Teredo navalis

License:

Marine Life Information Network

Rights Holder:

Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce

Description

Teredo navalis is a bivalve mollusc but appears worm-like due to its elongated body and reduced trilobed shell, which is specialised for wood boring. The shell is white in colour with its outer most layer (periostracum) light brown. The shell can be up to 2cm long and covers only the anterior end of the long, soft body. The valves of the shell are divided into different regions with various sculptures. The beaks are situated near the anterior end of the shell. The soft worm-like body is light brown in colour and up to 15 cm in length. It lies in a calcareous tube up to 60 cm long and 0.8 cm in diameter. The thin tube has a septa (dividing wall) near the opening. There are two small siphons at the posterior end of the body that are withdrawn and closed off by a calcareous pair of paddle shaped accessory plates (pallets), each off white in colour and up to 0.5 cm long.The trilobed, heavily ridged shells halves of Teredo navalis are used to drill through wood forming characteristic, winding burrows that are lined with chalky deposits. These burrows can be seen when the wood is split apart. The small holes can be up to 1 cm in diameter.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

 The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

Distribution

Agadir, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Europe, Baltic sea, Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone, Belt Sea, Black Sea, British Isles, Caribbean Sea, Cuba, Dutch Exclusive Economic Zone, Elbe, Europe, European waters (ERMS scope), German Bight, Greek Exclusive Economic Zone, Gulf of Maine, Gulf of Mexico, Katys Cove, Mediterranean Sea, North Sea, North West Atlantic, Oostende, Swedish Exclusive Economic Zone, Ukrainian Exclusive Economic Zone, United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone, Wimereux

References:

Leewis, R. (2002). Flora en fauna van de zee [Marine flora and fauna]. Veldgids, 16. KNNV Uitgeverij: Utrecht, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-5011-153-X. 320 pp.
Müller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France. 307 pp.
Hayward, P.J.; Ryland, J.S. (Ed.) (1990). The marine fauna of the British Isles and North-West Europe: 1. Introduction and protozoans to arthropods. Clarendon Press: Oxford, UK. ISBN 0-19-857356-1. 627 pp.
North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)
Backeljau, T. (1986). Lijst van de recente mariene mollusken van België [List of the recent marine molluscs of Belgium]. Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen: Brussels, Belgium. 106 pp.
de Bruyne, R.H. (1991). Schelpen van de Nederlandse kust [Shells of the Dutch coast]. Jeugdbondsuitgeverij/KNNV Uitgeverij: Utrecht, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-5107-017-9. III, 165 pp.
Streftaris, N.; Zenetos, A.; Papathanassiou, E. (2005). Globalisation in marine ecosystems: the story of non-indigenous marine species across European seas. Oceanogr. Mar. Biol. Ann. Rev. 43: 419-453
Nehring, S. (2006). Four arguments why so many alien species settle into estuaries, with special reference to the German river Elbe. Helgol. Mar. Res. 60(2): 127-134.
Gollash, S.; Nehring, S. (2006). National checklist for aquatic alien species in Germany. Aquatic invasions 1(4): 245-269
Species composition of meso- and macrozooplankton of the Black Sea
Gollasch, S.. 2006. Overview on introduced aquatic species in European navigational and adjacent waters. Helgoland Marine Research 60(2):84-89.
VLIZ Alien Species Consortium
Vanderperren, J.-P. (1989). The Natural History Archive 1988 [Het Natuurhistorisch Archief 1988]. De Strandvlo 9(4): 89-90
Felder, D.L. and D.K. Camp (eds.), Gulf of Mexico–Origins, Waters, and Biota. Biodiversity. Texas A&M Press, College Station, Texas.
Gofas, S.; Le Renard, J.; Bouchet, P. (2001). Mollusca, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50: pp. 180-213
Ardovini, R.; Cossignani, T. (2004). West African seashells (including Azores, Madeira and Canary Is.) = Conchiglie dell'Africa Occidentale (incluse Azzorre, Madeira e Canarie). English-Italian edition. L'Informatore Piceno: Ancona, Italy. ISBN 88-86070-11-X. 319 pp.
MEDIN (2011). UK checklist of marine species derived from the applications Marine Recorder and UNICORN, version 1.0.
Koukouras, Athanasios. (2010). Check-list of marine species from Greece. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Assembled in the framework of the EU FP7 PESI project.
Miloslavich P, Díaz JM, Klein E, Alvarado JJ, Díaz C, et al. (2010) Marine Biodiversity in the Caribbean: Regional Estimates and Distribution Patterns. PLoS ONE 5(8): e11916. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011916
Dyntaxa (2013) Swedish Taxonomic Database. Accessed at www.dyntaxa.se [15-01-2013].

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Geographic Range

The origins of Teredo navalis are unknown. Appropriately referred to as naval shipworms, T. navalis are molluscs that frequently dwell in the wood of ships. Due to the prominent use of ships in global trade and the consequent dispersal of the shipworms, the origins of T. navalis are uncertain. Masses of naval shipworms were first identified near the Netherlands in the North Sea. They are common to the Baltic Sea as well as the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans today.

Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Introduced ); palearctic (Introduced ); oriental (Introduced ); ethiopian (Introduced ); neotropical (Introduced ); australian (Introduced ); atlantic ocean (Introduced ); pacific ocean (Introduced )

References:

Didziulis, V. 2007. "NOBANIS-invasive alien species fact sheet, Teredo navalis" (On-line pdf). NOBANIS-European network on invasive alien species. Accessed June 01, 2011 at http://www.nobanis.org/files/factsheets/Teredo_navalis.pdf.
Gollasch, S., D. Haydar, D. Minchin, W. Wolff, K. Reise. 2009. Introduced aquatic species of the North Sea coasts and adjacent brackish waters. Pp. 507-528 in G Rilov, J Crooks, eds. Biological Invasions in Marine Ecosystems, Vol. 204. Germany: Springer.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Distribution

Newfoundland to Florida and Texas

References:

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Distribution

Widespread around the world

References:

Hayward, P.J.; Ryland, J.S. (Ed.) (1990). The marine fauna of the British Isles and North-West Europe: 1. Introduction and protozoans to arthropods. Clarendon Press: Oxford, UK. ISBN 0-19-857356-1. 627 pp.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Teredo navalis is believed by several authorities to be native to the European western Atlantic. It is now, however, a cosmopolitan species found both in Atlantic and Pacific oceans from the tropics and subtropics to cool temperate waters of both the northern and southern hemisphere (Did?iulis 2007). Details of the distribution of Teredo navalis within the India River Lagoon region are not known. The cosmopolitan distribution of the species and its euryhaline nature (see below), however, suggest it may be well established.

