eupterote testacea is a moth in the eupterotidae family .

it was described by walker in 1855 .

it is found in india and burma .

the wingspan is 68-86 mm .

the wings are pale ochreous yellow , the forewings crossed by two antemedial and two medial , nearly straight indistinct dark lines .

there is a double postmedial similar line , the inner line well defined .

there is also a waved submarginal line and the basal and outer areas are irrorated with dark scales .

the hindwings have an antemedial line , a double postmedial line and a diffused submarginal curved line .

eupterote testacea

image of hairy caterpillar eupterote testacea image of hairy caterpillar eupterote testacea . image of hairy caterpillar eupterote testacea image of hairy caterpillar eupterote testacea image of hairy caterpillar eupterote testacea image of hairy caterpillar eupterote testacea image of hairy caterpillar eupterote testacea . image of hairy caterpillar eupterote testacea . image of hairy caterpillar eupterote testacea .
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caterpillar worm black and white striped walking on leaf ( eupterote testacea , hairy caterpillar ) select focus with shallow depth of field .
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gambusia is a large genus of fish in family poeciliidae ( order cyprinodontiformes ) .

gambusia contains over 40 species , most of which are principally found in freshwater habitats , though some species may also be found in brackish or saltwater habitats .

the type species is the cuban gambusia , g. punctata .

the greatest species richness is in mexico , texas , and the greater antilles , but species are also found elsewhere in eastern and southern united states , the bahamas , central america , and colombia .

gambusia species are often called topminnows or simply gambusias ; they are also known as mosquitofish , which , however , refers more specifically to two species , g. affinis and g. holbrooki .

these can be introduced into ponds to eat mosquito larvae .

as a consequence , they have been introduced widely outside their native range , and sometimes become invasive , threatening the local species .

they are very important in aquarium trade , desired for small size , ease of breeding , and charming gracefulness .

they are viviparous — they have live young .

nine species are listed as vulnerable in the iucn red list ; one , the widemouth gambusia , g. eurystoma , is critically endangered ; and two , the amistad gambusia , g. amistadensis , and the san marcos gambusia , g. georgei , are already extinct .

