Species Accounts – Invasive Species Northern Ireland

Western Mosquitofish

Gambusia affinis

Status:

Potential

Habitat:

Freshwater

Threats:

Attacks native fish species, consumes the eggs of commercially important fish, potential to transmit parasites to native fish

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White perch

Morone americana

Status:

Potential

Habitat:

Brackish

Threats:

Outcompetes native fish and consumes their eggs. Hybridises with other fish, altering and polluting the native gene pool.

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Whitetop weed

Parthenium hysterophorus

Status:

Potential

Habitat:

Terrestrial

Threats:

Competes with native species

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Wild boar and hybrids

Sus scrofa

Status:

Potential

Habitat:

Terrestrial

Threats:

Habitat alteration. negative impacts on native flora and fauna.

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Winter heliotrope

Petasites pyrenaicus

Status:

Established

Habitat:

Terrestrial

Threats:

Forms a dense carpet of leaves, outcompeting native species

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Wireweed

Sargassum muticum

Status:

Established

Habitat:

Marine

Threats:

Competition with native species.

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Zander

Stizostedion lucioperca

Status:

Potential

Habitat:

Freshwater

Threats:

Competes with native fish species. Transmits fish disease and parasites.

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Zebra mussel

Dreissena polymorpha

Status:

Established

Habitat:

Freshwater

Threats:

Fouling, negative impacts on native species and local extinction of unionids.

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