Mosquitofish Research Articles

The alteration in the neuromasts of the system of the lateral line of a freshwater fish “Gambusia affinis” by various xenobiotics

The alteration in the neuromasts of the system of the lateral line of a freshwater fish “Gambusia affinis” by various xenobiotics

メダカ Oryzias latipes における雄の鰭の損傷による産卵数および受精率の低下:―外来種カダヤシ Gambusia affinis が与える繁殖への潜在的影響―

メダカ Oryzias latipes における雄の鰭の損傷による産卵数および受精率の低下:―外来種カダヤシ Gambusia affinis が与える繁殖への潜在的影響―

Experimental infection of Betanodavirus in freshwater fish Gambusia affinis (Baird and Girard, 1853)—a potential infection model for viral encephalopathy and retinopathy

Betanodaviruses are the causative agents of the disease known as viral nervous necrosis (VNN) or viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER) in a variety of marine and freshwater fish species. The aim of this study was to demonstrate experimental infection of an isolate of betanodavirus (RGNNV genotype) in freshwater fish, Gambusia affinis, for elucidation of transmission mechanism and potential use as a laboratory model. Morbidity and mortality rate was significantly higher by injection route of infection as compared to immersion by bath and resembled the natural infection of juvenile marine fish. The fish in disease affected group showed severe neurological disorders accompanied by extensive vacuolar degeneration and mild to moderate neuronal necrosis of the brain in comparison to control. Amplification of ~ 427 bp product in the variable region of the coat protein gene of betanodavirus was achieved by RT-PCR with 100% sequence homology to RGNNV genotype.

Life-history traits of the invasive mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis Baird and Girard, 1853) in the central Yangtze River, China

Life-history traits of the invasive mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis Baird and Girard, 1853) in the central Yangtze River, China

A field and laboratory study of the responses of cytoprotection and osmoregulation to salinity stress in mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis).

The mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) naturally inhabits freshwater (FW; 1-3‰) and seawater (SW; 28-33‰) ponds in constructed wetland. To explore the physiological status and molecular mechanisms for salinity adaptation of the mosquitofish, cytoprotective responses and osmoregulation were examined. In the field study, activation of protein quality control (PQC) mechanism through upregulation of the abundance of heat shock protein (HSP) 90 and 70 and ubiquitin-conjugated proteins was found in the mosquitofish gills from SW pond compared to the individuals of FW pond. The levels of aggregated proteins in mosquitofish gills had no significant difference between FW and SW ponds. Furthermore, the osmoregulatory responses revealed that the body fluid osmolality and muscle water contents of the mosquitofish from two ponds were maintained within a physiological range while branchial Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) expression was higher in the individuals from SW than FW ponds. Subsequently, to further clarify whether the cellular stress responses and osmoregulation were mainly induced by hypertonicity, a laboratory salinity acclimation experiment was conducted. The results from the laboratory experiment were similar to the field study. Branchial PQC as well as NKA responses were induced by SW acclimation compared to FW-acclimated individuals. Taken together, induction of gill PQC and NKA responses implied that SW represents an osmotic stress for mosquitofish. Activation of PQC was suggested to provide an osmoprotection to prevent the accumulation of aggregated proteins. Moreover, an increase in branchial NKA responses for osmoregulatory adjustment was required for the physiological homeostasis of body fluid osmolality and muscle water content.

Gradual Acclimation of Inland Gambusia affinis To Increased Salinity

Abstract Previous studies have shown the mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) to be euryhaline, but it is not known whether inland freshwater populations show this attribute, and no studies have examined whether sexes or sizes respond differently to increasingly salty environments. Allowing fishes to gradually acclimate to increasing salinity, I found no effects of sex or size, that most mosquitofish from an inland population can tolerate salinities equal to seawater, and that most individuals can survive much saltier conditions. Tolerance to salinity may be a residual attribute of ancestors that dispersed through marine environments from Central America.