gambusia

many examples from north america demonstrate the negative effects of gambusia . due in large part to predation , gambusia have eliminated gila topminnow (
gambusia ( gambusia affinis ) are sometimes referred to as mosquito fish due to the mistaken yet unfortunately widespread belief that they can control mosquito populations .
fishbase . 2004 . species profile : gambusia affinis mosquito fish . available online .
) is also in great danger as gambusia are only just starting to invade and spread throughout the yaqui river system . gambusia have a major impact on some pupfish (
in here i have the mosquito - eating fish , the gambusia ,
snell says .
gambusia also competes with native fish for food and have been known to eat native fish eggs .
as previously noted , gambusia affinis and gambusia holbrooki are sufficiently similar in appearance and behavior to cause considerable taxonomic difficulties , and these may or may not be distinct species . in south florida , gambusia affinis co - occurs with the congeneric mangrove gambusia , g . rhizophorae . the latter species is not known from as far north as the irl however ( ray et al . 1986 ) .
recent reports of protozoa ( tabulated below ) of gambusia and / or other cyprinodontiformes are not numerous . factors limiting natural gambusia populations ( courtenay & meffe , 1989 ) may include undescribed endemic parasites .
male and female eastern gambusia , gambusia holbrooki . source : gunther schmida / http : / / www . guntherschmida . com . au . license : cc by attribution - noncommercial - sharealike 3 . 0
collier a . 1936 . the mechanism of internal fertilization in gambusia . copeia 1936 : 45 - 53 .
spp . ( cyprinodontiformes ) are piscivorous annuals , restricted to seasonal pools , in which they may be able to eliminate gambusia refuge populations . unmack ( unpub . data ) and others have observed that gambusia and larger galaxiids rarely coexist and galaxiids eagerly devour gambusia in aquaria . in small waterbodies diadromous galaxiids such as the common galaxiid (
interspecific competition for resources may extend to predation , by gambusia , of eggs and larvae of endemic fishes and amphibians . milton & arthington ( 1982 ) and courtenay & meffe ( 1989 ) listed reports that implicated gambusia in the decline of various native fishes . in australia , gambusia was suggested to be an imminent threat to red finned blue eye (
gambusia were first introduced into australia from north america as a biological control for mosquitoes ; however , this was unsuccessful .
rajasekharan pt and bn chowdaiah . 1972 . selective feeding behaviour of gambusia affinis . oecologia 11 : 79 - 81 .
a profile detailing the western mosquitofish ( gambusia affinis ) , information on housing , feeding and general care is detailed .
myers , g . s . 1967 . gambusia , the fish destroyer . australian zoology 13 ( 2 ) : 102 .
learn why gambusia affinis were originally introduced to new zealand and how this pest fish is now negatively impacting our freshwater ecosystems .
martin f . gomon & dianne j . bray , gambusia holbrooki in fishes of australia , accessed 10 jul 2018 , urltoken
invasive species specialist group ( issg ) . 2006 . ecology of gambusia affinis . global invasive species database . available online .
the eastern gambusia was introduced into australia in the 1920s . its reputation as a mosquito eater is responsible for one of its common names , mosquitofish . in australia , however the eastern gambusia appears no more effective at controlling mosquito populations than native fishes .
gambusia are aggressive and frequently attack native fish , nipping at their eyes and fins - endangered galaxiids and mudfish are especially vulnerable .
the barbour’s map turtle , the big blue springs cave crayfish , and the san felipe gambusia were also left off the list .
lake county officials are also deploying larvicides and sprays , as well as gambusia minnows , which eat mosquito larvae , scott said .
while attention has focused on ( the expansion of ) successful gambusia introductions , the factors responsible for unsuccessful introductions have been largely unreported , or inadequately investigated . gambusia communities at the margin of established or recently translocated populations may be subject to environmental stress , and prone to parasitism . as gambusia is an omnivorous , opportunistic cannibal , the transmission of parasites with either direct or indirect life cycles is possible .
dees , l . t . 1961 . the mosquitofish , gambusia affinis . fishery leaflet 525 ( sept ) : 1 - 6 .
since then , gambusia have continued to increase their range in many north island waterways due to natural spread and by further illegal introductions .
keep your ponds mosquito - free by adding some gambusia affinis — the mosquitofish — and throwing in a few mosquito donuts . 6 .
casterlin me and ww reynolds . 1977 . aspects of habitat selection in the mosquitofish gambusia affinis . hydrobiologia 55 : 125 - 127 .
medlen ab . 1951 . preliminary observations on the effects of temperature and light upon gambusia affinis . copeia 1951 : 148 - 152 .
welcome to the gambusia control homepage , dedicated to ongoing investigation of the effect of gambusia on native aquatic fauna , and exploration of potential means of control . this page will be of interest to scientists , aquarists , and environmentalists . while many of the examples here come from specific geographic regions like australia , new zealand , and north america most of the issues are common across the worldwide distribution of gambusia .
what made you want to look up gambusia ? please tell us where you read or heard it ( including the quote , if possible ) .
arthington & lloyd ( 1989 ) stated that
biological population control is well beyond present capabilities
. a decade later , the threat posed by gambusia to the aquatic biodiversity of australian and new zealand has not been ameliorated . further research into predation of native fishes may redefine the problem , and investigation of gambusia - specific parasitism may suggest a solution . proposals for gambusia control may benefit from knowledge that gambusia is unrelated to native fauna , omnivorous , an opportunist cannibal , and avoids fast - flowing waters . such schemes may further function as a model system for the eradication of naturalised
a single gambusia female produces several broods a year and around 50 offspring per brood , offspring which can reach sexual maturity in as little as three to four weeks . given such prolific reproductive behaviour , gambusia can quickly expand to outnumber native species and take over a waterway once they are introduced .
rauchenberger , m . 1989 . systematics and biogeography of the genus gambusia ( cyprinodontiformes : poeciliidae ) . american museum novitates 2951 : 1 - 74 .
