Abstract:
Fishes in the family Cichlidae contribute more invasive species to North America than any other fish family, especially in Florida, where 13 of 18 invasive fishes are cichlids. A recent alarming development across the Gulf of Mexico is the occurrence of cichlid species in commercially and recreationally valuable estuarine habitats. The environmental plasticity of cichlids makes them especially able-bodies invaders. This paper reports the discovery and continuing occurrence of the exotic Mayan cichlid, in mangrove creeks of Charlotte Harbor, Florida, with estimates of size structures and persistence.
