Species that are considered uncertain risk need a more in-depth assessment beyond the Risk Summary to better define the species’ risk to U.S. environments.
Puntius titteya, the cherry barb, is a fish species native to Sri Lanka. A colorful cyprinid that is popular in the hobbyist trade, the popularity of this fish led to its introduction to Colombia, Mexico, and the Philippines. Establishment has been confirmed for Colombia only. The species has not been reported as introduced in the wild in the United States. Introduction pathways have included escape from aquaculture facilities and ceremonial release. Because of a lack of information on impacts of introduction, the history of invasiveness is classified as “none documented” and certainty of assessment is low. P. titteya has a low climate match with the contiguous United States. The only area of medium climate match occurs in peninsular Florida. The overall risk of P. titteya in the contiguous United States is uncertain.
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Uncertain Risk
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