ENEndangered

Nematolebias whitei

Declining

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Nematolebias whitei faces severe threats from habitat destruction as coastal wetlands in southeastern Brazil are drained for urban development and agriculture. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with pollution from agricultural runoff and urban waste degrading water quality in remaining seasonal pools. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the delicate seasonal flooding cycles essential for this annual killifish's reproduction.
Threat summary

Habitat

Nematolebias whitei inhabits temporary seasonal pools and shallow wetlands in coastal lowlands of southeastern Brazil. These ephemeral aquatic environments fill during rainy seasons and dry completely during drought periods, creating the specialized conditions required by this annual killifish species.

Other threatened species in RIVULIDAE

Flame Rivulus

Cynodonichthys uroflammeus

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Nematolebias whitei classified as Endangered?

Nematolebias whitei is classified as Endangered — facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild — because population numbers are declining steeply and key habitats are under sustained pressure. Nematolebias whitei faces severe threats from habitat destruction as coastal wetlands in southeastern Brazil are drained for urban development and agriculture. The species' extremely restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes, with pollution from agricultural runoff and urban waste degrading water quality in remaining seasonal pools. Climate change poses an additional threat through altered precipitation patterns that could disrupt the delicate seasonal flooding cycles essential for this annual killifish's reproduction.

Where does Nematolebias whitei live?

Nematolebias whitei occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.

What are the main threats to Nematolebias whitei?

The main threats to Nematolebias whitei are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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