References:

Carlton J.T., and M.H. Ruckelshaus. 1997. Nonindigenous marine invertebrates and algae. Pp 187-201 in: Simberloff D., Schmitz D.C., and T.C. Brown (eds). Strangers in Paradise. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 467 p.
B?nsch R., and F. Gosselck 1994. Untersuchungen zum Befall der Buhnen durch Teredo navalis Linnaeus 1758 (Molusca: Bivalvia) an der Ostseek?ste Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns. Gutachten im Auftrag des Staatlichen Amtes Rostock, S. 1-16
Coe W.R. 1941. Sexual phases in wood-boring mollusks. Biological Bulletin 81:168-176.
Cohen A.N. 2004. Invasions in the Sea. National Park Service ParkScience Magazine 22:37-41.
Cohen A.N., and J.T. Carlton. 1995. Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case study of the biological Invasions of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. A Report for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. and the National Sea Grant College Program, Connecticut Sea Grant.
Costello D.P., and C. Henley 1971. Methods for obtaining and handling marine eggs and embryos. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (Second Edition).
Did?iulis V. 2007. NOBANIS Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Teredo navalis In: Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. Available online.
Distel D.L., Beaudoin D., and W. Morrill. 2002. Coexistence of multiple proteobacterial endosymbionts in the gills of the wood-boring bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Applied Environmental Microbiology 68:6292-6299.
Distel D.L., DeLong, E.F., and J.B. Waterbury. 1991. Phylogenetic characterization and in situ localization of the bacterial symbiont of shipworms (Teredinidae: Bivalvia) by using 16S rRNA sequence analysis and oligodeoxynucleotide probe hybridization. Applied Environmental Microbiology 57:2376-2382.
Forbes E., and R.A.C. Godwin-Austen. 1959. The Natural History of the European Seas. 1977 reprint, Arno Press, NY. 306 p.
Gallager S.M., Turner, R.D., and C.J. Berg. 1981. Physiological aspects of wood consumption, growth, and reproduction in the shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus Quatrefages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 52:63-77.
Grave B.H. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Biological Bulletin 55:260-282.
Grave B.H. 1942. The sexual cycle of the shipworm, Teredo navalis. Biological Bulletin 82:438-445.
Lane C.E. 1959. Some aspects of the general biology of Teredo. pp. 137-144 in: Ray D.L. (Ed.) Marine Boring and Fouling Organisms. University of Washington Press, Seatle, WA. 534 p.
Mann R., and S.M. Gallager. 1985. Growth, morphometry and biochemical composition of the wood boring molluscs Teredo navalis L., Bankia gouldi (Bartsch), and Nototeredo knoxi (Bartsch) (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 85:229-251.
NIMPIS. 2002. Teredo navalis species summary. CSIRO National Introduced Marine Pest Information System (Hewitt C.L., Martin R.B., Sliwa C., McEnnulty, F.R., Murphy, N.E., Jones T. and S. Cooper Eds). Available online.
Popham J.D., and M.R. Dikson. 1973. Bacterial associations in the teredo Bankia australis (Lamellibranchia: Molusca). Marine Biology 19:338-340.
Reise K., Gollasch S., and W.J. Wolff. 1999. Introduced marine species of the North Sea coasts., Helgol?nder Meeresuntersuchungen 52:219-234.
Richards B.R., R.E. Hillman, and N.J. Maciolek. 1984. Shipworms, Pp. 201-225 in: Kennish M.J., and R.A. Lutz (Eds.). Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies - Ecology of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Springer-Verlag. New York. 396 p.
Rowley S.J., 2005. Teredo navalis. Great shipworm. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Available online.
Scheltema R.S., and R.V. Truitt. 1954. Ecological factors related to the distribution of Bankia gouldi Bartsch in Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Publication 100:1-31.
Tuente U., Piepenburg D., and M. Spindler. 2002. Occurrence and settlement of the common shipworm Teredo navalis (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Bremerhaven harbours, northern Germany. Helgoland Marine Research. Vol. 56:87-94.
Turner R.D. 1966. A survey and illustrated catalogue of the Teredinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge. 265 p.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce

Morphology

Physical Description

While T. navalis looks like a brown worm on the outside, it is actually a bivalve. Its head is covered with two white, tri-lobed shells used to bore into wood. The shells are up to 2 cm long and have concentric ridges. Inside the shell is a hook-like process called a styloid apophysis. The foot is also at the anterior end. At the posterior end are two siphons: incurrent and excurrent. The former is used for respiration and feeding while the latter is where waste and sperm or larvae exit. Paddle-like pallets act as a lid to cover the siphons when not in use. Naval shipworms are about 20 cm in length but can range from 1.5 to 58 cm. They are 1 cm in diameter. Calcareous coverings are secreted from their mantles that coat the burrows they make. Male and female adults cannot be distinguished externally.

Range length: 1.5 to 58 cm.

Average length: 20 cm.

Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: sexes alike

References:

Grave, B. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Biological Bulletin, 55 (4): 260-282.
NIMPIS, 2011. "Teredo navalis, general information" (On-line). National Introduced Marine Pest Information System. Accessed June 01, 2011 at http://adl.brs.gov.au/marinepests/index.cfm?fa=main.spDetailsDB&sp=60000....

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Size

The largest Teredo navalis individual recorded from the Baltic Sea was 30 cm in length, and individuals from tropical waters may reach 50 cm (Sordyl et al.1998). T. navalis digs approximately 1 cm wide burrows up to 0.6-1m long. (Lane 1959, Turner 1966, NIMPIS, 2002, Rowley 2005, Did?iulis 2007, ITIS 2007).T. navalis individuals typically live 1-3 years. (Sordyl et al. 1998).

References:

