Kissing (Helostoma temminckii) Ecological Risk Screening Summary

U.S. and Wildlife Service, February 2011 Revised, September 2018 Web Version, 2/14/2019

Photo: 5snake5. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Available: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Helostoma_temminkii_01.jpg. (September 2018).

1 Native Range and Status in the United States Native Range From Fuller and Neilson (2018):

“Tropical Asia, including central , Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java (Berra 1981; Roberts 1989; Talwar and Jhingran 1992).”

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Status in the United States Fuller and Neilson (2018) report Helostoma temminckii from the following HUCs (hydrologic units) in Florida between 1971 and 1978: Florida Southeast Coast, Little Manatee, and Tampa Bay.

From Fuller and Neilson (2018):

“Failed at both locations in Florida. No additional specimens have been reported or collected.”

This species is in trade in the United States.

From Arizona Aquatic Gardens (2018):

“Pink Fish […] $8.99 Out of stock”

Means of Introductions in the United States From Fuller and Neilson (2018):

“The introduction resulted from either an release or a fish-farm escape.”

Remarks This species’ name is spelled “Helostoma temminkii” according to ITIS (2018), but the correct spelling according to Fricke et al. (2018) is “Helostoma temminckii”. The misspelling occurs often enough that it was also used when researching in preparation of this report.

From Fricke et al. (2018):

“temminkii, Helostoma Cuvier [G.] (ex Kuhl & van Hasselt) 1829:228 [Le Règne (Edition 2) v. 2; […]] […] Appeared in more detail in Cuvier & Valenciennes 1831:341, Pl. 194 […] where species was spelled temminckii. Corrected to temminckii as an inadvertant error.”

2 Biology and Ecology Taxonomic Hierarchy and Taxonomic Standing From ITIS (2018):

“Kingdom Animalia Subkingdom Bilateria Infrakingdom Deuterostomia Phylum Chordata Subphylum Vertebrata Infraphylum Gnathostomata Superclass Class Teleostei Superorder

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Order Perciformes Suborder Family Helostomatidae Helostoma Species Helostoma temmin[c]kii Cuvier, 1829”

From Fricke et al. (2018):

“Current status: Valid as Helostoma temminckii Cuvier 1829. Helostomatidae.”

Size, Weight, and Age Range From Froese and Pauly (2018):

“Max length : 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed; [Kottelat et al. 1993]”

Environment From Froese and Pauly (2018):

“Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 6.0 - 8.0; dH range: 5 - 19; potamodromous [Riede 2004]; depth range 2 - ? m. […] 22°C - 28°C [Riehl and Baensch 1991; assumed to be recommended aquarium temperature range];”

Climate/Range From Froese and Pauly (2018):

“Tropical; […] 16°N - 6°S”

Distribution Outside the United States Native From Fuller and Neilson (2018):

“Tropical Asia, including central Thailand, Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java (Berra 1981; Roberts 1989; Talwar and Jhingran 1992).”

Introduced From Vidthayanon (2012):

“The species has been introduced elsewhere, including to Irian Jaya [], Singapore and the Philippines.”

Froese and Pauly (2018) report that H. temmincki introductions have resulted in establishment in Singapore, Bali (Indonesia), the Philippines, and Colombia, while status is uncertain in Sulawesi (but see below) and Irian Jaya (Indonesia), Sri Lanka, and Canada.

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From Froese and Pauly (2018):

“Established in the Magdalena watershed [in Colombia].”

Kartamihardja (2012) state that H. temminckii has been established in Sulawesi since 1940.

Means of Introduction Outside the United States From Kartamihardja (2012):

“In Indonesian reservoirs, fish stock enhancement generally conducted [sic] since the reservoir impounded. The fish species used in the stock enhancement mostly [sic] the culture species, such as […] kissing gouramy [sic] (Helostoma temminckii), […].”

