Nonindigenous Fishes in Florida: A Guide to their Identification, Distribution, Ecology, and Impacts

Project Investigators: Leo Nico, Howard Jelks Project Start Date: 2014 End Date: 2016 Recent Funding: (FY14) USGS GE PES Work Plans

Although nonindigenous fishes found in Florida have received increased attention, there is no single publication that provides for identification of all 38 of the nonindigenous fish present in the Greater Everglades region or other parts of the state. Neither is there a single source that provides up-to-date information on their geographic distributions, ecology, life histories, impacts, and management/control options for each of these species

The objective of the project is to prepare an electronic identification guide to the nonindigenous fishes of the Greater Everglades and Florida. The guide will be openly available via a USGS website, accessible for use in both the field and laboratory. It will include dichotomous keys and browsable illustrated guides to the nonindigenous species with a variety of additional information useful for positive identification of each species. The final product will also document what is known about each species's introduction, dispersal, and current distribution, and discuss important aspects of their ecology, life history, and environmental effects. Heavy emphasis will be placed on the non-native fishes established in the Greater Everglades. The resulting guide is expected to be useful to a wide range of users, including aquatic biologists and other scientists, natural resource managers, and members of the general public interested in invasive species and devoted to understanding, protecting, and restoring the Everglades and other ecosystems within the region.

Work Plans

• 2014