White Catfish Research Articles

PREVALENCE OF ECTO AND ENDO PARASITES OF WHITE CATFISH (AMEIURUS CATUS) IN UKE RIVER, KARU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

In Uke River, Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State, Nigeria, a six-month research was carried out between January and June 2023 to examine the gills and intestinal helminth and protozoan parasites of White Catfish (Ameiurus catus). A total of 100 fresh Ameiurus catus fish samples of both sexes, were obtained from the fishermen and conveyed to the Zoology laboratory of Nasarawa State University for examination. The fishes were processed and examined using gills, oesophagus, intestine and rectum. Twenty-two (22) out of 100 fishes were found to be infected with helminth and protozoan parasites and a total of 31 parasites were isolated belonging to protozoa (Eimeria spp, Hexamita spp, Protoopalina spp), nematode (Procamallanus spp), trematode (Dactylogyrus spp), Cestode (Diphyllobothrium latum, Bothriocephalus claviceps) taxonomic groups. The findings indicated that Ameiurus catus intestine contained a greater quantity of fish parasites (96%). A nematode (Procamallanus spp.) was found to have the highest prevalence of 45.16%. Although the Chi square results showed no significant difference (p>0.05), the prevalence in Ameiurus catus was greater in female samples (63.64%) compared to male samples (36.36%). Fish weighing between 151-200 g (46.14%) and measuring between 21-30 cm (28.57%) had the highest percentage of parasite infection. Going forward, it is imperative to properly cook Ameiurus catus from the Uke River to prevent the spread of parasites to consumers. Additionally, it is advisable to steer clear of any potential actions that could contribute to the parasite predominance near the water body.

Advancing aquaculture: Production of xenogenic catfish by transplanting blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) and channel catfish (I. punctatus) stem cells into white catfish (Ameiurus catus) triploid fry

Advancing aquaculture: Production of xenogenic catfish by transplanting blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) and channel catfish (I. punctatus) stem cells into white catfish (Ameiurus catus) triploid fry

Assessment of Naturally Occurring Radionuclides and Heavy Metals Level and Health Risks in Commonly Consumed African catfish, White Catfish and Nile Tilapia Fish Species from Epe Waterside Region of Lagos, Nigeria

Elevated levels of radionuclides and toxic metals in water can potentially influence the growth of fish during their mature stages, posing a risk of human exposure through the consumption of contaminated fish. This investigation assessed the levels of health risk of naturally occurring radionuclides and heavy metals in commonly consumed African catfish, White catfish and Nile tilapia fish species in the Epe Waterside region of Lagos, Nigeria, using a sodium iodide detector and an atomic absorption spectrometer. The activity concentrations (Bq/kg) of 40K (29.1±21.0-823.5±18.2) were higher than 226Ra (27.1±87.8-202.7±50.3) and 232Th (52.9±7.4-600.2±7.0), with mean values exceeding the permissible limits set by WHO. The mean committed effective dose rate is above the 50 mSv recommended by ICRP. The mean annual intake and cancer risks for people who consume fish on a weekly basis (nutrition statistics for seven, five, three, and one day per week) were relatively high, surpassing the permissible limit of 1.0×10-6 as recommended by WHO. The concentrations of heavy metals (Zn: 0.026-1.344, Cu: 0.008-0.055, and Cd: 0.048-0.250 mg/kg) exhibited mean values that fell within the acceptable limits defined by FAO/WHO, with the exception of Pb, which recorded a higher concentration ranging from 2.51 to 3.39 mg/kg. The fish's natural habitats (lagoon) have been contaminated by toxins, likely originating from industries, waste disposal activities, agrochemicals, rusty pipes, and other fittings. Encouraging the cultivation of fishes in domesticated ponds around the study area can reduce the risk of consuming contaminated fish and other seafood.

Exploring Legacy Data Sets to Infer Spatial and Temporal Trends in the Ictalurid Assemblage of an Atlantic Slope River

AbstractThe Cape Fear River basin is located along the southeastern Atlantic Slope and is the largest river basin located within North Carolina. Historically, the ictalurid assemblage was characterized by five species of bullhead Ameiurus spp. and three species of madtom Noturus spp. Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus were introduced in the early 20th century, followed by Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris in 1965 and Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus in 1966. Long‐term analysis of the ictalurid assemblage has been confounded by disparate data sets in both electronic and historical paper‐based document archives. The goal of this study was to merge contemporary and legacy agency data sets to elucidate spatial and temporal trends in the ictalurid assemblage of the Cape Fear River basin. Rotenone surveys conducted in the 1960s documented abundant madtoms and White Catfish Ameiurus catus throughout the basin. Native species comprised the majority of the ictalurid assemblage through the early 1990s. Since 1990, Blue and Flathead catfish have been the dominant species observed. The largest native ictalurid, the White Catfish, has not been collected since 2008. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling suggests that native ictalurids were more prevalent in small tributaries with increasing distance from the initial adult Flathead Catfish stocking location. Despite the widespread distribution and abundance of nonnative ictalurids, several native species are still found in small tributaries in upstream watersheds. The North Carolina Catfish Management Plan prioritizes the conservation of native ictalurids in the state's Atlantic Slope rivers; however, some species may already be extirpated.