From Rahim et al. (2009):

“[…] Helostoma temminckii, which is also known as kissing gouramy [sic], was introduced into Sarawak [Malaysia, Island of Borneo] in 1956 for and it was believed that this species escaped from the ponds into the surrounding streams during heavy floods in the Baram area in 1963 (Hans and Morshidi, 2000).”

From Froese and Pauly (2018):

“Widespread in fish rearing facilities [in the Magdalena watershed, Colombia] and has presumably escaped into local waters.”

Short Description From Weber and de Beaufort (1922):

8 “D. XVI—XVIII. 13—16; A. XIII—XV. 17—19; P. 2. 11; V.1.5; L.l. 44—48; L.tr. 15−16.”

“Height about 2, about 2.5 in length with caudal. Head, with the fronto-rostral line more or less concave, 2-3 in length, 3-3.5 in length with caudal. Eye on the same level with the angle of the mouth, 3.5 to about 4 times in head and nearly equal to snout. Olivaceous or greyish on the back, much lighter below, dark longitudinal stripes along the series of scales.”

Biology From Froese and Pauly (2018):

“Occurs in lakes and rivers [Kottelat, and Widjanarti 2005]. Prefers slow-moving water with thick vegetation. Feeds on a variety of plants and , including green and zooplankton [Ukkatawewat 1999] as well as aquatic near the water surface [Rainboth 1996].”

“Spawning usually occurs under floating vegetation. hatch in a day and fry become free- swimming 2 days after.”

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From Ferry et al. (2012):

“The Kissing gourami, Helostoma temminckii, has an unusual jaw morphology, which is used in a peculiar way: two individuals will “flare” the upper and lower jaws, in both the mediolateral and dorsoventral planes, and press the tips of their jaws against one another. This eponymous “kissing” behavior is an intraspecific, agonistic behavior. In fact, the distinctive oral jaw morphology of Helostoma was interpreted by the late Professor Karel Liem as an adaptation for this kissing behavior (Liem, '67).”

“Although Helostoma has been previously categorized as a midwater filter-feeding species, we suggest that the unusual jaw morphology that produces jaw flaring during “kissing” also maximizes mouth opening diameter and contact with the substrate to facilitate removal of attached plant material.”

Human Uses From Froese and Pauly (2018):

“Utilized fresh for steaming, pan-frying, broiling and baking [Frimodt 1995]; also processed as dried or salted fish; ripe ovaries are collected and separately eaten [Kottelat, and Widjanarti 2005]. Large quantities of small fish are exported for aquarium use in Japan, , North America, and other parts of the world [Frimodt 1995]. Very popular with aquarists due to its habit of sucking its lips and kissing other , plants and other objects [Talwar and Jhingran 1991]. Aquarium keeping: not recommended for home ; minimum aquarium size 150 cm [BMELF 1999].”

From Vidthayanon (2012):

“Popular locally as foodfish, internationally popular in the aquarium trade, from captive bred sources.”

This species is in trade in the United States.

From Arizona Aquatic Gardens (2018):

“Pink Kissing Gourami Fish […] $8.99 Out of stock”

Diseases From Froese and Pauly (2018):

“Fin-rot Disease (late stage), Bacterial diseases White spot Disease, Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) Fish louse Infestation 1, Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) Costia Disease, Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) Dactylogyrus Gill Flukes Disease, Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) Fin Rot (early stage), Bacterial diseases Hole-in-the-Head Disease, Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) 5

Anchorworm Disease (Lernaea sp.), Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) Bacterial Infections (general), Bacterial diseases Skin Fungi (Saprolegnia sp.), Fungal diseases Turbidity of the Skin (), Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) Fungal Infection (general), Fungal diseases Velvet Disease 2 (Piscinoodinium sp.), Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) Nematode Infection (general), Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.) Anchor worm Disease, Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)”

No OIE-reportable diseases have been documented for this species.

