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List of critically endangered fishes facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Status iucn3.1 CR
Critically endangered (CR) species face an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

As of July 2017, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed 1,000 critically endangered fish species, including 87 which are tagged as possibly extinct. Of all evaluated fish species, 3.0% are listed as critically endangered. The IUCN also lists four fish subspecies as critically endangered.

Of the subpopulations of fish evaluated by the IUCN, 20 species subpopulations and one subspecies subpopulation have been assessed as critically endangered.

Additionally 3191 fish species (21% of those evaluated) are listed as data deficient, meaning there is insufficient information for a full assessment of conservation status. As these species typically have small distributions and/or populations, they are intrinsically likely to be threatened, according to the IUCN. While the category data deficient indicates that no assessment of extinction risk has been made for the taxa, the IUCN notes that it may be appropriate to give them "the same degree of attention as threatened taxa, at least until their status can be assessed".

This is a complete list of critically endangered fish species and subspecies evaluated by the IUCN. Species considered possibly extinct by the IUCN are marked as such. Species and subspecies which have critically endangered subpopulations (or stocks) are indicated.

Cartilaginous fishes

Cartilaginous fishes include sharks, rays, skates, and shovelnose rays. The majority of the order Rhinopristiformes, which includes sawfish, guitarfish, wedgefish, and other shovelnose rays, is considered critically endangered, with 28 of its 64 evaluated species considered critically endangered by the IUCN.

Carchariniformes

Lamniformes

Orectolobiformes

  • Shorttail nurse shark (Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum)

Squaliformes

Squatiniformes

Rajiformes

Myliobatiformes

  • Wingfin stingray (Fontitrygon geijskesi)
  • Smalltooth stingray (Hypanus rudis)
  • Colares stingray (Fontitrygon colarensis)
  • Smooth stingray (Fontitrygon garouaensis)
  • Pakistan whipray (Maculabatis arabica)
  • Shorttail whipray (Maculabatis bineeshi)
  • Thorny whipray (Fontitrygon ukpam)
  • Smalleye round ray (Urotrygon microphtalmum)
  • Reticulate round ray (Urotrygon retiulata)
  • Tentacled butterfly ray (Gymnura tentaculata)
  • Starrynose cowtail ray (Pastinachus stellurostris)
  • Lusitanian cownose ray (Rhinoptera marginata)
  • Common eagle ray (Myliobatis aqulia)
  • Duckbill eagle ray (Aetomylaeus bovinus)
  • Shortnose eagle ray (Myliobatis ridens)

Rhinopristiformes

  • Largetooth sawfish (Pristis pristis)
  • Smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata)
  • Green sawfish (Pristis zijsron)
  • Dwarf sawfish (Pristis clavata)
  • Narrow sawfish (Anoxypristis cuspidata)
  • Giant guitarfish (Glaucostegus typus)
  • Halavi guitarfish (Glaucostegus halavi)
  • Bowmouth guitarfish (Rhina ancylostoma)
  • Smoothback guitarfish (Rhinobatos lionotus)
  • Spineback guitarfish (Rhinobatos irvinei)
  • Sharpnose guitarfish (Glaucostegus granulatus)
  • Bangladeshi guitarfish (Glaucostegus younholeei)
  • Stripenose guitarfish (Acroteriobatus variegatus)
  • Clubnose guitarfish (Glaucostegus thouin)
  • Widenose guitarfish (Glaucostegus obtusus)
  • Whitespotted guitarfish (Rhynchobatus djiddensis)
  • Jimbaran guitarfish (Rhinobatos jimbaraensis)
  • Brown guitarfish (Rhinobatos schlegeii)
  • Blackchin guitarfish (Glaucostegus cemiculus)
  • Annandale's guitarfish, Bengal guitarfish (Rhinobatos annandalei)
  • Brazilian guitarfish (Pseudobatus horkelii)
  • Common guitarfish (Rhinobatos rhinobatos)
  • Philippine guitarfish (Rhinobatos whitei)
  • Broadnose wedgefish (Rhynchobatus springeri)
  • Bottlenose wedgefish (Rhynchobatus australiae)
  • Smoothnose wedgefish (Rhynchobatus laevis)
  • African wedgefish (Rhynchobatus luebberti)
  • Taiwanese wedgefish (Rhynchobatus immaculatus)
  • Clown wedgefish (Rhynchobatus cooki)
  • Whitespotted wedgefish (Rhinobatos albomaculatus)
  • False shark ray (Rhynchorhina mauritaniensis)

Torpediniformes

  • Red Sea torpedo (Torpedo suessii) (possibly extinct)
  • Argentine torpedo (Tetronarce puelcha)

Subpopulations

Ray-finned fishes

There are 431 species, four subspecies, four subpopulations of species, and one subpopulations of subspecies of ray-finned fish assessed as critically endangered.

