International Union Union Internationale for Conservation of Pour La Conservation Nature and Natural De La Nature Et De Resources Ses Ressources
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INTERNATIONAL UNION UNION INTERNATIONALE FOR CONSERVATION OF POUR LA CONSERVATION NATURE AND NATURAL DE LA NATURE ET DE RESOURCES SES RESSOURCES 1110 Morges, Switzerland 1110 Morges, Suisse RARE AND ENDANGERED WORLD FRESHWATER FISHES Compiled by Robert R. Miller, Chairman For the Freshwater Fish Group Survival Service Commission I.U.C.N. Note: This initial list is provisional; suggested additions or other amendments, preferably with supporting evidence, are invited. Printed in Switzerland by Arts Graphiques HAliographia S.A., Lausanne. RARE AND ENDANGERED WORLD FRESHWATER FISHES ACIPENSERIDAE, Sturgeons Shortnose sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum Lesueur Now virtually restricted to the Hudson River, U.S.A.; formerly in American Atlantic seaboard rivers from New Brunswick to Florida. Lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens Rafinesque Now rare in northeastern United States, where commercial catch records of 8,5 million pounds (Great Lakes, N. America) for 1885. Amur sturgeon, Acipenser schrencki Brandt Fresh water of the Amur River basin, U.S.S.R. Now rare because of overfishing. Kaluga, Huso dauricus (Georgi) Restricted to the basin of the Amur River and the Amur Gulf, U.S.S.R. Now rare due to overfishing. OSTEOGLOSSIDAE, Bonytongues Asian bonytongue, Scleropages formosus (Muller and Schlegel) This relict species of the Malaysian region is threatened by over- fishing. Highly sought as a food fish, especially by aboriginals. SALMONIDAE, Trouts, Whitefishes, Graylings Longjaw cisco, Coregonus alpenae (Koelz) Now rare in the Great Lakes, U.S.A., due to sea lamprey predation, intensive commercial fishing, and competition from Coregonus hoYi and exotic alewives (Alosa pseudohargenus). Beloribitsa, Stenodus leucichthys leucichthys (GUldensthdt) A monotypic genus, the Caspian subspecies of which now is threatened by dams on the Volga River, U.S.S.R. Arctic grayling, Thymallus arcticus Pallas Now extinct in Michigan and through most of the upper Missouri River basin (mostly in Montana), the species is rare in the conterminous United States. Partially protected in Montana. Gila trout, Salmo gilae Miller This species and its close relative, the Apache trout (not yet des- cribed), are confined to the Gila River basin of Arizona and New Mexico, U.S.A. Both are now scarce but protected. Lahontan cutthroat trout, Salmo clarki henshawi Gill and Jordan This subspecies is now extremely rare, confined to only a few isolated creeks and lakes in California and Nevada, U.S.A. Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar Linnaeus Now restricted inNorth America to 8 coastal streams in Maine. Endangered only in the U.S.A. UMBRIDAE, Mudminnows Olympic mudminnow, Nuvumbra hubbsi Schultz A relict genus restricted to certain waters of the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington, U.S.A. CYPRINIDAE, Minnows Miyako-tanago or Tokyo bitterling, Tanakia tanago (Tanaka) Known only from the Kanto District near Tokyo-to, Japan. The expansion of Tokyo has destroyed much of its habitat. Ikan temoleh (Malay) or Pla eesok (Thai), Probarbus 'ullieni Sauvage A monotypic genus with a restricted range, now threatened by over- fishing and habitat modification. Desert dace, Eremichthys acros Hubbs and Miller Endangered because of restricted habitat; a relict species known only from Soldier Meadows, Nevada, U.S.A. Humpback chub, Gila cypha Miller Now scarce in the upper Colorado River basin of Utah and Colorado, U.S.A. Mohave chub, Gila (Siphateles) mohavensis (Snyder) Formerly the only native fish in the Mohave River of southeastern California, U.S.A., the species now survives only in a spring-fed pool near Baker. Moapa dace, Moapa coriacea Hubbs and Miller Fewer than 1,000 individuals of this relict are known from warm springs in southern Nevada, U.S.A. Woundfin, Plagopterus argentissimus Cope Now restricted to the Virgin River below St. George, Utah, U.S.A., where it is endangered by the proposed construction of a dam above St. George. CATOSTOMIDAE, Suckers Modoc sucker, Catostomus microps Rutter Restricted to a single creak in northeastern California and, until recently, thought to be extinct. Cui-ui, Chasmistes cujus Cope Restricted to Pyramid Lake, Nevada, U.S.A.; no longer able to make spawning run up Truckee River. Klamath sucker, Chasmistes brevirostris Cope Now largely gone from its original range in the Klamath River basin of northern California and Oregon, U.S.A., this species (like others in the genus) is in need of protection. COBITIDAE, Loaches •Ayumodoki, Hymenophysa curta(Temminck and Schlegel) Known only from Lake Biwa and a few rivers of Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Habitat is being destroyed by expanding rice culture and damming of rivers. BAGRIDAE, Asian catfishes Nekogigi, Coreobagrus ichikawai Okada and Kuboda Known only from the