Hypsolebias rufus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Hypsolebias rufus faces severe threats from habitat destruction as its temporary pool habitats are drained for agricultural expansion and urban development. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with pollution from agricultural runoff and cattle trampling degrading remaining breeding sites. Climate change poses an additional threat by altering precipitation patterns that are critical for the formation and persistence of the seasonal pools this killifish depends upon for reproduction.
Habitat
This critically endangered killifish inhabits temporary seasonal pools and shallow wetlands in the Brazilian Cerrado savanna. The species requires ephemeral water bodies that form during rainy seasons and dry completely during drought periods, allowing their drought-resistant eggs to survive in the substrate until the next flooding cycle.