Nonindigenous Aquatic Species of the Mississippi River Basin

Snakeheads

•Channa argus - collected hundreds in a Maryland pond in 2002, soon after eradicated; Imported as a food fish and later released in to the Maryland pond

•Giant snakehead collected in Rock River, Wisconsin in September 2003

•Can reach 1.5 m

•Native to Russia, China, and Korea

•Five species collected in US

–C. argus (northern snakehead)

–C. maculata (snakehead mullet)

–C. marulius (bullseye snakehead)

–C. micropeltes (giant snakehead)

–C. striata (chevron snakehead)

•Channa marulius established in south Florida

Wisconsin DNR


	Hundreds of small snakeheads were collected from the release of two fish in the now famous Maryland pond.
	Argus collected but not established in CA FL MA MD NC
	Maculata collected one in Massachusetts, but mostly on Oahu, Hawaii
	Marulius established in Florida
	Micropeltes collected from several New England states
	Striata in aquarium industry in Hawaii
	This whole family was recently banned from importation.