Scientists at Nizhny Novgorod State University discovered a Mediterranean crustacean in the Nizhny Novgorod region.

      15 November 2025 16:29 ScienceScientists at N. I. Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University, together with colleagues from the Institute of Biology of the Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Syktyvkar) and the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg), have recorded the first appearance of the Mediterranean copepod Calanipeda aquaedulcis in the Nizhny Novgorod region, the university's press service reported.

      The unusual find was made in Lake Svyatoye near Dzerzhinsk. Previously, the range of this species did not extend north of the mouth of the Kama River at Kazan. Thus, the discovery of the crustacean in the region is evidence of a significant northward advance of the species beyond its usual habitat.

      The scientists also conducted a comparative analysis to establish possible pathways of the species' arrival in the region. For this, they studied a population of the crustacean from the Tsimlyansk Reservoir on the Don. The study of morphological traits and genetic markers revealed no differences between the Don and Nizhny Novgorod groups, indicating a common origin.

      Additionally, the specialists compared the Russian samples with data from the Bilbao estuary in Spain. For the CO1 gene, an 8.2% nucleotide divergence was recorded, which allows the Spanish population to be ruled out as a possible source of the crustacean's appearance in Russia.

      The published scientific article also considers potential pathways of species introduction and its prospects for spread. The authors emphasize that interregional cooperation among scientific groups makes it possible to study biological processes comprehensively and achieve results relevant to the international scientific community.

      Earlier, representatives of the region's leading universities talked about what is being invented at Nizhny Novgorod universities. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has a Telegram channel. Subscribe to stay informed of the main events, exclusive materials and timely information.Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is required. This resource may contain 18+ material.