CR

Blindwhiskered Catfish

Rhamdia reddelli

Unknown

Overview

The juil ciego or blindwhiskered catfish is a species of three-barbeled catfish endemic to Mexico. This species is troglobitic, inhabiting a certain stream that flows through a single cave system.

Rhamdia reddelli faces severe threats from groundwater depletion and contamination affecting the Edwards Aquifer system in Texas. Urban development and agricultural activities in the recharge zones directly impact water quality and flow patterns essential for this cave-dwelling catfish. The species' extremely restricted range in underground cave systems makes it particularly vulnerable to any hydrological changes or pollution events.

Threat summary

Habitat

This species inhabits underground freshwater cave systems and associated aquifers in the Edwards Plateau region of Texas. It requires clean, well-oxygenated groundwater with stable temperatures and specific flow conditions typical of karst cave environments.

Wetlands (inland)· majorCaves and subterranean habitats· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protection

Other threatened species in HEPTAPTERIDAE

Pimelodella kroneiEN

Pimelodella kronei

Unknown
CR

Rhamdia enfurnada

Unknown
EN

Imparfinis lineatus

Unknown
CR

Rhamdia xetequepeque

Unknown

Threatened in Mexico

EN

Turbinicarpus horripilus

Declining
CR

Turbinicarpus mandragora

Declining
EN

Opuntia pachyrrhiza

Declining
EN

Arachnothryx tacanensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Blindwhiskered Catfish classified as Critically Endangered?
Blindwhiskered Catfish 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. Rhamdia reddelli faces severe threats from groundwater depletion and contamination affecting the Edwards Aquifer system in Texas. Urban development and agricultural activities in the recharge zones directly impact water quality and flow patterns essential for this cave-dwelling catfish. The species' extremely restricted range in underground cave systems makes it particularly vulnerable to any hydrological changes or pollution events.
Where does Blindwhiskered Catfish live?
Blindwhiskered Catfish occurs in Mexico. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Blindwhiskered Catfish?
The main threats to Blindwhiskered Catfish are 9.2, 9.3.4, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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