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.
Raphael Catfish (Platydoras costatus) is native to South America, although there are conflicting descriptions of the breadth of the native range. For the purposes of this report, the broader range description was used; this range encompasses numerous river basins from the Guianas and Venezuela to Argentina. It is unclear whether this species is currently in trade in the United States and if so, how abundant it is in trade. Past introductions into the United States have been attributed to aquarium releases; these introductions did not result in established populations. No information is available on impacts of introduction because the introduction history of P. costatus is very limited and has not resulted in any established populations. History of invasiveness is uncertain. Climate match to the contiguous United States was medium overall, with high matches in Texas, Florida, and Georgia. Certainty of assessment is low due to confusion in the literature with another species and lack of information on impacts and trade volumes. Overall risk posed by P. costatus is uncertain.
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Uncertain Risk
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