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.
Pygocentrus cariba, Orinoco piranha, is a fish native to Colombia and Venezuela. This species has not been reported as introduced or established outside of its native range. Due to concerns about the risk Pygocentrus sp. and other piranha genera pose to the environment and human safety if introduced to United States waters, many states ban or strictly regulate the possession of piranhas. History of invasiveness is uncertain. P. cariba has a low climate match with the contiguous United States. The only state with a medium climate score was Florida. Because this species has never been documented as introduced outside of its native range, further information is needed to adequately assess the risk this species poses. Certainty of assessment is low. The overall risk assessment category is Uncertain.
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Uncertain Risk
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