Carlton J.T., and M.H. Ruckelshaus. 1997. Nonindigenous marine invertebrates and algae. Pp 187-201 in: Simberloff D., Schmitz D.C., and T.C. Brown (eds). Strangers in Paradise. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 467 p.
B?nsch R., and F. Gosselck 1994. Untersuchungen zum Befall der Buhnen durch Teredo navalis Linnaeus 1758 (Molusca: Bivalvia) an der Ostseek?ste Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns. Gutachten im Auftrag des Staatlichen Amtes Rostock, S. 1-16
Coe W.R. 1941. Sexual phases in wood-boring mollusks. Biological Bulletin 81:168-176.
Cohen A.N. 2004. Invasions in the Sea. National Park Service ParkScience Magazine 22:37-41.
Cohen A.N., and J.T. Carlton. 1995. Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case study of the biological Invasions of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. A Report for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. and the National Sea Grant College Program, Connecticut Sea Grant.
Costello D.P., and C. Henley 1971. Methods for obtaining and handling marine eggs and embryos. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (Second Edition).
Did?iulis V. 2007. NOBANIS Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Teredo navalis In: Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. Available online.
Distel D.L., Beaudoin D., and W. Morrill. 2002. Coexistence of multiple proteobacterial endosymbionts in the gills of the wood-boring bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Applied Environmental Microbiology 68:6292-6299.
Distel D.L., DeLong, E.F., and J.B. Waterbury. 1991. Phylogenetic characterization and in situ localization of the bacterial symbiont of shipworms (Teredinidae: Bivalvia) by using 16S rRNA sequence analysis and oligodeoxynucleotide probe hybridization. Applied Environmental Microbiology 57:2376-2382.
Forbes E., and R.A.C. Godwin-Austen. 1959. The Natural History of the European Seas. 1977 reprint, Arno Press, NY. 306 p.
Gallager S.M., Turner, R.D., and C.J. Berg. 1981. Physiological aspects of wood consumption, growth, and reproduction in the shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus Quatrefages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 52:63-77.
Grave B.H. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Biological Bulletin 55:260-282.
Grave B.H. 1942. The sexual cycle of the shipworm, Teredo navalis. Biological Bulletin 82:438-445.
Lane C.E. 1959. Some aspects of the general biology of Teredo. pp. 137-144 in: Ray D.L. (Ed.) Marine Boring and Fouling Organisms. University of Washington Press, Seatle, WA. 534 p.
Mann R., and S.M. Gallager. 1985. Growth, morphometry and biochemical composition of the wood boring molluscs Teredo navalis L., Bankia gouldi (Bartsch), and Nototeredo knoxi (Bartsch) (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 85:229-251.
NIMPIS. 2002. Teredo navalis species summary. CSIRO National Introduced Marine Pest Information System (Hewitt C.L., Martin R.B., Sliwa C., McEnnulty, F.R., Murphy, N.E., Jones T. and S. Cooper Eds). Available online.
Popham J.D., and M.R. Dikson. 1973. Bacterial associations in the teredo Bankia australis (Lamellibranchia: Molusca). Marine Biology 19:338-340.
Reise K., Gollasch S., and W.J. Wolff. 1999. Introduced marine species of the North Sea coasts., Helgol?nder Meeresuntersuchungen 52:219-234.
Richards B.R., R.E. Hillman, and N.J. Maciolek. 1984. Shipworms, Pp. 201-225 in: Kennish M.J., and R.A. Lutz (Eds.). Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies - Ecology of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Springer-Verlag. New York. 396 p.
Rowley S.J., 2005. Teredo navalis. Great shipworm. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Available online.
Scheltema R.S., and R.V. Truitt. 1954. Ecological factors related to the distribution of Bankia gouldi Bartsch in Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Publication 100:1-31.
Tuente U., Piepenburg D., and M. Spindler. 2002. Occurrence and settlement of the common shipworm Teredo navalis (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Bremerhaven harbours, northern Germany. Helgoland Marine Research. Vol. 56:87-94.
Turner R.D. 1966. A survey and illustrated catalogue of the Teredinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge. 265 p.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce

Look Alikes

At least six other species of Teredo occur in the U.S. south Atlantic, including T. bartschi, T. fulleri and T. furcifera which have been recorded from the IRL region of Florida, and T. clappi that has been found on a ship's keel in Key West (SMS: http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Tspecies.htm, Carlton and Ruckelshaus 1997). A number of shipworms from two additional genera, Bankia (B. carinata, B. fimbriatula) and Lyrodus (L. bipartitus,L. medilobatus, L. massa) have also been recorded from Florida. All of these shipworm species are considered either cryptogenic or introduced (Carlton and Ruckelshaus 1997).Classification and identification of Teredo species is based on the shape of the siphonal pallets (see above). The paddle-like shape of these structures in T. navalis may be useful as a diagnostic key (NIMPIS 2002).

References:

Carlton J.T., and M.H. Ruckelshaus. 1997. Nonindigenous marine invertebrates and algae. Pp 187-201 in: Simberloff D., Schmitz D.C., and T.C. Brown (eds). Strangers in Paradise. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 467 p.
B?nsch R., and F. Gosselck 1994. Untersuchungen zum Befall der Buhnen durch Teredo navalis Linnaeus 1758 (Molusca: Bivalvia) an der Ostseek?ste Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns. Gutachten im Auftrag des Staatlichen Amtes Rostock, S. 1-16
Coe W.R. 1941. Sexual phases in wood-boring mollusks. Biological Bulletin 81:168-176.
Cohen A.N. 2004. Invasions in the Sea. National Park Service ParkScience Magazine 22:37-41.
Cohen A.N., and J.T. Carlton. 1995. Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case study of the biological Invasions of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. A Report for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. and the National Sea Grant College Program, Connecticut Sea Grant.
Costello D.P., and C. Henley 1971. Methods for obtaining and handling marine eggs and embryos. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (Second Edition).
Did?iulis V. 2007. NOBANIS Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Teredo navalis In: Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. Available online.
Distel D.L., Beaudoin D., and W. Morrill. 2002. Coexistence of multiple proteobacterial endosymbionts in the gills of the wood-boring bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Applied Environmental Microbiology 68:6292-6299.
Distel D.L., DeLong, E.F., and J.B. Waterbury. 1991. Phylogenetic characterization and in situ localization of the bacterial symbiont of shipworms (Teredinidae: Bivalvia) by using 16S rRNA sequence analysis and oligodeoxynucleotide probe hybridization. Applied Environmental Microbiology 57:2376-2382.
Forbes E., and R.A.C. Godwin-Austen. 1959. The Natural History of the European Seas. 1977 reprint, Arno Press, NY. 306 p.
Gallager S.M., Turner, R.D., and C.J. Berg. 1981. Physiological aspects of wood consumption, growth, and reproduction in the shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus Quatrefages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 52:63-77.
Grave B.H. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Biological Bulletin 55:260-282.
Grave B.H. 1942. The sexual cycle of the shipworm, Teredo navalis. Biological Bulletin 82:438-445.
Lane C.E. 1959. Some aspects of the general biology of Teredo. pp. 137-144 in: Ray D.L. (Ed.) Marine Boring and Fouling Organisms. University of Washington Press, Seatle, WA. 534 p.
Mann R., and S.M. Gallager. 1985. Growth, morphometry and biochemical composition of the wood boring molluscs Teredo navalis L., Bankia gouldi (Bartsch), and Nototeredo knoxi (Bartsch) (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 85:229-251.
NIMPIS. 2002. Teredo navalis species summary. CSIRO National Introduced Marine Pest Information System (Hewitt C.L., Martin R.B., Sliwa C., McEnnulty, F.R., Murphy, N.E., Jones T. and S. Cooper Eds). Available online.
Popham J.D., and M.R. Dikson. 1973. Bacterial associations in the teredo Bankia australis (Lamellibranchia: Molusca). Marine Biology 19:338-340.
Reise K., Gollasch S., and W.J. Wolff. 1999. Introduced marine species of the North Sea coasts., Helgol?nder Meeresuntersuchungen 52:219-234.
Richards B.R., R.E. Hillman, and N.J. Maciolek. 1984. Shipworms, Pp. 201-225 in: Kennish M.J., and R.A. Lutz (Eds.). Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies - Ecology of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Springer-Verlag. New York. 396 p.
Rowley S.J., 2005. Teredo navalis. Great shipworm. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Available online.
Scheltema R.S., and R.V. Truitt. 1954. Ecological factors related to the distribution of Bankia gouldi Bartsch in Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Publication 100:1-31.
Tuente U., Piepenburg D., and M. Spindler. 2002. Occurrence and settlement of the common shipworm Teredo navalis (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Bremerhaven harbours, northern Germany. Helgoland Marine Research. Vol. 56:87-94.
Turner R.D. 1966. A survey and illustrated catalogue of the Teredinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge. 265 p.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce

Habitat

Naval shipworms are marine and estuarine organisms inhabiting various submerged wooden substrates including floating wood, ships, or wharfs. Part of their larval stage is spent free-swimming in water. While they can tolerate low saline levels (up to 5 ppt), they flourish at levels greater than 9 ppt. Their optimal temperature range is 15 to 25 degrees Celsius and, as a result, T. navalis can be found in temperate and tropical zones.