the eastern gambusia can be recognised by its dorsally flattened head , small , upturned mouth , large eyes , rounded caudal fin and single dorsal fin .
eastern gambusia are live - bearers . the front rays of the male’s anal fin are modified to form a gonopodium which is used to internally fertilise eggs .
rees , d . m . 1934 . notes on mosquito fish in utah , gambusia affinis ( baird and girard ) . copeia 1945 ( 4 ) : 236 .
rees , d . m . 1945 . supplemental notes on mosquito fish in utah , gambusia affinis ( baird and girard ) . copeia 1945 ( 4 ) : 236 .
. , 1997 ) and tadpoles ( morgan & buttemer , 1997 ; webb & joss , 1997 ) . glover ( 1989 ) reported gambusia caused a decrease in desert goby (
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 ) .
spp . however , there are no reports suggesting that , outside its native range , gambusia is other than a minor constituent of the diet of piscivores . on the other hand , it would be interesting to trial the effect of certain exotic predators on gambusia ( after ascertaining that such introductions would have no impact on endemic fauna ) . some of the larger
) from almost it ' s entire range . populations only persist where gambusia are absent or in a few springs where other as yet unknown ecological characters allow them to coexist ( minckley
intentially released ( from se united states of america ) into australia to control mosquitoes , eastern gambusia are now widespread throughout much of mainland australia , and also occur in northern tasmania .
hurlbert , s . h . , j . zedler , and d . fairbanks . 1972 . ecosystem alteration by mosquitofish ( gambusia affinis ) predation . science 175 : 639 - 641 .
krumholz la . 1948 . reproduction in the western mosquitofish , gambusia affinis affinis ( baird & girard ) , and its use in mosquito control . ecological monographs 18 : 1 - 43 .
populations ( gamradt & kats , 1996 ) . much to diamond ' s amazement gambusia are freely given out to anyone who wants them in southern california . to directly quote diamond ( 1996 ) ;
blaustein , l . , and r . karban . 1990 . indirect effects of the mosquitofish gambusia affinis on the mosquito culex tarsalis . limnology and oceanography 35 ( 3 ) : 767 - 771 .
gambusia holbrooki girard 1859 , proc . acad . nat . sci . philad . 11 : 62 . type locality : palatka , florida , charleston , south carolina , u . s . a .
spp . ) populations . while no extinctions due to this have been recorded , coexisting populutions tend to be quite depressed in abundance . evidence collected in part by unmack ( unpub . data ) from ash meadows , nevada suggests that when gambusia are decreased in abundance by physical removal , significantly higher numbers of pupfish occur within a year . gambusia have also been demonstrated to cause extinction of california newt (
gambusia live in the shallow margins of slow flowing ponds , wetlands and streams , particularly around aquatic plants . they can tolerate poor water quality , high salinity levels and a wide range of water temperatures .
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 .
brown , c . j . d . , and a . c . fox . 1966 . mosquito fish ( gambusia affinis ) in a montana pond . copeia 1966 ( 3 ) : 614 - 616 .
lynch , j . d . 1988b . habitat utilization by an introduced fish , gambusia affinis , in nebraska ( actinopterygii : poeciliidae ) . transactions of the nebraska academy of sciences 16 : 63 - 67 .
pyke , g . h . 2008 . plague minnow or mosquitofish ? a review of the biology and impacts of introduced gambusia species . annual review of ecology , evolution , and systematics 39 : 171 - 191 .
britton rh and me . 1982 . size specific predation by herons and its effect on the sex - ratio of natural populations of the mosquito fish gambusia affinis baird and girard . oecologia 53 : 146 - 151 .
krumholz , l . a . 1948 . reproduction in the western mosquitofish , gambusia affinis affinis ( baird & girard ) , and its use in mosquito control . ecological monographs 18 ( 1 ) : 1 - 43 .
stearns , s . c . 1983 . a natural experiment in life - history evolution : field data on the introduction of mosquitofish ( gambusia affinis ) to hawaii . evolution 37 ( 3 ) : 607 - 617 .
eastern gambusia have been implicated in the decline of at least 9 fish species and more than 10 frog species in australia . they compete with native fishes for habitat and food , and are very aggressive towards other species .
while population densities in some portions of the irl may be limited by salinity , minckley et al . ( 1991 ) suggest that gambusia affinis may be
possibly the single most abundant freshwater fish in the world
.
gambusia affinis has been discovered to be one of several primarily freshwater fishes that serve as intermediate hosts of nematodes of genus falcaustra , adults of whom typically infest reptile or amphibian hosts ( moravec et al . 1995 ) .
baber mj and k . babbitt . 2004 . influence of habitat complexity on predator - prey interactions between the fish ( gambusia holbrooki ) and tadpoles of hyla squirella and gastrophryne carolinensis . copeia 2004 : 173 - 177 .
gambusia holbrooki has been ineffective in controlling mosquitos , and is now a widespread pest species . it is highly adaptable to changing environmental conditions , and persists in most aquatic habitats , except where cool temperatures affect the reproductive cycle .
the eastern gambusia is a major pest species in australia . introduced into australia in the 1920s based on its reputation as a mosquito predator , the species , however , is no more effective at eliminating mosquitos than native fishes .
by mark lund has two articles on gambusia on their effects on invertebrates in lake monger , a lake near perth in western australia . just click on the western australian wetlands and then the exotic fauna link to get to them .
galat , d . l . , and b . robertson . 1992 . response of endangered poeciliopsis occidentalis sonoriensis in the rio yaqui drainage , arizona , to introduced gambusia affinis . environmental biology of fishes 33 : 249 - 264 .
rehage , j . s . , and a . sih . 2004 . dispersal behavior , boldness , and the link to invasiveness : a comparison of four gambusia species . biological invasions 6 ( 3 ) : 379 - 391 .
wooten , m . c . , k . t . scribner , and m . h . smith . 1988 . genetic variability and systematics of gambusia in the southeastern united states . copeia 1988 ( 2 ) : 283 - 289 .
these example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word ' gambusia . ' views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of merriam - webster or its editors . send us feedback .