Acipenseriformes

Acipenseriformes includes sturgeons and paddlefishes. There are 19 species and eight subpopulations in the order Acipenseriformes assessed as critically endangered.

Acipenseridae

Species

Subpopulations

Salmoniformes

Species

Subpopulations of species

Subpopulations of subspecies

  • Aral sea trout (Salmo trutta aralensis) (1 subpopulation)

Silversides

  • Atherinella jiloaensis
  • Bedotia tricolor
  • Daintree rainbowfish (Cairnsicthys bitaeniatus)
  • Sentani rainbowfish (Chilatherina sentaniensis)
  • Scowling silverside (Chirostoma aculeatum)
  • Alberca silverside (Chriostoma bartoni)
  • Least silverside (Chirostoma charai)
  • Blunthead silverside (Chirostoma melanoccus)
  • Patzcuaro silverside (Chirostoma patzcuaro)
  • Toluca silverside (Chirostoma rojai)
  • Craterocephalus dalhousiensis
  • Craterocephalus fluiatailis
  • Craterocephalus kailolae
  • Grime rainbowfish (Glossolepis doritiyi)
  • Lake Wanam rainbowfish (Glossolepis wanamensis)
  • Bleher's blue-eye (Kiunga bleheri)
  • Melanotaenia ajamaruensis
  • Bowman's rainbowfish (Melanotaenia bowmani)
  • Melanotaenia corona
  • Klasio rainbowfish (Melanotaenia klasioensis)
  • Kokas rainbowfish (Melanotaenia kokasensis)
  • Mbuta rainbowfish (Melanotaenia launosa)
  • Longspined rainbowfish (Melanotaenia longspinia)
  • Lake Furnusu rainbowfish (Melanotaenia mairiasi)
  • Melanotaenia oktwsiensis
  • Melanotaenia parva
  • Kumawa rainbowfish (Melanotaenia sneideri)
  • Malanda rainbowfish (Melanotaenia sp. nov. 'Malanda')
  • Melanotaenia sp. nov. 'Running River'
  • Susi rainbowfish (Melanotaenia susii)
  • Urisa rainbowfish (Melanotaenia urisa)
  • Neostethus ctenophorus
  • Neostethus robertsi
  • Paeatherina labiosa
  • Mbuta rainbowfish (Pelangia mbutaensis)
  • Alchichica silverside (Poblana alchichica)
  • Chipnahupan silverside (Poblana ferdebeueni)
  • La Preciosa silverside (Poblana letholepis)
  • Quechulac silverside (Poblana squamata)
  • Pseudomugil paskai
  • Vogelkop blue-eye (Pseudomugil reticulatus)
  • Rheocles derhami
  • Rhecocles lateralis
  • Giant hardyhead (Sashatherina gigantea)
  • Red-finned blue-eye (Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis)

Toothcarps

Species

  • Patzcuaro allotoca (Allotoca diazi)
  • Opal goodeid (Allotoca maculata)
  • Anablepsoides speciosus
  • Aphanius almiriensis
  • Kızılırmak toothcarp (Aphanius danfordii)
  • Sahara aphanius (Aphanius saourensis)
  • Azraq toothcarp (Aphanius sirhani)
  • Acıgöl toothcarp (Aphanius transgrediens)
  • Aphyolebias claudiae (possibly extinct)
  • Aplocheilichthys sp. 'Baringo'
  • Austrolebias cinereus
  • Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis)
  • Thicklip pupfish (Cyprinodon labiosus)
  • Cachorrito de mezquital (Cyprinodon meeki)
  • Cachorrito cabezon (Cyprinodon pachycephalus)
  • Largefin pupfish (Cyprinodon verecundus)
  • Pahrump poolfish (Empetrichthys latos)
  • Epiplatys coccinatus
  • Epiplatys ruhkopfi
  • Fundulopanchax powelli (possibly extinct)
  • Widemouth gambusia (Gambusia eurystoma)
  • Highland splitfin (Girardinichthys turneri)
  • Chapultepec splitfin (Girardinichthys viviparus)
  • Cuatrocienegas killifish (Lucania interioris)
  • Pachypanchax sakaramyi
  • Pantanodon sp. 'Manombo' (possibly extinct)
  • Broadspotted molly (Poecilia latipunctata)
  • Sulphur molly (Poecilia sulphuraria)
  • Kindia killi (Scriptaphyosemion cauveti)
  • Scriptaphyosemion etzeli
  • Valencia toothcarp (Valencia hispanica)
  • Valencia letourneuxi
  • Monterrey platyfish (Xiphophorus couchianus)
  • Tequila splitfin (Zoogoneticus tequila)

Subspecies

  • Epiplatys fasciolatus josianae
  • Ejagham killi (Fundulopanchax gardneri lacustris)

Cypriniformes

Cypriniformes includes carps, minnows, loaches and relatives. There are 145 species, one subspecies, and one subpopulation in the order Cypriniformes assessed as critically endangered.

