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.
Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps is a species of armored sailfin catfish native to South America. Like other armored catfish species, it is popular in the aquarium trade as an algae-eater in freshwater aquariums. P. gibbiceps has a low climate match with the United States. There have been documented captures of this species in Florida and Poland, but no documented established populations of P. gibbiceps outside of its native range. Other species of the Pterygoplichthys genus have had negative impacts in the United States through their burrowing behavior and direct interactions with native species, but there has been no study of impacts of introduction from P. gibbiceps specifically. Overall risk assessment category is uncertain.
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Uncertain Risk
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