rivers of Mie, Gifu, and Aichi Prefectures, Honshu, Japan. ICTALURIDAE, North American catfishes Tidemouth blindcat, Satan eurystomus Hubbs and Bailey Restricted to deep artesian wells of the Edwards Plateau around San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. Toothless blindcat, Trogloglanis pattersoni Eigenmann Confined to artesian waters in or near San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. Mexican blindcat, Prietella phreatophila Carranza Known only from one well near Musquiz, Coahuila, Mexico, variously reported as very scarce or extinct since 1964. (However, individuals were noted in 1967). SCHILBEIDAE, Catfishes Pla thepa, Pangasius sanitwongsei H.M. Smith Restricted to large rivers in the Menam Chao Phya basin, Thailand. Overfishing appears to have reduced the population to fewer than 2,000 individuals. Giant catfish, Pangasianodon Figas Chevey A relict, monotypic genus of restricted range in the Mekong River basin of southeastern Asia, threatened by overfishing. CYPRINODONTIDAE, Killifishes Checkered killifish, Cualac tessellatus Miller A monotypic relict known from a single spring-fed ditch in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. Devils Hole pupfish, Cyprinodon diabolis Wales Restricted to a single spring hole in Ash Meadows, Nevada, U.S.A., about 30 miles east of Death Valley. Total population fewer than 800 individuals. This species is being protected by the National Park Service. Comanche Springs pupfish, Cyprinodon elegans Baird and Girard Now restricted to irrigation ditches near Toyahvale, Texas, U.S.A. Ash Meadows pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis mionectes Miller Many populations are threatened by introduced food and aquarium fishes which compete with and prey on the native species. A refuge is being considered for this and the following subspecies both of which occur only in Ash Meadows, Nye County, Nevada, U.S.A. Warm spring pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis pectoralis Miller This subspecies occurs only in 1 or 2 springs in Ash Meadows, Nevada (see above). Tecopa pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis calidae Miller This subspecies is known only from the outlet of a hot spring near Tecopa, California, U.S.A., where it is rare (possibly extinct). Shoshone pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis shoshone Miller This subspecies, last collected in 1965, occurs only in the outflow of the spring at Shoshone, California, U.S.A. Like the above it may al- ready be extinct. Owens Valley pupfish, Cyprinodon radiosus Miller This species almost disappeared after 1942,.but a population of about 200 individuals was located in 1964 and a special sanctuary for this and other native fishes of Owens Valley, in eastern California, is planned for development in 1968. Waccamaw killifish, Fundulus waccamensis Hubbs and Raney Restricted to Lake Waccamaw, North Carolina, U.S.A. Pahrump killifish, Empetrichthys latos Miller The genus Empetrichthys, originally comprising two species, is now restricted to a single spring-fed pool in Pahrump Valley, Nevada, U.S.A., about 50 miles east of Death Valley. About 1300 individuals were counted in 1967. The type species is evidently extinct. Scaleless killifish, Kosswigichthys asquamatus Sozer A monotypic genus restricted to Lake Hazer in eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Now threatened by habitat modification due to lowering of the level of the lake. AMBLYOPSIDAE, Cavefishes Ozark cavefish, Amblyopsis rosae (Eigenmann) Now restricted to a few caves and wells in southwestern Missouri, U.S.A. POECILIIDAE, Livebearers Clear Creek gambusia, Gambusia heterochir Clark Hubbs Known only from the headwaters of Clear Creek, Texas, U.S.A. Big Bend gambusia, Gambusia gagei Hubbs Restricted to Big Bend National Park, Texas, where it almost became extinct in 1957 and has been threatened with extirpation three times since. Pecos gambusia, Gambusia nobilis (Baird and Girard) Now known only from spring-fed ditches around Toyahvale, Texas, U.S.A. Gila topminnow, Poeciliopsis occidentalis Baird and Girard During the past 50 years this once abundant species, occurring in Arizona, western New Mexico, and northern Mexico (Sonora), has been reduced to virtually a single population in southern Arizona, U.S.A. CENTRARCHIDAE, Sunfishes Suwannee bass, Micropterus notius Bailey and Hubbs Restricted to Ichtucknee Springs and adjacent springs in northern Florida, U.S.A. PERCIDAE, Perches and Darters Balkhash perch, Perca schrencki Kessler A species endemic to the desiccating lakes Balkhash and Alakul, and their tributaries, central Asia. Now threatened by the introduction of the predatory fish Stizostedion lucioperca. Maryland darter, Etheostoma sellare (Radcliffe and Welsh) Restricted to a few tributaries to Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, U.S.A., this is one of the rarest darters known. Niangua darter, Etheostoma nianguae Gilbert and Meek It is estimated that there are probably fewer than 1,000 individuals remaining.