Hillstream loaches

  • Barbatula eregliensis
  • Mesonoemacheilus herrei
  • Nemacheilus dori
  • Blind cave loach (Nemacheilus troglocataractus)
  • Galilean loach (Oxynoemacheilus galilaeus)
  • Iznik loach (Oxynoemacheilus phoxinoides)
  • Samanti loach (Oxynoemacheilus seyhanensis)
  • Oxynoemacheilus simavica
  • Halap loach (Oxynoemacheilus tigris)
  • Diyarbakir loach (Paraschistura chrysicristinae) (possibly extinct)
  • Schistura leukensis
  • Schistura nasifilis (possibly extinct)
  • Schistura papulifera
  • Schistura spiloptera
  • Schistura tenura (possibly extinct)
  • Sewellia albisuera
  • Butterfly loach (Sewellia breviventralis)
  • Sphaerophysa dianchiensis
  • Yunnanilus discoloris

True loaches

  • Cobitis illyrica
  • Cobitis jadovaensis
  • Diyarbakir spined loach (Cobitis kellei) (possibly extinct)
  • Bithynian spined loach (Cobitis splendens)
  • Cobitis stephanidisi
  • Cobitis taurica
  • Ayumodoki (Parabotia curtus)

Cyprinids

Species

  • Giant salmon carp (Aaptosyax grypus)
  • Long-spine bream (Acanthobrama centisquama) (possibly extinct)
  • Arabian bream (Acanthobrama hadiyahensis)
  • Damascus bream (Acanthobrama tricolor) (possibly extinct)
  • Elongate bitterling (Acheilognathus elongatus)
  • Alburnus macedonicus
  • Alburnus mandrensis
  • Central Anatolian bleak (Alburnus nasreddini)
  • Karasu Sha kuli (Alburnus timarensis)
  • Alburnus vistonicus
  • Anabarilius andersoni
  • Anabarilius qiluensis (possibly extinct)
  • Anabarilius yangzonensis (possibly extinct)
  • Siamese bala-shak (Balantiocheilos ambusticauda) (possibly extinct)
  • Bangana decorus
  • Wayanad mahseer (Barbodes wynaadensis)
  • Barbus boboi
  • Barbus carcharhinoides
  • Twee River redfin (Barbus erubescens)
  • Petropsaro (Barbus euboicus)
  • Barbus melanotaenia
  • Barbus ruasae
  • Banhine barb (Barbus sp. 'Banhine')
  • Haditha cavefish (Caecocypris basimi) (possibly extinct)
  • Egirdir longsnout scraper (Capoeta pestai)
  • Giant barb (Catlocarpio siamensis)
  • Tepehuan shiner (Cyprinella alvarezdelvillari)
  • Largemouth shiner (Cyprinella bocagrande)
  • Cyprinus barbatus (possibly extinct)
  • Cyprinus fuxianensis
  • Cyprinus ilishaestomus (possibly extinct)
  • Dianchi carp (Cyprinus micristius) (possibly extinct)
  • Cyprinus qionghaiensis (possibly extinct)
  • Cyprinus yunnanensis (possibly extinct)
  • Delminichthys jadovensis
  • Delminichthys krbavensis
  • Red-tailed black shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor)
  • Bonytail chub (Gila elegans)
  • Gobio delyamurei
  • Cappadocian gudgeon (Gobio gymnostethus)
  • Taurus gudgeon (Gobio hettitorum)
  • Cihanbeyli gudgeon (Gobio insuyanus)
  • Hampala lopezi
  • Horalabiosa arunachalami
  • Hypselobarbus pulchellus (possibly extinct)
  • Red Canarese barb (Hypselobarbus thomassi)
  • Iberochondrostoma almacai
  • Iberochondrostoma lusitanicus
  • Lisbon arched-mouth nase (Iberochondrostoma olisiponensis)
  • Iberochondrostoma oretanum
  • Iberocypris palaciosi
  • Labeo curriei
  • Labeo lankae
  • Clanwilliam sandfish (Labeo seeberi)
  • White River spinedace (Lepidomeda albivallis)
  • Leopard barbel (Luciobarbus subquincunciatus)
  • Moapa dace (Moapa coriacea)
  • Bovany barb (Neolissochilus bovanicus) (possibly extinct)
  • Papaloapan chub (Notropis moralesi)
  • Parachondrostoma arrigonis
  • Deolali minnow (Parapsilorhynchus prateri) (possibly extinct)
  • Epirus minnow (Pelasgus epiroticus)
  • Pelasgus laconicus
  • Pethia bandula
  • Pookode Lake barb (Pethia pookodensis)
  • Phoxinellus dalmaticus
  • Woundfin (Plagopterus argentissimus)
  • Poropuntius chonglingchungi (possibly extinct)
  • Burchell's redfin (Pseudobarbus burchelli)
  • Azerbaijani spring roach (Pseudophoxinus atropatenus)
  • Sultan Sazlığı minnow (Pseudophoxinus elizavetae)
  • Marqiyah spring minnow (Pseudophoxinus hasani)
  • Sandıklı spring minnow (Pseudophoxinus maeandricus)
  • Onaç spring minnow (Pseudophoxinus ninae)
  • Akstafa spring roach (Pseudophoxinus sojuchbulagi) (possibly extinct)
  • Barada spring minnow (Pseudophoxinus syriacus) (possibly extinct)
  • Labeo jordanovo (Ptychidio jordani)
  • Deccan barb (Puntius deccanensis) (possibly extinct)
  • Scaphognathops theunensis
  • Greek rudd (Scardinius graecus)
  • Scardinius racovitzai
  • Scardinius scardafa
  • Kunming snout trout (Schizothorax grahami)
  • Schizothorax integrilabiatus
  • Snow trout (Schizothorax nepalensis)
  • Rara snowtrout (Schizothorax raraensis)
  • Golden line fish (Sinocyclocheilus grahami)
  • Yangzong golden-line barbel (Sinocyclocheilus yangzongensis)
  • Cappadocian chub (Squalius cappadocicus)
  • Squalius sp. 'Evia'
  • Systomus compressiformis (possibly extinct)
  • Flatjaw minnow (Tampichthys mandibularis)
  • Telestes fontinalis
  • Telestes polylepis
  • Telestes turskyi
  • Somphongs's rasbora (Trigonostigma somphongsi)
  • Ammiq garra (Tylognathus festai)
  • Haditha cave garra (Typhlogarra widdowsoni)
  • Varicorhinus platystoma
  • Varicorhinus ruandae
  • Kunming nase (Xenocypris yunnanensis)

