Orestias cuvieri
CR

Orestias cuvieri

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA) — Species of fish

Overview

The Titicaca orestias, Lake Titicaca orestias, or Lake Titicaca flat-headed fish, also known by its native name amanto, is a likely extinct freshwater killifish from Lake Titicaca in South America. It belongs in the pupfish genus Orestias, endemic to lakes, rivers and streams in the Andean highlands. With a total length of up to 27 cm (10.6 in), it was the largest member in that genus.

In the hope that an undiscovered population remains, it is listed as Critically Endangered, possibly extinct by the IUCN. Despite its common name, it is not the only Orestias from Lake Titicaca.

Orestias cuvieri faces severe threats from water extraction and diversion for agricultural and mining activities in the Altiplano region, which has dramatically reduced water levels in its native lake systems. Introduced trout species compete directly for resources and prey upon native pupfish populations. Climate change exacerbates these pressures through altered precipitation patterns and increased evaporation rates in high-altitude aquatic environments.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic pupfish inhabits high-altitude freshwater lakes and associated wetlands in the Altiplano of Peru and Bolivia, typically at elevations above 3,500 meters. The species requires shallow, well-oxygenated waters with specific temperature and salinity ranges found in these isolated Andean lake systems.

Other threatened species in CYPRINODONTIDAE

Hispaniola PupfishEN

Hispaniola Pupfish

Cyprinodon bondi

Unknown
VU

Andean Killfish

Orestias munda

Declining
Bighead PupfishCR

Bighead Pupfish

Cyprinodon pachycephalus

Declining
VU

San Ignacio Pupfish

Cyprinodon bobmilleri

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Orestias cuvieri classified as Critically Endangered?
Orestias cuvieri is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Orestias cuvieri faces severe threats from water extraction and diversion for agricultural and mining activities in the Altiplano region, which has dramatically reduced water levels in its native lake systems. Introduced trout species compete directly for resources and prey upon native pupfish populations. Climate change exacerbates these pressures through altered precipitation patterns and increased evaporation rates in high-altitude aquatic environments.
Where does Orestias cuvieri live?
Orestias cuvieri 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 Orestias cuvieri?
The main threats to Orestias cuvieri are 2.1, 8.1, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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