Raspabalsa
CR

Raspabalsa

Sturisomatichthys frenatum

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sturisomatichthys_frenatus

Overview

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

Sturisomatichthys frenatum faces severe threats from habitat degradation due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and water pollution in its native South American river systems. Dam construction and water diversions have fragmented populations and altered critical flow regimes. The species' limited distribution and specialized habitat requirements make it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.

Threat summary

Habitat

This armored catfish inhabits fast-flowing, well-oxygenated rivers and streams with rocky or sandy substrates in the Magdalena River basin of Colombia. It requires clear waters with moderate to strong currents and typically occurs in areas with fallen logs and rocky crevices that provide shelter.

FRESHWATER· major

Other threatened species in Loricariidae

EN

Farlowella taphorni

Unknown
PalitoEN

Palito

Farlowella curtirostra

Unknown
CR

Cordylancistrus nephelion

Unknown
EN

Lyhytnokkamonni

Farlowella martini

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Raspabalsa classified as Critically Endangered?
Raspabalsa 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. Sturisomatichthys frenatum faces severe threats from habitat degradation due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and water pollution in its native South American river systems. Dam construction and water diversions have fragmented populations and altered critical flow regimes. The species' limited distribution and specialized habitat requirements make it particularly vulnerable to environmental changes.
Where does Raspabalsa live?
Raspabalsa 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 Raspabalsa?
The main threats to Raspabalsa 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.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.