River Skater
CR

River Skater

Aquarius najas

Unknown

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

Overview

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

The River Skater faces severe threats from habitat degradation due to water pollution, dam construction, and urban development along waterways. Climate change is altering water flow patterns and temperatures in the specific stream environments this species requires, while invasive species compete for resources and disrupt the delicate surface tension dynamics essential for their survival.

Threat summary

Habitat

Clean, slow-moving freshwater streams, rivers, and pond margins with stable water surfaces and minimal current disturbance. Requires unpolluted waters with adequate riparian vegetation and specific surface tension conditions for locomotion and prey capture.

Other threatened species in Gerridae

Gerris lateralisCR

Gerris lateralis

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is River Skater classified as Critically Endangered?
River Skater 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. The River Skater faces severe threats from habitat degradation due to water pollution, dam construction, and urban development along waterways. Climate change is altering water flow patterns and temperatures in the specific stream environments this species requires, while invasive species compete for resources and disrupt the delicate surface tension dynamics essential for their survival.
Where does River Skater live?
River Skater 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 River Skater?
The main threats to River Skater 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.