Habitat Regions: temperate ; tropical

Aquatic Biomes: coastal ; brackish water

Other Habitat Features: estuarine

References:

Tuente, U., D. Piepenburg, M. Spindler. 2002. Occurence and settlement of the common shipworm Teredo navalis (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Bremerhaven harbours, northern Germany. Helgoland Marine Research, 56: 87-94.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Habitat

infralittoral of the Gulf and estuary

References:

North-West Atlantic Ocean species (NWARMS)

Source:

License:

Ocean Biogeographic Information System

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Depth range based on 6 specimens in 1 taxon.

Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 0 - 27.43

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 27.43

Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Source:

License:

Habitat

This wood boring bivalve is the most common and destructive ship worm. It is not easily recognizable as a bivalve mollusc, boring permanent tubes into wooden structures such as piers, boat hulls and drift wood.

Source:

Marine Life Information Network

License:

Rights Holder:

 The Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

Migration

Alien species

Although both its name and shape reminds us of a worm, the naval shipworm Teredo navalis is a bivalve mollusc. This species drills tunnels in wood and has dispersed all over the world seas, hitchhiking in the hulls of wooden ships and driftwood. Its early and universal spread makes it hard to determine where this species originally occurred. The naval shipworm has troubled sailors for centuries, because it affects the wood of ships.

References:

VLIZ Alien Species Consortium

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

WoRMS for SMEBD

Trophic Strategy

Food Habits

Naval shipworms primarily feed on wood. They are able to do so because of enzymes produced by the nitrogen-fixing bacteria within them. Teredo navalis use their shell to cut into the wood. The pieces are then transported into the mouth via cilia. Organisms from the water may also be taken up for food via the inhalant siphon. Free-swimming veligers feed on plankton.

Plant Foods: wood, bark, or stems; phytoplankton

Other Foods: microbes

Foraging Behavior: filter-feeding

Primary Diet: herbivore (Lignivore); planktivore

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Teredo navalis is primarily xylophagous, feeding directly on wood. Some authors suggest a limited degree of filter feeder on water column plankton as well, although Mann and Gallager (1985) report experimental results indicating non-significant growth enhancement in T. navalis when phytoplankton was provided in addition to wood.Genus Teredo is unique even among wood-boring bivalves in its ability to feed solely on wood (Gallager et al. 1981). It does so with the aid of symbiotic cellulolytic, nitrogen-fixing bacteria contained in specialised epithelial cells on the gills (Popham and Dikson 1973, Distel et al. 2002). T. navalis uses its sculpted shell to rasp wood particles that are moved via cilia to the mouth for ingestion. Water is obtained through the incurrent siphons and is used for feeding as well as respiration and excretion/egestion (Did?iulis 2007).

References:

Carlton J.T., and M.H. Ruckelshaus. 1997. Nonindigenous marine invertebrates and algae. Pp 187-201 in: Simberloff D., Schmitz D.C., and T.C. Brown (eds). Strangers in Paradise. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 467 p.
B?nsch R., and F. Gosselck 1994. Untersuchungen zum Befall der Buhnen durch Teredo navalis Linnaeus 1758 (Molusca: Bivalvia) an der Ostseek?ste Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns. Gutachten im Auftrag des Staatlichen Amtes Rostock, S. 1-16
Coe W.R. 1941. Sexual phases in wood-boring mollusks. Biological Bulletin 81:168-176.
Cohen A.N. 2004. Invasions in the Sea. National Park Service ParkScience Magazine 22:37-41.
Cohen A.N., and J.T. Carlton. 1995. Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case study of the biological Invasions of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. A Report for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. and the National Sea Grant College Program, Connecticut Sea Grant.
Costello D.P., and C. Henley 1971. Methods for obtaining and handling marine eggs and embryos. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (Second Edition).
Did?iulis V. 2007. NOBANIS Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Teredo navalis In: Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. Available online.
Distel D.L., Beaudoin D., and W. Morrill. 2002. Coexistence of multiple proteobacterial endosymbionts in the gills of the wood-boring bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Applied Environmental Microbiology 68:6292-6299.
Distel D.L., DeLong, E.F., and J.B. Waterbury. 1991. Phylogenetic characterization and in situ localization of the bacterial symbiont of shipworms (Teredinidae: Bivalvia) by using 16S rRNA sequence analysis and oligodeoxynucleotide probe hybridization. Applied Environmental Microbiology 57:2376-2382.
Forbes E., and R.A.C. Godwin-Austen. 1959. The Natural History of the European Seas. 1977 reprint, Arno Press, NY. 306 p.
Gallager S.M., Turner, R.D., and C.J. Berg. 1981. Physiological aspects of wood consumption, growth, and reproduction in the shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus Quatrefages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 52:63-77.
Grave B.H. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Biological Bulletin 55:260-282.
Grave B.H. 1942. The sexual cycle of the shipworm, Teredo navalis. Biological Bulletin 82:438-445.
Lane C.E. 1959. Some aspects of the general biology of Teredo. pp. 137-144 in: Ray D.L. (Ed.) Marine Boring and Fouling Organisms. University of Washington Press, Seatle, WA. 534 p.
Mann R., and S.M. Gallager. 1985. Growth, morphometry and biochemical composition of the wood boring molluscs Teredo navalis L., Bankia gouldi (Bartsch), and Nototeredo knoxi (Bartsch) (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 85:229-251.
NIMPIS. 2002. Teredo navalis species summary. CSIRO National Introduced Marine Pest Information System (Hewitt C.L., Martin R.B., Sliwa C., McEnnulty, F.R., Murphy, N.E., Jones T. and S. Cooper Eds). Available online.
Popham J.D., and M.R. Dikson. 1973. Bacterial associations in the teredo Bankia australis (Lamellibranchia: Molusca). Marine Biology 19:338-340.
Reise K., Gollasch S., and W.J. Wolff. 1999. Introduced marine species of the North Sea coasts., Helgol?nder Meeresuntersuchungen 52:219-234.
Richards B.R., R.E. Hillman, and N.J. Maciolek. 1984. Shipworms, Pp. 201-225 in: Kennish M.J., and R.A. Lutz (Eds.). Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies - Ecology of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Springer-Verlag. New York. 396 p.
Rowley S.J., 2005. Teredo navalis. Great shipworm. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Available online.
Scheltema R.S., and R.V. Truitt. 1954. Ecological factors related to the distribution of Bankia gouldi Bartsch in Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Publication 100:1-31.
Tuente U., Piepenburg D., and M. Spindler. 2002. Occurrence and settlement of the common shipworm Teredo navalis (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Bremerhaven harbours, northern Germany. Helgoland Marine Research. Vol. 56:87-94.
Turner R.D. 1966. A survey and illustrated catalogue of the Teredinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge. 265 p.

