CR

Athyonidium chilensis

Declining

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Athyonidium chilensis, a sea cucumber endemic to the coastal waters of Chile, has experienced severe population declines driven by intensive, largely unregulated harvesting to supply export markets in Asia, where dried holothurians command high prices. Its slow growth rate and late sexual maturity limit the species' capacity to recover from sustained fishing pressure, while its restricted range along the Chilean coast leaves it with no buffer populations to draw from. Illegal and unreported extraction continues to undermine the limited management measures currently in place, compounding the threat posed by legal fisheries.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits shallow subtidal rocky and sandy-bottom coastal areas along the Chilean coastline, typically found in benthic zones accessible to nearshore harvesting activity.

Other threatened species in CUCUMARIIDAE

CR

Pattalus mollis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Athyonidium chilensis classified as Critically Endangered?
Athyonidium chilensis is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Athyonidium chilensis, a sea cucumber endemic to the coastal waters of Chile, has experienced severe population declines driven by intensive, largely unregulated harvesting to supply export markets in Asia, where dried holothurians command high prices. Its slow growth rate and late sexual maturity limit the species' capacity to recover from sustained fishing pressure, while its restricted range along the Chilean coast leaves it with no buffer populations to draw from. Illegal and unreported extraction continues to undermine the limited management measures currently in place, compounding the threat posed by legal fisheries.
Where does Athyonidium chilensis live?
Athyonidium chilensis occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Athyonidium chilensis?
The main threats to Athyonidium chilensis are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.