in summary , there is ample evidence that gambusia poses a threat to endemic species in parts of australia , new zealand , and north america . hence the need to develop a gambusia control strategy . complete eradication is unlikely to be attainable , and may not be desirable . some options concerning biological agents are considered below . other options , including alteration of water flow rate , netting , and application of piscicides have been trialed but are presently outside the scope of this discussion .
gambusia has a competitive advantage over endemic species in some habitats undergoing degradation ( particularly decreased flow rate , eutrophication , and floral succession ) . disregarding the better - understood factors limiting dispersal of gambusia , including predation , fast flow rate , cold water , and salinity ( schoenherr , 1981 ; arthington & lloyd , 1989 ; courtenay & meffe , 1989 ; congdon , 1994 ; nordlie & mirandi , 1996 ) , analysis of reports of unsuccessful introductions ( e . g . haq
) could be introduced at high densities to predate on gambusia , then after 2 - 4 years the galaxiids would die of old age and since they cannot reproduce in isolated ponds it leaves the waterbody exotic free to reestablish native organisms in .
, terapontidae ) populations inhabiting clayton bore in south australia . speculation that gambusia preyed on the eggs and larvae of rainbowfish ( melanotaeniidae ) in the wild ( arthington & lloyd , 1989 ; arthington , 1991 ) was confirmed over summer 1997 / 98 in a field study in the upper orara river , near karangi , new south wales ( ivantsoff & aarn , 1999 ) . in new zealand , barrier & hicks ( 1994 ) showed that although gambusia was harassed by the larger black mudfish (
lloyd , l . n . & tomasov , j . f . 1985 . taxonomic status of the mosquito fish , gambusia affinis ( poeciliidae ) , in australia . australian journal of marine and freshwater research 36 : 447 - 451 fig . 1
the characteristic net - like scale pattern and the poster origin of the dorsal fin relative to the anal fin are typically sufficient to distinguish gambusia from the co - occurring poeciliid , the sailfin molly , poecilia latipinna ( hoese and moore 1977 ) .
cech jj jr . , massingill mj , vondracek b and al . linden . 1985 . respiratory metabolism of mosquitofish , gambusia affinis : effects of temperature , dissolved oxygen , and sex difference . environmental biology of fishes 13 : 297 - 307 .
tight to the shoreline , especially in the shallows where water willow and other aquatic vegetation have gained a root - hold , a half - dozen or more species of small fish - gambusia , shiners and minnows - cluster nervously and for good reason .
benoît , h . p . , post , j . r . , and barbet , a . d . 2000 . recruitment dynamics and size structure in experimental populations of the mosquitofish , gambusia affinis . copeia 2000 ( 1 ) : 216 - 221 .
danielsen , t . l . 1968 . differential predation on culex pipiens and anopheles albimanus mosquito larvae by two species of fish ( gambusia affinis and cyprinodon nevadensis ) and the effects of simulated reeds on predation . phd dissertation , university of california , riverside .
the first shipment of gambusia from the gulf of mexico to new zealand was released into an auckland botanical gardens pond in the 1930s . little information about successive releases is available , but further transfers into northland , taranaki and wellington in the 1930s are documented .
ayres , r . m . , pettigrove , v . j . & hoffmann , a . a . 2013 . genetic structure and diversity of introduced eastern mosquitofish ( gambusia holbrooki ) in south - eastern australia . marine and freshwater research 63 : 1206–1214 .
hoy , j . b . , e . e . kaufmann , and a . g . o ' berg . 1972 . a large - scale field test of gambusia affinis and chlorpyrifos for mosquito control . mosquito news 32 ( 2 ) : 163 - 171 .
) may be one of the few means of mosquito control . these poeciliids are well - suited to stagnant waters , where they tend to remain stationary just below the water surface , using the relatively oxygen - rich interface layer . however , the effectiveness of gambusia as a mosquito control agent is unclear . gambusia may prefer to consume macro - invertebrates other than mosquito larvae ( particularly large instars ) . some of these macro - invertebrates consumed may include species which also prey on mosquito larvae . gambusia , not having the aestivation / embryonic diapause capability of some cyprinodontiformes , die out in seasonal ponds , requiring a restocking program . in any event , the larvae of many mosquito species develop in rain - filled tree hollows and peridomestic containers , such as coconut shells and discarded packaging , concealed from vertebrate predators .
baber and babbitt ( 2004 ) indicate gambusia ( ) are capable of effectively consuming tadpoles of two florida amphibians , significantly impacting prey density . in addition , g . affinis is capable of foraging effectively in densely vegetated areas that would likely provide cover from larger predatory fish .
macdonald , j . & z . tonkin . 2008 . a review of the impact of eastern gambusia on native fishes of the murray - darling basin . arthur rylah institute for environmental research , department of sustainability and environment , heidelberg , victoria . mdba publication no . 38 / 09
table 1 . states with nonindigenous occurrences , the earliest and latest observations in each state , and the tally and names of hucs with observations† . names and dates are hyperlinked to their relevant specimen records . the list of references for all nonindigenous occurrences of gambusia affinis are found here .
ayres , r . m . , pettigrove , v . j . & hoffmann , a . a . 2010 . low diversity and high levels of population genetic structuring in introduced eastern mosquitofish ( gambusia holbrooki ) in the greater melbourne area , australia . biological invasions 12 : 3727–3744 .
the eastern mosquitofish ( gambusia holbrooki ) is closely related to g . affinis , and has previously been classified as subspecies g . affinis . some authorities ( e . g . , itis ) still consider g . affinis and g . holbrooki to be subspecies of the same organism .
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 ) .
the name gambusia was introduced by the cuban zoologist felipe poey ( 1799 - 1891 ) in memorias sobre la historia natural de la isla de cuba , vol . 1 ( havana , 1851 ) , pp . 382 - 83 . poey states somewhat cryptically
el nombre debe su etimología á la palabra provincial cubana gambusino , que significa nada , con idea de chasco ó burla : así se dice pescar gambusinos cuando no se pesca nada .
(
the name owes it etymology to the provincial cuban word gambusino , which means nothing , in the context of a joke or jest : so one says ' to catch gambusinos ' when nothing is caught .
