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Journal of Threatened Taxa Building evidence for conservaton globally www.threatenedtaxa.org ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) Note

Population dynamics and management strategies for the in- vasive African Catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) in the hotspot

Kutanelloor Roshni, Chelapurath Radhakrishnan Renjithkumar, Rajeev Raghavan, Neelesh Dahanukar & Kuty Ranjeet

26 July 2020 | Vol. 12 | No. 10 | Pages: 16380–16384 DOI: 10.11609/jot.6222.12.10.16380-16384

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Threatened Taxa Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 July 2020 | 12(10): 16380–16384 ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print) PLATINUM OPEN ACCESS DOI: htps://doi.org/10.11609/jot.6222.12.10.16380-16384

#6222 | Received 25 May 2020 | Final received 21 June 2020 | Finally accepted 26 June 2020

N o t e Populaton dynamics and management strategies for the invasive African Catish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) in the Western Ghats hotspot

Kutanelloor Roshni 1 , Chelapurath Radhakrishnan Renjithkumar 2 , Rajeev Raghavan 3 , Neelesh Dahanukar 4 & Kuty Ranjeet 5

1,2,5 Department of Aquatc Environment Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, Kerala 682506, India. 3 Department of Fisheries Resource Management, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS), Kochi, Kerala 682506, India. 4 Indian Insttute of Science Educaton and Research (IISER), Pune, Maharashtra 411008, India. 1 [email protected] (corresponding author), 2 [email protected], 3 [email protected], 4 [email protected], 5 [email protected]

Freshwater biodiversity is in peril, threatened by due to the invasion by the Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus a range of (ofen interactng) stressors including fow- mykiss (Thomas et al. 1999). In a similar situaton, four regulaton, polluton, invasive alien species, climate alien species compete for resources with eight point- change, and overexploitaton (Dudgeon et al. 2006; endemics in the watershed of the Periyar Natonal Strayer & Dudgeon 2010). Of these, biological invasion Park, one of WG’s intensively-managed protected areas is one of the most widespread and damaging stressors (Molur & Raghavan 2014). on freshwater ecosystems (Strayer & Dudgeon 2010), The African Sharp-tooth Catish, Clarias gariepinus responsible for the extncton of over 17 fsh species, (Burchell 1822) is one of the world’s most successful and the imperilment of over 450 threatened fsh species aquatc invader (Booth et al. 2010), in view of its spread worldwide (IUCN 2019). and impacts to natve fauna in close to 30 countries (GISD The freshwater ecosystems of India’s Western Ghats 2020). Diverse life history traits including eurytopic (WG) Hotspot harbour more than 300 fsh species, nature, pseudo-lungs, trophic fexibility, predatory & of which 65% are endemic (Dahanukar et al. 2011). piscivorous feeding habits, fast growth, and high mobility Though much of this endemism is concentrated in the (Kadye & Booth 2012; Weyl et al. 2016) has facilitated southern region of the WG Hotspot, inside terrestrial their invasion across tropics; unmanaged aquaculture, protected areas, no management or monitoring plans and stock enhancement being the major reasons (Weyl et are in place for freshwater taxa (Raghavan et al. 2016). al. 2016). Although extensive informaton is available on For example, a threatened species of mountain catish the occurrence and distributon of invasive C. gariepinus, Glyptothorax madraspatanus was extrpated from there has been very litle focus on understanding the Eravikulam Natonal Park, a protected area in the WG populaton dynamics of invasive populatons (Booth et

Editor: Anonymity requested. Date of publicaton: 26 July 2020 (online & print)

Citaton: Roshni, K., C.R. Renjithkumar, R. Raghavan, N. Dahanukar & K. Ranjeet (2020). Populaton dynamics and management strategies for the invasive Af- rican Catish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) in the Western Ghats hotspot. Journal of Threatened Taxa 12(10): 16380–16384. htps://doi.org/10.11609/ jot.6222.12.10.16380-16384

Copyright: © Roshni et al. 2020. Creatve Commons Atributon 4.0 Internatonal License. JoTT allows unrestricted use, reproducton, and distributon of this artcle in any medium by providing adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publicaton.

Funding: Kerala State Council for Science, Technology & Environment (KSCSTE), Government of Kerala, India.

Competng interests: The authors declare no competng interests.

Acknowledgements: The frst author acknowledges funding from the Back-to-Lab-Programme of the Kerala State Council for Science, Technology & Environment (KSCSTE), Government of Kerala, India. The authors are also thankful to local fshers at the Periyar Natonal Park for assistng in collecton of samples.

