the invasive mollusc species Corbicula fluminea was recorded for the first time
in R. Moldova and we have the reason to believe that the established population of Corbicula
fluminea in the sampling site Cislita-Prut was founded during the last few years. Such
invasions cause negative influences on native mussels because of the ability of Corbicula
fluminea to form large populations in a short time in the natural habitat not favorable for it. Probably the factors that contributed to the successful invasion are the appearance of a clone resistant to these conditions and the phenotypic diversity of this population. Population establishment is probably due to the repeated invasion by free floating larvae.