Frontiers in Marine Science
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Hybrid groupers, including the hulong hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus♂), are becoming increasingly popular in mariculture in the southwest Pacific, raising concerns about their potential to cause biological invasions. The Hulong hybrid grouper was first developed in Malaysia in 2007 and introduced to mainland China in 2009. It has been sighted in the coastal waters of China's Hainan Island for over a decade.
The hulong hybrid grouper was first bred in Malaysia in 2007 (Ch'ng and Senoo, 2008). In 2009, IVF technology was further developed in China, leading to the production of hulong hybrid grouper fry in Wen Chang, a major aquatic breeding city on the northeastern island of Hainan. With the development of the farming and mariculture industry of the Hulong hybrid grouper on Hainan Island, escapees have been sighted in recent years at multiple locations in the inshore waters of Hainan Island (Figure 1D) by anglers, divers and fishers. This has raised concerns about the potential biological invasion of this hybrid fish.
The introduction of this species is the result of both unintentional escapes from aquaculture facilities and intentional releases. This research represents the first documented case of an artificial marine hybrid fish entering the wild and establishing a population, with potential negative ecological impacts such as interspecific competition, disease transmission and genetic contamination.
The hulong grouper is a typical high-trophic-level fish and may have occupied the vacant niche, accelerating the invasion process.
Overall, the hulong grouper shows good environmental adaptability and stress resistance in the wild. The coastal waters of Hainan Island have suitable environmental conditions, sufficient food supply and vacant niches suitable for the invasion of this grouper.
The prey of the hulong hybrid grouper includes crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms, polychaetes and fish, which are abundant in the coastal waters of Hainan Island.
The hulong grouper displays a high level of environmental adaptability and stress resistance in the wild.
The coastal waters of Hainan Island have suitable environmental conditions, sufficient food supply and vacant niches suitable for the invasion of this grouper.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1438895/full#h13
The hulong hybrid grouper was first bred in Malaysia in 2007 (Ch'ng and Senoo, 2008). In 2009, IVF technology was further developed in China, leading to the production of hulong hybrid grouper fry in Wen Chang, a major aquatic breeding city on the northeastern island of Hainan. With the development of the farming and mariculture industry of the Hulong hybrid grouper on Hainan Island, escapees have been sighted in recent years at multiple locations in the inshore waters of Hainan Island (Figure 1D) by anglers, divers and fishers. This has raised concerns about the potential biological invasion of this hybrid fish.
The introduction of this species is the result of both unintentional escapes from aquaculture facilities and intentional releases. This research represents the first documented case of an artificial marine hybrid fish entering the wild and establishing a population, with potential negative ecological impacts such as interspecific competition, disease transmission and genetic contamination.
The hulong grouper is a typical high-trophic-level fish and may have occupied the vacant niche, accelerating the invasion process.
Overall, the hulong grouper shows good environmental adaptability and stress resistance in the wild. The coastal waters of Hainan Island have suitable environmental conditions, sufficient food supply and vacant niches suitable for the invasion of this grouper.
The prey of the hulong hybrid grouper includes crustaceans, molluscs, echinoderms, polychaetes and fish, which are abundant in the coastal waters of Hainan Island.
The hulong grouper displays a high level of environmental adaptability and stress resistance in the wild.
The coastal waters of Hainan Island have suitable environmental conditions, sufficient food supply and vacant niches suitable for the invasion of this grouper.
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1438895/full#h13