16380 J TT Populaton dynamics and management strategies for the invasive African Catish Roshni et al. al. 2010). In the present paper, the demographics of Table 1. Growth, mortality and exploitaton parameters of Clarias invasive C. gariepinus in the watershed of the Periyar gariepinus from Periyar Lake. Natonal Park, an Alliance for Zero Extncton (AZE) site, Demographics and exploitaton parameters Value and one of the most critcal habitats for freshwater fsh Asymptotc length (L∞; cm) 91.88 conservaton in southern Asia (Molur & Raghavan 2014) Growth coefcient (K: year-1) 0.54 is determined, to inform management and conservaton Growth performance index (Ø) 3.66 acton. Longevity (3/K; years) 5.56 The Periyar Lake-Stream system inside the Periyar Total mortality (Z: year-1) 1.34 Natonal Park (9.1600N & 76.5530E) (an IUCN Category M -1 ◦ II protected area) is an AZE site known to harbour the Natural mortality ( ; year ) at 26 C) 0.84 -1 only global populaton of three endangered cyprinids Fishing mortality (F; year ) 0.50 (Hypselobarbus periyarensis, Tariqilabeo periyarensis & Current exploitaton rate (E) 0.37 Length at frst capture (L ; cm) 29.90 Lepidopygopsis typus) (Molur & Raghavan 2014). This c critcal habitat is, however, threatened by four alien E0.1 0.46 species, Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters, 1852), E0.5 (Optmum) 0.31 Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758), Poecilia retculata Exploitaton rate producing maximum yield (Emax) 0.54 (Peters, 1859), and Clarias gariepinus. An organized small-scale fshery primarily focused on gillnets (32–110 mm) is carried out in the lake by local tribal fshers, and the resultant catch is sold at a nearby landing In (M) = -0.0152-0.279, In (L∞) + 0.6543 In (K)+0.4634 In centre organized by the Kerala State Forest and Wildlife (T), where T is the annual mean temperature of the water in Department. which the fsh occurs (26°C for the study area); instantaneous Clarias gariepinus samples (n=344) exploited using rate of fshing mortality (F) was computed as F=Z–M and gill nets (40–110 mm mesh size) and sold at the local exploitaton rate (E) was as E=F/Z (Gulland 1970). The landing centre, were collected at monthly intervals Emax (maximum yield per recruit) and E50 (exploitaton from December 2018 to November 2019, measured that retains 50% of the biomass) were predicted using for standard lengths (LTS, to the nearest mm) and body relatve yield per recruit (Y/R) and relatve biomass per weight (MB, to the nearest g). A large share of the recruit (B/R) analysis using knife-edge selecton method sample comprised of dead fsh, and only a small number (Pauly 1984). From length-converted catch curve, the of individuals were alive at the tme of collecton. These length at frst capture (Lc) was analysed. Growth parameters were euthanized immediately by immersing in ice-slurry. were used to determine the reproductve pulses per year, The length data were grouped into 5cm class intervals and the relatve strength of each pulse using recruitment with the smallest mid-length of 2.5cm. The length-mass analysis (Moreau & Cuende 1991). Growth and mortality b relatonship (MB = aLT ) was determined following Pauly parameters were used to perform virtual populaton (1984) and the parameters (a, b) were estmated by least analysis (VPA) (Hilborn & Walters 1992). Fishing mortality squares regression of log-log plot (Zar 1999). The null was considered as the terminal fshing mortality Ft. To hypothesis that n=3 (i.e., individuals show isometric understand how the populaton in diferent size classes growth patern; Froese 2006) was tested using two- might be afected by an increase in the fshing mortality, tailed t-tests. The statstcal analysis was performed in VPA was performed with diferent values of Ft. To PAST 3.20 (Hammer et al. 2001). develop an efectve eradicaton plan for the local C. The von Bertalanfy growth parameters, asymptotc gariepinus populaton, the threshold value of Emax above length (L∞) and growth coefcient (K) were estmated which the populaton would be overexploited in Y/R from length-frequency data using the electronic length analysis was ploted against Lc. To understand whether frequency analysis I (ELEFAN I) incorporated in FAO- a change in the fshing regime, especially with respect ICLARM Stock Assessment Tools II (FiSAT II) sofware to the length of frst capture, can facilitate eradicaton

(Gayanilo et al. 2005). Based on L∞ and K values, growth of C. gariepinus, we performed Y�R analysis and ploted performance index (Ø) and potental longevity (3/K) threshold value of Emax, above which the populaton will were estmated (Pauly & Munro 1984). Instantaneous collapse, against varying length at frst capture (Lc). total mortality (Z) was estmated using length-converted Length and weight measurements of C. gariepinus catch curve (Pauly 1984); natural mortality (M) was collected from the Periyar Lake ranged 17.9–86.7 cm LTs determined by Pauly’s empirical formula (Pauly 1980). and 80–6,300 g. The LWRs was defned by the equaton

Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 July 2020 | 12(10): 16380–16384 16381 J TT Populaton dynamics and management strategies for the invasive African Catish Roshni et al.