Diclofenac exposure alter the expression of PXR and its downstream target genes in mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis)

As one of widely used drugs, Diclofenac (DCF) recently has been universally detected in aquatic environment and some negative effects derived from DCF exposure to mammals have been also reported. However, studies about its potential deleterious effects on non-target organisms like fish still require more investigation. In this study an ubiquitous small freshwater invader species in Southern of China, mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis), was employed as test organism. We firstly cloned the crucial partial sequences of nucleus transcriptional factor related genes pregnane X receptor (PXR) and its downstream genes, including P-glycoprotein (P-gp), cytochrome 3A (CYP3A), multidrug resistance protein 2 (MRP2), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and thioredoxin reductase (TXR) in mosquito fish. The phylogenetic trees of PXR, CYP3A and MRP2 were constructed based on their deduced amino acids sequences, respectively. Phylogenetic trees and blast results showed a high similarity between G. affinis and other killifish species, such as Xiphophorus maculatus. The transcriptional expression of these genes mentioned above and partly related enzymes/proteins activities were then measured under the exposure of environmentally relevant concentrations of DCF (from 0.5μgL−1 to 500μgL−1) for 24h and 168h. Results showed that the mRNA expression of PXR, CYP3A, P-gp and TXR showed dramatic induction under DCF exposure, exhibiting an obvious time-effect relationship with the extend of exposure time. In terms of enzyme activity and protein content, no dramatic changes as in transcription were observed. Western blotting showed PXR protein increased at 24h but decreased at 168h with the increasing of DCF concentration, displaying a dose-effect relationship to some extent. GPX activity was continuously induced both at 24h and 168h, exhibiting a good consistency with the performance of GPX gene. GSSH/T-GSH increased in all treatments. Overall, DCF had traceable effects on the expression of PXR and its downstream target genes in mosquito fish.

Sex-specific cognitive-behavioural profiles emerging from individual variation in numerosity discrimination in Gambusia affinis.

The relationship between an individual's cognitive abilities and other behavioural attributes is complex, yet critical to understanding how individual differences in cognition arise. Here we use western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, to investigate the relationship between individual associative learning performance in numerical discrimination tests and independent measures of activity, exploration, anxiety and sociability. We found extensive and highly repeatable inter-individual variation in learning performance (r=0.89; ICC=0.89). Males and females exhibited similar learning performance, yet differed in sociability, activity and their relationship between learning and anxiety/exploration tendencies. Sex-specific multivariate behaviour scores successfully predicted variation in individual learning performance, whereas combined sex analyses did not. Female multivariate behaviour scores significantly predict learning performance across females (ρ=0.80, p=0.005) with high-performing female learners differentiated from female non-learners and low-performing learners by significant contributions of activity and sociability measures. Meanwhile, males of different learning performance levels (high-, low- and non-learners) were distinguished from each other by unique behavioural loadings of sociability, activity and anxiety/exploration scores, respectively. Our data suggest that despite convergence on learning performance, the sexes diverge in cognitive-behavioural relationships that are likely products of different sexual selection pressures.

Non-random dispersal mediates invader impacts on the invertebrate community.

Dispersers are often not a random draw from a population, dispersal propensity being conditional on individual phenotypic traits and local contexts. This non-randomness consequently results in phenotypic differences between dispersers and non-dispersers and, in the context of biological invasions, in an invasion front made of individuals with a biased phenotype. This bias of phenotypes at the front may subsequently modulate the strength of ecological effects of an invasive species on invaded communities. We recently demonstrated that more asocial mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), one of the 100 worst invasive species, disperse further, suggesting a sociability-biased invasion front. As behavioural types are related to the strength of interspecific interactions, an invasion by a biased subset of individuals should have important ecological implications for native communities. Here, we tested the impact of phenotypic biases in dispersing individuals (relative to non-dispersers) on prey communities in experimental mesocosms. We show that dispersers reduce prey abundance more than do non-dispersers during the first 4weeks after introduction, and that the disperser's social types are likely drivers of these differences. These differences in prey communities disappeared after 8weeks suggesting prey community resilience against predation in these mesocosm ecosystems. Consequently, we call for the integration of non-random dispersal, dispersal syndromes and more generally intraspecific variation into studies predicting the impacts of invasions.

Invasiveness screening of non‐native fishes for the middle reach of the Yarlung Zangbo River, Tibetan Plateau, China

AbstractThe aim of this study was to identify potentially invasive non‐native freshwater fishes in the middle reach of the Yarlung Zangbo River, Tibetan Plateau (China), using the Aquatic Species Invasiveness Screening Kit (AS‐ISK), as decision‐support tool. Based on independent evaluations of 24 non‐native freshwater fishes, receiver operating curve analysis identified a threshold score of ≥29 for distinguishing species likely to pose a high risk of becoming invasive from species likely to pose low‐to‐medium risk (<29) in the risk assessment area. Nine species were categorized as “high risk”: goldfish Carassius auratus, topmouth gudgeon Pseudorasbora parva, brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis, Oriental weatherfish (a.k.a. dojo gudgeon) Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, Siberian taimen Hucho taimen, common carp Cyprinus carpio, peled Coregonus peled, western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis, and Chinese rice fish Oryzias sinensis. The three lowest scoring species were Arctic cisco Coregonus autumnalis, Wuchang bream Megalobrama amblycephala, and Chinese ice fish Neosalanx taihuensis, which are unlikely to be invasive because they are unable to complete their life cycle in the risk assessment area. Climate change assessments scores increased or remained the same for warm‐water species and decreased for coldwater species. This study was the first application of AS‐ISK in western China, and the results suggest that AS‐ISK is a useful and valid tool for identifying potentially invasive risk aquatic species in China.

