Mosquitofish
Mosquitofish | |
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Female | |
Male | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
Family: | Poeciliidae |
Genus: | Gambusia |
Species: | G. affinis
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Binomial name | |
Gambusia affinis (S. F. Baird & Girard, 1853)
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Synonyms[2] | |
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The western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) is a North American freshwater
Mosquitofish are small in comparison to many other
Mosquitofish were introduced directly into ecosystems in many parts of the world as a
Fertilization is internal; the male secretes
Description
Mosquitofish are small and of a dull grey coloring, with a large abdomen, and have rounded dorsal and caudal fins and an upturned mouth.
Naming and taxonomy
The mosquitofish is a member of the family Poeciliidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. The genus name Gambusia is derived from the Cuban Spanish term gambusino, meaning "useless".[15] The common name, mosquitofish, is derived from their use for biological control of mosquitoes, which itself was based on early observations that, in certain circumstances, they can reduce mosquito abundances. Classification of the western mosquitofish has been difficult due to their similarity to the eastern mosquitofish, and according to ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System), G. holbrooki (eastern mosquitofish) may be an invalid taxonomic name, and could be considered a subspecies of G. affinis.[3][16]
Diet
Mosquitofish are diet generalists, but they are considered "larvivorous" because they consume the larvae of mosquitoes and other aquatic insects.[17] Their diet consists of zooplankton, small insects and insect larvae, and detritus material. Mosquitofish feed on mosquito larvae at all stages of life, if mosquito larvae are available in the environment. Adult females can consume up to hundreds of mosquito larvae in one day.[3] Maximum consumption rate in a day by one mosquitofish has been observed to be from 42%–167% of its own body weight.[18] However, they can suffer mortality if fed only mosquito larvae, and survivors of this diet shows poor growth and maturation.[19] As generalists, mosquitofish have also shown cannibalistic behavior on the young of their own species.[20]
Habitat
The native range of the mosquitofish is from southern parts of Illinois and Indiana, throughout the Mississippi River and its tributary waters, to as far south as the Gulf Coast in the northeastern parts of Mexico.[21] They are found most abundantly in shallow water protected from larger fish.[11] Mosquitofish can survive relatively inhospitable environments, and are resilient to low oxygen concentrations, high salt concentrations (up to twice that of sea water), and temperatures up to 42 °C (108 °F) for short periods.[14] Because of their notable adaptability to harsh conditions and their global introduction into many habitats for mosquito control, they have been described as the most widespread freshwater fish in the world.[22] Some of their natural predators include the bass, catfish and bluegill.[23]
Global invasion history and environmental impact
Mosquitofish were intentionally introduced in many areas with large mosquito populations to decrease the population of mosquitoes by eating the mosquito larvae.[3] However, retrospectively, many introductions could be considered ill-advised; in most cases native fishes supplied control of mosquito populations, and introducing mosquitofish has been harmful to indigenous aquatic life.[22] Mosquitofish introduction outside of their native range can also be harmful to ecosystems.[24][25] Mosquitofish can consume or injure other small fish or otherwise harm them through competition.[18] The ecological impacts of mosquitofish are partly dictated by their sex ratio, which can vary dramatically across their introduced range.[26] Mosquitofish in Australia are considered noxious pests where they pose a threat to native fish and frog populations and little evidence indicates they have controlled mosquito populations or mosquito-borne diseases. They have been dubbed by scientists as "one of the most problematic animals on the planet".[27]
However, from the 1920s to the 1950s, mosquitofish were considered by some to be a significant factor in eradicating malaria in South America, southern Russia, and Ukraine. Mosquitofish bred by Joice Loch were distributed through Greece, Serbia and the Middle east.[28] On the coast of the Black Sea in Russia, the mosquitofish is commemorated for eradicating malaria by a monument in Sochi.[29]
Mosquitofish are still employed for biological control of mosquitoes in some places. In 2008, in some parts of California and in Clark County, Nevada, mosquitofish were bred in aquariums so people could stock stagnant pools of water with the mosquitofish to reduce the number of West Nile virus cases.[30]
Through species distribution models, it has been revealed that G. affinis exhibit significant niche expansions beyond their natural climatic ranges, with a notable shift towards tropical regions in Asia.[5] These findings highlight the ecological flexibility of these species, contributing to their extensive success and posing a substantial risk for further range expansion. Furthermore, it is assumed that the species will continue to spread in the course of climate change.[5]
Reproduction
Reproduction of the mosquitofish starts with the male arranging the
Embryology
Mosquitofish have a 16- to 28-day
Growth
After birth, newborn mosquitofish are about 8 to 9 mm (0.31 to 0.35 in) in length. As juveniles, they grow at a rate of about 0.2 mm (0.0079 in) per day, but growth is highly temperature-dependent. Growth rates of juvenile mosquitofish reach their peak when the water temperature is within a range of 24 to 30 °C (75 to 86 °F), depending on resource availability.[35] As temperatures rise above or dip below this range, growth rates decrease. Consistent temperatures at or above 35 °C (95 °F) are typically lethal, while growth stops when temperatures are at or below 10 °C (50 °F).[13] For male mosquitofish, sexual maturity is reached in about 43 to 62 days, but maturation age is also dependent on temperature and resources.[36] Female mosquitofish reach sexual maturity in about 21 to 28 days if born early within the reproductive season. The lifespan of a mosquitofish averages less than a year and the maximum is about 1.5 years. However, mosquitofish kept as pets can live much longer, with owners reporting lifespans of over three years. Male mosquitofish lifespans are considerably shorter than females.[13]
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Gambusia affinis" in FishBase. August 2019 version.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Masterson, J. "Gambusia affinis". Smithsonian Institution. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
- ^ Lund, Mark (16 November 2005). Mosquitofish: Friend or Foe? Edith Cowan University.