Figure 1. Growth and mortality modelling of C. gariepinus from Periyar Lake: a—von Bertalanfy growth curve drawn on a restricted length- frequency sample, where peaks or the positve points (black bars) and troughs or the negatve points (white bars) are shown. The points were computed and used to plot the growth curve that passes through largest number of positve points by avoiding negatve points | b—computed recruitment patern suggests that the species has two spawning peaks in a year | c—length structure virtual populaton analysis suggests current fshing mortality can reduce populaton of larger individuals but not the smaller individuals | d—efect of terminal fshing mortality on the populaton in diferent size classes | e—efect of length at frst capture on the maximum sustainable exploitaton above which the populaton will be overexploited and subsequently collapse.

16382 Journal of Threatened Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 July 2020 | 12(10): 16380–16384 J TT Populaton dynamics and management strategies for the invasive African Catish Roshni et al.

2.8719 W=0.0132 L , and the b value 2.8719 was signifcantly decrease in Lc (Figure 1e). The length at frst capture in lower than the cubic value (t=5.0092, P<0.0001) our experimental fshing was 29.90cm (Figure 1c), i.e. expected under isometry, indicatng that C. gariepinus 32.54% of the asymptotc length. Reducing this value to shows a negatve allometric growth patern (A-) in the below 10cm, comprising mainly of immature individuals Periyar Lake. The b value obtained in our study is similar (see Hossain et al. 2016 for size at frst maturity values), to natve C. gariepinus populatons in Kenya (2.81; will no doubt be the best management strategy for Macharia et al. 2017) and introduced populatons in a eradicaton. This may be achieved through mesh size reservoir in the WG (2.9; Pillai et al. 2016). selectvity, and specifcally targetng spawning grounds The occurrence of juveniles (17.9cm) as well as to capture young, immature individuals. mature females (31.5cm) suggests that the species has Understanding the populaton biology of an invasive successfully established and colonized the lake. The von species is important for its long-term management (Booth Bertalanfy growth curve shows an asymptotc length of et al. 2010). Rapid growth, high growth performance 91.88cm and a growth coefcient of 0.54 year–1 (Figure index, low fshing mortality and year-round recruitment 1a; Table 1) which was greater than those observed signifcantly contribute to the successful invasion of C. for various natve populatons of C. gariepinus, i.e., L∞: gariepinus in Periyar Lake, and possibly throughout its 80–124 cm, K=0.06–0.49 year–1 and Ø=2.96–3.36 (Clay invasive range. Though it might be difcult to eradicate 1984; Wudneh 1998; Okogwu 2011; Tesfaye & Wolf C. gariepinus from the lake, where they have already 2015; Macharia et al. 2017). The estmated growth established a strong populaton, efectve management performance index of 3.66 (Table 1) is also higher than and control can be achieved by targetng fsh smaller than that reported for C. gariepinus in its natve range (Clay 10cm. Further studies to understand the reproductve 1984; Wudneh 1998; Abdulkarim et al. 2009; Tesfaye biology and ecology, and its links to the demographics & Wolf 2015). No estmates of growth parameters are of C. gariepinus will help inform improved management available from any invasive populatons of C. gariepinus. measures for this