Physiological responses and gene expression changes in the western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) exposed to progesterone at environmentally relevant concentrations

Progesterone (P4) is a natural and synthetic steroid, widely distributed in the aquatic environments. It can lead to adverse effects on the endocrine system in aquatic organisms. This study investigated the toxicological effects of exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (4, 44, and 410ng/L) of progesterone for 42 d on adult female mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis. We performed morphological and histological analyses on gonads, anal fins, liver, and gills after the exposure of mosquito fish to P4. The expression levels of genes (vtg, er, and ar isoforms) related to fish reproduction and detoxification (cyp1a) in the liver were quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that the progesterone exposure induced slight masculinization in female mosquitofish, influenced the oocyte maturation as revealed by histology of the ovaries, and caused severe damages to the liver and gills of adult female mosquitofish. It also suppressed the mRNAs expression of vtg, er, cyp1a, and significantly enhanced the expression of ar mRNA in the liver. This study reveals the molecular and physiological effects of progesterone at environmentally relevant concentrations, which might further be translated to alterations in the reproduction of mosquitofish.

Masculinization and reproductive effects in western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) after long-term exposure to androstenedione

Androstenedione (AED) is a naturally occurring steroid hormone. It is metabolized to potent androgens, which may induce androgenic effects in fish. However, little is known whether and how the androgens interfere with the fish gonadal development and reproduction. This study aimed at demonstrating the effects of long-term AED exposure on reproduction and development in mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis). The growth, development and several morphological endpoints, including the segment number and length of anal fin, histological changes of gonads and liver, were evaluated in mosquitofish during development from fertilized embryo to adulthood (180 days) after exposure of AED at environmentally relevant concentrations. We found that the growth (length, body weight and condition factor) of fish was negatively correlated with AED concentration in females, but not in males. The significant elongation of the ray and increment of segment numbers in the anal fin, were detected in all mosquitofish after exposure. Moreover, AED exposure (0.4gµ/L) caused damages in gonads and reduced the number of pregnant females. These findings indicate that AED has adverse effects on the growth and development of the western mosquitofish after long-term exposure (180d). Long-term exposure (180d) to AED, including environmentally relevant concentration (0.4µg/L and 4µg/L), induced masculinization in female mosquitofish under the experimental conditions.

Behavioral interactions under multiple stressors: temperature and salinity mediate aggression between an invasive and a native fish

Interspecific aggression is a critical determinant of the success and competitive superiority of many invasive over native species. While single abiotic stressors can alter aggression levels, the manner in which multiple stressors may alter the strength and outcome of interspecific interactions and hence the invasion potential of a species is still poorly understood, even though multiple stressors are prevalent in many ecosystems. Furthermore, multiple stressors may interact to produce synergistic or antagonistic effects on individual level behaviors, thereby modulating invasive-native species interactions in unexpected ways. Here we examined the effect of two key abiotic stressors in freshwater ecosystems-temperature and salinity-on interspecific aggression between the invasive eastern mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki) and juveniles of the native Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata). Under controlled laboratory conditions, individuals were exposed to low or high salinity levels (15 and 35‰), and low or high temperatures (21 and 28 °C), and the frequency of interspecific aggressive behaviors was scored. The effect of temperature and salinity on interspecific aggression was antagonistic for both M. novemaculeata and G. holbrooki. While elevated temperature promoted aggression, elevated salinity partially or entirely negated this effect. Moreover, regardless of temperature, M. novemaculeata was more aggressive than G. holbrooki under elevated salinity. In addition to this, the native displayed more aggression to smaller than larger heterospecifics when exposed to elevated salinity alone, while G. holbrooki showed no such preference. These results highlight the importance of considering the interplay between multiple abiotic stressors and behavioral interactions between invasive and native species, combined with the modulating effect of species-specific and size based responses to those stressors.