Participatory mapping and fishers’ knowledge about fish and shrimp migration in a subtropical coastal ecosystem

Fishers’ ecological knowledge (FEK) has contributed to studies on the reproduction and migration of fish and marine invertebrates. With increasing accessibility to information technologies, several surveys have begun to use Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to access FEK through participatory mapping. Scientific knowledge on migration of fishery resources is fundamental to properly support initiatives for fisheries management. However, the technologies available to study migration are usually expensive and require several years of sampling. Our objective was to use GIS to access FEK and to identify the migration patterns of five fishery resources in a subtropical coastal ecosystem of the Southern Atlantic Ocean: the white catfish - Genidens barbus, the fat snook - Centropomus parallelus, the common snook - Centropomus undecimalis, the Atlantic spadefish - Chaetodipterus faber and the white shrimp - Litopenaeus schmitti. We interviewed 132 fishers in the Paranaguá estuarine complex and its adjacent coastal zone, Brazil. Of these fishers, 39 participated in the participatory mapping process. Our results based on FEK indicated that the migration of fishery resources is reproductive and occurs mainly in the later spring and summer when the species enter or exit the estuarine complex from coastal zone. The participatory mapping results indicated that G. barbus and C. faber migrate from the coastal zone to the estuary, while Centropomus species and the shrimp L. schmitti exit the estuary towards the coastal zone. The information generated by FEK and the methods used should be considered in future studies on ethno ecological research and to understand reproductive migration of these species. Furthermore, these observations could support fisheries management and environmental impact assessment of infrastructure projects.

Non-Native Fish Predator Density and Molecular-Based Diet Estimates Suggest Differing Impacts of Predator Species on Juvenile Salmon in the San Joaquin River, California

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a major survival bottleneck for imperiled California salmonid populations, which is partially due to a multitude of non-native fish predators that have proliferated there throughout the 20th century. Understanding the diets of salmonid predators is critical to understanding their individual impacts, role in the food web, and the implications for potential management actions. We collected the stomach contents of Striped Bass Morone saxatilis, Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and White Catfish Ameiurus catus sampled from three 1-km reaches in the lower San Joaquin River in 2014 and 2015 during the peak juvenile salmon outmigration period. We tested each stomach (n = 582) for the presence of juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and other prey items using a genetic barcoding technique. Channel Catfish had significantly higher frequency of Chinook Salmon in their stomachs (27.8% of tested Channel Catfish contained Chinook Salmon DNA), compared to the other three predators (2.8% to 4.8%). However, non-native fish species occurred at greater frequencies in the diets of all four predator species than salmon. Using depletion estimation from electrofishing, we were able to generate population densities for Striped Bass and Largemouth Bass in our reaches. Largemouth Bass were evenly distributed throughout all three reaches, at a mean density of approximately 333 (± 195 SE) per km of river. Striped Bass were patchily distributed, ranging from 21 to 1,227 per km. Extrapolating the frequency of salmon detected in stomachs to the predator abundance estimates, we estimate that the population of Largemouth Bass we sampled consumed between 3 and 5 Chinook Salmon per day per 1-km study reach (consumption rate of 0.011 salmon per predator per day), whereas the Striped Bass population consumed between 0 and 24 Chinook Salmon per day (0.019 salmon per predator per day).

First Record ofAmeiurus catus(Siluriformes: Ictaluridae) from the Conecuh River, Alabama

We report on the first record of Ameiurus catus (White Catfish) from the Conecuh River, Covington County, AL, and the species-range extension into the Conecuh-Escambia river of Alabama–Florida. This record extends the known geographical range of this species 240 km northeast from the mouth of the Escambia River, FL. Moreover, this record represents the most northern and first record in nearly 36 years from the Conecuh-Escambia river of Alabama–Florida.