Source:

License:

BioImages - the Virtual Fieldguide (UK)

Rights Holder:

Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce

Associations

Plant / grows inside
animal of Teredo navalis grows inside dead, submerged wood of Trees

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

BioImages

Ecosystem Roles

Naval shipworms break down submerged wooden substrates. The holes they create in the wood can be used by crustaceans such as Idotea. Teredo navalis share a symbiotic relationship with the nitrogen-fixing bacteria within them that help the shipworms digest wood. Some protozoa are known to parasitize this species.

Ecosystem Impact: creates habitat; biodegradation

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Predation

The calcerous covering they secrete not only act as a lubricant but also deters predators or poisons in the water. In response to these conditions, thicker calcareous material is secreted at the anterior end in addition to the sides. Predators include bacteria and parasitic protozoa like Architophrya. Native Australians and snails also eat naval shipworms.

Known Predators:

Bacteria
Parasitic Protozoa
Architophrya
Marine snails
Humans, Homo sapiens

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Teredo navalis is likely to occur in association with other shipworm species within submerged timbers.Invasion History: Teredo navalis has been transported by ships for so many centuries that its historic native distribution cannot be known with certainty. Its center of endemism is believed to be European, however; there exists substantial evidence supporting the assertion that the species is correctly considered exotic and introduced on both coasts of the Americas (Ruiz et al. 2000, NIMPIS 2002).In 1839, T. navalis was first reported in Massachusetts Bay in the sheathing of foreign wooden vessels. A century later the species was abundant in samples taken fromm Nova Scotia to Massachusetts The species was first collected from Long Island Sound in 1869, again from the timbers of a sailing vessel. Within several decades the species was collected in abundance in test boards from all around New York Harbor (Brown 1953).This shipworm occurred at low densities around Chesapeake Bay as early as 1878. As recently as the mid 1950s, the species was reported as rare in Chesapeake Bay (Andrews 1956). Subsequently, T. navalis has been collected from North Carolina and southward to Florida, Texas, the Bahamas, and Puerto Rico (Brown 1953).On the U.S. west coast, introduction of T. navalis into San Francisco Bay in 1913 led to a serious invasion and substantial negative economic impact (Cohen 2004). Potential to Compete With Natives: Where Teredo navalis co-occurs with native shipworm species, some degree of resource competition is likely. Possible Economic Consequences of Invasion: Turner (1966) proposed Teredo navalis as likely the most widespread marine wood borer in the world. The historic negative economic impacts of T. navalis invasion may rival those of any other introduced marine species. It is the species believed responsible for a massive infestation of Dutch dikes in the 17th century. It was also described by a Dutch commission in 1731 as a "horrible plague" threatening to destroy the dikes protecting the lowlands of Holland (Cohen and Carlton 1995, Reise et al. 1999). The damage inflicted by the shipworms prompted replacement of wooden dikes with stone.Massive T. navalis infestation was also responsible for the destruction of an unknown number of wharves, piers, ferry slips and other wooden harbor structures at a rate of a major structure a week for a period of two years in San Francisco Bay from 1919-1921. Cohen (2004) notes that in current dollars this would have equated to between $2 billion and $20 billion in damage.In general T. navalis has a centuries-long history of causing damage to sailing vessels, piers, pilings, marinas, and any other submerged wooden structures. In 1946, shipworms were estimated to cause $55 million/year of damage to waterfront structures in U.S. (Scheltema and Truitt 1954).

References:

Carlton J.T., and M.H. Ruckelshaus. 1997. Nonindigenous marine invertebrates and algae. Pp 187-201 in: Simberloff D., Schmitz D.C., and T.C. Brown (eds). Strangers in Paradise. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 467 p.
B?nsch R., and F. Gosselck 1994. Untersuchungen zum Befall der Buhnen durch Teredo navalis Linnaeus 1758 (Molusca: Bivalvia) an der Ostseek?ste Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns. Gutachten im Auftrag des Staatlichen Amtes Rostock, S. 1-16
Coe W.R. 1941. Sexual phases in wood-boring mollusks. Biological Bulletin 81:168-176.
Cohen A.N. 2004. Invasions in the Sea. National Park Service ParkScience Magazine 22:37-41.
Cohen A.N., and J.T. Carlton. 1995. Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case study of the biological Invasions of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. A Report for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. and the National Sea Grant College Program, Connecticut Sea Grant.
Costello D.P., and C. Henley 1971. Methods for obtaining and handling marine eggs and embryos. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (Second Edition).
Did?iulis V. 2007. NOBANIS Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Teredo navalis In: Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. Available online.
Distel D.L., Beaudoin D., and W. Morrill. 2002. Coexistence of multiple proteobacterial endosymbionts in the gills of the wood-boring bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Applied Environmental Microbiology 68:6292-6299.
Distel D.L., DeLong, E.F., and J.B. Waterbury. 1991. Phylogenetic characterization and in situ localization of the bacterial symbiont of shipworms (Teredinidae: Bivalvia) by using 16S rRNA sequence analysis and oligodeoxynucleotide probe hybridization. Applied Environmental Microbiology 57:2376-2382.
Forbes E., and R.A.C. Godwin-Austen. 1959. The Natural History of the European Seas. 1977 reprint, Arno Press, NY. 306 p.
Gallager S.M., Turner, R.D., and C.J. Berg. 1981. Physiological aspects of wood consumption, growth, and reproduction in the shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus Quatrefages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 52:63-77.
Grave B.H. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Biological Bulletin 55:260-282.
Grave B.H. 1942. The sexual cycle of the shipworm, Teredo navalis. Biological Bulletin 82:438-445.
Lane C.E. 1959. Some aspects of the general biology of Teredo. pp. 137-144 in: Ray D.L. (Ed.) Marine Boring and Fouling Organisms. University of Washington Press, Seatle, WA. 534 p.
Mann R., and S.M. Gallager. 1985. Growth, morphometry and biochemical composition of the wood boring molluscs Teredo navalis L., Bankia gouldi (Bartsch), and Nototeredo knoxi (Bartsch) (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 85:229-251.
NIMPIS. 2002. Teredo navalis species summary. CSIRO National Introduced Marine Pest Information System (Hewitt C.L., Martin R.B., Sliwa C., McEnnulty, F.R., Murphy, N.E., Jones T. and S. Cooper Eds). Available online.
Popham J.D., and M.R. Dikson. 1973. Bacterial associations in the teredo Bankia australis (Lamellibranchia: Molusca). Marine Biology 19:338-340.
Reise K., Gollasch S., and W.J. Wolff. 1999. Introduced marine species of the North Sea coasts., Helgol?nder Meeresuntersuchungen 52:219-234.
Richards B.R., R.E. Hillman, and N.J. Maciolek. 1984. Shipworms, Pp. 201-225 in: Kennish M.J., and R.A. Lutz (Eds.). Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies - Ecology of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Springer-Verlag. New York. 396 p.
Rowley S.J., 2005. Teredo navalis. Great shipworm. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Available online.
Scheltema R.S., and R.V. Truitt. 1954. Ecological factors related to the distribution of Bankia gouldi Bartsch in Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Publication 100:1-31.
Tuente U., Piepenburg D., and M. Spindler. 2002. Occurrence and settlement of the common shipworm Teredo navalis (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Bremerhaven harbours, northern Germany. Helgoland Marine Research. Vol. 56:87-94.
Turner R.D. 1966. A survey and illustrated catalogue of the Teredinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge. 265 p.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce

Population Biology

Modernization of the world fleet away from wodden vessels and improvement in the chemical treatment of wood pilings and other submerged timbers has greatly lessened the available manmade substrata available for colonization by wood-boring marine invertebrates.Historical abundance of Teredo navalis in many harbors was so great that this animal was a key factor limiting the life expectancy of wooden ships. Forbes and Godwin-Austin, in their book, The Natural History of the European Seas (1859), note that T. navalis abundance in the Welsh harbor of Sebastopol was once so great as to cause the destruction of submerged ship timbers in just eight years on average.

References:

Carlton J.T., and M.H. Ruckelshaus. 1997. Nonindigenous marine invertebrates and algae. Pp 187-201 in: Simberloff D., Schmitz D.C., and T.C. Brown (eds). Strangers in Paradise. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 467 p.
B?nsch R., and F. Gosselck 1994. Untersuchungen zum Befall der Buhnen durch Teredo navalis Linnaeus 1758 (Molusca: Bivalvia) an der Ostseek?ste Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns. Gutachten im Auftrag des Staatlichen Amtes Rostock, S. 1-16
Coe W.R. 1941. Sexual phases in wood-boring mollusks. Biological Bulletin 81:168-176.
Cohen A.N. 2004. Invasions in the Sea. National Park Service ParkScience Magazine 22:37-41.
Cohen A.N., and J.T. Carlton. 1995. Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case study of the biological Invasions of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. A Report for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. and the National Sea Grant College Program, Connecticut Sea Grant.
Costello D.P., and C. Henley 1971. Methods for obtaining and handling marine eggs and embryos. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (Second Edition).
Did?iulis V. 2007. NOBANIS Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Teredo navalis In: Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. Available online.
Distel D.L., Beaudoin D., and W. Morrill. 2002. Coexistence of multiple proteobacterial endosymbionts in the gills of the wood-boring bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Applied Environmental Microbiology 68:6292-6299.
Distel D.L., DeLong, E.F., and J.B. Waterbury. 1991. Phylogenetic characterization and in situ localization of the bacterial symbiont of shipworms (Teredinidae: Bivalvia) by using 16S rRNA sequence analysis and oligodeoxynucleotide probe hybridization. Applied Environmental Microbiology 57:2376-2382.
Forbes E., and R.A.C. Godwin-Austen. 1959. The Natural History of the European Seas. 1977 reprint, Arno Press, NY. 306 p.
Gallager S.M., Turner, R.D., and C.J. Berg. 1981. Physiological aspects of wood consumption, growth, and reproduction in the shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus Quatrefages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 52:63-77.
Grave B.H. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Biological Bulletin 55:260-282.
Grave B.H. 1942. The sexual cycle of the shipworm, Teredo navalis. Biological Bulletin 82:438-445.
Lane C.E. 1959. Some aspects of the general biology of Teredo. pp. 137-144 in: Ray D.L. (Ed.) Marine Boring and Fouling Organisms. University of Washington Press, Seatle, WA. 534 p.
Mann R., and S.M. Gallager. 1985. Growth, morphometry and biochemical composition of the wood boring molluscs Teredo navalis L., Bankia gouldi (Bartsch), and Nototeredo knoxi (Bartsch) (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 85:229-251.
NIMPIS. 2002. Teredo navalis species summary. CSIRO National Introduced Marine Pest Information System (Hewitt C.L., Martin R.B., Sliwa C., McEnnulty, F.R., Murphy, N.E., Jones T. and S. Cooper Eds). Available online.
Popham J.D., and M.R. Dikson. 1973. Bacterial associations in the teredo Bankia australis (Lamellibranchia: Molusca). Marine Biology 19:338-340.
Reise K., Gollasch S., and W.J. Wolff. 1999. Introduced marine species of the North Sea coasts., Helgol?nder Meeresuntersuchungen 52:219-234.
Richards B.R., R.E. Hillman, and N.J. Maciolek. 1984. Shipworms, Pp. 201-225 in: Kennish M.J., and R.A. Lutz (Eds.). Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies - Ecology of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Springer-Verlag. New York. 396 p.
Rowley S.J., 2005. Teredo navalis. Great shipworm. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Available online.
Scheltema R.S., and R.V. Truitt. 1954. Ecological factors related to the distribution of Bankia gouldi Bartsch in Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Publication 100:1-31.
Tuente U., Piepenburg D., and M. Spindler. 2002. Occurrence and settlement of the common shipworm Teredo navalis (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Bremerhaven harbours, northern Germany. Helgoland Marine Research. Vol. 56:87-94.
Turner R.D. 1966. A survey and illustrated catalogue of the Teredinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge. 265 p.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce

Behavior

Communication and Perception

There is limited information on how T. navalis communicates.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Life Cycle

Development

Teredo navalis takes about five weeks to develop from eggs to metamorphosing larvae. They spend half of this time in the mother’s gill chamber until they are released into the water as free-swimming larvae. As the larvae develop, they transition from being small and white to large and dark gray. Fertilized eggs develop into cilia-covered larvae, referred to as trochophores. Over time, cilia are seen covering only the velum in larvae, now called veligers. The velum serves as an organ participating in movement and feeding. A shell appears about the same time in development as the velum and becomes bivalved after formation. Older veligers are released into the water. During this free-swimming stage, the siphons, gills, and foot develop. Once shipworms attach onto a wooden substrate, metamorphosis is observed.

Sexes alternate in T. navalis. Young are hermaphrodites while adults are either male or female. Usually, organisms are male first and then become female later. A second male to female phase may occur but shipworms normally do not live long enough for completion of the second phase.