Warming Strengthens the Ecological Role of Intraspecific Variation in a Predator

Recent work shows communities and ecosystems can be shaped by predator intraspecific variation, but it is unclear whether the magnitude and direction of these influences are context-dependent. Temperature is an environmental context of strong ecological influence and widespread relevance given global warming trends. Warming should increase per capita predator effects on prey through increases in predator metabolic rate, potentially exacerbating intraspecific differences in ecological effects. Here, we used two populations of the potent pelagic freshwater predator, Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), to test how experimental pond temperature mediates the differences between their ecological impacts. Mosquitofish introduction induced a strong pelagic trophic cascade, causing a large reduction of crustacean zooplankton biomass, an increase in phytoplankton biomass, and changes to ecosystem-level response variables. Warming (+2°C above unwarmed treatments) exacerbated fish-induced reduction of zooplankto...

Compassionate approaches for the conservation and protection of fire salamanders

The Near Eastern fire salamander, Salamandra infraimmaculata, is considered an endangered species in Israel and is near-threatened regionally. For 25 years, our laboratory has sought ethical sampling methods to protect individuals and populations of Salamandra. To “mark” individuals for estimating dispersal and population size, we use non-invasive individual-specific markings from photographs of larvae and adults. We demonstrated through mesocosm experiments (which are less mortality-driven than in nature) that exotic Gambusia affinis have extreme negative mortality effects on Salamandra larvae. From a compassionate conservation aspect, G. affinis should not be killed and placed in habitats where amphibians are not in danger and mosquitoes can be controlled. We identified breeding-site characteristics demonstrating that permanent breeding sites support larger adult populations than temporary breeding sites. For population genetics studies, we take minimal sized tail tips from adults (which have no adverse effects) for microsatellite data. For gene expression studies, rather than sacrifice entire bodies, we demonstrated that by taking only small larval tail tips, we could follow gene expression. We additionally demonstrated that tail tip removal does not affect survival, time to or size at metamorphosis. We documented high road kill rates at a specific breeding site. To prevent potential disease spread, we sterilize boots and sampling gear. We use results for implementing or recommending conservation of individuals and populations – e.g., identifying: movement corridors for breeding site dispersal; roadkill hotspots for under-road tunnels; suitable habitat for pool construction for more effective conservation; utilizing population genetics for recommending management units; information on demography and genetic diversity to identify hotspots for conservation; removal of Gambusia for amphibian protection.

Sensory Biology as a Risk Factor for Invasion Success and Native Fish Decline

AbstractNative freshwater fish populations are among the world's most threatened taxa due to the combined effects of habitat degradation and invasive alien species. Habitat degradation negatively impacts native species, whereas invasive species tend to possess adaptations, such as thermal and salinity tolerance, that are more suited to the degraded environment. Sensory ecology may also be a contributing factor. Most threatened native species are visual feeders, whereas invasive species found in degraded systems often have nonvisual specializations. Behavioral and distributional characteristics of the invasive Western Mosquitofish Gambusia affinis and the New Zealand native Inanga Galaxias maculatus illustrate the potential for sensory biology to influence foraging success, distribution, and species interaction between degraded and clear habitats. Behavioral trials measured the change in feeding rate in clear (0 NTU) and turbid (100 NTU) water over 30 min for Inanga and Western Mosquitofish feeding on brine shrimp Artemia salina nauplii. These experiments showed that Western Mosquitofish maintained similar feeding rates between clear and turbid water, whereas the native species exhibited a marked decline in feeding efficiency in turbid water. Across a strong natural turbidity boundary, the alien species was found to dominate turbid habitat less than 1 m from clear water, where both species were found. Accounting for sensory biology as a potential contributing factor in the establishment of invasive fish species in degraded habitat may help to identify invasive species risk and to shape strategies for rehabilitating native species.

