Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Banded Cichlid (Heros severus) - Uncertain Risk

Species that are considered uncertain risk need a more in-depth assessment beyond the Ecological Risk Screening Summary to better define the species’ risk to U.S. environments.

Heros severus, banded cichlid, is a fish that is native to the Orinoco River and Rio Negro basins of South America. This species inhabits blackwater rivers and its diet consists of detritus, seeds, fruits, and small macroinvertebrates. Heros severus is present in the aquarium trade in the United States. The History of Invasiveness for Heros severus is classified as Data Deficient due to a lack of information on impacts, or lack of impacts, from introductions. The climate matching analysis for the contiguous United States indicates establishment concern for this species. There was a high climate match for Florida and a medium match for the rest of the coastal Southeast from Texas to North Carolina. The Certainty of Assessment for this ERSS is classified as Low due to limited information on impacts of introduction and unresolved taxonomy within the genus which adds uncertainty to the understanding of the species’ distribution. The Overall Risk Assessment Category for Heros severus in the contiguous United States is Uncertain.