Development - Life Cycle: metamorphosis

References:

Coe, W. 1943. Development of the primary gonads and differentiation of sexuality in Teredo navalis and other pelecypod mollusks. Biological Bulletin, 84: 178-186.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Life Expectancy

Lifespan/Longevity

The lifespan of shipworms is 1 to 3 years.

Average lifespan
Status: wild: 1-3 years.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Reproduction

While no direct information was found on the mating system of T. navalis, it can be inferred to be polygynandrous. Males release sperm into the water, which females pick up via the incurrent siphon. This occurs on multiple occasions, as females spawn 3 to 4 times per season.

Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)

Reproduction typically occurs in the summer months when temperatures reach 15 degrees Celsius. Females spawn 3 to 4 times per season, each time releasing 1 to 5 million larvae. Teredo navalis embryos spend the first 2 to 3 weeks in the mother’s gill chamber. They are then released into the water as free-swimming veligers. Released larvae are 88 by 75 microns with a depth of 55 to 57 microns. They reach sexual maturity 6 to 8 weeks after inhabiting wood.

As mentioned previously, shipworms alternate between sexes during their life. When larvae mature, half of their gonads become spermatocytes, the other half ovocytes. Usually, spermatocytes multiply faster and are released earlier.

Breeding interval: Shipworms spawn 3 to 4 times each season

Breeding season: Breeding season is usually in the summer

Range number of offspring: 1,000,000 to 5,000,000.

Range gestation period: 2 to 3 weeks.

Range time to independence: 2 to 3 weeks.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 6 to 8 weeks.

Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 6 to 8 weeks.

Key Reproductive Features: seasonal breeding ; simultaneous hermaphrodite; sequential hermaphrodite (Protandrous ); sexual ; fertilization (Internal ); broadcast (group) spawning; viviparous

Females carry offspring in gill chambers during early development. When larvae reach the advanced veliger stage, they are released into the water. There is no evidence that mothers assist veligers in finding wooden substrates to inhabit.

Parental Investment: female parental care ; pre-hatching/birth (Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Protecting: Female)

References:

2009. "Teredo navalis" (On-line). Accessed June 01, 2011 at http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt.
Coe, W. 1943. Development of the primary gonads and differentiation of sexuality in Teredo navalis and other pelecypod mollusks. Biological Bulletin, 84: 178-186.
Culliney, J. 1975. Comparative larval development of the shipworms Bankia gouldi and Teredo navalis. Marine Biology, 29: 245-251.
Grave, B. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Biological Bulletin, 55 (4): 260-282.
NIMPIS, 2011. "Teredo navalis, general information" (On-line). National Introduced Marine Pest Information System. Accessed June 01, 2011 at http://adl.brs.gov.au/marinepests/index.cfm?fa=main.spDetailsDB&sp=60000....

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Reproduction in Teredo navalis is sexual and individuals become reproductive as 6 weeks post-settlement. Spawning is temperature dependant, occurring from April-September in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, and slightly later (May-October) at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, once the water has warmed somewhat. Salinities of 12 ppt or greater may be required. Male gametes are released to the water column and subsequently taken in through the incurrent siphons of other individuals in which fertilization occurs internally within the epibranchial cavity (Grave 1928, 1942, Coe 1941, Lane 1959, Richards et al. 1984, NIMPIS 2002, Did?iulis 2007).Fecundity in this species is high with individual worms capable of brooding 1-5 million larvae (Grave 1928). Evidence of hermaphroditism has been recorded in young animals but the sexes appear to be separate as adults (NIMPIS, 2002).

References:

Carlton J.T., and M.H. Ruckelshaus. 1997. Nonindigenous marine invertebrates and algae. Pp 187-201 in: Simberloff D., Schmitz D.C., and T.C. Brown (eds). Strangers in Paradise. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 467 p.
B?nsch R., and F. Gosselck 1994. Untersuchungen zum Befall der Buhnen durch Teredo navalis Linnaeus 1758 (Molusca: Bivalvia) an der Ostseek?ste Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns. Gutachten im Auftrag des Staatlichen Amtes Rostock, S. 1-16
Coe W.R. 1941. Sexual phases in wood-boring mollusks. Biological Bulletin 81:168-176.
Cohen A.N. 2004. Invasions in the Sea. National Park Service ParkScience Magazine 22:37-41.
Cohen A.N., and J.T. Carlton. 1995. Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case study of the biological Invasions of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. A Report for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. and the National Sea Grant College Program, Connecticut Sea Grant.
Costello D.P., and C. Henley 1971. Methods for obtaining and handling marine eggs and embryos. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (Second Edition).
Did?iulis V. 2007. NOBANIS Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Teredo navalis In: Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. Available online.
Distel D.L., Beaudoin D., and W. Morrill. 2002. Coexistence of multiple proteobacterial endosymbionts in the gills of the wood-boring bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Applied Environmental Microbiology 68:6292-6299.
Distel D.L., DeLong, E.F., and J.B. Waterbury. 1991. Phylogenetic characterization and in situ localization of the bacterial symbiont of shipworms (Teredinidae: Bivalvia) by using 16S rRNA sequence analysis and oligodeoxynucleotide probe hybridization. Applied Environmental Microbiology 57:2376-2382.
Forbes E., and R.A.C. Godwin-Austen. 1959. The Natural History of the European Seas. 1977 reprint, Arno Press, NY. 306 p.
Gallager S.M., Turner, R.D., and C.J. Berg. 1981. Physiological aspects of wood consumption, growth, and reproduction in the shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus Quatrefages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 52:63-77.
Grave B.H. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Biological Bulletin 55:260-282.
Grave B.H. 1942. The sexual cycle of the shipworm, Teredo navalis. Biological Bulletin 82:438-445.
Lane C.E. 1959. Some aspects of the general biology of Teredo. pp. 137-144 in: Ray D.L. (Ed.) Marine Boring and Fouling Organisms. University of Washington Press, Seatle, WA. 534 p.
Mann R., and S.M. Gallager. 1985. Growth, morphometry and biochemical composition of the wood boring molluscs Teredo navalis L., Bankia gouldi (Bartsch), and Nototeredo knoxi (Bartsch) (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 85:229-251.
NIMPIS. 2002. Teredo navalis species summary. CSIRO National Introduced Marine Pest Information System (Hewitt C.L., Martin R.B., Sliwa C., McEnnulty, F.R., Murphy, N.E., Jones T. and S. Cooper Eds). Available online.
Popham J.D., and M.R. Dikson. 1973. Bacterial associations in the teredo Bankia australis (Lamellibranchia: Molusca). Marine Biology 19:338-340.
Reise K., Gollasch S., and W.J. Wolff. 1999. Introduced marine species of the North Sea coasts., Helgol?nder Meeresuntersuchungen 52:219-234.
Richards B.R., R.E. Hillman, and N.J. Maciolek. 1984. Shipworms, Pp. 201-225 in: Kennish M.J., and R.A. Lutz (Eds.). Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies - Ecology of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Springer-Verlag. New York. 396 p.
Rowley S.J., 2005. Teredo navalis. Great shipworm. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Available online.
Scheltema R.S., and R.V. Truitt. 1954. Ecological factors related to the distribution of Bankia gouldi Bartsch in Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Publication 100:1-31.
Tuente U., Piepenburg D., and M. Spindler. 2002. Occurrence and settlement of the common shipworm Teredo navalis (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Bremerhaven harbours, northern Germany. Helgoland Marine Research. Vol. 56:87-94.
Turner R.D. 1966. A survey and illustrated catalogue of the Teredinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge. 265 p.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce

