Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Coptodon thysi - 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.

Coptodon thysi is a species of tilapia endemic to Lake Bermin, Cameroon. It is a benthopelagic fish that exhibits pair-bonding and parental care of offspring. C. thysi is classified as “Critically Endangered” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Five U.S. States regulate possession, sale, or trade of this species along with other tilapia species. The History of Invasiveness for C. thysi is classified as No Known Nonnative Population due to the lack of evidence that C. thysi has been transported or established outside its native range. Because no introductions outside the native range of C. thysi have been reported, impacts of introduction are unknown. The climate matching analysis for the contiguous United States indicates doubtful establishment for this species; the climate match was low in all regions. The Certainty of Assessment for this ERSS is classified as Low due to lack of information. The Overall Risk Assessment Category for C. thysi in the contiguous United States is Uncertain.