Subspecies

Subpopulations

Psilorhynchids

  • Psilorhynchus tenura

Suckers

Osmeriformes

Includes freshwater smelts and allies.

Catfishes

  • Aposturisoma myriodon
  • Astroblepus formosus
  • Andean catfish (Astroblepus ubidiai)
  • Ceratoglanis pachynema
  • Chiloglanis polyodon
  • Chiloglanis ruziziensis
  • Clarias cavernicola
  • Clarias maclareni
  • Encheloclarias curtisoma
  • Encheloclarias kelioides
  • Glyptothorax kashmirensis
  • Kudremukh glyptothorax (Glyptothorax kudremukhensis)
  • Nilgiri mystus (Hemibagrus punctatus) (possibly extinct)
  • Chucky madtom (Noturus crypticus)
  • Oreoglanis lepturus
  • Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas)
  • Giant pangasius (Pangasius sanitwongsei)
  • Phreatobius sanguijuela
  • Pimelodus grosskopfii
  • Dianchi bullhead (Pseudobagrus medianalis)
  • Rhamdella montana
  • Rhamdia xetequepeque
  • Rhizosomichthys totae (possibly extinct)
  • Kunming catfish (Silurus mento)
  • Sturisomatichthys frenatus
  • Synodontis dekimpei
  • Trichomycterus venulosus
  • Lake Victoria deepwater catfish (Xenoclarias eupogon) (possibly extinct)

Perciformes

There are 144 species, one subspecies, and one subpopulation in the order Perciformes assessed as critically endangered.

