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.
Loricariichthys platymetopon is a catfish species native to the La Plata River basin in Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. Its native range occurred below natural barriers to upstream migration, but construction of dams, which included fish passage fish passage
Fish passage is the ability of fish or other aquatic species to move freely throughout their life to find food, reproduce, and complete their natural migration cycles. Millions of barriers to fish passage across the country are fragmenting habitat and leading to species declines. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Fish Passage Program is working to reconnect watersheds to benefit both wildlife and people.
Learn more about fish passage structures, allowed this species to expand its range upstream. No information is available on impacts of the range expansion of L. platymetopon, except that it is apparently abundant where introduced. This species has a High overall climate match with the contiguous United States. The area of highest match occurred along the Southeast coast, ranging from the Gulf of Mexico to North Carolina. Certainty of this assessment is Low due to the lack of information about impacts of introduction of L. platymetopon. Overall risk assessment category is Uncertain.
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Uncertain Risk
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