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.
Oreochromis esculentus is a Critically Endangered fish tilapiine cichlid, as assessed on the IUCN Red List. The species is native to the Lake Victoria system; it has been introduced to other river systems in Rwanda and Tanzania where it has established successfully. O. esculentus has not been reported in the United States. One source suggests that an introduced population of O. esculentus in Tanzania competes and hybridizes with a native tilapiine cichlid, but no further information is available about the significance of the interaction. Climate match to the contiguous U.S. was low overall, with a medium match for the state of Florida where O. esculentus is listed as a prohibited species. Overall risk posed by O. esculentus is uncertain.
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Uncertain Risk
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