L’Anodonte chinoise Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Unionidae) : une espèce introduite qui colonise le bassin Rh ne-Méditerranée

The Chinese pond mussel, Sinanodonta woodiana (Lea, 1834) is a large freshwater mussel from East Asia. This species lives in ponds and slow flowing rivers and channels. It was introduced in many places on the planet, via the introduction of glochidium infested fishes, and colonized many catchment basins. Its ecological characteristics make it a competitive and invasive species. This paper first presents the original distribution of the Chinese pond mussel, its morphological characteristics and its ecology. Then it evaluates the situation of introductions and colonization in the world, in Europe and in France, in the Rh ne and other Mediterranean basins. A distribution map is proposed, gathering bibliography and unpublished data. At last, colonization hypotheses and ecological threats on ecosystems and native species are discussed.