Interspecific Aggression and Food Competition between the Global Invader Palaemon macrodactylus and the Native Palaemon elegans

The impact of invasive alien species on native communities can act at different levels both by affecting the ecosystem’s structure (i.e., mainly in case vegetation) and through direct interactions competition for food or space). Behavioral studies under controlled conditions provide relevant information potential invaders local species. In laboratory, resources between oriental shrimp Palaemon macrodactylus, Rathbun, 1902, Mediterranean elegans, Rathke, 1836, was analyzed. These are typical residents coastal transitional estuarine waters, so experiments were carried out using two salinity that characterize lagoon Venice. Although treatments tended to be more aggressive than one, significant differences observed a 30. particular, 30, P. macrodactylus spent time attending source results discussed light inter-specific within Venice lagoon.