Plague Minnow or Mosquito Fish? A Review of the Biology and Impacts of Introduced Gambusia Species

Abstract

legendary ability to control mosquitoes, and diseases they carry, while others doubt this ability or argue that indigenous fish are equally or more effective. However, rigorous evidence to support these views remains scant, so the legend persists. Some know them as plague minnow because of negative impacts on many native animal species, and abundant evidence exists to support this view. Despite such polarized attitudes toward them, their high abundance and wide distribution, and a large scientific literature devoted to them, many important aspects of their biology remain poorly known.

Thermal acclimation of interactions: differential responses to temperature change alter predator–prey relationship

“…Evolutionary theory predicts that animals experiencing greater within-generation variability in temperature also have greater capacity for thermal acclimation [26]. In an evolutionary sense, mosquitofish may be expected to acclimate better than bass because the species experiences a much wider and more variable range of temperatures, including greater shortterm variation in shallower water [15]. However, even though thermal sensitivity curves differed, both species acclimated, so that evolutionary theory alone cannot explain thermal responses.…”

“…We chose Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata) as the predator and mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki ) as its prey, because the species are sympatric over some of their range, and predation by bass could curtail the spread of invasive mosquitofish. However, in contrast to M. novemaculeata, which are restricted to coastal drainages in temperate regions of eastern Australia, mosquitofish occur across a wide range of thermal conditions ranging from the tropics and hot springs to cool mountain habitats [15,16]. It may be expected, therefore, that the thermal performance range and capacity for acclimation differ between these species.…”

Population dynamics of the invasive fish, <i>Gambusia affinis</i>, in irrigation impoundments in the Sundays River Valley, Eastern Cape, South Africa

“…Although G. affinis is a relatively well-studied fish, its invasive characteristics and impacts on biodiversity are controversial, with research supporting conflicting perceptions that the species is either relatively benign or a significant threat to native species (Pyke, 2008). While humans have regarded G. affinis as beneficial because of their control of mosquitoes, G. affinis is considered likely to have deleterious impacts on the native fish, frogs and aquatic invertebrates with which they interact (Pyke and White, 2000).…”

“…While humans have regarded G. affinis as beneficial because of their control of mosquitoes, G. affinis is considered likely to have deleterious impacts on the native fish, frogs and aquatic invertebrates with which they interact (Pyke and White, 2000). Few quantitative studies, however, exist that describe the population dynamics of G. affinis in systems where it is introduced, or the direct impacts they have on native species in these habitats (Pyke, 2008). For example, reduced densities of G. affinis are often recorded during winter months relative to summer, although the reasons for this pattern are still not well understood (Pyke, 2005).…”

İstilacı Gambusia Türlerinin (Gambusia holbrooki ve G. affinis) Özellikleri, Türkiye’deki Durumları ve Oluşturdukları Ekolojik Riskler

“…Bunlara ek olarak; sivrisinek balıklarının beslenme tercihlerinin başında zooplanktonun gelmesi ve türün zaman zaman zooplankton üzerindeki predasyon baskısıyla fitoplanktonun aşırı çoğalmasına sebep olabilmesi de bir diğer olumsuz etki mekanizmasıdır (Pyke 2008).…”