Threat to Humans From Froese and Pauly (2018):

“Harmless”

3 Impacts of Introductions From Rahim et al. (2009):

“Since 1963, the population of Helostoma temminckii has increased dramatically and invaded many lakes and rivers of the lower Baram [Sarawak, Malaysia] (Hans and Morshidi, 2000; Murtedza et al., 2000). [In general] The establishment of non-indigenous species has substantially changed the community structure in some areas [of the world], and in some cases, the numbers of introduced fish are greater than the native (Sublette et al., 1990; Vitousek et al., 1996; 1997). The increasing number of the introduced fish (such as Helostoma temminckii population [in the lower Baram]) may threaten the biodiversity of indigenous fishes in the areas. However, the effects of the introduced fishes in Batang Kerang floodplain are less understood. Therefore, further studies to examine the degree of -use overlap between native and non-native species in this area must be obtained.”

From Rahim et al. (2013):

“The domination of H. temminckii in Loagan Bunut National Park (Nyanti et al., 2006), the Bakong River (Murtedza et al., 2000) and in the black water habitat of the Batang Kerang (Khairul Adha et al., 2009; 2010) area in Sarawak [Malaysia] may threaten the diversity of native species and spark competition for food, , spawning, and refuge (Morgan et al., 2004; Becker et al., 2005).”

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4 Global Distribution

Figure 1. Known global distribution of Helostoma temminckii. Map from GBIF Secretariat (2017). Points in Florida were excluded from the extent of this map and from climate matching because they represent failed populations. A point off the coast of Ecuador was excluded because of coordinate error. Points in were excluded from climate matching because the species is not known to be established there. No georeferenced occurrences were reported for established populations of H. temminckii in the Philippines, Colombia, and parts of Indonesia (Sulawesi, Bali).

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5 Distribution Within the United States

Figure 2. Known distribution of Helostoma temminckii in the United States. Map from Fuller and Neilson (2018). Points represent failed populations.

6 Climate Matching Summary of Climate Matching Analysis The Climate 6 score (Sanders et al. 2014; 16 climate variables; Euclidean distance) for the contiguous United States was 0.0, which is a low climate match. A Climate 6 score of 0.005 or below indicates a low climate match. Every state in the contiguous United States had a low climate score. There was an area of medium match in southern Florida and along the Gulf Coast in southern Louisiana and southeast Texas. The remainder of the contiguous United States had a low match.

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Figure 3. RAMP (Sanders et al. 2014) source map showing weather stations selected as source locations (red; Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) and non-source locations (gray) for Helostoma temminckii climate matching. Source locations from GBIF Secretariat (2017).

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Figure 4. Map of RAMP (Sanders et al. 2014) climate matches for Helostoma temminckii in the contiguous United States based on source locations reported by GBIF Secretariat (2017). 0= Lowest match, 10=Highest match.

The “High”, “Medium”, and “Low” climate match categories are based on the following table:

Climate 6: Proportion of Climate Match (Sum of Climate Scores 6-10) / (Sum of total Climate Scores) Category 0.000≤X≤0.005 Low 0.005

7 Certainty of Assessment Some information is available about the biology and ecology of Helostoma temminckii. This species has been reported as established outside of its native range, and potential negative impacts have been discussed in the literature but have not been adequately documented. Due to lack of information from which to assess the invasive potential of H. temminckii, the certainty of assessment is low.

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8 Risk Assessment Summary of Risk to the Contiguous United States Helostoma temminckii, the Kissing Gourami, is a freshwater fish species native to Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, and the islands of Sumatra, Borneo, and Java. It has become established on the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi and Bali, Singapore, the Philippines, and Colombia through aquaculture escape. Some nonnative populations of H. temminckii dominate native fish communities. Potential negative impacts of H. temminckii have been discussed in the scientific literature, but no specific negative impacts have been documented. It is used in the aquarium trade and as a food fish outside of the United States, and in the aquarium trade within the United States. H. teminickii has a low climate match with the contiguous United States, with only small areas of medium match in southern Florida, southern Louisiana, and southeast Texas. It has been collected from Florida, but populations there failed. Certainty of this assessment is low because further information is needed to adequately assess the risk this species poses to the United States. The overall risk assessment category is Uncertain.

