mosquitofish

American  

[muh-skee-toh-fish] / məˈski toʊˌfɪʃ /

Also mosquito fish

noun

mosquitofish, plural mosquitofishes plural

1. any of several fishes that feed on mosquito larvae, as Gambusia affinis, found in the southeastern U.S., now introduced into other parts of the world for mosquito control.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• mosquitofish
  plural
• mosquitofishes
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mosquitofish

First recorded in 1925–30; mosquito + fish

Example Sentences

McNeish, who has examined the fish carcasses since late August, has identified non-native species including bass, sunfish, bullhead catfish and mosquitofish.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2024

Recognizing the threats of habitat loss from farming and development as well as predation by mosquitofish, the Fish and Wildlife Service first proposed listing the Barrens topminnow as endangered in 1977.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 21, 2022

Everywhere the mosquitofish has been introduced, the topminnow has disappeared.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 21, 2022

The researchers put their Terminator-like creation in a tank together with six wild-caught mosquitofish and six wild-caught tadpoles.

From New York Times • Dec. 16, 2021

Ryan Amick and his colleagues at the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District are fighting the explosion of mosquitoes in Los Angeles this summer with mosquitofish.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2018