Growth

Teredo navalis larvae are brooded within the gills until a velum and a straight-hinged shell have formed at which time they are released to the water column. Duration of the planktonic phase appears in debate, with various authors citing a period ranging from less than 4 days to as much as 2-4 weeks. While residing in the plankton the larva develop siphons, gills and a prominent foot (Costello and Henley 1971, NIMPIS 2002, Did?iulis 2007).At settlement, T. navalis individuals undergo a rapid metamorphosis during which the larval velum is shed and consumed (Lane 1959, Did?iulis 2007).

References:

Carlton J.T., and M.H. Ruckelshaus. 1997. Nonindigenous marine invertebrates and algae. Pp 187-201 in: Simberloff D., Schmitz D.C., and T.C. Brown (eds). Strangers in Paradise. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 467 p.
B?nsch R., and F. Gosselck 1994. Untersuchungen zum Befall der Buhnen durch Teredo navalis Linnaeus 1758 (Molusca: Bivalvia) an der Ostseek?ste Mecklenburg-Vorpommerns. Gutachten im Auftrag des Staatlichen Amtes Rostock, S. 1-16
Coe W.R. 1941. Sexual phases in wood-boring mollusks. Biological Bulletin 81:168-176.
Cohen A.N. 2004. Invasions in the Sea. National Park Service ParkScience Magazine 22:37-41.
Cohen A.N., and J.T. Carlton. 1995. Nonindigenous aquatic species in a United States estuary: a case study of the biological Invasions of the San Francisco Bay and Delta. A Report for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. and the National Sea Grant College Program, Connecticut Sea Grant.
Costello D.P., and C. Henley 1971. Methods for obtaining and handling marine eggs and embryos. Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA (Second Edition).
Did?iulis V. 2007. NOBANIS Invasive Alien Species Fact Sheet - Teredo navalis In: Online Database of the North European and Baltic Network on Invasive Alien Species. Available online.
Distel D.L., Beaudoin D., and W. Morrill. 2002. Coexistence of multiple proteobacterial endosymbionts in the gills of the wood-boring bivalve Lyrodus pedicellatus (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Applied Environmental Microbiology 68:6292-6299.
Distel D.L., DeLong, E.F., and J.B. Waterbury. 1991. Phylogenetic characterization and in situ localization of the bacterial symbiont of shipworms (Teredinidae: Bivalvia) by using 16S rRNA sequence analysis and oligodeoxynucleotide probe hybridization. Applied Environmental Microbiology 57:2376-2382.
Forbes E., and R.A.C. Godwin-Austen. 1959. The Natural History of the European Seas. 1977 reprint, Arno Press, NY. 306 p.
Gallager S.M., Turner, R.D., and C.J. Berg. 1981. Physiological aspects of wood consumption, growth, and reproduction in the shipworm Lyrodus pedicellatus Quatrefages. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 52:63-77.
Grave B.H. 1928. Natural history of shipworm, Teredo navalis, at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, Biological Bulletin 55:260-282.
Grave B.H. 1942. The sexual cycle of the shipworm, Teredo navalis. Biological Bulletin 82:438-445.
Lane C.E. 1959. Some aspects of the general biology of Teredo. pp. 137-144 in: Ray D.L. (Ed.) Marine Boring and Fouling Organisms. University of Washington Press, Seatle, WA. 534 p.
Mann R., and S.M. Gallager. 1985. Growth, morphometry and biochemical composition of the wood boring molluscs Teredo navalis L., Bankia gouldi (Bartsch), and Nototeredo knoxi (Bartsch) (Bivalvia: Teredinidae). Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 85:229-251.
NIMPIS. 2002. Teredo navalis species summary. CSIRO National Introduced Marine Pest Information System (Hewitt C.L., Martin R.B., Sliwa C., McEnnulty, F.R., Murphy, N.E., Jones T. and S. Cooper Eds). Available online.
Popham J.D., and M.R. Dikson. 1973. Bacterial associations in the teredo Bankia australis (Lamellibranchia: Molusca). Marine Biology 19:338-340.
Reise K., Gollasch S., and W.J. Wolff. 1999. Introduced marine species of the North Sea coasts., Helgol?nder Meeresuntersuchungen 52:219-234.
Richards B.R., R.E. Hillman, and N.J. Maciolek. 1984. Shipworms, Pp. 201-225 in: Kennish M.J., and R.A. Lutz (Eds.). Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies - Ecology of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Springer-Verlag. New York. 396 p.
Rowley S.J., 2005. Teredo navalis. Great shipworm. Marine Life Information Network: Biology and Sensitivity Key Information Sub-programme. Plymouth: Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Available online.
Scheltema R.S., and R.V. Truitt. 1954. Ecological factors related to the distribution of Bankia gouldi Bartsch in Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Publication 100:1-31.
Tuente U., Piepenburg D., and M. Spindler. 2002. Occurrence and settlement of the common shipworm Teredo navalis (Bivalvia: Teredinidae) in Bremerhaven harbours, northern Germany. Helgoland Marine Research. Vol. 56:87-94.
Turner R.D. 1966. A survey and illustrated catalogue of the Teredinidae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). The Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge. 265 p.

Source:

License:

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/

Rights Holder:

Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce

Molecular Biology

Genomic DNA is available from 2 specimens with morphological vouchers housed at British Antarctic Survey

Source:

Ocean Genome Resource

License:

Rights Holder:

Ocean Genome Legacy

Conservation Status

The conservation status of T. navalis has not been evaluated.

US Federal List: no special status

CITES: no special status

State of Michigan List: no special status

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Benefits

Economic Importance for Humans: Negative

Naval shipworms have many negative effects due to their wood boring activity. They have been noted to cause damage in ships and dikes. Weakening of dike gates, combined with a heavy storm, resulted in flooding of the Netherlands in 1731. Teredo navalis also eat away at piers and wharfs. In San Francisco Bay, they can cause 200 million dollars worth of damage yearly.

References:

USDA, 2006. "Submodule 7: The Price We Pay -- Economic Impacts" (On-line). National Invasive Species Information Center. Accessed June 06, 2011 at http://alic.arid.arizona.edu/invasive/sub7/p2.shtml.

Source:

License:

Rights Holder:

The Regents of the University of Michigan and its licensors

Economic Importance for Humans: Positive

There are not any mentioned effects of T. navalis that are positive to humans. They do serve as food for Australian natives.

Positive Impacts: food

Source:

License: