Asian swamp eels in North America linked to the live-food trade and prayer-release rituals

First record of the Gangetic Swamp Eel, Ophichthys cuchia (Hamilton, 1822) (Teleostei: Synbranchidae), from Texas (USA) based on museum vouchered material, and confirmation of a second established non-native population in the USA

“…With the exception of O. cuchia, the species of Ophichthys exhibit narrow ranges in northern India (O. ichthyophoides, O. hodgarti), southern India (O. indicus, O. fossorius), and Sri Lanka (O. desilvai) and are known from relatively few specimens (Bailey and Gans 1998;Britz et al 2011Britz et al , 2020aBritz et al , 2020bBritz et al , 2021. Ophichthys cuchia is widespread and distributed throughout much of northern India, and the adjacent countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, and Nepal (Talwar and Jhingran 1991;Nico et al 2019). This species is relatively well studied and, unlike other synbranchids, does not exhibit protogynous hermaphroditism (Liem 1968).…”

“…This species is relatively well studied and, unlike other synbranchids, does not exhibit protogynous hermaphroditism (Liem 1968). It has become an important food fish in South Asia, especially in Bangladesh where it is collected year-round and exported live to markets throughout Asia, Australasia, and North America (Nico et al 2019).…”

“…The international trade of O. cuchia and other synbranchids [e.g., Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793) and M. javanensis Lacépède, 1800] has resulted in the introduction of these fishes to areas outside of the native range, including water bodies throughout Asia, Australia, Canada, and the USA (Nico et al 2019). In many cases, the introduction of O. cuchia to areas outside of the native range has been linked to prayer-release rituals, including in USA, where this species has been collected from water bodies in Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania (Fig.…”

“…In many cases, the introduction of O. cuchia to areas outside of the native range has been linked to prayer-release rituals, including in USA, where this species has been collected from water bodies in Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania (Fig. 1A; Nico et al 2019;Jordan et al 2020). Perhaps due to extreme winter temperatures, O. cuchia has not yet become established in the more northern of these six states (Nico et al 2019), but an established non-native population of O. cuchia was recently reported from the southern state of Louisiana (Jordan et al 2020).…”

“…1A; Nico et al 2019;Jordan et al 2020). Perhaps due to extreme winter temperatures, O. cuchia has not yet become established in the more northern of these six states (Nico et al 2019), but an established non-native population of O. cuchia was recently reported from the southern state of Louisiana (Jordan et al 2020). This non-native population is currently restricted to a short stretch of Bayou St. John, a highly modified urban system in the New Orleans metro area, which is connected to Lake Pontchartrain.…”