) though unstated , the implication is perhaps that the word gambusino is actually a local name for the fish gambusia punctata —otherwise , his coinage lacks evident motivation . note that while poey gives guajacón as the vernacular name for gambusia punctata , the corresponding name for his gambusia puncticulata is gambusito . gambusino is entered in several lexica of 19th - century cuban spanish with basically the same meaning as given by poey but no further etymological illumination ( perhaps earliest in esteban pichardo tapia , diccionario provincial de voces cubanos , 1836 ) .
in 1925 , this native of north and central america was intentionally introduced to australia to control mosquito populations . gambusia holbrooki is invasive on every continent except antarctica . the species is in almost plague proportions in parts of australia , and has had a significant impact on native fishes , invertebrates and frogs .
atlantic and gulf slope drainages from southern new jersey to mexico ; mississippi river basin from central indiana and illinois south to gulf . gambusia holbrooki is native to atlantic and gulf slope drainages as far west as southern alabama ; g . affinis occurs throughout rest of the range ( rauchenberger 1989 ; page and burr 1991 ) .
gambusia affinis occurs in a variety of freshwater and in protected brackish environments . it preferentially occupies vegetated habitats , including salt marsh and seagrass beds ( ray 1986 ) . it is benthic and non - migratory in habit and is most often encountered in standing or slow - flowing waters ( fishbase 2004 , iggs 2006 ) .
the virtues of the mosquito fish , gambusia affinis , have been extolled by many mosquito control organizations . however , the species can be a major pest when introduced outside their natural range . in addition to eating mosquito larvae they eat a variety of other insect larvae , zooplankton and aquatic plants . they are aggressive and have been known to feed on eggs , larvae , and juveniles of various native fishes and amphibians . because of these negative impacts , gambusia is a regulated species in washington state , and cannot be introduced without a fish stocking permit . under current wdfw policy , transfer / stocking permits may only be issued to organized mosquito control districts , the u . s . army corps of engineers , and city , county or state health departments , they may not be issued to private individuals . it is prohibited to stock gambusia in clallam , jefferson , kitsap , grays harbor , mason and thurston and portions of lewis county that drain into the chehalis river to protect the olympic mud minnow .
the mosquitofish , gambusia affinis , is a small , robust - bellied fish . the relatively large head is flattened on the upper surface , and the small mouth is superior ( upturned ) and protrusible . the eyes are large relative to the body . dorsal and caudal fins are rounded and no lateral line is visible ( iggs 2006 ) .
the livebearer family ( poecilidae ) is principally a freshwater family , and only mosquitofish and sailfin mollies invade marine habitats in the southeastern us . gambusia affini is euryhaline in habit , and is common in salt marshes and other low - salinity coastal habitats . it is generally found at lower salinities than the sailfin molly ( hoese and moore 1977 ) .
( cyprinodontiformes : poeciliidae ) are native to southern and eastern usa , but now ( following translocation ) have an extensive global distribution . where mosquito - borne diseases pose a threat to human health , and native fish are not suitable control agents ( such as urban areas in thailand and venezuela ) stocking water bodies with poeciliids ( such as gambusia and guppies
gambusia are small fish with a greenish silvery sheen . mature females grow to 6 cm and males to 3 . 5 cm . they mature at six weeks old and are short lived but breed rapidly and repeatedly enabling populations to build up to large numbers very quickly . females give birth to live young . consequently only one pregnant female is needed to start a new population .
please , any additional pertinent information we could add to the page , and / or indicate if you would like to be included in the gambusia control network ( at the end of the text ) . ultimately we would like this to become a valuable reference site for people to use in any way they can in their efforts to improve the realms of their favourite native aquatic critters .
one concern surrounding biological control of an exotic pest is the risk of further reduction of biodiversity , if the target species is eradicated . if gambusia has become integrated into localised habitats , eradication could initiate a perturbation placing further stress on extant aquatic fauna . this concern has been raised in conjunction with rabbit eradication strategies : it has been suggested that , as rabbit populations decline cats and foxes would eat more native fauna .
proposed biological control strategies for vertebrate pests require thorough preliminary evaluation of the risks posed to endemic and / or domesticated species . cyprinodontiformes is thought to have originated in the cretaceous period ( parenti , 1981 ) and is native to the new and old worlds , west of wallace ' s line . therefore , in designing a strategy for biological control of gambusia in australia and new zealand , disease agents specific to cyprinodontiformes could be considered .
eastern gambusia prefer warm , gently flowing or still waters , and are usually found amongst aquatic vegetation near the water ' s edge . they inhabit lakes , dams , marshes , billabongs , aqueducts and slow - flowing streams , and are extremely tolerant of a wide range of environmental conditions . they survive in water temperatures ranging from almost freezing to 38ºc , in water bodies with very low dissolved oxygen levels and in salinities ranging from freshwater to fully marine .
gill , h . s . , hambleton , s . j . , & d . l . morgan . 1999 . is the mosquitofish , gambusia holbrooki ( poeciliidae ) , a major threat to the native freshwater fishes of south - western australia ? proc . 5th indo - pac . fish conf . , noumea . seéret , b . & j . - y . sire . eds . paris : soc . fr . ichtyol : 393 - 403 .
gambusia holbrooki was introduced into new jersey ( fowler 1952 ) and into tennessee near knoxville and maybe to other locations as well ( starnes , personal communication ) . both species have been introduced into alabama ( boschung 1992 ) . shapovalov et al . ( 1981 ) indicated that both species were introduced into california , but swift et al . ( 1993 ) argued that g . holbrooki never has been taken in the state and probably never was stocked . there was even mention that a hybrid between the two species was released into california waters ( dill and cordone 1997 ) . in their recent tome on fishes introduced into california , dill and cordone ( 1997 ) related their strong suspicions that pure gambusia holbrooki had been introduced into that state . they based their conclusion , in part , on the importance and size of the mosquito control program in california , and the central role mosquitofish played in those attempts . however , dill and cordone did admit that there was no real proof that g . holbrooki became established in the state .