invasive species in a critcal freshwater The total mortality (Z) of C. gariepinus in Periyar AZE Site. Lake was estmated as 1.34 year–1 (Table 1). The natural mortality rate of 0.84 year-1 (Table 1) is comparable to an References invasive populaton in South Africa (Booth et al. 2010), Abdulkarim, M., Z.A. Yusuf, B.L. Musa & A.G. Ezra (2009). Populaton but lower than natve populatons in Nigeria (Abdulkarim Parameters of Clarias gariepinus (cat fsh) in Gubi dam, Bauchi State, et al. 2009), suggestng that C. gariepinus has no natural Nigeria. Journal of and Plant Sciences 5: 531–538. fsh predators in its invasive habitat in the WG. The low Booth, A.J., G.R.L. Traasg & O.L.F. Weyl (2010). Adult African sharptooth catish, Clarias gariepinus, populaton dynamics in a fshing mortality and exploitaton rate (Table 1), which is small invaded warm-temperate impoundment. African Zoology 45: 299–308. htps://doi.org/10.3377/004.045.0208 much below the optmum exploitaton rate (Emax=0.68) indicate minimal fshing pressure favouring populaton Clay, D. (1984). Producton of the African Catish (Clarias gariepinus) I. Growth, Mortality and Yield South of the Zambezi. Journal of expansion. In additon, recruitment analysis suggested Limnological Society of South Africa 10: 16–24. contnuous recruitment throughout the year with two Dahanukar, N., R. Raghavan, A. Ali, R. Abraham & C.P. Shaji (2011) The peaks (Figure 1b) similar to populatons in Western status and distributon of freshwater fshes of the Western Ghats. Chapter 3, pp. 21–48. In: Molur, S., K.G. Smith, B.A. Daniel & W.R.T. Africa (Kwarfo-Apegyah & Ofori-Danson 2010). Darwall (eds.). The status and distributon of freshwater biodiversity The VPA (Figure 1c) suggests a high survival rate in the Western Ghats, India. Cambridge, UK and Gland, Switzerland: IUCN, and Coimbatore, India: Zoo Outreach Organisaton, 116pp. due to low natural mortality and fshing pressure. A Dudgeon, D., A.H. Arthington, M.O. Gessner, Z. Kawabata, D.J. simulaton of VPA for increasing fshing mortality Knowler, C. Le´ veˆque, R.J. Naiman, A. Prieur-Richard, D. Soto, (Figure 1d) revealed that greater fshing pressure could M.L.J. Stassny & C.A. Sullivan (2006). Freshwater biodiversity: importance, threats, status and conservaton challenges. Biological exponentally reduce the juvenile populaton but will Review 81: 163–182. htps://doi.org/10.1017/S1464793105006950 not result in populaton eradicaton. Further, adult Froese, R. (2006). Cube law, conditon factor and weight–length individuals may not be signifcantly afected, probably relatonships: History, meta-analysis and recommendatons. Journal of Applied Ichthyology 22: 241–253. htps://doi.org/10.1111/ because of high survival rate due to low fshing mortality j.1439-0426.2006.00805.x and predaton. Our analysis further suggests that Gayanilo, F.C., P. Sparre & D. Pauly (2005). The FAO-ICLARM Stock- using this experimental fshing regime will not result Assessment Tools II (FiSAT II). User’s guide. Revised version. FAO Computerized Informaton Series (Fisheries) No 8. FAO, Rome, in eradicaton of the local C. gariepinus populaton. 168pp Analysis to understand the changes in the fshing regime GISD (2020). Species profle: Clarias gariepinus. htp://www.iucngisd. suggests that the threshold value of E required to org. Downloaded on 16 February 2020. max Gulland, J.A. (1970). The fsh resources of the ocean. FAO Fisheries overexploit the species decreases exponentally with Technical Paper No. 97, 255pp.

