The Global Invasion of the Suckermouth Armored Catfish Genus Pterygoplichthys (Siluriformes: Loricariidae): Annotated List of Species, Distributional Summary, and Assessment of Impacts

The suckermouth armored catfish genus Pterygoplichthys (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) includes popular aquarium fishes and constitutes one of the most successful freshwater invasive taxa, having achieved global distribution. To date, however, no comprehensive distributional record nor impact assessment exist for the spread of the genus, precluding informed management strategies. To provide these tools, our study aims to (1) provide an annotated checklist of species for this taxonomically confusing genus, (2) survey all available literature on the spread of the genus and summarize and map its invasive distribution, and (3) assess the overall socioeconomic and environmental impact of the genus on a global scale using the Generic Impact Scoring System (GISS). First, we provide an updated annotated species list. We then summarize seventy-one unique invasion records along with twenty-one instances of demonstrated impacts. Species of the genus Pterygoplichthys have now invaded five continents and twenty-one countries, and show an extended range in their native South America. Impact analysis yielded a GISS score of 18 to 19, indicating low to moderate levels of socioeconomic and environmental threats. However, to bolster the confidence in this analysis in future iterations, more research should aim to move beyond just "first records" and instead empirically evaluate species' effects on native ecosystems.