- ^ PMC 8717293.
- S2CID 239088797.
- ^ Alameda County Mosquito Abatement Program http://www.mosquitoes.org
- ^ Mosquitofish Archived 9 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Santa Clara County Vector Control District
- ^ Contra Costa County Mosquito and Vector Control District http://www.contracostamosquito.com/
- ^ "Mosquitofish introduced in ponds to tackle mosquito menace". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 23 February 2014 – via Business Standard.
- ^ a b c d Kuntz, Albert (1913). "Notes on the Habits, Morphology of the Reproductive Organs, and Embryology of the Viviparous Fish Gambusia affinis". Bulletin of the United States Bureau of Fisheries. 33. Department of Commerce: 181–190.
- ^ a b c Rajkumar, R (1987). "Trophic microvilli of the belated embryos of Gambusia affinis (Baird and Girard) (Atheriniformes: Poeciliidae)". Journal of the Inland Fisheries Society of India Barrackpore. 19 (1): 32–36.
- ^ a b c d e f Whiteside, Bobby; Bonner, Timothy; Thomas, Chad; Whiteside, Carolyn. "Gambusia affinis western mosquitofish". Texas State University. Archived from the original on 25 April 2012. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
- ^ a b "Gambusia affinis (fish)". Global Invasive Species Database. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
- ^ Wallus & Simon 1990, p. 175
- ^ "Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859". ITIS. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
- ^ Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (2003). Use of Fish For Mosquito Control (PDF). World Health Organization. p. 15. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ a b Nico, Leo; Fuller, Pam; Jacobs, Greg; Cannister, Matt (19 August 2009). "Gambusia affinis". USGS. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
- ^ Kitching, R.l., ed. The Ecology of Exotic Animals. Milton: John Wiley and Sons, 1986. 7-25.
- S2CID 84921196.
- JSTOR 1438757.
- ^ a b "Гамбузия". Great Soviet Encyclopedia (in Russian). Moscow.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Aquatic Invasive Species: Gambusia affinis (Mosquito fish)". Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- ^ Rupp, Henry (1995). "Adverse Assessments of Gambusia affinis". North American Native Fishes Association (NANFA). Retrieved 2 January 2012.
- PMID 26490793.
- ^ "Robot fish scare off invasive species in Australian waters, study finds". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 December 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
- ISBN 0-86806-691-5
- ^ Vinogradova 2000, p. 187
- ^ Russel, Sabin (12 July 2008). "Heat wave adds to West Nile danger". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco, California: SFGate. p. B–1. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
- ^ PMID 10617862.
- .
- .
- S2CID 37006846.
- .
- .
Bibliography
- Vinogradova, Elena Borisovna (2000). Culex pipiens pipiens mosquitoes: taxonomy, distribution, ecology, physiology, genetic, applied importance and control. Pensoft Publishers. ISBN 978-954-642-103-6. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
- Wallus, Robert; Simon, T.P. (1990). Reproductive Biology and Early Life History of Fishes in the Ohio River Drainage. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-0-8493-1921-1.
External links
- FishBase: Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2006). "Gambusia affinis" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
- ITIS: Gambusia affinis
- Using Mosquitofish to Control Mosquito Larvae at About.com
- Gambusia Control Homepage