Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Minckley's cichlid (Herichthys minckleyi), recorded as Endangered
Minckley's cichlid (Herichthys minckleyi). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Minckley's cichlid

Herichthys minckleyi

Minckley's cichlid is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae (order Perciformes) — Herichthys minckleyi, recorded as Endangered.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Herichthys minckleyi
Taxonomy
Perciformes · Cichlidae · Herichthys

Appearance

The color ranges from tan, light grey, yellowish green, dark green to dark brown or black, with four to seven bars on the posterior middle side of the fish. During breeding season, the coloration of the fish changes to prepare for reproduction, exhibiting sexual dichromatism with this new breeding look. H. Minckleyi is distinguished from other species in the group by its longer head, longer snout, and shorter dorsal and anal fins.

The Minckley’s cichlid typically ranges from 70–92 mm in length, with either a deep or slender body.

Range and habitat

First catalogued by researchers Irv Kornfield and Jeffery Taylor in 1983, Minckley’s cichlid is endemic to the butterfly-shaped Cuatro Ciénegas Basin in Coahuila, México. The basin sits 750m above sea level, with the surrounding mountains stretching 2500m above. In this intermontane basin, H. Minckleyi is found in springs, streams, ponds, and lagunas.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Breeding

Even so, there are other color variations, and the individuals do not always completely express the breeding coloration. There are many observations of a partial change in coloration.

In crisis

As an endangered species, the Minckley’s cichlid is subject to conservation efforts, and informed management is crucial. Hopefully, the protections afforded to the Basin can contribute to the conservation and recovery of the unique Minckley’s cichlid as well.

Minckley's cichlid is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Minckley's cichlid, Wikidata item Q1028976. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

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Quick answers

What is Minckley's cichlid?
Minckley's cichlid is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae (order Perciformes) — Herichthys minckleyi.
What is the conservation status of Minckley's cichlid?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Herichthys minckleyi. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Minckley's cichlid live?
First catalogued by researchers Irv Kornfield and Jeffery Taylor in 1983, Minckley’s cichlid is endemic to the butterfly-shaped Cuatro Ciénegas Basin in Coahuila, México.
Why is Minckley's cichlid in crisis?
As an endangered species, the Minckley’s cichlid is subject to conservation efforts, and informed management is crucial.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Herichthys minckleyi?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Minckley's cichlid a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.