# Ponto-Caspian mysid shrimp Paramysis lacustris has reached the Elbe estuary

## TL;DR

A non-native shrimp species, Paramysis lacustris, has been found in the Elbe estuary, indicating its expansion into new areas.

## Contribution

This paper reports the first detection of Paramysis lacustris in the tidal Elbe and discusses its dispersal and potential ecological impact.

## Key findings

- Paramysis lacustris was detected for the first time in the tidal Elbe in August 2023.
- The species is likely expanding into the Elbe estuary from previous sightings in Saxony-Anhalt.
- The paper outlines the dispersal pathway of P. lacustris since its initial record in 1882.

## Abstract

As part of monitoring conducted alongside a river engineering project, the Ponto-Caspian mysid shrimp Paramysis lacustris (P. lacustris) was detected for the first time in the tidal Elbe in August 2023. Alongside P. lacustris, a second Ponto-Caspian mysid species, Limnomysis benedeni (L. benedeni), was also identified. The previous year’s investigation yielded no records of these mysids, suggesting that the species, last observed in 2019 in the Havel River in Saxony-Anhalt, are currently expanding into the tidal Elbe. In addition to addressing sampling aspects, we present the dispersal pathway of P. lacustris since its first recorded observation in 1882 and discuss the probable impact of the newly found species in the river Elbe based on former findings.