Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Tana Labeo (Labeo mesops) - 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.

Tana Labeo (Labeo mesops) is a cyprinid fish native to the Lake Malawi basin and possibly other regions in eastern Africa. L. mesops is used as a food and aquarium fish, and has been the subject of some experimental aquaculture. There has been considerable disagreement within the literature over whether populations of the species exist outside the Lake Malawi basin, but none of these populations have been described as introduced. Some consider the populations outside the Lake Malawi basin as separate species. The certainty of the assessment is low partially due to the uncertainty over the species range. Climate match to the contiguous United States is low. Without a history of introduction outside its native range, the overall risk assessment category for Labeo mesops is Uncertain.