Melanorivulus kayapo
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Melanorivulus kayapo faces significant pressure from agricultural expansion and cattle ranching activities that degrade its freshwater habitats in the Brazilian Cerrado. Deforestation and land conversion reduce water quality through increased sedimentation and agricultural runoff, while altered hydrology from dam construction and water diversions fragments populations. The species' restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to localized habitat destruction and climate-induced changes to seasonal water patterns.
Habitat
This killifish inhabits small freshwater streams, seasonal pools, and shallow wetlands within the Cerrado savanna ecosystem of central Brazil. It typically occurs in areas with slow-moving or temporary waters surrounded by gallery forest vegetation.