Armoured Sailfin Catfish

About Armoured Sailfin Catfish: 

• It is commonly referred to as the Rakashior devil fish.
• Scientifically known as Pterygoplichthys and is an invasive species.
• It possesses an uncanny ability to subsist on a diverse diet and can endure oxygen-deprived conditions. It can even navigate on land using its powerful fins.
• It was once introduced for its unique appearance and its ability to clean algal growth in tanks and aquaria.
• Out of the 14 species listed as invasive by the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) of India, six were introduced solely for the ornamental fish trade.
• Among those six listed species, four belong to Pterygoplichthys, remarking it to be one of the most invasive genera of fish.
• It has garnered notoriety due to its lack of commercial value, formidable sharp spines, and robust body, which pose a threat to fishing nets and have even caused injuries to fishermen in some instances. 
• Impact on biodiversity: It is known to voraciously consume native fish species, jeopardizing the delicate aquatic ecosystem.
• Its population has grown exponentially and this was realised through a unique ‘eDNA-based quantitative PCR assay’ developed by the institute scientists to map the presence and spread of such invasive species,

What is eDNA?

• Environmental DNA (edna) is DNA shed by all organisms into their surroundings through natural processes during their lifetime or after death.

Source: It originates from cellular material shed by organisms (via the skin, excrement, etc.) into aquatic or terrestrial environments that can be sampled and monitored using new molecular methods.

Q1: What is an invasive species?

Invasive species is a non-native organism (plant, animal, fungus, or microbe) that is introduced to a new environment, ecosystem, or habitat, where it spreads rapidly and causes harm to the local environment, economy, or human health.

Source: CCMB scientists find armoured sailfin catfish has spread to 60% of water bodies of Eastern Ghats