Amazon Sailfin Catfish Pterygoplichthys pardalis (Loricariidae) in Bangladesh: A Critical Review of Its Invasive Threat to Native and Endemic Aquatic Species

Abstract

The Amazon sailfin catfish Pterygoplichthys pardalis is native to the Amazon River basin. It has since expanded its range to North America, the Caribbean, and more recently to South Asia, as with some of its congeners. Our paper reviews recent data from Bangladesh, clarifies taxonomic identification, and examines the potential effects of P. pardalis and congeneric species on local aquatic ecosystems and elsewhere in South Asia. Range expansions there probably reflect aquarium releases and escapes from aquaculture farms, as exacerbated by dispersal due to storm flooding and in impacted waters like irrigation canals. Given their potential ecosystem-level effects, we also review potential control mechanisms and human use for these invasive loricariids.

A Report on Introduced Amazon Sailfin Catfish, Pterygoplichthys pardalis in Gombak Basin, Selangor, with Notes on Two Body Patterns of the Species

“…Their grazing activities on benthic algae and detritus may also reduce the availability of food and shelter for aquatic insects, which serve as food for other resident fish species (Ozdilek, 2007). In the long run, their activities may lead to bank structure alteration, which may cause erosion, competition with native species, alteration of the aquatic flora, and fishing gear damage (GISD, 2020;Hossain et al, 2018).…”

“…T h e A m a z o n s a i l f i n c a t f i s h , Pterygoplichthys pardalis is native to the Amazon River basin. However, it has since expanded its range to North America, the Caribbean, and more recently to South Asia (Hossain et al, 2018). Pterygoplichthys pardalis successfully invades new habitats presumably due to its modified scales and strong spines that help to protect it from predation, tolerance to low concentrations of dissolved oxygen, nest construction, parental care, and tolerance to varying levels of salinity (Armbruster & Page, 2006;Capps et al, 2011;Rueda-Jasso et al, 2013).…”

Trophic level and position of Pterygoplichthys pardalis in Ciliwung River (Jakarta, Indonesia) ecosystem based on the gut content analysis

“…The feeding niches area is a description of the proportion of the various food consumed by a particular type of fish (Mazzoni et al 2010;Abilhoa et al 2016;Hossain et al 2018). The area of the feeding niche showed the size of the fish group that utilizes the available organisms as its natural diet source.…”

“…These fish possess hard and prickly scales therefore there are no predators in the waters (Hadiaty 2011). The migration of P. pardalis in the waters of the Ciliwung River disrupted the food chain due to their feeding habits because they tend to feed on benthic algae and compete with native fish (Pound et al 2011;Rao, 2017;Orfinger and Goodding 2018;Wei et al 2018;Hossain et al 2018).…”

El Pez Bagre Invasivo Pterygoplichthys Pardalis (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) Como Parte De La Dieta Del Cormoran Phalacrocorax Auritus (Phalacrocoracidae) en Dos Regiones Tropicales De México

“…The impacts of its introduction include reduction of commercial fish species, alteration of fish population structure, disruption of aquatic food chains, competition with native species regarding reproduction and feeding, mortality of threatened coastal birds and changes in aquatic plant communities (Bunkley-Williams et al 1994;Wakida-Kusunoki et al, 2007;Zworykin & Budaev, 2013). Although several studies have mentioned the negative impacts of this invader in the aquatic environment (Hossain et al, 2018), few reports exist about the natural predators that may help to control these fish populations in the receipt environment (Nico, 2010;Toro-Ramirez et al, 2014;Ríos-Muñoz, 2015).…”