Poropuntius speleops

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	ACTINOPTERYGII	CYPRINIFORMES	CYPRINIDAE

Scientific Name:	Poropuntius speleops
Species Authority:	(Roberts, 1991)
Synonym/s:	Barbus speleops Roberts, 1991 Puntius speleops (Roberts, 1991)

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Vulnerable D2 ver 3.1

Year Published:

2011

Assessor/s:

Vidthayanon, C.

Reviewer/s:

Allen, D. & Smith, K.

Contributor/s:

Justification:
The species is endemic to the Phatewada cave in Phu Khiew Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand. It is restricted to a single underground stream system. The population has been impacted by occasional collection for food and, to a lesser extent, for the aquarium trade, thought the population is considered stable at present. It is assessed as Vulnerable (D2) as it is present at a single location and impacted by harvest and potential pollution from agriculture, although the cave system is located with a Wildlife Sanctuary.

History:

1996	–	Vulnerable (Baillie and Groombridge 1996)
1996	–	Vulnerable

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	Endemic to the subterranean stream of Tham (cave) Phatewada in the Phu Khiew Wildlife Sanctuary in Chayaphum Province, Thailand (Mekong Khorat Plateau Ecoregion).
Countries:	Native: Thailand
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	Localized and uncommon, declined in the past 20 years from its discovery in 1991. The species has occasionally been harvested for food, and might have undergone occasional declines, but the population is thought likely to be stable at present.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	A troglobitic fish, inhabits subterranean stream. The only known cave fish in the genus Poropuntius, and apart from eye and pigmentation reduction, this species does not differ from riverine surface-dwelling species of the genus.
Systems:	Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	The population has declined due to local consumption from this small population, rarely harvested for the aquarium trade, however the population is considered to be stable at present. Other potential threats include impacts from tourist visitors, and degradation of water quality as a result of sedimentation and agricultural pollution.

Major Threat(s):

The population has declined due to local consumption from this small population, rarely harvested for the aquarium trade, however the population is considered to be stable at present. Other potential threats include impacts from tourist visitors, and degradation of water quality as a result of sedimentation and agricultural pollution.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	Protected by Thai law and in the Protected Area (Wildlife Sanctuary). Research is needed on the species population, threats and conservation actions.

Conservation Actions:

Protected by Thai law and in the Protected Area (Wildlife Sanctuary). Research is needed on the species population, threats and conservation actions.

Citation:	Vidthayanon, C. 2011. Poropuntius speleops. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 20 May 2013.
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