Mediterranean Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamark, 1819 (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) Shell Damage Caused by the Invasive Polydora websteri Hartman, 1943 (Polychaeta: Spionidae) in the Gulf of Odesa, Black Sea, Ukraine
Journal: Acta Zoologica Bulgarica
Year: 2024

The oyster mudworm Polydora websteri is an Asian polydorid polychaete that has become invasive in different parts of Europe. Here, we provide the first report of the species parasitising Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from the Gulf of Odesa, Black Sea, Ukraine. The P. websteri are identical in morphology to worms from the Romanian Black Sea coast and also match the original description of the species. High prevalence parameters indicate a high level of infestation in bottom-dw