Relative Abundance, Growth, and Mortality of the White Catfish, Ameiurus catus L., in the St. Marys River

Declines in Ameiurus catus (White Catfish) abundance throughout much of their native range have been attributed to the rapid colonization of invasive Ictalurus furcatus (Blue Catfish) and Pylodictis olivaris (Flathead Catfish). Because of the potential for imperilment throughout a majority of its native range, we examined the White Catfish population in the St. Marys River, GA, one of the few locations where the catfish assemblage is still native. White Catfish (n = 1244) dominated the ictalurid assemblage, making up 79% of the catfish caught in the St. Marys River. Overall, length of White Catfish varied from 89 to 486 mm TL, with the majority of fish between 220 and 260 mm. Ages of White Catfish varied from 1 to 11 years but was dominated by the 2012 year class (age 3). We estimated a von Bertalannfy growth model for the population (L∞ = 486 mm TL, K = 0.246, t0 = -0.290). Catch-curve analysis indicated that White Catfish had a 45% annual survival rate in 2015. This White Catfish population assessment will provide biologists with baseline parameters to aid in future management and conservation of this declining native species.

Gutsy genetics: identification of digested piscine prey items in the stomach contents of sympatric native and introduced warmwater catfishes via DNA barcoding

A major focus of ecology is understanding trophic relationships and energy flows in natural systems, associated food web dynamics and changes in food webs due to introduced species. Predator-prey interactions are often assessed by examining stomach contents. However, partially digested remains may be difficult to accurately identify by traditional visual analysis. Here we evaluate the effectiveness of DNA barcoding to identify digested piscine prey remains in invasive Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus, non-native, but established Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and native White Catfish Ameiurus catus from Chesapeake Bay, USA. Stomach contents were examined and piscine prey items were scored as lightly digested, moderately digested or severely digested. A 652 base pair region of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI-5P) mitochondrial DNA gene was sequenced for each prey item. Edited barcode sequences were compared to locally-caught and validated reference sequences in BOLD (Barcode of Life Database). A large majority of prey items were sufficiently digested to limit morphological identification (9.4 % to species and an additional 12.1 % to family). However, overall barcoding success was high (90.3 %) with little difference among the digestion classifications. Combining morphological and genetic identifications, we classified 91.6 % of fish prey items to species. Twenty-three fish species were identified, including species undergoing active restoration efforts (e.g., Alosa spp.) and commercially important species, e.g., Striped Bass Morone saxatilis, White Perch Morone americana, American Eel Anguilla rostrata and Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus. We found DNA barcoding highly successful at identifying all but the most heavily degraded prey items and to be an efficient and effective method for obtaining diet information to strengthen the resolution of trophic analyses including diet comparisons among sympatric native and non-native predators.

Large‐bodied fish migration and residency in a flood basin of the Sacramento River, California, USA

AbstractRiver–floodplain complexes represent some of the most variable and diverse habitats on earth, yet they are among our planet's most threatened ecosystems. Use of these habitats by large‐bodied fishes is especially poorly understood, particularly in temperate regions. To provide insight into the factors that affect floodplain assemblages and migration, we sampled large‐bodied fishes with a fyke trap for 7 years in the Yolo Bypass, the primary flood basin of the Sacramento River, California. We collected a total of 18,336 individual fish comprised of 27 species, only 41% of which were native. Year‐round resident species white catfish Ameiurus catus, channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus and common carp Cyprinus carpio (all alien species) were the most abundant and comprised 74% of the total catch. Splittail Pogonichthys macrolepidotus (3.8%), white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus (2.3%) and Sacramento sucker Catostomus occidentalis (1.1%) were the primary native species. We found that seasonal variation in water temperature and flood stage were important factors affecting the fish assemblage structure and the presence of migratory species. American shad Alosa sapidissima, an alien species, showed highest abundance during the early summer upstream migration, when temperatures were warmer. For native species, the abundances of white sturgeon, splittail, Sacramento pikeminnow Ptychocheilus grandis and Sacramento sucker were all highest during flood pulses. While our results suggest that flow alone is not sufficient to control alien species, the strong linkage between native fish migration and flow pulses highlights the importance of river–floodplain connectivity for the conservation of native fishes.

Mitochondrial DNA evidence for late Pleistocene population expansion of the white catfish, Ameiurus catus

Abstract Employing distance-based, maximum likelihood-based, and Bayesian coalescent methodologies and utilizing mitochondrial control region sequence data, the present study reports the importance of Pleistocene glacial epochs on the demographic expansion of the white catfish, Ameiurus catus . White catfish are endemic to the southeastern region of the United States, the region that had never glaciated during the Pleistocene epoch; however, compared to the present day meandering river patterns, the region did exhibit braided river patterns during the late Quaternary. The present study revealed the existence of two distinct matrilineal lineages of white catfish, southeast Gulf coast (SEGC) and southeast Atlantic coastal plains (SEACP), which are estimated to have diverged from their common ancestor approximately 0.71 (0.37–1.1) million years ago. Consistent with the results of the mismatch distribution and site frequency spectrum based summary statistics such as Fu's F, the Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) has also showed evidence for population expansion. The BSP showed two phase growth: a static phase until 0.2 million years, followed by a sudden population expansion thereafter, which is the time that coincides with the late Quaternary epoch. The changing patterns in drainage systems in response to the Quaternary climate change might have had a significant impact on the demographic expansion of white catfish.

