Invasive Alien Species in Belgium: Pimephales promelas

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Pimephales promelas - Fathead minnow

French name:	Vairon américain
Dutch name:	Dikkopelrits
Family:	Cyprinidae

Group:	Fish
Origin:	North America
Habitat:	freshwater
Introduction:	game/fish stocking

ISEIA Score : 9

Naturalization in Belgium

First observation in the wild:	1986
Invasion stage:	spread
Spatial distribution:	restricted

Invasiveness

Reproduction in the wild:	yes
Dispersion potential:	medium
Natural habitats:	high

More on invasiveness: Lives in sluggish and still water with abundant floating and submerged vegetation.

Distribution in Belgium

Established populations Biogeographic areas where the species is known to be established in the wild

	absent from district
	isolated populations (1-5 localities per district)
	widespread (>5 localities per district)

Impacts on Species

Predation / Herbivory:	low
Competition:	medium
Disease transmission:	high
Genetic effects:	low

Impacts on Ecosystems

Nutrient cycling:	low
Physical alteration:	low
Natural successions:	low
Food web alteration:	low

More on impacts: As a predator of eggs and larvae of other fish species, fathead minnow is considered as a potential pest. It is also responsible for the introduction of Yersinia ruckeri, the agent of the enteric redmouth disease.

Data Source & References

Authors:	Anseeuw Dieter, Branquart Etienne, Lieffrig François, Micha Jean-Claude, Parkinson Denis, Verreycken Hugo
Published on:	11 June 2007
Last update:	26 January 2010

References:

Anseeuw, D., Gaethofs, T. & Louette, G. (2005)

First record and morphometry of the non-indigenous fathead minnow Pimephales promelas (Rafinesque, 1820) (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) in Flanders (Belgium).

Belgian Journal of Zoology 135: 87-90.

Duffy, W.G (1998)

Population dynamics, production, and prey consumption of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) in prairie wetlands: a bioenergetics approach.

Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci., 55: 15-27.

Keith, P (2001)

Le Tête de boule.

In : Keith, P. & Allardi, J., Atlas des poissons d’eau douce de France. Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Service du Patrimoine Naturel, Paris : 194-195.

Peeler, E.J., Oidtmann, B.C., Midtlyng, P.J., Miossec, L. & Gozlan, R.E. (2011)

Non-native aquatic animals introductions have driven disease emergence in Europe.

Biological invasions 13 (6): 1291-1303.

Philippart, JC. (2004)

Pêche et conservation de la nature en Région wallonne : espèces indigènes et non indigènes.

Actes du colloque 'La gestion piscicole, Natura 2000 et la directive cadre sur l'eau. Liège, Château de Colonster.

Verreycken, H. (2006)

Niet-inheemse vissoorten

From online fact sheets of the Flemish Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), VLINA-project 00/11

Verreycken, H., Anseeuw, D., Van Thuyne, G., Quataert, P. & Belpaire, C. (2007)

The non-indigenous freshwater fishes of Flanders (Belgium): review, status and trends over the last decade.

Journal of Fish Biology 71 (Suppl. D): 160-172.

Welcomme, R.L. (1988)

International introductions of inland aquatic species.

FAO Fisheries Technical Paper 294, 318 pp.