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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Dear Etienne</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>I have seen the invasive species list of Belgium and I do
think that the list is somewhat short. Although I do not have any idea how many
species and which species really do occur in Belgium, but there are some errors
made in that list. As a member of the Dutch version of invasive species forum,
I'm responsible for the invertebrate list of the invasive species in The
Netherland presented on <A
href="http://www.wew.nu\exoten">www.wew.nu\exoten</A>. While verifying the Dutch
list with the Belgian list there are some differences of which I mention some
below. Also the list of freshwater species of the higher plants must be
longer than this (5 species!). in The Netherland there are about 30 species
recorded.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<OL dir=ltr>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>the absence of Corbicula fluminalis strikes me. It has been introduced
in The Netherlands in 1988.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Dreissena polymorpha most likely originates from the Ponto-Caspian
area</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial><FONT
color=#0000ff size=2>Mytilopsis leucophaeta is a species that originates from
N-America or NW-Africa. The first European record is from 1835 from the
harbour of Antwerpen. The original distribution area is the Gulf of Mexico and
adjacent Atlantic Ocean.</FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Astacus leptodactylus originates form Eastern
Europe</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Chelicorophium curvispinum, Dikerogammarus villosus and D. hamobaphes
originate from the Ponto-Caspian area.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Dikerogammarus haemobaphes in Belgium seems unlikely, the nearest
record in western Europe seems to be some few records in Germany. Recent
claims from this species in the Nertherlands were all female or specimens with
an artefact.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Orchestia cavimana originate from southern Europe</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>the North-American Gammarus tigrinus is quit common in The Netherlands
since 1960. It seems likely that this species also occurs in
Belgium.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>the absence of both Hemimysis anomala and Limnomysis benedeni seems
peculiar. The last species is extremely common throughout The Netherlands
since it was introduced in 1997.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>the absence of Atyaephyra desmaresti (a meditterenean species). This
species has been collected in Belgium for the first time in
1886.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>the oligochaet Quistadrilus multisetosis also occurs in Belgium and
originates from North-America. This species had probably been introduced (at
least in The Netherland) around 1980.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>the mosquitoe Aedes albopictus also occurs in Belgium as an invasive
species from North-America or Asia. There is a record from 2003 from
Antwerpen. Although I understand this species is deliberately omitted from the
list, for it's a vector of a human disease.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>the beetle Stenopelmus rufinasus is a north-American species that has
been introduced in France at the beginning of the 20th century. Between
1915-1922 the beetle arrived in The Netherlands and is now extremely common on
and between Azolla.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>the fish Ctenopharyngidon idellus originates (Dutch specimens) from
china</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<LI>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2>Hypophthalmichthys molitrix originates from Russia or
China</FONT></SPAN></DIV></LI></OL>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Note that this is just a short list of Dutch species, and
that the origin or introduction year maybe different in Belgium. You may check
our list on <A
href="http://www.wew.nu\exoten">www.wew.nu\exoten</A>.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Best wishes</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Ton van Haaren</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Grontmij|AquaSense</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006><FONT face=Arial
size=2> </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=464205615-10012006> </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> BRANQUART Etienne
[mailto:E.Branquart@mrw.wallonie.be] <BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, January 10, 2006
4:47 PM<BR><B>To:</B> invasive-species@biodiversity.be<BR><B>Subject:</B>
[Invasive-species] New webpages for the Belgian Forum on Invasive
Species<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Dear all,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>New webpages of the Belgian Forum on Invasive
Species have been developed and are accessible from the following URL
:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><A
href="http://www.biodiversity.be/thematic-forums/invasive-alien-species">http://www.biodiversity.be/thematic-forums/invasive-alien-species</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>As you'll see, the list of invasive alien species
in Belgium has been updated, thanks to the contribution of numerous forum
members. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all of you who
contributed to this task by sending information on new invasive species in
Belgium. Species factsheets will be incorporated in the new website in
a few days, including additional species profiles on fishes, parakeets, etc. A
special thank to Dieter Anseeuw, Marie Pairon and Diederik Strubbe who prepared
background information for those new profiles.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Of course, new species and information can be added
to this reference list for Belgium. Please feel free to send new information on
the list or directly to my e-mail address.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>On those pages, new information is also avaiable on
international IAS resources (working groups, research networks, etc.), thematic
news and events, etc. Additional information on legislation and other
IAS-related issues will be also developed in the future. Any comment or
suggestion is very welcome.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Very best regards,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Etienne Branquart</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>==========================================================================<BR> <BR>Dr.
Etienne Branquart<BR>Belgian Biodiversity Platform (SPO)<BR> <BR>Ministere
de la Region wallonne<BR>Centre de Recherche de la Nature, des Forets et du Bois
(DGRNE)<BR>Avenue Marechal Juin, 23<BR>B-5030 Gembloux- Belgium<BR> <BR>Tel
: + 32 (0)81 620 420<BR>Fax : + 32 (0)81 620 436<BR>E-mail :
<A
href="mailto:E.Branquart@mrw.wallonie.be">E.Branquart@mrw.wallonie.be</A><BR>URL:
<A
href="http://www.biodiversity.be">http://www.biodiversity.be</A><BR> <BR>==========================================================================<BR> <BR>Ce
message n'engage aucunement la DGRNE et reste informel. Tout
courrier<BR>officiel doit toujours actuellement être confirmé par lettre et
revêtu de la<BR>signature d'un agent dûment
mandaté<BR>==========================================================================<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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