Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Rhizosomichthys (Rhizosomichthys totae), recorded as Critically Endangered
Rhizosomichthys (Rhizosomichthys totae). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Critically Endangered

Rhizosomichthys

Rhizosomichthys totae

Rhizisomichthys is a monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Trichomycteridae, the pencil and parasitic catfishes.

Status
Critically Endangered
Scientific name
Rhizosomichthys totae
Taxonomy
Siluriformes · Trichomycteridae · Rhizosomichthys

The ray-finned fish

Rhizosomichthys is a ray-finned fish in the family Trichomycteridae (order Siluriformes) — Rhizosomichthys totae.

Range and habitat

This fish grew to about 13.8 centimetres (5.4 in) and was endemic to Colombia where it occurred in the Lake Tota basin. The species was last seen in 1957, and only 10 specimens were found. The disappearance is possibly linked to the release of 100,000 imported rainbow trout eggs into Lake Tota in 1936.

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

In crisis

It is listed as a critically endangered (possibly extinct) species by the IUCN Red List.

Rhizosomichthys 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 Rhizosomichthys, Wikidata item Q145381. 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 Rhizosomichthys?
Rhizisomichthys is a monospecific genus of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Trichomycteridae, the pencil and parasitic catfishes. This fish grew to about 13.8 centimetres (5.4 in) and was endemic to Colombia where it occurred in the Lake Tota basin.
What is the conservation status of Rhizosomichthys?
Critically Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Rhizosomichthys totae. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Rhizosomichthys live?
This fish grew to about 13.8 centimetres (5.4 in) and was endemic to Colombia where it occurred in the Lake Tota basin.
Why is Rhizosomichthys in crisis?
It is listed as a critically endangered (possibly extinct) species by the IUCN Red List.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Rhizosomichthys totae?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Rhizosomichthys a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.