Map_thumbnail_large_font

Romanichthys valsanicola

Status_ne_offStatus_dd_offStatus_lc_offStatus_nt_offStatus_vu_offStatus_en_offStatus_cr_onStatus_ew_offStatus_ex_off

Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family
ANIMALIA CHORDATA ACTINOPTERYGII PERCIFORMES PERCIDAE

Scientific Name: Romanichthys valsanicola
Species Authority: Dumitrescu, Banarescu & Stoica, 1957
Common Name/s:
English – Asprete

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria: Critically Endangered B1ab(ii,iii)+2ab(ii,iii) ver 3.1
Year Published: 2008
Assessor/s: Freyhof, J. & Kottelat, M.
Reviewer/s: Bogutskaya, N., & Smith, K. (IUCN Freshwater Biodiversity Unit)
Contributor/s:
Justification:
The species was known from River Arges and its tributaries Vaslan and Raul Doamnei, however it is now only extant in a 1 km stretch of the Vaslan river. During construction of a reservoir on River Arges (1965) no water was left in the river downstream of the dam and the species disappeared. In the Valsan river, the population has been seriously impacted by stone extraction from the river, overfishing, pollution and damming of the upper part of the river. The survival of this species now depends on the continuity of water released by a single reservoir, and is was the focus of a project of the EU Life programme.
History:
1996 – Critically Endangered
1994 – Endangered (Groombridge 1994)
1990 – Endangered (IUCN 1990)
1988 – Endangered (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1988)
1986 – Endangered (IUCN Conservation Monitoring Centre 1986)

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description: Danube drainage in Romania; formerly known from upper River Arges and its tributaries Valsan and Raul Doamnei. Today restricted to 1 km of upper River Valsan upstream of Bradet village, but adjacent basins still unsufficiently surveyed.
Countries:
Native:
Romania
Range Map: Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population: No information.
Population Trend: Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology: Habitat:
Fast-flowing, cold and clear mountain streams. Usually hidden under stones.

Biology:
Nocturnal, bottom dweller. Territorial; possibly spawns in second half of May. 120-150 eggs are deposited under stones. Feeds on insect larvae including mayflies (Ephemeroptera) and stoneflies (Plecoptera).
Systems: Freshwater

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s): Threats to the species were deforestation, construction of roads, extraction of stones, pollution and dam constructions has driven this species to the edge of extinction.
Currently the species occurs only below a dam, and exists only because enough water is released from the dam.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions: Presently the focus of a project of the EU Life programme (now finished), but the species distribution is within a protected area.
Citation: Freyhof, J. & Kottelat, M. 2008. Romanichthys valsanicola. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 May 2013.
Disclaimer: To make use of this information, please check the <Terms of Use>.
Feedback: If you see any errors or have any questions or suggestions on what is shown on this page, please fill in the feedback form so that we can correct or extend the information provided