Monopterus albus (Asian swamp eel)
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Summary of Invasiveness
- Taxonomic Tree
- Description
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- Introductions
- Habitat List
- Biology and Ecology
- Climate
- Pathway Causes
- Impact Summary
- Environmental Impact
- Impact: Biodiversity
- Uses List
- Prevention and Control
- References
- Links to Websites
- Contributors
- Distribution Maps
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Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- Monopterus albus Zuiew, 1793
Preferred Common Name
- Asian swamp eel
Other Scientific Names
- Apterigia immaculata Basilewsky, 1855
- Apterigia nigromaculata Basilewsky, 1855
- Apterigia saccogularis Basilewsky, 1855
- Fluta alba Zuiew, 1793
- Gymnotus albus Zuiew, 1789
- Monopterus helvolus Richardson, 1846
- Monopterus javanensis Lacepède, 1800
- Monopterus marmoratus Richardson, 1846
- Muraena alba Zuiew, 1793
- Ophicardia phayriana McClelland, 1844
- Pneumabranchus cinereus McClelland, 1844
- Symbranchus grammicus Cantor, 1842
- Synbranchus xanthognathus Richardson, 1845
- Unibranchapertura laevis Lacepède, 1803
International Common Names
- English: mud eel; rice (paddy) field eel; rice eel; rice paddy eel; rice swampeel; risal; swamp eel
Local Common Names
- Cambodia: antong
- China/Hong Kong: wong sin
- Germany: Ostasiatischer Kiemenschlitzaal
- Indonesia: belut; welut
- Japan: ta-unagi
- Laos: ian; l'en; pa lai
- Malaysia: belut
- Russian Federation: belobryukhiy ugor'
- Thailand: lai; pla lai
- Vietnam: conlu'o'n; luon
Summary of Invasiveness
Top of pageThe native range of the Asian swamp eel, M. albus, includes tropical, subtropical and temperate climates, rather like the southeastern USA. As this species has the potential to occupy natural aquatic and wetland habitats it is well suited for a variety of habitats in Florida, USA. Its voracious appetite for all aquatic life and ability to survive in extreme conditions indicates it is a potential threat to native wildlife. It has no known natural predators in the USA. Although it prefers tropical waters, it has been known to survive in sub-zero temperatures. It can tolerate salinities of up to 16 ppt (Schofield and Nico, 2003) and breathe air, thereby surviving out of water or in moist soils for extended periods. In some populations, young hatch as females, mature as females then transform into larger males. The males guard eggs aggressively, increasing reproductive success. Not only do they seem to be able to feed voraciously, with no limit to their appetite, they have also been known to survive months without food or water.
Although there are no references to problems with introduction or of existing populations in Hawaii, the species is considered a high priority for control in Georgia and Florida, USA.
Taxonomic Tree
Top of page- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Metazoa
- Phylum: Chordata
- Subphylum: Vertebrata
- Class: Actinopterygii
- Order: Synbranchiformes
- Family: Synbranchidae
- Genus: Monopterus
- Species: Monopterus albus
Description
Top of pageCylindrical body with no scales, pectoral or pelvic fins. Dorsal, caudal and anal fins reduced to folds of skin without fin rays. No rostral appendage. Gill openings fused into a single aperture, located under the head. Swimbladder and ribs absent. Blunt, round snout; upper lip thick, overlapping part of lower lip. Teeth on jaws and palate. Eyes small, covered by a layer of skin (Nichols, 1943; Jayaram, 1981). Red to brown coloration with small dark spots across back and occasionally on the ventral surface (Inger and Kong, 1962). Lateral line well developed (Jayaram, 1981). Able to change sex during life cycle. Maximum length of 1 m and weight of 0.45 kg.
Distribution
Top of pageThe rice eel is native to eastern and southern Asia, and also possibly indigenous to Australia. It can be found in muddy ponds, canals, medium to large rivers, rice fields and swamps. First introduced to the USA, in Hawaii around 1900 for the food fishery sector. In 1994, reported in northeastern Georgia and in 1997 in southern Florida; these are likely to have been the result of fish farm escape or release or aquarium release. Its ability to breed in captivity and survive under oxygen-depleted conditions make it a suitable candidate for aquaculture.
Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 17 Dec 2021Continent/Country/Region | Distribution | Last Reported | Origin | First Reported | Invasive | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Asia |
|||||||
Cambodia | Present | Native | |||||
China | Present | Native | |||||
-Sichuan | Present | ||||||
Hong Kong | Present | Native | |||||
India | Present | Native | |||||
Indonesia | Present | Native | |||||
Japan | Present | Present based on regional distribution. | |||||
-Hokkaido | Present | Native | |||||
-Honshu | Present | Native | |||||
Laos | Present | Native | |||||
Malaysia | Present | Native | |||||
Myanmar | Present | Native | |||||
Philippines | Present | Native | |||||
South Korea | Present | Native | |||||
Taiwan | Present | Native | |||||
Thailand | Present | Native | |||||
Vietnam | Present | Native | |||||
North America |
|||||||
United States | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Florida | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Georgia | Present | Introduced | Established | ||||
-Hawaii | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-New Jersey | Present | Introduced | Silver Lake, Gibbsboro | ||||
Oceania |
|||||||
Australia | Present | Native |
Introductions
Top of pageIntroduced to | Introduced from | Year | Reason | Introduced by | Established in wild through | References | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Natural reproduction | Continuous restocking | |||||||
Florida | 1997 | Unknown | Yes | Nico (2004) | ||||
Georgia | 1994 | Unknown | Yes | Nico (2004) | ||||
Hawaii | Asia | 1900 | Aquaculture (pathway cause) | Unknown | Yes | Welcomme (1988) |
Climate
Top of pageClimate | Status | Description | Remark |
---|---|---|---|
A - Tropical/Megathermal climate | Preferred | Average temp. of coolest month > 18°C, > 1500mm precipitation annually |
Pathway Causes
Top of pageCause | Notes | Long Distance | Local | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
Food | Presumed to have been brought to Hawaii by Asian immigrants as a food fish | Yes | Fuller et al. (2011) | |
Intentional release | Presence in Florida and Georgia most likely due to aquarium release (or fish farm escape in Florida) | Yes | Fuller et al. (2011) |
Impact Summary
Top of pageCategory | Impact |
---|---|
Biodiversity (generally) | Negative |
Environment (generally) | Negative |
Native fauna | Negative |
Environmental Impact
Top of pageWhen burrowing nests to wait out the dry periods, they may play a part in altering the habitat under ponds and swampy areas. The burrows they dig may become large and branched reaching up to 1.5 m in depth. Hence swamp eels may accelerate the drying of ponds where they are abundant (Aguirre and Poss, 1999).
