Nematolebias whitei
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.
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.