Assessment Elements  History of Invasiveness (Sec. 3): None Documented  Climate Match (Sec. 6): Low  Certainty of Assessment (Sec. 7): Low  Important additional information: Some sources spell the species name Helostoma temminkii (without the “c”).  Overall Risk Assessment Category: Uncertain

9 References Note: The following references were accessed for this ERSS. References cited within quoted text but not accessed are included below in Section 10.

Arizona Aquatic Gardens. 2018. Pink Kissing Gourami Fish. Available: https://www.azgardens.com/product/pink-kissing-gourami-fish/. (September 2018).

Ferry, L. A., N. Konow, and A. C. Gibb. 2012. Are kissing gourami specialized for substrate‐ feeding? Prey capture kinematics of Helostoma temminckii and other anabantoid fishes. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology 317(9):571-579.

Fricke, R., W. N. Eschmeyer, and R. van der Laan, editors. 2018. Catalog of fishes: genera, species, references. Available: http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp. (September 2018).

Froese, R., and D. Pauly, editors. 2018. Helostoma temminckii (Cuvier, 1829). FishBase. Available: https://www.fishbase.de/summary/Helostoma-temminckii.html. (September 2018).

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Fuller, P., and M. Neilson. 2018. Helostoma temminkii Cuvier, 1829: U.S. Geological Survey, Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, Florida. Available: https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=725. (September 2018).

GBIF Secretariat. 2017. GBIF backbone : Helostoma temminckii, Cuvier, 1829. Global Biodiversity Information Facility, Copenhagen. Available: https://www.gbif.org/species/2392012. (September 2018).

ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). 2018. Helostoma temminkii (Cuvier, 1829). Integrated Taxonomic Information System, Reston, Virginia. Available: https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=638 746#null. (September 2018).

Kartamihardja, E. S. 2012. Stock enhancement in Indonesian lake and reservoirs fisheries. Indonesian Fisheries Research Journal 18(2):91-100.

Rahim, K. A. A., S. K. Daud, S. S. Siraj, A. Arshad, Y. Esa, and E. R. Ibrahim. 2009. Freshwater fish diversity and composition in Batang Kerang floodplain, Balai Ringin, Sarawak. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 32(1):7-16.

Rahim, K. A. A., Y. Esa, and A. Arshad. 2013. The influence of alien fish species on native fish community structure in Malaysian waters. Kuroshio Science 7(1):81-93.

Sanders, S., C. Castiglione, and M. H. Hoff. 2014. Risk Assessment Mapping Program: RAMP. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Vidthayanon, C. 2012. Helostoma temminkii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012: e.T181326A1722150. Available: http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/181326/0. (September 2018).

Weber, M., and L. F. de Beaufort. 1922. The fishes of the Indo-Australian archipelago. IV. Heteromi, Solenichthyes, Synentognathi, Percesoces, Labyrinthici, Microcyprini. E. J. Brill, Leiden, the Netherlands.

10 References Quoted But Not Accessed Note: The following references are cited within quoted text within this ERSS, but were not accessed for its preparation. They are included here to provide the reader with more information.

Becker, A., L. J. B. Laurenson, P. L. Jones, and D. M. Newman. 2005. Competitive interactions between the Australian native fish Galaxias maculatus and the exotic mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki, in a series of laboratory experiments. Hydrobiologia 549:187-196.

Berra, T. M. 1981. An atlas of distribution of the freshwater fish families of the world. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, Nebraska. 12

BMELF (Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten). 1999. Gutachten über Mindestanforderungen an die Haltung von Zierfischen (Süßwasser). Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten (BMELF), Bonn, Germany.

Cuvier, G. 1829. Le Règne Animal, distribué d'après son organisation, pour servir de base à l'histoire naturelle des animaux et d'introduction à l'anatomie comparée, edition 2. Chez Déterville, Paris.

