DISCINIDAE, Gray, 1840

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 : 2499

Family DISCINIDAE

Discinisca tenuis (Sowerby, 1847) Within aquaculture facilities

This brachiopod has flat, transparent, horny discs that attach to each other, or to other shells, as well as a distinctive transparent hairy fringe at the shell edges. Until recently, it was only known from Namibia, where it is endemic; however, in 2008 it was recorded for the first time on shells of the introduced oyster, Crassostrea gigas , in Saldanha Bay on the west coast of South Africa ( Haupt et al. 2010a). These oysters were translocated from Nambia. We also have unsubstantiated reports that Discinisca tenuis has been seen on the shells of oysters reared in Algoa Bay (southeast coast). Species coming from the immediate north (on west or east coasts) are now by default on our radar as moving south with climate change; this said, Discinisca tenuis has not yet been found outside oyster farms, so will not be included in the total number of wild introductions. It should be noted it has not been looked for in other areas. This is the first example to date of an introduction in South Africa originating from a neighbouring country. We consider mariculture to be the most probable vector.