Hawaii's 1905 Mosquitofish Release Threatened Native Damselflies

In 1905, Hawaii introduced the western mosquitofish from Texas to Oahu to control mosquitoes. This small fish, about 2 inches long, eats mosquito larvae but also other small aquatic organisms. It adapted to both fresh and saltwater, spreading to other Hawaiian islands. A 1999 study by Ronald Englund found that this introduction threatened 23 endemic Hawaiian damselfly species, whose nymphs live in fish-free ponds and streams and became vulnerable to predation.

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