An invasive species of fish that can live out of water has been found lurking in Canada, experts warn.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada confirmed reports of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus — also known as the Oriental Weatherfish or the pond loach — in the LaHave River near New Germany, Nova Scotia.
This is the first time the species, which can survive on land, has been observed in the wild in the Maritimes region in eastern Canada, according to the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council.
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The invasive species poses a “significant threat” when introduced to native ecosystems, officials said. The pond loach can reduce aquatic insect biodiversity and compete with native fish species for food and spawning habitat.
They are also known to carry parasites and pathogens that are harmful to both wildlife and humans, according to the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council.
The pond loach is a common aquarium species and likely was released into the ecosystem, which is illegal in Canada, officials said.
It has a long, eel-like body and can grow to nearly 10 inches in length.
The species typically lives in shallow freshwater ecosystems with muddy or silty floors.
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They can survive on land for short periods due to their ability to breathe air and tolerate low-oxygen conditions, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The species can propagate quickly because they are asexual and can breed young on their own.
The specimen that was found was a single egg-carrying female, according to reports.
“We don’t know if there are any others,” Ken Donnelly, the supervisor of the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council, told the Chronicle Herald, a newspaper based in Halifax. “We certainly hope not.”
Its presence was reported as a result of citizen science, according to the Nova Scotia Invasive Species Council. A witness entered an account into iNaturalist, a scientific organization that helps to identify species, officials said.
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The global economic cost of invasive species over the past 60 years has amounted to about $35 billion annually — a similar figure to the global costs of extreme weather events attributable to climate change, according to a paper published last month in Nature Ecology & Evolution. North America has likely experienced a cumulative loss of $285 billion in the last six decades as a result of invasive species, the researchers said.
Invasive plant species such as the butterfly bush, the water hyacinth and water primrose were found to be the group resulting in the highest total estimated cost over the past 60 years, at $926.38 billion, according to the paper. Arthropods and mammals had the next-highest estimated costs, at $830.29 billion and $263.35 billion, respectively.
In addition, biological invasions have contributed to about 60% of recorded global extinctions, the researchers said.