Farm-Raised Channel Catfish

This document is about Channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). Channel catfish belong to the family Ictaluridae, in the large catfish order Siluriformes. The order includes over two thousand species, and most of them inhabit the fresh waters of the tropics. In the United States, the family Ictaluridae is native to the water drainages east of the Rocky Mountains, and contains about forty-three recognized species. Other important commercial species in the family include the blue catfish (I. furcatus), white catfish I. catus), yellow bullhead (I. natalis), brown bullhead (I. nebulosus), black bullhead (I.melas), and the flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris). First published in July, 1992.

Defining environmental risk assessment criteria for genetically modified fishes to be placed on the EU market

Defining environmental risk assessment criteria for genetically modified fishes to be placed on the EU market

Recent releases and dispersal of non-native fishes in England and Wales, with emphasis on sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus (Heckel, 1843)

The introduced range of the European cyprinid, sunbleak Leucaspius delineatus, in England was previously limited to parts of southwest England but has now expanded across Southern England. Natural dispersal mechanisms cannot explain their increased distribution and fish stocking was not a factor. Thus, the accidental movement of either their eggs or larvae via anglers’ nets was believed to be the mechanism by which these fish were accidentally moved between waters over 100 km apart. This dispersal pathway is difficult to regulate, as is the release of unwanted non-native aquarium and pond fish into open waters by the public. This latter pathway has resulted in the recent releases of species including walking catfish Clarias batrachus, Asian weatherfish Misgurnus mizolepis and white catfish Ameiurus catus.

Factors Affecting Fish Entrainment into Massive Water Diversions in a Tidal Freshwater Estuary: Can Fish Losses be Managed?

AbstractWe examined factors affecting fish entrainment at California's State Water Project and Central Valley Project, two of the largest water diversions in the world. Combined, these diversions from the upper San Francisco Estuary support a large component of the municipal and agricultural infrastructure for California. However, precipitous declines in the abundance of several estuarine fish species, notably the threatened delta smelt Hypomesus transpacificus, have generated major concern about entrainment as a possible cause of the declines. We examined a 13‐year data set of export pumping operations and environmental characteristics to determine factors affecting entrainment (as indexed by salvage at fish screens) and the potential for manipulation of these factors to improve conditions for fish. Entrainment of three migratory pelagic species—delta smelt, longfin smelt Spirinchus thaleichthys, and striped bass Morone saxatilis—was primarily determined by the seasonal occurrence of particular life stages close to the export facilities. We also found that the direction and magnitude of flows through the estuary and to the export facilities were reasonable predictors of pelagic fish entrainment. Entrainment of resident demersal species (prickly sculpin Cottus asper and white catfish Ameiurus catus) and littoral species (Mississippi silverside Menidia audens and largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides) was not explained by diversion flows, although large numbers of individuals from these species were collected. Our study suggests that entrainment of pelagic species can be effectively reduced by manipulating system hydrodynamics.

Mercury in sport fish from the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta region, California, USA

Total mercury (Hg) concentrations were determined in fillet tissue of sport fish captured in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and surrounding tributaries, a region particularly impacted by historic gold and mercury mining activity. In 1999 and 2000, mercury concentrations were measured in 767 samples from ten fish species. Largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides), the primary target species, exhibited a median Hg concentration of 0.53 μg g − 1 ( N = 406). Only 23 largemouth bass (6%) were below a 0.12 μg g − 1 threshold corresponding to a 4 meals per month safe consumption limit. Most of the largemouth bass (222 fish, or 55% of the sample) were above a 0.47 μg g − 1 threshold corresponding to a 1 meal per month consumption limit. Striped bass ( Morone saxatilis), channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus), white catfish ( Ameirus catus), and Sacramento pikeminnow ( Ptychocheilus grandis) also had relatively high concentrations, with 31% or more of samples above 0.47 μg g − 1 . Concentrations were lowest in redear ( Lepomis microlophus) and bluegill ( Lepomis macrochirus) sunfish, with most samples below 0.12 μg g − 1 , suggesting that targeting these species for sport and subsistence fishing may reduce human dietary exposure to Hg in the region. An improved method of analysis of covariance was performed to evaluate spatial variation in Hg in largemouth bass captured in 2000, while accounting for variability in fish length. Using this approach, Hg concentrations were significantly elevated in the Feather River, northern Delta, lower Cosumnes River, and San Joaquin River regions. In spite of elevated Hg concentrations on all of its tributaries, the central Delta had concentrations that were low both in comparison to safe consumption guidelines and to other locations.