Impact on Biodiversity
The impact of this species is largely unknown; however, Fuller et al. (2011) note that it may be a potential threat to native fish, frogs and aquatic invertebrates.
Impact: Biodiversity
Top of pageAlthough it is too early to tell, there are fears that the eel may enter the Florida Everglades, USA and influence the native species there. The eels have been spotted within a kilometre of the Everglades National Park (Bricking, 2002).
Uses List
Top of pageHuman food and beverage
- Cured meat
- Fresh meat
- Live product for human consumption
- Whole
Prevention and Control
Top of pageDue to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authority should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product's label.
See Fuller et al. (2011) for further details on the potential use of rotenone and electrofishing to control this species.
References
Top of pageAguirre W; Poss S, 1999. Monopterus albus (Zuiew, 1793). Non-indigenous aquatic species resource. Online. http://nis.gsmfc.org/nis_factsheet.php?toc_id=193. Accessed 18/10/2004.
Bricking EM, 2002. Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus). Introduced species summary project, Columbia University, USA. Online. http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/Monopterus_albus.html. Accessed 18/10/2004.
Fishbase, 2004. Entry for Monopterus albus. Main ref. Talwar PK, Jhingran AG, 1991. Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries. Volume 2. Rotterdam: AA Balkema, 778-779. Online at www.fishbase.org. Accessed 25/02/2004.
Froese R; Pauly D, 2010. FishBase. http://www.fishbase.org
Fuller PL; Nico LG; Cannister M, 2011. Monopterus albus. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database. Gainesville, Florida, USA: USGS. http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=974
Inger RF; Kong CP, 1962. The fresh-water fishes of north Borneo. Fieldiana: Zoology, 45:1-268.
Jayaram KC, 1981. The freshwater fishes of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma and Sri Lanka – A handbook. Calcutta: Zoological Survey of India, 475 pp.
Liem KF, 1987. Functional design of the air ventilation apparatus and overland excursions by teleosts. Fieldiana: Zoology 37:1-29.
Nichols JT, 1943. The freshwater fishes of China. Natural history of Central Asia: Volume IX. New York, USA: The American Museum of Natural History, 322 pp.
Nico L, 2004. Monopterus albus. Non-indigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, Florida, USA. Online. http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/SpFactSheet.asp?SpeciesID=974. Accessed 18/10/2004.
Schofield PJ; Nico LG, 2003. Salinity tolerance of introduced swamp eels: Implications for range expansion in south Florida. Poster presented at the Joint Conference on the Science and Restoration of the Greater Everglades and Florida Bay Ecosystem, Palm Harbor, FL, April 2003.
Shu MA; Ma YZ; Zhang JC, 2000. An analysis of the nutritive composition in muscle of Monopterus albus. Journal of Fisheries of China, 24:339-344.
Smith HM, 1945. The fresh-water fishes of Siam, or Thailand. Bulletin of the US National Museum (Smithsonian Institution) 188:1-622.
Sterba G, 1973. Freshwater fishes of the world. Neptune City, NJ, USA: Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications, Inc.
Yang DQ; Chen F; Li DX; Liu BT, 2000. Requirements of nutrients and optimum energy-protein ratio in the diet for Monopterus albus. Journal of Fisheries of China, 24:259-262.
Distribution References
Anon, 2010. FishBase. In: FishBase, [ed. by Froese R, Pauly D]. http://www.fishbase.org
CABI Data Mining, 2001. CAB Abstracts Data Mining.,
CABI, Undated. CABI Compendium: Status inferred from regional distribution. Wallingford, UK: CABI
Fishbase, 2004. Entry for Monopterus albus. In: Inland fishes of India and adjacent countries, 2 [ed. by Talwar PK, Jhingran AG]. Rotterdam, AA Balkema. 778-779. http://www.fishbase.org
Fuller PL, Nico LG, Cannister M, 2011. Monopterus albus. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database., Gainesville, Florida, USA: USGS. http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=974
Links to Websites
Top of pageWebsite | URL | Comment |
---|---|---|
GISD/IASPMR: Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource and DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway | https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m93f6 | Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list. |
Global register of Introduced and Invasive species (GRIIS) | http://griis.org/ | Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list. |
Contributors
Top of pageMain Author
Uma Sabapathy Allen
Human Sciences, CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, OX10 8DE, UK
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