Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Serrasalmus serrulatus (a piranha, no common name) - Uncertain Risk

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.

Serrasalmus serrulatus is a species of piranha native to the Amazon River basin and likely the Essequibo River basin in Guyana. There is disagreement about the extent of the native range. S. serrulatus is difficult to distinguish from some congeners, making misidentification a possibility. S. serrulatus appears to be present in the aquarium hobby in the United States, but the species was not found for sale from U.S.-based aquarium hobbyist online retailers. Possession or trade of piranhas is prohibited in numerous U.S. States. No introductions of this species have been reported, so its potential for invasiveness remains uncertain. History of invasiveness is classified as No Known Nonnative Population. The certainty of assessment is low. The climate match to the contiguous United States is low overall, with the only area of medium match occurring in southeastern Florida. Overall risk posed by S. serrulatus is uncertain.