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Species
Heterandria patruelis Baird & Girard, 1853
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
North and Central America: Mississippi River basin from central Indiana and Illinois in USA south to Gulf of Mexico and Gulf Slope drainages west to Mexico. One of the species with the widest range of introductions which acquired for itself a near pan-global distribution (Ref. 1739). Several countries report adverse ecological impact after introduction.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Rainer Froese, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3215 |
Habitat Type: Freshwater
Comments: Habitat includes river channels, margins, backwaters; springs, marshes, and artificial habitats of all kinds (Minckley et al. 1991). Often this species occurs in shallow, often stagnant, ponds and the shallow edges of lakes and streams where predatory fishes are largely absent and temperatures are high. It is most abundant in shallow water with thick vegetation (Hubbs 1971). It also occurs in brackish sloughs and coastal saltwater habitats (Tabb and Manning 1961, Odum 1971). This fish is more tolerant of pollution than are most other fishes (Lewis 1970, Kushlan 1974). It tolerates dissolved oxygen levels as low as 0.18 mg/L (Ahuja 1964) but cannot tolerate extreme cold; temperature apparently limits the range northward (Hubbs 1971). However, some populations are known to overwinter under ice in Indiana and Illinois (Krumholz 1944).
accomplished through the use of the male gonopodium. An early description of mating behavior is that of Collier (1936). The male faces forward and swings the gonopodium forward, initiating brief contact between the gonopodial tip and the oviductal opening and transferring sperm to the female.Viable sperm can be stored by females for several months, and the stored sperm in any female is likely derived from multiple matings with a variety of males (Medlen 1951).Male mosquitofish mature at approximately 1 month/21 mm SL, and females at 28 mm/6 weeks (McDowall 2000).
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Rights holder/Author | Text can be freely copied and altered, as long as original author and source are properly acknowledged. |
Source | http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Gambusia_affinis.htm |
Economic/Ecological Importance: Gambusia affinis is among the most widely introduced fish species worldwide, and a number of countries have reported negative environmental consequences in the wake of mosquitofish introduction (Fishbase 2004).Although effective as a mosquito control agent and widely introduced for this purpose, mosquitofish have been found to compete with or displace indigenous fish and to otherwise disrupt habitats. For example, McDowall (1990) reports that selective predation by mosquitofish can alter zooplankton, insect and crustacean communities.G. affinis has been nominated as among the 100 "World's Worst" invaders by the Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG 2006).
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Text can be freely copied and altered, as long as original author and source are properly acknowledged. |
Source | http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Gambusia_affinis.htm |
Chile Central
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Pablo Gutierrez, IABIN |
Source | No source database. |
benthopelagic; potamodromous; freshwater; brackish; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Rainer Froese, FishBase |
Source | http://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?id=3215 |
Females typically brood around 60 young, but large individuals may carry 300 or more (McDowall 2000).The gestation period has been experimentally determined to average around 24 days, a timeframe that is in close agreement with field observations of pond-raised animals (Krumholz 1948). Most fry in the experimental investigation had absorbed the maternal yolk before being liberated, but some broods contained animals that had not completely absorbed the yolk sacs.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Text can be freely copied and altered, as long as original author and source are properly acknowledged. |
Source | http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Gambusia_affinis.htm |
Stewardship Overview: The spread of mosquitofish outside its native range should be monitored and necessary steps taken to: (1) understand the competitive edge it has over native species, (2) limit its introduction or invasion into new locations, and (3) evaluate the possible benefit of eradication efforts in locations that can be rehabilitated for native fishes.
Species Impact: Outside their native range, mosquitofish play a role in decreasing populations of native fishes (Miller 1961, Myers 1965, Minckley and Deacon 1968). Due to the number of introductions and corresponding decreases in native fish populations, there can be no doubt of the destructive nature of such introductions. Myers (1965) wrote that almost everywhere introductions have been made, mosquitofish have gradually eliminated or reduced populations of small native fishes. For example, mosquitofish have been instrumental in eliminating native populations of Poeciliopsis occidentalis in the southwestern U.S. (Sublette et al. 1990); P. occidentalis may be effectively eliminated in 1-3 years (Meffe 1984). Evermann and Clark (1931) reported that mosquitofish in the Salton Sea, California, drove out Cyprinodon macularius less than 10 years after introduction to the state. The mechanism for many of these reductions is believed to be predation (Meffe 1985, Courtenay and Meffe 1989). Myers (1965) reported that mosquitofish have even reduced largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) populations due to predation on larvae. Another problem is caused when mosquitofish hybridize with other Gambusia species (Yardley and Hubbs 1976, Rutherford 1980). Intergradation then corrupts the genome of the native species.
Introduced mosquitofish also prey heavily on amphibian larvae (Goodsell and Kats 1999) and potentially negatively impact salamander and frog populations (Lawler et al. 1999).
Gambusia affinis is native to fresh/low-salinity waters of the eastern and southeastern US and Gulf of Mexico, from New Jersey to central Mexico (Hoese and Moore 1977). They may be found in fresh water as far inland as Illinois (Ray et al. 1986).Mosquitofish now also occur throughout much of the world as a result of intentional and non-intentional introductions beginning approximately 100 years ago. Intentional introductions have largely been for purposes of mosquito control, although G. affinis is not considered to be any more effective against mosquitoes than most native mosquito-eating species (ISSG 2006). Gambusia affinis is a common inhabitant of lower salinity portions of the lagoon and associated upland freshwater systems. Salt marshes, mosquito impoundments, and mesohaline seagrass beds are among the habitats utilized by this species.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Text can be freely copied and altered, as long as original author and source are properly acknowledged. |
Source | http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Gambusia_affinis.htm |
Depth range based on 40 specimens in 2 taxa.
Environmental ranges
Depth range (m): 0.05 - 2
Graphical representation
Depth range (m): 0.05 - 2
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
License | http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Ocean Biogeographic Information System |
Source | http://www.iobis.org/mapper/?taxon_id=445436 |