 |
|
|
||||
| NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species |
Translate this page with 
Common Name: Jack Dempsey
Synonyms and Other Names: mojarra castarrica
Taxonomy: available through 
Identification: Synonyms are Cichlasoma bifasciatum and C. hedricki. The species is included in identification keys of Greenfield and Thomerson (1997). For distinguishing characteristics and figure see Page and Burr (1991). Color photographs appeared in Konings (1989) and in Conkel (1993).
Size: 25 cm.
Native Range: Tropical America. Atlantic Slope drainages in Middle America from Río
Paso San Juan, Veracruz, Mexico, south to the Río Ulua basin in
Honduras (Greenfield and Thomerson 1997).
Nonindigenous Occurrences: Three specimens were taken from Lafayette Creek, Contra Costa County, California, in 1986 (A. J. Cordone, personal communication). Specimens 6-15 cm long have been taken from major drainages in Connecticut (Whitworth 1996). This species has been found in several canals, ditches, and quarry ponds in various parts of Florida in Dade, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Levy, and Brevard counties, as well as an isolated population in Alachua county (Courtenay et al. 1974; Hogg 1976a, 1976b; Courtenay and Hensley 1979a; Levine et al. 1979; Dial and Wainright 1983; Gilmore et al. 1983; Jennings 1986; J. D. Williams, personal observation). Courtenay et al. (1974) reported established populations near fish farms west of Lantana, Palm Beach County, but the species was not found during a 1978 survey (Courtenay and Hensley 1979a). Northernmost population is on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, Florida. An isolated population formerly in a rock pit in southern Levy County was eradicated in 1977 (Levine et al. 1979; Courtenay and Hensley 1979a). This species is also established on the island of Oahu, Hawaii (Devick 1991).
Means of Introduction:
Status: Established in Florida; reported from California and Connecticut.
Impact of Introduction: The omnivorous, opportunistic feeding behavior of the Jack Dempsey should enhance its survival in areas where it is introduced (Jennings 1986).
Remarks: Juvenile fish from the vicinities of Gibsonton, Riverview, and Ruskin in Hillsborough County, identified as Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum by Buntz and Chapman (1970), were actually this species (Courtenay et al. 1974). This highly aggressive and combative species possibly competes with native sunfishes for food and spawning sites. The population in Alachua County, the northernmost record for Florida, has persisted for more than 10 years.
Buntz, J., and P. Chapman. 1970. A preliminary report on the increasing establishment of non-native fish in the Tampa Bay area. Unpublished Report to the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. 6 pp.
Conkel, D. 1993. Cichlids of North and Central America. Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ.
Cordone, A.J. - Department of Fish and Game, Sacramento, CA. Response to NBS-G non-indigenous questionaire. 1992.
Courtenay, W. R., Jr., and D. A. Hensley. 1979a. Survey of introduced non-native fishes. Phase I Report. Introduced exotic fishes in North America: status 1979. Report Submitted to National Fishery Research Laboratory, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Gainesville, FL.
Courtenay, W. R., Jr., H. F. Sahlman, W. W. Miley, II, and D. J. Herrema. 1974. Exotic fishes in fresh and brackish waters of Florida. Biological Conservation 6(4):292-302.
Devick, W.S. 1991. Disturbance and fluctuations in theWahiawa Reservoir ecosustem. Project number F-14-R-15, Job 4 Study I. Division of Aquatic Resources, Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources. 21 pp.
Dial R. S., and S. C. Wainright. 1983a. New distributional records for non-native fishes in Florida. Florida Scientist 46(1):1-8.
Dial, R. S., and S. C. Wainright. 1983b. New distributional records for non-native fishes in Florida. Florida Scientist 46(1):8-15.
Gilmore, R. G., P. A. Hastings, and D. J. Herrema. 1983. Ichthyofaunal additions to the Indian River Lagoon and adjacent waters east-central Florida. Florida Scientist 46:22-30.
Hogg, R. G. 1976a. Ecology of fishes of the family Cichlidae introduced into the fresh waters of Dade County, Florida. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL. 142 pp.
Hogg, R. G. 1976b. Established exotic cichlid fishes in Dade County, Florida. Florida Scientist 39(2):97-103.
Jennings, D. P. 1986. Characterization of a localized Jack Dempsey, Cichlasoma octofasciatum, population in Alachua County, Florida. Florida Scientist 49(4):255-259.
Konings, A. 1989. Cichlids from Central America. Tropical Fish Hobbyist Publications, Inc., Neptune City, NJ.
Levine, D. S., J. T. Krummrich, and P. L. Shafland. 1979. Renovation of a borrow pit in Levy County, Florida, containing Jack Dempseys (Cichlasoma octofasciatum). Non-native Fish Research Laboratory, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Boca Raton, FL. Contribution 21. 6 pp.
Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. The Peterson Field Guide Series, volume 42. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA.
Whitworth, W. R. 1996. Freshwater Fishes of Connecticut. State Geological and Natural History Survey of Connecticut, Bulletin 114.
Williams, J. D., D. P. Jennings, and D. C. Haney. 1992. Exotics in the Indian River Lagoon System. National Biological Survey, Gainesville, FL. Unpublished manuscript.
Other Resources:
Gulf of Mexico Program
FishBase Fact Sheet
Author: Leo Nico
Revision Date: 12/16/2004 Citation for this information:
Leo Nico. 2009. Cichlasoma octofasciatum. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL.
<http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=448> Revision Date: 12/16/2004
| AccessibilityFOIAPrivacyPolicies and Notices | |
  |
|