Nonindigenous Fishes in Freshwater Systems

Established Nonindigenous Fish Species in Florida

Loricariidae - Suckermouth Catfishes

Suckermouth Catfishes (Hypostomus spp.). Most early records of the suckermouth in this country were of Hypostomus plecostomus (Linnaeus 1766); however, accurate identification of the species depends on knowing the origin of the species, which is usually unknown. Most specimens were probably of the genus Pterygoplichthys (Liposarcus). The native range of Hypostomus is from the Rio de la Plata system northward throughout South America (except the Pacific Slope drainages in Chile and Peru), Panama and Costa Rica (Fowler 1954; Bussing 1966). At least three morphologically distinct but unidentified species of Hypostomus were established in the United States. One is in Six Mile Creek near Eureka Springs, Hillsborough County, Florida (Courtenay et al. 1974). The Hillsborough County population allegedly escaped from a culture facility (Burgess 1958). The suckermouth catfishes are popular aquarium fishes. There have been no recent reports that this species has been taken in Florida. We believe that this species is probably not established in Florida, however, additional sampling for the species are necessary before we could be certain.

Sailfin Catfish or Radiated Ptero (Pterygoplichthys [Liposarcus] multiradiatus). This genus is native to the Rio Magdalena, Colombia Guyana; throughout the Orinoco River, Amazon River, and Rio San Francisco, Brazil; upper Amazon tributaries in Bolivia, Peru, and Venezuela; Rio de la Plata, Paraguay and Argentina (Gosline 1945; Fowler 1954; Isbrücker 1980; Courtenay et al. 1984, 1986). The identification of the members of this family is confusing even to the experts (Burgess 1958; Barnett 1972; Courtenay and Hensley 1979a; Ludlow and Walsh 1991). Single individuals of this catfish have been collected at separate locations in Dade County since 1971 (Courtenay et al. 1986). There have been no ecological or environmental studies of this species. In June 1983, biologists of the Non-Native Fish Research Laboratory, Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, found an established population of this species in a canal in northeastern Dade County, Florida (P. L. Shafland, Director, Non-native Fish Research Laboratory, Boca Raton, Florida, personal communication). The species is now established in Palm Beach County, Florida (W. R. Countenay, Professor, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, personal communication). This popular tropical aquarium fish was recently taken by National Biological Survey personnel (National Fisheries Research Center - Gainesville, Florida, personal communication) in southern and west-central Florida, indicating that the species is expanding its range.