1. Biocontrol of a non-native amphibian, Xenopus tropicalis, by the eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki.
- Author
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Everett, Katie, Tuckett, Quenton, and Hill, Jeffrey
- Subjects
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XENOPUS , *TADPOLES , *AMPHIBIANS , *BODIES of water , *FROGS , *BIOLOGICAL pest control agents - Abstract
In 2016, a breeding population of the non-native tropical clawed frog (Xenopus tropicalis) was identified in Riverview, FL. Since this initial discovery, clawed frogs have been found in 27 water bodies, across an area of 16.5 km2. Eradication of established species is rare, but it is most feasible when their ranges and populations are still small. Distribution modeling has also indicated that much of peninsular Florida is suitable for the clawed frog; therefore, immediate action must be taken if the species is to be eradicated. Preliminary experimentation indicated that the native eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) will readily kill clawed frog tadpoles. To test the efficacy of the mosquitofish as a potential biocontrol agent, we examined their impacts both in the field and in the laboratory. Ponds that lacked mosquitofish were stocked and regularly sampled for adult frogs, tadpoles, and fish. At the same time, we tested the survival of tadpoles, froglets, and adult frogs with and without mosquitofish in aquaria. In both the aquaria trials and stocked ponds, we observed significant tadpole mortality after contact with mosquitofish. In the ponds, tadpole detections decreased after the introduction of mosquitofish, and overall frog captures declined drastically from the previous year. These results show promise for the use of mosquitofish as a biocontrol, but further experimentation is necessary to determine whether this will be a viable solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023