Kolpotocheirodon figueiredoi

Kolpotocheirodon figueiredoi is a small characin fish belonging to the diverse tetra family Characidae, described by ichthyologists from Brazil in recent years as part of ongoing efforts to document the country's exceptionally rich freshwater fish fauna. Like other members of its genus, it is a diminutive, laterally compressed species adapted to life in small, clear-water streams, where it likely feeds on tiny invertebrates and organic particles drifting in the current. The species is currently classified as Critically Endangered (CR) by the IUCN, reflecting an extremely restricted geographic range and ongoing pressures on its native habitat.

It is known only from a limited stretch of stream habitat in Brazil, a pattern typical of many recently described Kolpotocheirodon species that are highly range-restricted and vulnerable to localized disturbance. Degradation of headwater streams through agricultural runoff, siltation, damming, and land-use conversion poses a severe threat to populations confined to such narrow ranges, since a single habitat alteration event could affect the entire known population. Population trend data remain unknown, underscoring the urgent need for dedicated field surveys and long-term monitoring to establish baseline numbers and track change over time.

Conservation attention for small-bodied, range-restricted Neotropical fishes like this one has been increasing, with taxonomic documentation itself representing a critical first step toward protection, since species cannot be safeguarded until they are formally recognized and mapped. Brazilian researchers and ichthyological institutions continue to prioritize surveys of understudied stream systems, which offers hope that further ecological data and targeted conservation measures, such as watershed protection or inclusion in protected area management plans, could still be developed before the species faces further decline. Continued taxonomic and ecological research into this and related Kolpotocheirodon species is essential to securing its long-term survival in Brazil's biodiverse but increasingly pressured freshwater systems.

This small characin fish inhabits clear, fast-flowing streams and tributaries within the Atlantic Forest biome of southeastern Brazil. It requires well-oxygenated waters with rocky or sandy substrates and dense riparian vegetation that provides shade and organic matter input.