This document is a monthly bulletin from the Freshwater Biological Association summarizing freshwater news from around the world. It includes updates on events at the FBA and several news articles covering topics such as the largest salmon species edging toward extinction, a study on rare fighting frogs in Japan that use false thumbs, and evidence that Atlantic sturgeon populations in Virginia rivers spawn at different times than other populations. The bulletin encourages recipients to get involved with the FBA and share the newsletter with other interested colleagues.

1. November 2012
Freshwater Matters
Freshwater Matters is a monthly electronic bulletin of the most recent
freshwater news from around the world, compiled by the Freshwater Biological
Association (FBA). It includes updates of what is happening at the FBA and ways
to get involved.
Contents
What’s happening at the FBA?
This month’s articles
Largest salmon in the world edges to extinction
Flick knife thumbs help Japan’s rare fighting frogs
Tiny critter hitchhiked on mayflies
Freshwater Mussels given protection
Size matters for small frogs
Autumn spawning by Atlantic Sturgeon in Virginia river
River Thames invaded with foreign species
Hundreds of Britain’s biggest spiders released into the wild
Soft-shelled turtles urinate through mouth
Relative of “killer shrimp” found in Worcestershire waterways
What’s happening at the FBA?
Pearl mussel ark project meeting
This month the FBA held a workshop to share knowledge and experience of river
restoration work being carried out in pearl mussel catchments in England and to
communicate the latest news from the Freshwater Pearl Mussel Ark Project. The
meeting brought together practitioners from the Environment Agency, Natural
England, NGOs and independant experts to discuss the issues facing pearl
mussels, and strategies for conservation.
Inlands Waters, Issue 2(4) now published
The latest issue of “Inland Waters – Journal of the International Society of
Limnology” has now been published. A list of contents and abstracts can be
viewed online at: https://www.fba.org.uk/journals/index.php/IW/issue/view/108.
Full-text articles can be downloaded by subscribers and SIL members. If you
do not currently subscribe or are not a SIL member and wish to have access to
the journal, please either take out an individual subscription (details at https://
www.fba.org.uk/journals/index.php/IW/about/subscriptions) or recommend the
journal to your library at https://www.fba.org.uk/journals/index.php/IW/user/
recommendLibrary.
Meeting reminder: The history and future of British rivers and waterways
Don’t forget there is to be a meeting convened by the Linnean Society, the
Freshwater Biological Association and the University of Southampton on rivers on
the 21st February 2013, at Burlington House, Piccadilly, London. The cost will be
£30 for delegates and refreshments are included. Please visit: www.linnean.org/
rivers for more information and to register for this event.
This month’s articles
Largest salmon in the world edges to extinction
The evolutionary branch thought to have given rise to trout and salmon is at
risk of extinction according to a new report published by the IUCN. Occurring
throughout Asia, the Taiman is the largest species of salmon in the world growing
to 2 meters in length and living for up to 30 years. However, a number of on-
going and emerging threats mean that all species are now considered to be either
threatened or data-deficient requiring urgent conservation action.
http://www.iucn.org/news_homepage/?11289/Largest-salmon-in-the-world-
edges-toward-extinction

2. Flick knife thumbs help Japan’s rare fighting frogs
A study published in this month’s Journal of Zoology details how the Otton frog,
a native of Japan, uses a false thumb with protruding spikes both in combat
and for mating. The authors of the study consider that the thumb was originally
developed for the male to grip the female, however over time the frog has
adapted its use providing an intriguing insight into the development of different
hand morphologies.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121018100127.htm
Tiny critter hitchhiked on mayflies
A study published this month in PLoS ONE examining ancient mayflies trapped
in amber has shown that springtails may have used the insects to hitch rides
around the globe. Examining the fossils under the microscope the scientists found
springtails attached to the base of the mayflies wings using prehensile antennae.
This is the first example of mayflies transporting other species, and could be an
area for research in the present day.
http://news.yahoo.com/tiny-critter-hitchhiked-mayflies-fossil-reveals-220922646.
html
Freshwater mussels given protection
The US Fish and Wildlife Service this month extended protection to eight species
of freshwater mussel and 1494 miles of river in Alabama and Florida after
reaching an agreement to speed protection decisions for 757 species around the
country.
http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/45075
Size matters for small frogs
A study published this month in Animal Behaviour shows that smaller treefrogs
are more likely to cheat their way to a mate. The researchers found that smaller
frogs lurk near the sound of an attractive call rather than trying to compete with
their larger rivals.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/19886131
Autumn spawning by Atlantic sturgeon in Virginia river
Scientists studying the Atlantic sturgeon in the James River, USA, have found
evidence that the population spawns at markedly different times to populations
in other rivers in the area. Until this research scientists had presumed that the
population in the James River bred in the spring as is the case for populations
in other rivers. The findings have important implications for the development of
guidelines to manage the species in the future.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/10/121015093916.htm
River Thames invaded with foreign species
Research published this month in Biological Invasions details that the River
Thames catchment has been invaded by 96 non-native species, making it one of
the most highly invaded freshwater systems in the world. The research, based on
databases, field surveys, atlases and literature reviews suggests that since 1961
one non-indigenous species has been discovered every 50 weeks.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/qmuo-rti100812.php
Hundreds of Britain’s biggest spiders released into the wild
Once common in the Norfolk broads the great raft spider was almost wiped out
of existence due to agriculture. In an effort to bolster the population 200 of the
species have been successfully re-introduced to the RSPB’s Strumpshaw Fen
reserve near Norwich.
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/914155-hundreds-of-britains-biggest-spiders-are-
released-into-the-wild
Soft-shelled turtles urinate through mouth
Research published this month in The Journal of Experimental Biology shows
that Chinese soft-shelled turtles excrete urea through their mouth much in the
same way that some fish excrete waste products through their gills. Using turtles
purchased from a local market the researchers found that only about 6% of the
urea produced was excreted through the kidneys, with 50 times this amount being

3. expelled through the turtle’s mouth.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/tcob-stu100912.php
Relative of “killer shrimp” found in Worcestershire waterways
A relative of the “killer shrimp” Dikerogammarus villosus has been found in the
River Severn and a number of other waterbodies in Worcestershire according to
the Environment Agency. It is the first time that Dikerogammarus haemobaphes
has been found in the UK and experts are uncertain about its potential impact.
Although the species is less aggressive than Dikerogammarus villosus it is a rapid
breeder producing three generations each year.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-19828575
Please forward this bulletin to any of your colleagues who may be
interested!