First findings in Ukraine and current distribution trends of Neocaridina davidi (Bouvier, 1904) in freshwaters of Europe

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Purpose. Summary and analysis of scientific sources and new unpublished data on the biology, ecological features and distribution of Neocaridina davidi (Bouvier, 1904) in Europe and Ukraine. Methodology. The methodology was based on a comprehensive approach that combined the analysis of available scientific sources, the processing of new field materials, and a comparative study of confirmed cases of N. davidi in Europe. Findings. The generalization of modern data allowed identifying the main factors influencing the success of the introduction and formation of N. davidi populations in freshwater ecosystems. Stable self-reproducing populations of the species have been recorded in Poland, Germany, France, Hungary, and Slovakia in recent decades and are associated with the presence of thermally stable or thermally transformed water bodies that reduce seasonal temperature fluctuations. In Ukraine, N. davidi is known only from isolated finds within Kharkiv city water bodies. The population in the thermally polluted section of the Kharkiv River was short-lived and disappeared after the cessation of warm technological runoff in 2022. In the Novo-Bavarske Reservoir (Kharkiv region), despite the recording of individual individuals in 2024, no signs of the formation of a self-sustaining population were detected, which is probably due to the unstable temperature regime and winter frosts. Experimental studies in EU countries indicate the potential ecological impact of N. davidi on benthic communities, in particular a decrease in the number of small benthic plankton. Microsporidia pathogens have also been identified in European populations of the species, indicating the possibility of interspecific transmission of infections. The results obtained indicate a low invasive potential of N. davidi in Ukraine under current conditions. Originality. For the first time in Ukraine, the presence of the ornamental freshwater shrimp N. davidi in natural water bodies has been confirmed. It has been established that the penetration of this species into open water systems of Ukraine is associated with the development of the aquarium trade and the release of ornamental aquatic organisms into natural water bodies, which indicates the growing role of the aquarium hobby as one of the important ways of introducing alien invertebrates into freshwater ecosystems. Practical Value. The results obtained are important for developing and improving strategies for monitoring and controlling invasive shrimps, in particular for developing approaches to their early detection, assessing potential ecological risks, and predicting the possible consequences of accidental or deliberate introductions. The data can be used by conservation organizations, research institutions, and government agencies to make management decisions aimed at conserving native fish and invertebrate species that may be subject to competition, trophic effects, or risk of infection by pathogens associated with N. davidi. Keywords: cherry shrimp, aquatic bioresources, urbanized water bodies, invasive species, alien invertebrates, biological invasions, freshwater ecosystems, water bodies of Kharkiv region.

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