Invertebrados exóticos nuevos o poco conocidos en la ciudad de Buenos Aires

Abstract

Exotic invertebrates in the city of Buenos Aires. First steps for the monitoring of potential biological invasions. Invasive species can cause several problems at the socio-economic level and for the biodiversity conservation. The early detection of naturalized species can be of vital importance for the planning of containment strategies of the invasion process. The flat worms (Tricladida, Geoplanoidea), land slugs (Mollusca, Limacidae), millipedes (Myriapoda, Diplopoda) and symphillids (Myriapoda, Symphylla) of the Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires it is little studied, and the addition of exotic species transported by human activities complicates the situation of little knowledge. In this work, we present new records of species of these groups that have become naturalized in the urban area of the city and its surroundings (Bipalium kewense, Austroplana sanguinea, Ambigolimax valentianus, Brachyiulus pusillus, Oxidus gracilis y Scutigerella immaculata). The invasive potential of each species was evaluated based on what was registered in other countries. Until the date there are no published records of terrestrial flat worms, symphillids, or millipedes for this area, for which the present work constitutes the first contribution on these groups. The aforementioned species damage agricultural and horticultural activities in different ways. A future task should be the quantification of the damage caused to establish its importance and the cost / benefit of its control or management.