Lilianna Hoffmann, Dawid Grupa, Wojciech Andrzejewski, Jan Mazurkiewicz
ABSTRACT. Brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus, Lesueur, 1819) were imported to Europe to exploit their tasty meat. However, because of their slow growth and voracity, brown bullhead have become an invasive species and a pest on fish farms and in protected areas. The aim of the study was to systematize the biometric features of the species based on data from catches made in the mid-twentieth century, in 2010-2012, and the authors’ own catches in 2013. Reports on the occurrence of brown bullhead in Poland were analyzed to determine its expansion. The values of the biometric parameters of the brown bullhead specimens examined were similar to those noted in previous studies. Based on data from the literature, brown bullhead comprises a compact population in Polesie Lubelskie, where, in time, it will dominate the surrounding waters. Although it also occurs in protected areas, its expansion is incidental.
Keywords: Ameiurus nebulosus, brown bullhead, biometric parameters, invasive species, expansion
Przyjęto po recenzji 31.07.2017 r.