gambusia rhizophorae is distributed in the western atlantic from ft . lauderdale , florida into the gulf of mexico from northwestern cuba and the florida keys ( r . robertson pers . comm . 2013 ) . its estimated extent of occurrence ( eoo ) is 105 , 207 km² ( based on a minimum convex polygon drawn around the extent of its range on the mangrove layer ) . its estimated area of occupancy ( aoo ) is 280 km² ( calculated by clipping the distribution polygon to the mangrove layer by wcmc - usgs 2011 ) .
gambusia was reported to host at least 23 parasite species ( l . n . lloyd , cited in arthington & lloyd , 1989 ) . many metazoan parasites ( including nematodes and some cestodes ) are monoxenous ( specific for one host species ) , but apparently this is not the case in fish . diseases of fish are relatively poorly characterised , in comparison with diseases of humans and domesticated animals , and the causative agent ( s ) less - frequently identified . hence , the apparent polyxenicity of many fish pathogens ( including parasites ) .
nico , l . , fuller , p . , jacobs , g . , cannister , m . , larson , j . , fusaro , a . , makled , t . h . , and neilson , m . e . , 2018 , gambusia affinis ( baird and girard , 1853 ) : u . s . geological survey , nonindigenous aquatic species database , gainesville , fl , urltoken revision date : 1 / 25 / 2016 , peer review date : 4 / 1 / 2016 , access date : 7 / 9 / 2018
perlmutter & potter ( 1987 ) reported a retrovirus , associated with melanoma formation , in a poeciliid . however , there is evidence suggesting that some viruses have jumped species barriers ( including the canine parvovirus pandemic in 1977 / 78 , which may have evolved from the feline enteritis virus in laboratory - maintained cats ; the possible transfer of hiv - aids from primates to humans in the 1960s ; and the avian influenza concern of 1997 / 98 ) . considerable expertise , and investment , is usually required to ensure quarantine facilities function effectively . viral control of gambusia is not presently practical .
gambusias have traditionally been referred to as mosquitofish based on the assumption they are ideal for mosquito larvae control . while we prefer to retain gambusia in the title to this page ( since this allows for world wide understanding ) , we would like to suggest adoption of a more suitable name for these species outside their natural range , damnbusia . this is not an effort to damn this poor innocent fish , but to inform the masses that this species can be a major pest and in many cases more suitable alternatives exist for mosquito larvae control . hence we feel the name is far more educational and valuable than the misnomer of mosquitofish .
introducing mosquitofish also can precipitate algal blooms when the fish eat the zooplankton grazers ( hurlbert et al . 1972 ) , or in an increase in the number of mosquitoes if the fish eat the invertebrate predators ( hoy et al . 1972 , bence 1988 ) . introduced fishes , including mosquitofish , are likely at least partially responsible for the decline of the chiricahua leopard frog rana chiricahuensis in southeastern arizona ( rosen et al . 1995 ) . in california , gambusia affinis has been documented to prey heavily on california newt taricha torosa larvae ( gamradt and kats 1996 ) and pacific treefrog hyla regilla tadpoles ( goodsell and kats 1999 ) .
established in most states where stocked outside its native range . its establishment and spread in northern states is greatly restricted because the species are not , in general , cold tolerant . in most cases , overwintering in colder regions requires surfacing groundwater springs ( e . g . , woodling 1985 ; but see lynch 1988b ) . established in nebraska , although the populations suffer heavy ( up to 99 % ) winter mortality ( haynes 1983 ) . pflieger ( 1997 ) noted that gambusia affinis is more widespread and abundant in missouri now than it was half a century ago . for instance , pflieger indicated that , by the early 1980s , it had become established northward along the mississippi river to clark county , missouri , and westward near the missouri river to andrew county , a range expansion attributed to a combination of natural dispersal and undocumented introductions .
according to courtenay and meffe ( 1989 ) , mosquitofish have had the greatest ecological impact by far of any of the introduced poeciliids . although widely introduced as mosquito control agents , recent critical reviews of the world literature on mosquito control have not supported the view that gambusia are particularly effective in reducing mosquito populations or in reducing the incidence of mosquito - borne diseases ( courtenay and meffe 1989 ; arthington and lloyd 1989 ) . because of their aggressive and predatory behavior , mosquitofish may negatively affect populations of small fish through predation and competition ( myers 1967 ; courtenay and meffe 1989 ) , and benefit mosquitos by decreasing competitive pressure from zoooplantion and predation pressure from predatory invertebrates ( blaustein and karban 1990 ) . in some habitats , introduced mosquitofish reportedly displaced select native fish species regarded as better or more efficient mosquito control agents ( danielsen 1968 ; courtenay and meffe 1989 ) .
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, select family and click on ' identification by pictures ' to display all available pictures in fishbase for the family .
, select country and click on ' identification by pictures ' to display all available pictures in fishbase for the country .
, select ecosystem and click on ' identification by pictures ' to display all available pictures in fishbase for the ecosystem .
cfm script by eagbayani , 30 . 11 . 04 , , php script by cmilitante , 05 / 11 / 2010 , last modified by cmilitante , 14 / 03 / 2013
dengue fever , a tropical disease , buzzes back into u . s . : npr
dengue fever , a tropical disease , buzzes back into u . s . seven decades after public health officials thought they ' d eradicated dengue fever , the disease has once again become a scourge in florida . more than 90 cases have been reported there since 2009 . the stakes are high : the same mosquito that carries dengue is also a vector for yellow fever .
lawrence smart of miami - dade mosquito control looks for mosquito larvae in vehicle tires where water has collected , july 2010 . joe raedle / getty images hide caption
