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.
Speckled Piranha (Serrasalmus maculatus) is a species of fish native to the Amazon and Paraguay-Paraná River basins in South America. It feeds mostly on fins and muscles of other fish and has a prolonged spawning season. It is host to numerous ectoparasites and endoparasites, including at least one that is rarely zoonotic. S. maculatus is known to bite humans. At times, it may be present in the aquarium trade in the United States, although possession or trade of piranhas is prohibited by many U.S. States. No introductions of this species have been reported, so any impacts of introduction remain unknown. The history of invasiveness is classified as No Known Nonnative Population. The certainty of assessment is low due to lack of information. The climate match to the contiguous United States is medium overall, with a high climate match along most of the coast from Delaware to Texas, and a medium match ranging inland primarily from the Mid-Atlantic to Texas. The overall risk posed by S. maculatus is uncertain due to the lack of introduction history.
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Uncertain Risk
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