Species that are considered high risk have a well-documented history of invasiveness in at least one location globally, and a high or medium climate match to the contiguous United States.
Odontesthes bonariensis is native to South America and has been implicated in the displacement of native fish species in areas outside of its native range. This species has been introduced to other areas of South America, as well as Italy, Israel, and Japan for aquaculture purposes. Though negative impacts from introductions have been reported, this species has had a positive impact on aquaculture and tourism in many places. It is unknown whether Odontesthes bonariensis would impact native fish if established in the United States; at this time negative impacts on fish have been limited to two genera in Lake Titicaca. This species is also known to alter plankton communities and water clarity. There are no reports of this species in the U.S. Climate match with the continental U.S. is high. The overall risk for this species is high.
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High Risk
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