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Pakshirajan Lakshminarasimhan: a plant taxonomist who loved plants and people alike A threat assessment of Three-striped Palm Squirrel Funambulus palmarum (Mammalia: – Mandar N. Datar, Pp. 16195–16203 Rodenta: Sciuridae) from roadkills in Sigur Plateau, Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India – Arockianathan Samson, Balasundaram Ramakrishnan & Jabamalainathan Leonaprincy, Communicatons Pp. 16347–16351

The worrisome conservaton status of ecosystems within the distributon range of the Impact of vehicular trafc on birds in Tiruchirappalli District, Tamil Nadu, India Spectacled Bear Tremarctos ornatus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Ursidae) in Ecuador – T. Siva & P. Neelanarayanan, Pp. 16352–16356 – José Guerrero-Casado & Ramón H. Zambrano, Pp. 16204–16209 Ichthyofaunal diversity of Manjeera Reservoir, Manjeera Wildlife Sanctuary, Telangana, Living with Leopard Panthera pardus fusca (Mammalia: Carnivora: Felidae): livestock India depredaton and community percepton in Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, – Kante Krishna Prasad, Mohammad Younus & Chelmala Srinivasulu, Pp. 16357–16367 southern Western Ghats – Bawa Mothilal Krishnakumar, Rajarathinavelu Nagarajan & Kanagaraj Muthamizh Selvan, New distributon record of the endemic and critcally endangered Giant Staghorn Fern Pp. 16210–16218 Platycerium grande (Fee) Kunze (Polypodiaceae) in central Mindanao – Cherie Cano-Mangaoang & Charissa Joy Arroyo Gumban, Pp. 16368–16372 An updated checklist of mammals of Odisha, India – Subrat Debata & Himanshu Shekhar Palei, Pp. 16219–16229 Notes Negatve human-wildlife interactons in traditonal agroforestry systems in Assam, India – Yashmita-Ulman, Manoj Singh, Awadhesh Kumar & Madhubala Sharma, Pp. 16230–16238 First photographic record of the Dhole Cuon alpinus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Canidae) from the Sirumalai Hills in Tamil Nadu, India Prevalence and morphotype diversity of Trichuris species and other soil-transmited – B.M. Krishnakumar & M. Eric Ramanujam, Pp. 16373–16376 helminths in captve non-human primates in northern Nigeria – Joshua Kamani, James P. Yidawi, Aliyu Sada, Emmanuel G. Msheliza & Usman A. Turaki, Tracing heavy metals in urban ecosystems through the study of bat guano Pp. 16239–16244 - a preliminary study from Kerala, India – Jithin Johnson & Moncey Vincent, Pp. 16377–16379 Detecton of hemoparasites in bats, Bangladesh – Shariful Islam, Rakib Uddin Ahmed, Md. Kaisar Rahman, Jinnat Ferdous, Md. Helal Uddin, Populaton dynamics and management strategies for the invasive African Catish Sazeda Akter, Abdullah Al Faruq, Mohammad Mahmudul Hassan, Ausraful Islam & Ariful Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) in the Western Ghats hotspot Islam, Pp. 16245–16250 – Kutanelloor Roshni, Chelapurath Radhakrishnan Renjithkumar, Rajeev Raghavan, Neelesh Dahanukar & Kuty Ranjeet, Pp. 16380–16384 Ecology of the Critcally Endangered Singidia Tilapia (Teleostei: Cichlidae: Oreochromis esculentus) of lake Kayanja, Uganda and its conservaton implicatons First records of the black widow spider Latrodectus elegans Thorell, 1898 (Araneae: – Richard Olwa, Herbert Nakiyende, Elias Muhumuza, Samuel Bassa, Anthony Taabu- Theridiidae) from Nepal Munyaho & Winnie Nkalubo, Pp. 16251–16256 – Binu Shrestha & Tobias Dörr, Pp. 16385–16388

Length-weight relatonships of two conservaton-concern mahseers (Teleostei: : First report of the assassin bug Epidaus wangi (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Tor) of the river Cauvery, Karnataka, India Harpactorinae) from India – Adrian C. Pinder, Rajeev Raghavan, Shannon D. Bower & J. Robert Briton, Pp. 16257– – Swapnil S. Boyane & Hemant V. Ghate, Pp. 16389–16391 16261 Observatons of the damselfy Platylestes cf. platystylus Rambur, 1842 (Insecta: The identty and distributon of Bhavania annandalei Hora, 1920 (: Odonata: Zygoptera: Lestdae) from peninsular India Balitoridae), a hillstream loach endemic to the Western Ghats of India – K.J. Rison & A. Vivek Chandran, Pp. 16392–16395 – Remya L. Sundar, V.K. Anoop, Arya Sidharthan, Neelesh Dahanukar & Rajeev Raghavan, Pp. 16262–16271 Herminium longilobatum (Orchidaceae), a new record for Bhutan – Ugyen Dechen, Tandin Wangchuk & Lam Norbu, Pp. 16396–16398 Records of two toads Dutaphrynus scaber and D. stomatcus (Amphibia: Anura: Bufonidae) from southeastern India Recent record of a threatened holoparasitc plant Sapria himalayana Grif. in – S.R. Ganesh, M. Rameshwaran, Naveen A. Joseph, Ahamed M. Jerith & Sushil K. Duta, Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, India Pp. 16272–16278 – Arif Ahmad, Amit Kumar, Gopal Singh Rawat & G.V. Gopi , Pp. 16399–16401

Some rare damselfies and dragonfies (Odonata: Zygoptera and Anisoptera) in Ukraine: Eleven new records of lichens to the state of Kerala, India new records, notes on distributon, and habitat preferences – Sonia Anna Zachariah, Sanjeeva Nayaka, Siljo Joseph, Pooja Gupta & Scaria – Alexander V. Martynov, Pp. 16279–16294 Kadookunnel Varghese, Pp. 16402–16406

Floristc diversity of Anjaneri Hills, Maharashtra, India – Sanjay Gajanan Aut, Sharad Suresh Kambale, Kumar Vinod Chhotupuri Gosavi & Arun Nivrut Chandore, Pp. 16295–16313

A checklist of macrofungi (mushroom) diversity and distributon in the forests of Tripura, India Publisher & Host — Sanjit Debnath, Ramesh Chandra Upadhyay, Rahul Saha, Koushik Majumdar, Panna Das & Ajay Krishna Saha, Pp. 16314–16346

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Threatened Taxa