Trichomycterus chungaraensis
Local name: Bagre de Chungará
Trichomycterus chungaraensis is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Trichomycteridae, the pencil and parasitic catfishes. This catfish is endemic to Chile, where it is found in the streams around Lake Chungará.
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Countries
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Order
Siluriformes
Family
Trichomycteridae
Genus
Trichomycterus
Trichomycterus chungaraensis belongs to the family Trichomycteridae, order Siluriformes, within the unknown class.
Species Profile
Trichomycterus chungaraensis is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Trichomycteridae, the pencil and parasitic catfishes. This catfish is endemic to Chile, where it is found in the streams around Lake Chungará. This species grows to a length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in).
The Bagre de Chungará faces significant threats from its extremely restricted range in the high-altitude Lake Chungará ecosystem of the Chilean Altiplano. Climate change poses a severe risk through altered precipitation patterns and temperature increases that could dramatically affect the lake's water levels and chemistry. Mining activities and water extraction in the region further threaten the delicate aquatic ecosystem this endemic catfish depends upon.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Endemic to Lake Chungará, a high-altitude freshwater lake at approximately 4,500 meters elevation in the Chilean Altiplano near the border with Bolivia and Peru. This species inhabits the cold, oxygen-rich waters of this volcanic lake system within Lauca National Park.
Threats
Climate change impacts on lake ecosystem
Extremely restricted range vulnerability
Water extraction and diversion
Habitat degradation from human activities
Mining activities and pollution
Found in 1 Country
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Trichomycterus chungaraensis (Trichomycterus chungaraensis). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/bagre-de-chungara