Aphanius danfordii
CR

Aphanius danfordii

Local name: Sultan Sazlığı Killifish

Unknown

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

Overview

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

The Sultan Sazlığı Killifish faces severe threats from habitat degradation and water management practices affecting its limited wetland habitats in Turkey. Agricultural intensification, water extraction, and pollution have dramatically reduced the quality and extent of suitable breeding and feeding areas. The species' restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes and human activities.

Threat summary

Habitat

Inhabits shallow freshwater and brackish wetlands, marshes, and seasonal pools in the Sultan Sazlığı (Sultan Marshes) region of central Turkey. The species is adapted to variable salinity levels and seasonal water fluctuations in these inland wetland systems.

FRESHWATER· major

Other threatened species in Cyprinodontidae

Azraq KillifishCR

Azraq Killifish

Aphanius sirhani

Unknown
Almiri KillifishCR

Almiri Killifish

Aphanius almiriensis

Unknown
Aphanius transgrediensCR

Aphanius transgrediens

Unknown
EN

Burdur Toothcarp

Aphanius sureyanus

Unknown

Threatened in Türkiye

Calidris ferrugineaVU

Calidris ferruginea

Declining
CR

Narmanian Whitlow-grass

Draba narmanensis

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Asplenium creticum

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Olive Skipper

Pyrgus serratulae

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Sultan Sazlığı Killifish classified as Critically Endangered?
Sultan Sazlığı Killifish 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 Sultan Sazlığı Killifish faces severe threats from habitat degradation and water management practices affecting its limited wetland habitats in Turkey. Agricultural intensification, water extraction, and pollution have dramatically reduced the quality and extent of suitable breeding and feeding areas. The species' restricted range makes it particularly vulnerable to local environmental changes and human activities.
Where does Sultan Sazlığı Killifish live?
Sultan Sazlığı Killifish occurs in Türkiye. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Sultan Sazlığı Killifish?
The main threats to Sultan Sazlığı Killifish 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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