First record of the white catfish Ameiurus catus in Great Britain

The North American catfish Ameiurus catus is recorded for the first time in Great Britain. An albino variety of 620 mm fork length and 4550 g was believed to have been an ornamental fish that was introduced subsequently into the wild.

Availability of Clupeid Prey to Primary Piscivores in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia

AbstractPrey supply to predators is limited by the morphology, behavior, and spatial distributions of both predator and prey. To be eaten, prey must co‐occur spatially and temporally with the predator (distribution), the predator must recognize the prey as potential food and successfully capture it (behavior), and the predator must have a mouth large enough to ingest its target (morphology). We quantified the cumulative effect of these three factors on clupeid prey availability to both largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides and striped bass Morone saxatilis in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia. As expected, morphological constraints were more severe for small predators. Alewives Alosa pseudoharengus were morphologically more available than gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum. Incongruent spatial distributions, the result of lake stratification, prevented striped bass from feeding on gizzard shad during summer and limited largemouth bass consumption of alewives. For unknown behavioral reasons, largemouth bass and striped bass consumed only clupeids between 40 and 160 mm total length. For largemouth bass, the available supply of alewives was equivalent to demand and that of gizzard shad exceeded consumption by 53%. For striped bass, the available supply of gizzard shad surpassed consumption by 26% and that of alewives was 4% greater than consumption. Annual consumption by all clupeid predators, including largemouth bass and smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu, striped bass, walleye Sander vitreus, flathead catfish Pylodictis olivaris, channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, white catfish Ameiurus catus, and crappies Pomoxis spp., was 94% of the total available clupeid supply. Our analysis indicates that increased predation on the clupeid forage base of Smith Mountain Lake would lead to decreased prey production and produce prey shortages for piscivores that are dependent on this food resource.

FORAGING ECOLOGY OF BALD EAGLES IN A FRESHWATER TIDAL SYSTEM

We studied the summer foraging ecology of resident and migrant bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) along the lower Hudson River, New York, from 1998 to 2001. In this area the Hudson is a freshwater tidal river with 1- to 2-m tidal ranges. Eagles foraged most often in the open channel (35%), where success was lowest (68% capture rate). When compared to landscape availability, eagles foraged in tidal mudflats devoid of aquatic vegetation more often than expected, and they avoided areas of deep water (>3 m). Eagles foraged more often during ebb tides with foraging activity peaking just before low tide. Eagles avoided areas of high human activity but also preferentially selected areas of low to moderate activity. Fish were the most important source of food and comprised 91% of prey identified. Over 50% of the observed prey captures consisted of 3 species: American eel (Anguilla rostrata), gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum), and white catfish (Ictalurus catus). Our data indicate that unvegetated tidal mudflats that were isolated from intensive human activity provided the highest quality foraging habitat. Future loss of tidal mudflats through exotic plant invasions or shoreline development may limit eagle foraging opportunities and population growth.

Cloning and characterization of myogenic regulatory genes in three Ictalurid species

We report sequence, tissue expression and map-position data for myogenin, MYOD1, myostatin and follistatin in three Ictalurid catfish species: channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus), blue catfish (I. furcatus) and white catfish (Ameiurus catus). These genes are involved in muscle growth and development in mammals and may play similar roles in catfish. Amino acid sequences were highly conserved among the three Ictalurid species (>95% identity), moderately conserved among catfish and zebrafish (approximately 80% identity), and less conserved among catfish and humans (approximately 40-60% identity) for all four genes. Gene structure (number of exons and introns and exon-intron boundaries) was conserved between catfish and other species for all genes. Myogenin and MYOD1 expression was limited to skeletal muscle in juvenile channel catfish, similar to expression patterns for these genes in other fish and mammalian species. Myostatin was expressed in a variety of tissues in juvenile channel catfish, a pattern common in other fish species but contrasting with data from mammals where myostatin is primarily expressed in skeletal muscle. Follistatin was expressed in juvenile catfish heart, testes and spleen. All four genes contained polymorphic microsatellite repeats in non-coding regions and linkage analysis based on inheritance of these microsatellite loci was used to place the genes on the channel catfish linkage map. Information provided in this study will be useful in further studies to determine the role these genes play in muscle growth and development in catfish.