Re: Killies Extinct in Nature (fwd)

Dr P Almada Villela (palmada at aquacon.demon.co.uk)
Wed, 02 Oct 1996 12:16:28 +0100

There have been many valiable contributions to the knowledge of the
Mexican ichthyofauna, including the work of Bob Miller, Minckley and
Hendrickson amongst others. It is worth noting that the ichthyofauna of
northern Mexico, and indeed of the rest of Mexico as a whole was been
studied extensively by Dr Salvador Contreras-Balderas and his group. Dr
Contreras-Balderas contribution to my own work on threatened fishes
worldwide, has been instrumental in the assessment of the conservation
status of all Mexican fishes for the IUCN Red List of Threatened
Animals. He has collaborated with myself in this field since the early
1980s. In addition, he and his group have described numerous species and
surveyed most of the key sites in Mexico to date.

Regards,

Patricia Almada-Villela


In message <Pine.A32.3.91.961001212415.64751A-100000 at research3.asu.edu>,
peter.unmack at ASU.Edu writes
>Forwarded from the killi list.
>
>Peter Unmack
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Sun, 29 Sep 1996 13:01:37 -0400
>From: RWLACN at aol.com
>To: killies at mejac.palo-alto.ca.us
>Subject: Killies Extinct in Nature
>
>It is very difficult to find accurate information about the status of many
>killifish in the wild. We can be certain that the fish fauna of Northern
>Mexico has been adequately survayed and that those species listed by Peter
>Unmack are indeed extinct: Cyprinodon alvarezi, Cyprinodon longidorsalis,
>Cyprinodon veronicae and Megupsilon aporus. Abviously any hobbyist or
>professional institution that has these species in captivity should give them
>very special care.
>
>Although there are many collectors who go to West Africa, few of them give
>reports on the status of a particular species. In 1993, we learned that both
>Fundulopanchax walkeri GH2 and Epiplatys chaperi schreiberi were probably
>extinct in the wild. Ghana is experiencing rapid development and this has
>lead to loss of habitat. Other populations of Fundulopanchax walkeri may also
>be in trouble in the Ivroy Coast. Other reports (Eberl) suggest that
>Epiplatys esekanus, having a very small distribution area, may be in serious
>trouble due to road construction in that area of Cameroon. Due to clearing
>land for farming, Aphyosemion elberti (bualanum) N'tui is extinct. Wolfgang
>Eberl recently told me that the blue Chromaphyosemion LEC 93/26 or LEC 93/24
>found near Libreville, Gabon will likely disappear as that city expands into
>that area. This is probably a distinct species from other Chrompahyosemions
>which is being studied at this time.
>
>From the perspective of the hobby, any species from Liberia and Nigeria
>should be given special care due to the political problems and difficulties
>one might have trying to collect in these countries. Due to oil spills and
>insensitive ecological disruption, the whole Niger Delta fish fauna could be
>in serious trouble and all of these species should be looked after:
>Fundulopanchax fallax (deltaensis), Fp. sjoestedti, Fp. powelli, Fp. arnoldi
>and Fp. gularis.
>
>Many species of the genus Aphanius are on the verge of extinction also for
>much the same reasons as the desert pupfish.
>
>I hope that all of those who love killifish will try to obtain one of these
>extint or endangered fish and give them special care.
>
>Roger Langton
>
>
>

-- 
Dr Patricia Almada-Villela
Consultant in Conservation and Aquatic Biology
Co-Chair, IUCN SSC
Coral Reef Fish Specialist Group
60 Newington, Willingham
Cambridge, CB4 5JE, UK
Tel: (+44 01954) 260520; Fax: (+44 01954) 202291
email: palmada at aquacon.demon.co.uk