CR

Speleoithona bermudensis

Unknown

Overview

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

Speleoithona bermudensis faces severe threats from groundwater contamination and saltwater intrusion into Bermuda's fragile cave systems. The species' extremely restricted range in anchialine caves makes it vulnerable to pollution from surface development and changes in groundwater chemistry. Climate change-induced sea level rise poses an additional threat by altering the delicate freshwater-saltwater interface that defines its specialized habitat.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic copepod inhabits the anchialine cave systems of Bermuda, living in the specialized brackish water zones where fresh groundwater meets saltwater intrusion. These caves represent unique subterranean ecosystems with highly stable environmental conditions that have remained largely unchanged for millennia.

Rocky areas· majorCaves and subterranean habitats· majorMarine neritic· major

Threatened in Bermuda

VU

Short-tailed Albatross

Phoebastria albatrus

Increasing
Blind SnailVU

Blind Snail

Cecilioides acicula

Unknown
EN

Bermuda Shield Fern

Thelypteris bermudiana

Declining
Sicklefin Devil RayCR

Sicklefin Devil Ray

Mobula tarapacana

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Speleoithona bermudensis classified as Critically Endangered?
Speleoithona bermudensis 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. Speleoithona bermudensis faces severe threats from groundwater contamination and saltwater intrusion into Bermuda's fragile cave systems. The species' extremely restricted range in anchialine caves makes it vulnerable to pollution from surface development and changes in groundwater chemistry. Climate change-induced sea level rise poses an additional threat by altering the delicate freshwater-saltwater interface that defines its specialized habitat.
Where does Speleoithona bermudensis live?
Speleoithona bermudensis occurs in Bermuda. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Speleoithona bermudensis?
The main threats to Speleoithona bermudensis 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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