Melanorivulus vittatus
Overview
A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.
Melanorivulus vittatus faces severe threats from habitat degradation in Brazil's Atlantic Forest region, where urban expansion and agricultural conversion have fragmented its freshwater environments. The species' restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to water pollution from agricultural runoff and domestic waste, which degrades the water quality essential for this killifish's survival. Climate change compounds these pressures by altering precipitation patterns and increasing the frequency of droughts in its already limited habitat range.
Habitat
This killifish inhabits small freshwater streams, pools, and wetlands within Brazil's Atlantic Forest biome, typically in shallow, slow-moving waters with dense aquatic vegetation. The species shows preference for areas with soft substrates and moderate water flow, often found in forest-edge environments where canopy cover provides temperature regulation.