The New Zealand mudsnail is a tiny aquatic snail that inhabits lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs and estuaries. The snails are very tiny and thus can easily go undetected as they hitch a ride to a new area. New Zealand mud snail has had a long invasion history. The New Zealand mudsnail is typically light to dark brown in colour but may look black when wet. The species is native to New Zealand and adjacent small islands, generally surviving in the freshwater streams and lakes, but has now rooted itself in many areas … It is now rapidly spreading throughout the western US and has become established in … Native to New Zealand, this species was first discovered in the Snake River in Idaho and the Madison River in Montana in 1987 and has rapidly spread throughout the western United States. It was first found in Idaho and Montana in 1987. Mud snails can be spread by boots, waders, a dog's pads, and most anything they come in contact with. In their native habitat they are known to reproduce sexually, they can reproduce asexually and all introduced populations are clonal. New Zealand Mud Snail, Potamopyrgus antipodarum The Situation: As the common name indicates, this invasive pest is native to New Zealand. Where did the New Zealand mudsnail come from? FL Caribbean Science Center. New Zealand … Our colonies can rapidly reach from 100,000 to 750,000 mud snails per square meter. It was first found in the United Kingdom in 1859, the western Baltic in Europe in 1887, the Mediterranean and eastern Europe were invaded in the 1950's. They are only a few millimetres long, hard-shelled and humble. New Zealand mudsnail Michigan's latest invasive species. New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) are very small (<5mm) snails that are native to New Zealand and have long been established in Australia, Asia, and Europe.New Zealand mudsnails tolerate a wide range of salinity levels, temperatures and water quality conditions. We are not fussy eaters and graze on bottom dwelling periphyton (diatoms, algae, bacteria) and detritus. They can tolerate a wide variety of habitats including reservoirs, estuaries, rivers, and lakes. They quickly spread to other Western rivers, sometimes reaching densities over 500,000 per square meter. They discovered New Zealand mud snails in the Boardman River this year and proved the invasive species was in the river since at least 2013. The shells vary from light brown to black. Selected Resources. New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) are tiny invasive snails that threaten the food webs of trout streams and other waters. Native to New Zealand, they were first found in Idaho's Snake River in 1987. The New Zealand mudsnail has a wide range of environmental tolerances and has been found in nearly every freshwater habitat in New Zealand. The section below contains highly relevant resources for this species, organized by source. The mud snail is native to New Zealand. But the New Zealand mud snails have laid siege to four of the five Great Lakes and are threatening to invade rivers and streams, too. New Zealand Mudsnail . New Zealand Mudsnail The New Zealand mud snail is a very tiny aquatic snail (often smaller than your baby fingernail) and is native to fresh waterbodies in New Zealand. A single female can result in a colony of 40 million mudsnails in one year -- can crowd out native aquatic species Or, to display all related content view all resources for New Zealand Mud Snail. In addition to mud, the snail can also be found lurking on rock or gravel surfaces, aquatic vegetation, or woody debris. New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) What is it? This means that only one snail is needed to start a new population. Invasive Species - (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) Watch List - Prohibited in Michigan New Zealand Mudsnails are an average of 1/8 inch long with 5-6 whorls on their shell.