Northern Snakehead

Northern snakehead fish (Channa argus) are native to southeast Asia and are cultured as a food source.  Large and predatory, this species has many life history traits that allow it to thrive in temperate freshwater systems outside its native habitat, and northern snakehead are a highly adaptive aquatic invasive species.  Occurrence of this species has been reported in at least 11 U.S. states with established populations found in at least 5 U.S. states.  As a top predator in aquatic ecosystems, the potential impacts of this invasive species are substantial.  Our scientists work with other federal and state agencies to perform genomic analyses of snakehead populations to track their spread and to investigate the potential health related impacts of invasive snakehead on other animals.