Opinions and declarations Rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature

Opinions and declarations Rendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature

A seminar held in Malacca to review the status of aquaculture in some SoutheastAsian countries was attended by 33 participants from 12 countries. Various problemareas were outlined in a comprehensive coverage of those which most significantlyinhibited the more rapid development of aquaculture as a means for greater foodsupply and more profitable enterprise. Areas such as fish seed supplies, feeds andstocking systems, as well as diseases, pesticides, pollution, and other technical economicand social problems were discussed. Certain specific cultures, e.g. shrimp, freshwaterprawns (specifically Macrobrachiurn), aquarium fish, molluscs, and others of high cashvalue, offer promising prospects; others (including some shrimp and fish species) requireintensified research to supplement current national and regional activities. Projectswere formulated on the following; induced breeding and seed supply of important carps;intensive catfish culture; Chanos culture optimization; bivalve research development;and profitability of aquaculture systems.

The present observation contributes four additional fish species to Bishan Park. The fish fauna in the Park’s waterway was previously reported by Kwik (2013), Yeo (2013), Tan (2015b) and Tan & Koh (2015). Herein, the new records are the vermiculated sailfin catfish (Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus), gold-spotted sailfin catfish (Pterygoplichthys joselimaianus), green chromide (Etroplus suratensis) and bumblebee tilapia (Heterotilapai buttikoferi). All the aforementioned taxa are not native to Singapore. Differences in the head shape, possibly linked to sexual dimorphism, were observed on the common snakehead (Channa striata), the only native fish in the stream. The example with the broader head appears to be male (Fig. 9), while the female is believed to have a slender head and stockier body (Fig. 10). The Cuban slider (Trachemys decussata) is a new reptile record for Bishan Park. This non-native turtle has previously been reported from the Botanical Gardens (Lim, 2013; Tan, 2015a) and certain reservoirs in Singapore (Ng & Lim, 2010). The identity of the ubiquitous apple snail in many water bodies in Singapore has been resolved by Ng et al (2016), and Pomacea maculata is noted from Bishan Park (Fig. 12).

Of the 11 fish species herein recorded, only Oxyeleotris marmorata and Channa striata may be regarded as being native to Singapore. All the other fishes are non-native species and have been documented from reservoirs in Singapore (see: Ng & Tan, 2010). Some of them, such as Cyprinus carpio, Leptobarbus rubripinnis, Puntigrus tetrazona, Piaractus brachypomus and Betta splendens, are popular aquarium fish, and may have been discarded pets. Others, such as Poecilia reticulata and Rasbora borapetensis may have been stocked for controlling mosquito breeding. Oreochromis mossambicus, Oxyeleotris marmorata and Channa micropeltes are commonly reared in ponds as food fish (personal observations). Of the two reptiles observed, the Malayan water monitor is native to Singapore. The two red-eared sliders were most likely abandoned pets.