Hypsolebias hellneri
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Hypsolebias hellneri faces severe threats from habitat destruction as its temporary pool habitats in the Caatinga are increasingly converted for agriculture and urban development. The species' dependence on seasonal rainfall patterns makes it particularly vulnerable to climate change and prolonged droughts that can eliminate breeding pools. Water extraction for irrigation and livestock further reduces the availability of suitable breeding sites in this semi-arid region.
Habitat
This annual killifish inhabits temporary pools and seasonal wetlands in the Caatinga dry forest of northeastern Brazil. The species depends on ephemeral water bodies that form during the rainy season in shallow depressions and temporary streams.