Biological Characteristics of the Invasive Gambusia holbrooki in the Wetland, the Lake Van Basin, Turkey

Atıcı A. A., Sepil A., Şen F.

JOURNAL OF ICHTHYOLOGY, vol.62, no.4, pp.594-604, 2022 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 62 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.1134/s0032945222040014
  • Journal Name: JOURNAL OF ICHTHYOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database
  • Page Numbers: pp.594-604
  • Keywords: Gambusia holbrooki, mosquitofish, invasive species, biological characteristics, Van Wetland, LENGTH-WEIGHT RELATIONSHIPS, LIFE-HISTORY PATTERN, EASTERN MOSQUITOFISH, FRESH-WATER, GIRARD, RIVER, FISH, AFFINIS, PISCES, GROWTH
  • Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Gambusia holbrooki (Girard, 1859) is worldwide spread invasive fish species and is found in the wetland, the Lake Van basin. This study was carried out to determine the biological characteristics of G. holbrooki. A total of 544 specimens were caught by electrofishing between August 2019 and July 2020. The maximum total length were 5.52 cm for females and 3.10 cm for males. The length-weight relationships were calculated as W = 0.014L(2.609) (R-2 = 0.808) for males (negative allometric growth) and W = 0.009L(3.110) (R-2 = 0.964) for females (positive allometric growth). The Fulton condition factor was determined as 1.00 +/- 0.01 (0.47-1.87). The female: male ratio was calculated as 1.75 : 1.00. The mean number of eggs for females was determined as 42.2 +/- 2.3 (15-94). Egg diameter ranged from 0.92 to 2.82 (mean 1.72 +/- 0.40) mm. The mean gonopodium length for males was 6.60 +/- 0.20 (5.90-7.20) mm. In general, due to high reproductive capacity and competitiveness, G. holbrooki are a serious threat to native freshwater fauna of the Lake Van Basin.