their introduction, as the species may of course have been present for centuries. Noble (1886) noted that attacks of Teredo navalis were “exceptionally virulent” on the Port Elizabeth breakwater (southeast coast). Waldron (1904a,b) noted that at the turn of the previous century, it was most prolific and destructive on the warmer parts of the South African coast, such as in Mossel Bay (southeast coast) in the Indian Ocean. Douglas (1981) reported on control measures for Teredo navalis on a jetty at Knysna, based on a 10- year study. The distribution of Teredo navalis and all other South African shipworms is not known.

Lyrodus pedicellatus (Quatrefages, 1849) Introduced (= Teredo robsoni Moll and Roch, 1931 )

Lyrodus pedicellatus is another globally occurring shipworm whose origins have not yet been determined ( Coan et al. 2000; Mikkelsen and Bieler 2008). As with Teredo navalis , it may have been introduced to South Africa centuries ago. It was first collected and re-described from South Africa as a new species ( Teredo robsoni ) by Moll and Roch (1931) from Simon’s Town on the southwest coast, but this cannot be taken as the first date of occurrence of Lyrodus pedicellatus in South Africa.

Bankia carinata (Gray, 1827) Cryptogenic Bankia martensi (Stempell, 1899) Cryptogenic (= Bankia capensis Calman, 1920 )

Dicyathifer manni (Wright, 1866) Cryptogenic (= Teredo ancila Barnard, 1964 )

Teredo somersi Clapp, 1924 Cryptogenic (= Teredo radicis Moll, 1937 )

All four of these shipworm species are said to occur widely in ports and harbours around the world ( Turner 1966), and are striking candidates for ship-borne introduction centuries ago. No fewer than three out of four were inadvertently re-described as native South African species, despite the existence of older available names. For all four of these species, local dispersal along coastlines may occur in floating wood, but none of these species are known from floating wood taken at sea, whereas they have been reported infesting harbour pilings or in ships’ hulls.