CR

Pattalus mollis

Declining

Overview

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

Pattalus mollis, a hagfish known only from deep coastal waters off Chile, faces significant pressure from bottom trawling and demersal fishing operations that disturb its seafloor habitat and result in bycatch mortality. Its restricted known range and specialized benthic habits limit its ability to recolonize areas depleted by fishing activity. Pollution and habitat degradation from coastal development further compound risks to the small number of documented populations, and the species' cryptic, poorly surveyed biology means true population trends remain difficult to confirm.

Threat summary

Habitat

Pattalus mollis inhabits soft-sediment seafloor environments in deep coastal and continental shelf waters off the Pacific coast of South America, where it burrows into sediment as part of its benthic, scavenging lifestyle typical of hagfishes.

Other threatened species in CUCUMARIIDAE

CR

Athyonidium chilensis

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Pattalus mollis classified as Critically Endangered?
Pattalus mollis 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. Pattalus mollis, a hagfish known only from deep coastal waters off Chile, faces significant pressure from bottom trawling and demersal fishing operations that disturb its seafloor habitat and result in bycatch mortality. Its restricted known range and specialized benthic habits limit its ability to recolonize areas depleted by fishing activity. Pollution and habitat degradation from coastal development further compound risks to the small number of documented populations, and the species' cryptic, poorly surveyed biology means true population trends remain difficult to confirm.
Where does Pattalus mollis live?
Pattalus mollis 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 Pattalus mollis?
The main threats to Pattalus mollis 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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