Cuvier, G., and A. Valenciennes. 1831. Histoire naturelle des poissons. Tome septieme. Livre septieme. Des Squamipennes. Livre huitieme. Des poissons apharyngiens labyrinthiformes. F. G. Levrault, Paris.

Frimodt, C. 1995. Multilingual illustrated guide to the world's commercial warmwater fish. Fishing News Books, Osney Mead, Oxford, U.K.

Hans, P. H., and A. K. A. Morsidi. 2000. National Park of Sarawak. Malaysian Natural History Publication (Borneo) Sendirian Berhad.

Khairul Adha, A. R., S. K. Daud, S. S. Siraj, A. Arshad, Y. Esa, and E. R. Ibrahim. 2009. Freshwater fish diversity and composition in Batang Kerang Floodplain, Balai Ringin, Sarawak. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science 32:7-16.

Khairul Adha, A. R., S. K. Daud, S. S. Siraj, A. Arshad, and Y. Esa. 2010. Ecology and distribution of non-indigenous freshwater fish in Sarawak, Malaysia. Aquatic Science Colloquium 2010. Department of Aquatic Science, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Kottelat, M., and E. Widjanarti. 2005. The fishes of Danau Sentarum National Park and the Kapuas Lakes area, Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement (13):139-173.

Kottelat, M., A. J. Whitten, S. N. Kartikasari and S. Wirjoatmodjo. 1993. Freshwater fishes of Western Indonesia and Sulawesi. Periplus Editions, Hong Kong.

Liem, K. F. 1967. Functional morphology of the head of the anabantoid teleost fish Helastoma temmincki. Journal of Morphology 121:135-157.

Morgan, D. L., S. G. Howards, G. M. Mark, and J. B. Stephen. 2004. Distribution and impacts of introduced freshwater fishes in Western Australia. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 38:511-523.

Murtedza, M., L. Seng, L. P. Ling, L. Y. Howe, N. Bessaih, and A. R. Khairul Adha. 2000. The need and challenges for integrated catchment management-the Bakong catchment in Sarawak. Pages 126-140 in M. Leigh, editor. Environment conservation and land.

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Proceedings of the Sixth Biennial Borneo Research Conference Borneo. IEAS, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Nyanti, L., A. K. Sayok, and E. Efransjahi. 2006. Fish fauna of Loagan Bunut National Park, Sarawak. Pages 102-129 in A. A. Tuen., A. K. Sayok, A. N. Toh and G. T. Noweg, editors. A scientific journey through Borneo: Loagan. Sarawak Forest Department, Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Rainboth, W. J. 1996. Fishes of the Cambodian Mekong. FAO species identification field guide for fishery purposes. FAO, Rome.

Riede, K. 2004. Global register of migratory species - from global to regional scales. Final report of the R&D-Projekt 808 05 081. Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Bonn, Germany.

Riehl, R., and H. A. Baensch. 1991. Aquarien atlas, volume 1. Mergus, Verlag für Natur-und Heimtierkunde, Melle, Germany.

Roberts, T. R. 1989. The freshwater fishes of Western Borneo (Kalimantan Barat, Indonesia). Memoirs of the California Academy of Science 14. California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco.

Sublette, J. E., M. D. Hatch, and M. Sublette. 1990. The fishes of New Mexico. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque.

Talwar, P. K., and A. G. Jhingran. 1991. Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries, volume 2. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Talwar, P. K., and A. G. Jhingran, editors. 1992. Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries. A. A. Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Ukkatawewat, S. 1999. The taxonomic characters and biology of some important freshwater fishes in Thailand. Manuscript. National Inland Fisheries Institute, Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Bangkok, Thailand.

Vitousek, P. M., C. M. D’Antonio, L. L. Loope, and R. Westbrooks. 1996. Biological invasions as global environmental change. American Scientist 84:468–478.

Vitousek, P. M., C. M. D’Antonio, L. L. Loope, M. Rejmanek, and R. Westbrook. 1997. Introduced species: a significant component of human-caused global change. New Zealand Journal of Ecology 211:1-16.

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