Abstract
ABSTRACT The introduction of exotic fishes in streams and water reservoirs has modified autochthonous freshwater fish communities in Puerto Rico. There are approximately 46 fish species in inland waters, and most of them were introduced during the last century. We here summarize relevant information on 46 freshwater fish species reported for the island. Approximately 80% of the species are non-native. An evaluation of the local trade revealed another 128 freshwater fish species are sold locally as pets. This raises serious concerns, as we detected a potential pool of non-native species that are either considered invasive elsewhere, or that, based on their ecology, could become invasive on the island in the near future. We also found that cichlids as a group pose the highest risk to freshwater ecosystems, with 13 species established in the wild, and another 38 potential invaders in the local pet trade. This study may be used as a baseline for the conservation and management purposes of both native and non-native fish species, including the development of strategies for preventing the release of live fish pets into the wild. More specific management for non-native fish, especially those identified here that pose significant threats to Puerto Rico’s native fish and their ecosystems, are warranted.
Highlights
The Neotropical realm has the highest diversity of freshwater fish, with more than 5,160 recorded species worldwide [1]
Here we present a comprehensive list of native and nonnative freshwater fish species established in Puerto Rico, and the species that have not yet been reported in the wild, but that are traded locally
To generate a comprehensive and updated list of freshwater fish species present in Puerto Rico that may be used to inform conservation and management strategies, we focused on identifying: i) species present in the wild, and ii) locally traded species, especially those present only in captivity
Summary
The Neotropical realm has the highest diversity of freshwater fish, with more than 5,160 recorded species worldwide [1]. Native freshwater fish communities on tropical islands usually have low species diversity and are composed entirely of species with catadromous or amphidromous life histories [2,3]. Puerto Rico has nine native freshwater fish species, all of which require contact with marine environments during some phase of their life cycle [4]. These native species include representatives within the families Anguillidae, Eleotridae, Gobiidae, and Mugilidae [5,6]. There are about 77 reported freshwater fish species that inhabit the inland waters of Puerto Rico [3]. Catchment-scale modifications (i.e. altered movement pathways of sediments in water systems due to landuse changes or increased imperviousness) and stream channelization projects in urban areas, often employed as a strategy to control flooding, have a strong impact on the distribution and composition of fish species and their communities [8]. The migratory patterns and life cycles associated with the development of a species are modified or broken, and the native species assemblages become overtaxed, while the establishment of exotic species remains rampant [5,9]
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