lawrence smart of miami - dade mosquito control looks for mosquito larvae in vehicle tires where water has collected , july 2010 .
tropical diseases like dengue fever sound as if they belong in faraway places . but in the past several years , some have begun showing up in the continental u . s .
now in key west , fla . , public health officials are combating a scourge they thought they ' d eradicated seven decades ago .
until recently , a locally contracted case of dengue fever had not been seen in florida since 1934 . that suddenly changed in 2009 , when doctors in key west began seeing it in people who had not traveled outside the area .
there were 27 cases that year . last year , 66 people in key west contracted dengue . arlo haskell was one of them .
i had it really bad for three or four days , with a fever of about 103 and the pain in the joints and the eyes ,
haskell says . because of the joint pain , it ' s sometimes called
break - bone fever .
typical dengue fever is a severe , flu - like illness ,
says mark whiteside , medical director at the monroe county health department in key west . while dengue is debilitating , he says it ' s rarely fatal .
it might last a week or two . you might wish you were dead , but almost everybody gets over it .
the carrier of dengue . . . is more widespread and abundant than ever before in history .
dengue is considered a serious public health threat in key west , hawaii , south texas and other florida counties where it has been reported . but compared with its resurgence in latin america , the outbreak in key west is relatively minor .
the growth in global trade and international travel helped bring dengue to the u . s . but whiteside says there ' s another important factor — the aedes aegypti mosquito .
the carrier of dengue , the vector of dengue — the aedes aegypti — is more widespread and abundant than ever before in history . that ' s obviously part of the reason we have dengue back ,
he says .
last year , health officials in key west conducted a campaign to educate the public about dengue and about the steps they should take to control mosquitoes around their homes : dump standing water , use screens and air conditioning , and wear mosquito repellent . so far , the results have not been encouraging . a survey conducted in january found that one 1 of 5 homes in the keys provided breeding spots for aedes aegypti .
but in key west , controlling mosquitoes is serious business — too important to be left to volunteers or part - timers .
john david snell inspects stagnant water at a foreclosed key west home for signs of aedes aegypti mosquito larvae . the mosquitoes , which transmit the dengue virus , have become more prevalent in the u . s . greg allen / npr hide caption
john david snell inspects stagnant water at a foreclosed key west home for signs of aedes aegypti mosquito larvae . the mosquitoes , which transmit the dengue virus , have become more prevalent in the u . s .
john david snell is an inspector with the local mosquito control district . he ' s one of 23 inspectors who spend every day going house to house throughout key west , looking for problem spots — unattended pools , open containers , anything that can capture rainwater and provide a place for mosquitoes to lay their eggs .
today he ' s working in the backyard of a home in key west ' s old town . in the water of a shallow pond , you can see the tiny — but clearly visible — quarter - inch - long larvae wriggling just under the surface .
dengue is caused by any one of four closely related viruses thought to have originated in monkeys in africa and southeast asia between 100 and 800 years ago . dengue fever did not become a widespread disease until world war ii , when aedes aegypti mosquitoes were inadvertently transported in cargo .
despite the resurgence of dengue in the u . s . , the problem is still relatively minor . there are an estimated 100 million cases worldwide each year .
a person becomes infected with dengue after being bitten by a mosquito that has already bitten someone with the virus .
the smaller instance of dengue in the u . s . is primarily a result of less frequent contact between people and infected mosquitoes .
there isn ' t a specific medication or vaccine for dengue , but the virus is rarely fatal .
snell ' s methods for combating the mosquitoes vary — he opens his cooler to show one of them .
snell gently pours the fish — and the brackish water they ' re in — into the pond .
in a pond this size , 20 fish will probably do the job . and , as long as the fish are happy in here , they ' ll reproduce ,
snell says .
and the population of the fish will get bigger . and , as long as there ' s water , we don ' t have to worry about mosquitoes in the pond .
snell ' s job is part mosquito - cop - on - the - beat and part detective . we walk to a nearby sushi restaurant that closed after a recent fire . just a day earlier , he said , he remembered the restaurant had a small koi pond inside that he realized he should check on .
and when i opened the door to the restaurant , there was just a swarm of mosquitoes that came out and inside the pond ,
he says .
they were breeding very heavily .
we push inside the burned - out restaurant . snell says he put larvicide tablets into the pond and fogged the area . the mosquitoes are gone for now . but this is one more location he ' ll need to check on in the months ahead .
the threat of dengue fever has made eliminating the aedes aegypti a top priority for the mosquito control district . but that ' s easier said than done .
andrea leal , an entomologist and the mosquito control district ' s deputy director , says aedes aegypti mosquitoes thrive around people and , in some ways , key west is an ideal environment for them .
a lot of places here in key west , they don ' t have screens . they leave doors wide open . so this particular mosquito , they can breed outside , in let ' s say a water - holding bucket ,
leal says .
and then once the adults come off , they ' ll move inside the home and feed on people inside the home .
the health department and the mosquito control district are stepping up efforts to get key west residents and businesses onboard their campaign to control the mosquitoes that carry dengue .
so far this year , there have been no cases reported in key west . but the rainy season — when mosquitoes peak — is just beginning .
duane gubler , one of the top experts on dengue fever and other tropical diseases , recently visited key west . gubler directs duke university ' s program in emerging infectious diseases in singapore .
in key west , he says , the stakes involve more than just dengue fever . the aedes aegypti mosquito is also a disease vector for other tropical diseases that are beginning to show resurgence — including yellow fever .