Cichlids

Species

  • Arrow cichlid (Amphilophus zaliosus)
  • Haplochromis aelocephalus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis annectidens
  • Haplochromis antleter (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis apogonoides (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis argenteus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis barbarae (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis bareli (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis beadlei
  • Haplochromis brownae (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis cassius (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis cinctus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis cnester (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis coprologus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis crassilabris (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis crocopeplus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis dentex (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis dichrourus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis flavipinnis (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis granti (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis guiarti (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis heusinkveldi (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis hiatus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis iris (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis ishmaeli (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis katunzii (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis latifasciatus
  • Haplochromis longirostris (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis macrognathus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis martini (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis michaeli (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis microdon (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis mylergates (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis nanoserranus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis obesus
  • Haplochromis pancitrinus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis parvidens (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis percoides (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis perrieri (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis plutonius (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis ptistes (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis pyrrhopteryx (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis sp. 'Amboseli'
  • Haplochromis sphex (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis sulphureus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis teegelaari (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis teunisrasi
  • Haplochromis theliodon (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis ushindi (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis victorianus (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis vonlinnei (possibly extinct)
  • Haplochromis xenostoma (possibly extinct)
  • Dikume (Konia dikume)
  • Konye (Konia eisentrauti)
  • Lamprologus kungweensis
  • Lipochromis sp. 'backflash cryptodon'
  • Lipochromis sp. 'black cryptodon'
  • Lipochromis sp. 'parvidens-like'
  • Lipochromis sp. 'small obesoid'
  • Myaka (Myaka myaka)
  • Oreochromis chungruruensis
  • Singidia tilapia (Oreochromis esculentus)
  • Lake Chala tilapia (Oreochromis hunteri)
  • Jipe tilapia (Oreochromis jipe)
  • Karomo (Oreochromis karomo)
  • Kariba tilapia (Oreochromis mortimeri)
  • Oreochromis variabilis
  • Orthochromis uvinzae
  • Oxylapia polli
  • Paratilapia sp. 'Vevembe'
  • Damba mipentina (Paretroplus maculatus)
  • Pinstripe damba (Paretroplus menarambo)
  • Ptychochromis insolitus
  • Trondo mainty (Ptychochromoides betsileanus)
  • Ptychochromoides vondrozo
  • Ptyochromis sp. 'rainbow sheller'
  • Ptyochromis sp. 'Rusinga oral sheller'
  • Pungu maclareni
  • Fissi (Sarotherodon caroli)
  • Unga (Sarotherodon linnellii)
  • Leka keppe (Sarotherodon lohbergeri)
  • Kululu (Sarotherodon steinbachi)
  • Nsess (Stomatepia mariae)
  • Mongo (Stomatepia mongo)
  • Pindu (Stomatepia pindu)
  • Teleogramma brichardi
  • Tilapia bakossiorum
  • Tilapia bemini
  • Tilapia bythobates
  • Tilapia cessiana
  • Tilapia coffea
  • Tilapia deckerti
  • Tilapia flava
  • Otjikoto tilapia (Tilapia guinasana)
  • Tilapia gutturosa
  • Tilapia imbriferna
  • Tilapia snyderae
  • Tilapia spongotroktis
  • Tilapia thysi
  • Xystichromis sp. 'Kyoga flameback'

Subspecies

  • Chromidotilapia guntheri loennbergii

Percids

  • Diamond darter (Crystallaria cincotta)
  • Vermilion darter (Etheostoma chermocki)
  • Marbled darter (Etheostoma marmorpinnum)
  • Duskytail darter (Etheostoma percnurum)
  • Gymnocephalus ambriaelacus
  • Conasauga logperch (Percina jenkinsi)
  • Asprete (Romanichthys valsanicola)
  • Rhone streber (Zingel asper)

Gobies

  • Futuna's emperor (Akihito futuna)
  • Elizabeth Springs goby (Chlamydogobius micropterus)
  • Edgbaston goby (Chlamydogobius squamigenus)
  • Fin-joined goby (Gobulus birdsongi)
  • Danube delta dwarf goby (Knipowitschia cameliae) (possibly extinct)
  • Ephesus dwarf goby (Knipowitschia ephesi)
  • Acheron spring goby (Knipowitschia milleri)
  • Knipowitschia mrakovcici
  • Dwarf pygmy goby (Pandaka pygmaea)
  • Chornaya tubenose goby (Proterorhinus tataricus)
  • Stiphodon discotorquatus (possibly extinct)
  • Stiphodon rubromaculatus
  • Poso bungu (Weberogobius amadi)

Other Perciformes

Species

Subpopulations

Characiformes

  • Knodus shinahota
  • Red pencil (Nannostomus mortenthaleri)
  • Banded neolebias (Neolebias lozii)
  • Neolebias powelli
  • Rhabdalestes leleupi

Other ray-finned fish species

Other fishes

  • Eightgill hagfish (Eptatretus octatrema)
  • Greek lamprey (Eudontomyzon hellenicus)
  • Chapala lamprey (Lampetra spadicea)
  • West Indian Ocean coelacanth (Latimeria chalumnae)

See also

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