Micralestes eburneensis Daget 1965 (Characiformes: Alestidae), a Near Threatened Fishes of the World

Abstract

Micralestes eburneensis Daget 1965, an endemic characin fish of Ivory Coast / Liberia is assessed as Near Threatened due to its restricted range. In addition, there is strong fishing pressure, habitat loss and aquatic pollution from clandestine gold mining in the Cavally River bed.

Moreover, given the development and intensification of mining activities in the study area, it is to be expected that the population of the endemic species will continue to decline. The strong anthropogenic pressure in this region on the Cavally hydrosystem and its environment must be taken into account for a future update of M. eburneensis conservation status.

There is an immediate need for developing protection and management actions for this fish species.