CR

Characidium grajahuense

Declining

Overview

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

Characidium grajahuense faces severe threats from deforestation and agricultural expansion in its restricted range within the Grajaú River basin of Maranhão, Brazil. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation from cattle ranching and soybean cultivation, which have accelerated in the Cerrado-Amazon transition zone. Water quality deterioration from agricultural runoff and potential dam construction pose additional risks to this endemic freshwater fish.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic characin inhabits clear, shallow streams and tributaries within the Grajaú River system in Maranhão state, Brazil. The species is found in well-oxygenated waters with sandy or rocky substrates in areas of Cerrado savanna transitioning to Amazon rainforest.

Other threatened species in CRENUCHIDAE

EN

Amaila Tropical Darter

Characidium amaila

Unknown
CR

Characidium vestigipinne

Unknown
VU

Bovali's Tetra

Poecilocharax bovaliorum

Declining
CR

Melanocharacidium blennioides

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Characidium grajahuense classified as Critically Endangered?
Characidium grajahuense 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. Characidium grajahuense faces severe threats from deforestation and agricultural expansion in its restricted range within the Grajaú River basin of Maranhão, Brazil. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation from cattle ranching and soybean cultivation, which have accelerated in the Cerrado-Amazon transition zone. Water quality deterioration from agricultural runoff and potential dam construction pose additional risks to this endemic freshwater fish.
Where does Characidium grajahuense live?
Characidium grajahuense 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 Characidium grajahuense?
The main threats to Characidium grajahuense 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.

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