GEODIVERSITY AND ITS IMPORTANCE ON VERTEBRATE DIVERSITY NEAR RAZZAZA LAKE, MIDDLE OF IRAQ

The study area is located near Razazza Lake, southwest Karbala City, middle of Iraq. Data collections depended on field natural surveys. Geodiversity includes: rocks and minerals, land forms, type of soil and water resources. The main rock bed units are: sandstone, siltstone, mudstone, marl, limestone, dolostone, and gypsum. Landforms are: plateaus, dry wadis, hills, caves, sand sediments, lakes, marshes, ephemeral streams, Shithatha Plain, springs and sabkha. Types of soil are sandy on the plateau and near south part of Razaza Lake peach, while muddy and clayey soil near Shithatha and surrounding. Water resources are: Al-Majara canal, Al- Hassainiya canal, Karbala drainage canal, Razaza Lake, Shithatha springs and drilled wells, Ephemeral stream (Wadi Al-Ubaidh). Geodiversity is provides habitats and enhance biodiversity, therefore many habitats has been recognized, such as: Plateaus, Hills, Cliffs and Wadis, Sand sediments, Razaza Lake, marshes, Wadi Al- Ubaidh, Shithatha plain, Springs, sabkha. Vertebrate diversity in Razzaza Lake and adjacent areas belongs to five classes; Pisces, Amphibia, Reptilia, Aves, and mammalian. It comprises 89 species including 78 genera, 57 families and 22 orders. It is found that structural units of habitats of the area have their own vertebrate faunas. Results showed that some species are common to all habitats mentioned here for example Merops superciliosus, Upupa epops ,Vulpes vulpes and Pipistrellus kuhlii; others seem to be utilize more than one habitat in the area for example Gambusia affinis, Canis aureus, Hyaena hyaenam Hystrix indicam Prinia gracilis, Phoenicopterus ruber, and Uromastyx microlepis. Few species were recorded from one type of habitat for example Diplometopon zarudnyim Stenodactylus affinis, Bubo bubo, Scincus scincus and Taphozous nudiventris magnus. Of the species recorded, some were found of special interest from the conservation point of view for example Stenodactylus affinis and Hypocolius ampelinus. A comparison between the statuses of present vertebrate biodiversity and three decades ago was provided emphasizing on the environmental changes happened to the Razzaza Lake and the adjacent areas with the shortage of water quantity and deterioration of its quality.

No evidence of nonlinear effects of predator density, refuge availability, or body size of prey on prey mortality rates.

Predator density, refuge availability, and body size of prey can all affect the mortality rate of prey. We assume that more predators will lead to an increase in prey mortality rate, but behavioral interactions between predators and prey, and availability of refuge, may lead to nonlinear effects of increased number of predators on prey mortality rates. We tested for nonlinear effects in prey mortality rates in a mesocosm experiment with different size classes of western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) as the prey, different numbers of green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus) as the predators, and different levels of refuge. Predator number and size class of prey, but not refuge availability, had significant effects on the mortality rate of prey. Change in mortality rate of prey was linear and equal across the range of predator numbers. Each new predator increased the mortality rate by about 10% overall, and mortality rates were higher for smaller size classes. Predator–prey interactions at the individual level may not scale up to create nonlinearity in prey mortality rates with increasing predator density at the population level.

Comparative Study of Larvicidal Efficacy of Four Indigenous Fish with an Exotic Top Water Minnow, Gambusia affinis

The present work was designed to compare the larvicidal efficacy of four indigenous fish namely Rasbora daniconius, Esomus dandricus, Trichogaster fasciata and Trichogaster lalia with an exotic top water minnow, Gambusia affinis in the laboratory for 30 days. The experiment was performed in glass aquarium with 100 larvae as a feed to each one for duration of 2:00 hours. The study revealed that all the fishes are concerned with larvicidal potential with differences in their feeding efficiency. Mean final body weight was found to be maximum in exotic mosquito fish, Gambusia affinis (2.52±0.414) in the present study and it was significantly different (p=0.0001) from other fishes. The sequence of predation efficacy noted in the present study was Gambusia affinis>Esomus dandricus>Rasbora daniconius>Trichogaster fasciata>Trichogaster lalia.

Mosquito female response to the presence of larvivorous fish does not match threat to larvae

1. Several species with complex life‐history traits such as amphibians and insects with aquatic immature stages and terrestrial adults avoid ovipositing in pools containing larvivorous fish. This avoidance response was assumed to be a general one for most fish species.2. The generality of ovipositing Culex to the presence of three, widespread larvivorous fish species was tested in a set of field experiments with artificial oviposition pools using caged fish.3. Larval performance was further examined under actual predation by these three fish species.4. Results show that ovipositing females responded strongly to the presence of caged mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, while showing no significant response to the presence of caged green sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus, or the pirate perch, Aphredoderus sayanus. All three fish species consumed similar amounts of larvae.5. This is the first example of species‐specific response differences to predators during mosquito oviposition habitat selection. These results point to the existence of predator‐released kairomones affecting mosquito behaviour. These kairomones may either be species‐specific or vary in concentration among fish, and probably have an important role in the understanding of mosquito spatial distribution.