Various government and non-governmental organisations in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Punjab have released mosquitofish into local water bodies to address a mosquito menace that locals have complained about.
- In the 1960s, such approaches – including introducing mosquitofish in freshwater ecosystems to feed on mosquito larvae – became prominent as alternatives to chemical solutions like pesticides.
About Gambusia
- Among mosquito predators were two species of mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis and Gambusia holbrooki.
- These species of mosquitofish originated in the U.S. but today have become global inhabitants.
- They are notorious for their detrimental ecological impact, including displacing and preying on native fauna, leading to the extinction of native fish, amphibians, and various freshwater communities.
- In 1928, Gambusia was first introduced in India during British rule.
- Recently the diversity of haplotypes and genotypes within Gambusia species in India was investigated.
- Haplotypes are DNA variants likely to be inherited together; the genotype is an organism’s entire genetic material.
- The research revealed the widespread distribution of G. holbrooki and, to a lesser extent, G. affinis.
- Wildlife biologists and conservations consider mosquitofish to be among the hundred most detrimental invasive alien species.
- The World Health Organisation stopped recommending Gambusia as a mosquito control agent in 1982.
- In 2018, the National Biodiversity Authority of the Government of India also designated G. affinis and G. holbrooki as invasive alien species. But both government and non-governmental organisations in India have continued to introduce these species for mosquito-control.