if we start seeing urban transmission of yellow fever in tropical america , it ' s going to move very quickly to the united states and to the asia - pacific region ,
gubler says .
and it will create a global public health emergency if that happens . so , i think the risk of yellow fever is very real .
gubler believes with enough work , it ' s possible not just to control the aedes aegypti mosquito but to eradicate it in key west . after all , he points out , it ' s an island just 4 miles long and 2 miles wide .
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the upper fish is the female , note the gonopodium ( a modified anal fin ) on the male . scalebar represents 1 cm .
many people ask what should we use for mosquito control if we can ' t use mosquitofish ? pretty much any fish will eat mosquito larvae . try finding a mosquito larvae in any body of water inhabited by fish . the best thing to use is a native fish found in your local area that is somewhat hardy and will reproduce in the environment that requires mosquito control . which species this is will totally depend upon where in the world you live , but most parts of the world have suitable species that probably already exist in your vicinity . and please stick to using fish from your local river basin , rather than the same or similar species brought in from outside your local river basin as significant differences often exist between populations from different river basins .
we both add additional content as needs and time allows . last major update was on 2nd november 1998 , but additional references and links get added regularly .
, gobiidae ) ( unmack & brumley , 1991 ; unmack , 1992 ; wager , 1994 , 1995 ; wager & unmack , in prep ) . they also negatively effect southern blue eye (
i phoned the los angeles county [ west vector control ] . . . district at 310 - 915 - 7370 . in answer to my questions , a staff member told me :
yes , they would give me mosquitofish ; no , there would be no cost to me ; no , i would not have to identify myself , fill out an application or explain what i intended to do with the fish ; no , the fish are harmless and present no dangers of which i should be aware ; yes , i could have 100 of them
.
biological control agents vary in pathogenicity towards , and / or specificity for , target hosts . pathogenicity can be altered ( enhanced or attenuated ) by selective passage in host or model systems , while specificity is usually not amenable to manipulation .
spp . frequently cultured from dead fish , appear to be non - host specific , and of enhanced pathogenicity to immune - compromised animals .
( ciliophora ) of fish , and many coccidia ( apicomplexa ) of fish ( dykova & lom , 1981 ; lom & dykova , 1995 ) . others coccidia are virtually monoxenous , such as some eimerian coccidia of domestic poultry , and fish . there does not appear to be any criteria to predict specificity .
. 1991 . ecological and genetic impacts of introduced and translocated freshwater fishes in australia . can . j . aquat . sci . , 48 ( suppl . 1 ) : 33 - 43 .
. 1989 . introduced poeciliids in australia and new zealand . pp . 333 - 348 , in : g . k . meffe & f . f . snelson ( eds . ) , ecology and evolution of livebearing fishes ( poeciliidae ) . prentice hall , new jersey , 453 pp .
1989 . small fishes in strange places : a review of introduced poeciliids . pp . 319 - 331 , in : g . k . meffe & f . f . snelson ( eds . ) , ecology and evolution of livebearing fishes ( poeciliidae ) . prentice hall , new jersey , 453 pp .
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( kner , 1865 ) in australia . mar . freshw . res . , 48 : 425 - 434 .
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in ornamental fish of the family cyprinodontidae . dis . aquat . org . , 21 : 239 - 242 .
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conservation and management of short - lived fishes : the cyprinodontoids . pp 247 - 282 , in : w . l . minckley & j . e . deacon ( eds . ) , battle against extinction : native fish management in the american west . university of arizona press , tucson , 517 pp .
salinity relationships in a freshwater population of eastern mosquitofish . j . fish biol . , 49 : 1226 - 1232 .
1981 . a phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of cyprinodontiform fish ( teleostei , atherinomorpha ) . bull . amer . mus . nat . hist . , 168 : 335 - 557 .
. 1981 . the role of competition in the replacement of native fishes by introduced species . pp . 173 - 203 , in : r . s . naiman & d . l . stolz ( eds . ) , fishes in north american deserts . wiley , new york , 243 pp .
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from rio de la silla near monterey , nuevo leon , mexico . rev . lat - amer . microbiol . , 33 : 265 - 269 .
1992 . further observations on the conservation status of the redfinned blue - eye . the bulletin , 12 : 8 - 9 . ( bulletin of the australian new guinea fishes association , australia ) .
) . fishes of sahul , 6 ( 4 ) : 282 - 284 . ( journal of the australian new guinea fishes association , australia ) .
1994 . the distribution and status of the red - finned blue eye . final report part b : the distribution of two endangered fish in queensland . endangered species unit project number 276 .
1995 . elizabeth springs goby and edgbaston goby : distribution and status . endangered species unit project number 417 . ( final report ) .
( atheriniformes : poeciliidae ) contribute to declining frog populations ? austr . zool . , 30 : 316 - 324 .
arthington , a . h . , p . j . kailola , d . j . woodland , & j . m . zalucki . 1999 . baseline environmental data relevant to an evaluation of quarantine risk potentially associated with the importation to australia of ornamental finfish . report to the australian quarantine and inspection service , department of agriculture , fisheries and forestry , canberra , act .
cabrera - guzmán , e . , díaz - paniagua , c . & gomez - mestre , i . 2017 . competitive and predatory interactions between invasive mosquitofish and native larval newts .
childs , m . r . 2006 . comparison of gila topminnow and western mosquitofish as biological control agents of mosquitoes .
dove , a . d . m . 2000 . richness patterns in the parasite communities of exotic poeciliid fishes .
duncan , d . k . & j . m . voeltz . 2004 . novel application of a novel tool : using a u . s . endangered species act safe harbor agreement to reduce the use of mosquitofish . page 70 in abstract of papers presented at the 13th international conference on aquatic invasive species , september 20 - 24 , 2004 , ennis , ireland . 283pp .
goodsell , j . a . & l . b . kats . 1999 . effect of introduced mosquitofish on pacific treefrogs and the role of alternative prey .
) as a predator of eggs , hatchlings and tadpoles of native and non - native anurans .