Estimating the potential distribution range of the invasive South American suckermouth armoured catfishes Pterygoplichthys spp. in the Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot using MaxEnt

Abstract

The Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot has one of the world's most species‐rich inland waters. However, its freshwater biodiversity faces habitat loss and species extinction due to large‐scale development of water resources, pollution, exploitation of native biota, and introduced non‐native species. These threats include the South American suckermouth armoured catfishes, Pterygoplichthys spp., that have invaded parts of this biodiversity hotspot. Pterygoplichthys spp. are among the most impactful introduced fishes globally and pose a ‘very high risk’ of becoming invasive once introduced. This paper aims to compile a distribution database for Pterygoplichthys spp., map their current global distribution, and estimate their potential distribution extent in the Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot using MaxEnt. In the Indo‐Burma region, Pterygoplichthys spp. have already been reported from China, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, with populations also present in neighbouring India, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia. No populations were verified for Cambodia and Laos. A maximum entropy model was developed based on the current global distribution of Pterygoplichthys spp. The species distribution model showed that the entire biodiversity hotspot, except the spine of the Arkan Mountains and the Hengduan Mountains from Three Gorges to the Hong River Valley, is suitable for Pterygoplichthys spp. An effective temperature of 15°C was identified as the lower limit of Pterygoplichthys spp. habitat suitability. Pterygoplichthys spp. were identified as a high‐risk taxon for freshwaters of almost the entire Indo‐Burma biodiversity hotspot. A coordinated management plan for Pterygoplichthys spp. is required to safeguard the freshwater biota of the Indo‐Burma freshwater ecosystems.