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.
Poecilia reticulata is a popular fish for aquaria and for research, and it was originally introduced to many countries as a method of mosquito control. Where introduced, P. reticulata has been documented to have adverse impacts on native fishes, amphibians, and invertebrates through competition, predation, and disease. P. reticulata is currently established numerous local warm springs in the western U.S., where it has been implicated in the decline of White River springfish (Crenichthys baileyi) and Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens). Climate match to the contiguous U.S. is high, with highest matches in Florida and Texas. However, other factors may be limiting risk of establishment in those States since P. reticulata is established in only one location in Texas, despite the species being one of the most widely traded species in the aquarium trade for more than a century. Overall risk posed by this species is characterized as high, particularly within thermal spring ecosystems supporting vulnerable fish assemblages.
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High Risk
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