Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Red-finned blue-eye (Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis), recorded as Critically Endangered
Red-finned blue-eye (Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Red-finned blue-eye

Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis

Red-finned blue-eye is a ray-finned fish in the family Pseudomugilidae (order Atheriniformes) — Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis, recorded as Critically Endangered and tied to Australia.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis
Recorded from
Australia
Taxonomy
Atheriniformes · Pseudomugilidae · Scaturiginichthys

The ray-finned fish

The fish reaches up to 3 cm (1 in) in length, and only males have red fins.

Range and habitat

It is endemic to central Queensland in Australia, where it is restricted to springs in Bush Heritage's Edgbaston Reserve.

It was originally found in seven springs in its small range in the Edgbaston Reserve, but by 2012 only survived in three of these, although another three translocated populations existed in the reserve. The Edgbaston goby (Chlamydogobius squamigenus), 11 snail species, a small crustacean, a flatworm, a spider and a dragonfly are restricted to springs in the same reserve and also threatened.

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

Habits

Silversides and rainbowfishes need clear water and a place to school. A lake form does not commute to the next basin.

In crisis

It is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, and as Endangered under Queensland's Nature Conservation Act 1992. In September 2012, the species was placed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature list of 100 most endangered species on the planet. Gambusia is a huge threat as an invasive species, that is out-competing many species in Australia.

In February 2021, captive-bred fish were released into the wild spring, boosting the population from about 200 to approximately 3,000.

Red-finned blue-eye is Critically 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 Red-finned blue-eye, Wikidata item Q2119798. 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.

Also in this catalog

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Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii
Photograph of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

Quick answers

What is Red-finned blue-eye?
Red-finned blue-eye is a ray-finned fish in the family Pseudomugilidae (order Atheriniformes) — Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis.
What is the conservation status of Red-finned blue-eye?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Red-finned blue-eye live?
It is endemic to central Queensland in Australia, where it is restricted to springs in Bush Heritage's Edgbaston Reserve.
Why is Red-finned blue-eye in crisis?
In February 2021, captive-bred fish were released into the wild spring, boosting the population from about 200 to approximately 3,000.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Scaturiginichthys vermeilipinnis?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Red-finned blue-eye a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.