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Article

Freshwater Fishes of Central America: Distribution, Assessment, and Major Threats

by
Topiltzin Contreras-MacBeath
1,2,*,
Diego A. Ardón
3,
Yasmin Quintana
4,5,
Arturo Angulo
6,7,8,
Tim Lyons
9,
Claudia Lardizabal
10,
Caleb D. McMahan
11,
Diego J. Elías
11,12,13,
Wilfredo A. Matamoros
14,15,
José Enrique Barraza
16,
Rigoberto González
17,
César E. Fuentes-Montejo
11,13,18,
Jonathan W. Ambruster
19,
Juan Carlos Carrasco
20 and
Marlem Brito Rodriguez
21
1
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62219, MR, Mexico
2
IUCN/SSC Freshwater Conservation Committee
3
Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Laboratories, Provo, UT 84604, USA
4
Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
5
Centro de Estudios Conservacionistas, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, de Guatemala 01012, Guatemala
6
Museo de Zoología, Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Ecología Tropical (CIBET), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca 11501–2060, SJ, Costa Rica
7
Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR), Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca 11501–2060, SJ, Costa Rica
8
Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca 11501–2060, SJ, Costa Rica
9
New Mexico BioPark Society, 903 10th St SW, Albuquerque, NM 87112, USA
10
Instituto de Investigación en Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales del Norte de Honduras, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa 11101, Honduras
11
Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S. Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, IL 60605, USA
12
Museum of Natural Science, Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
13
Colección Ictiológica, Sistema de Colecciones Biológicas, Escuela de Biología, Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala Edificio T-10, Ciudad Universitaria, Guatemala 01012, Guatemala
14
Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Libramiento Norte Poniente 1150, Col. Lajas Maciel, Tuxtla Gutiérrez 29039, CS, Mexico
15
Maestría en Ciencias en Biodiversidad y Conservación de Ecosistemas Tropicales, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, UNICACH, Libramiento Norte # 1150, Col. Lajas Maciel, Tuxtla Gutiérrez 29039, CS, Mexico
16
Instituto de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Universidad Francisco Gavidia, San Salvador CP 1101, El Salvador
17
Colección de Peces Neotropicales del Instituto Smithsonian de Investigaciones Tropicales (STRI), Laboratorio de Naos, Panama 68419, Panama
18
Department of Biological Sciences, DePaul University, Chicago, IL 60614, USA
19
Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, 101 Rouse Life Sciences Building, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
20
Coastal & Marine Research, Ave. Oeste, Bloque M, N1, Residencial Jamil, Tela 31301, Honduras
21
Laboratorio Interinstitucional de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, Cuernavaca 62219, MR, Mexico
 
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Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Diversity 2022, 14(10), 793; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100793
Submission received: 27 July 2022 / Revised: 23 August 2022 / Accepted: 1 September 2022 / Published: 24 September 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessments, Planning and Action for Conservation of Species and Ecosystems at Multiple Spatial Scales)
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Abstract

Central America contains a rich diversity of freshwater habitats that support more than 600 species of freshwater fishes. However, despite several perceived threats to the integrity of the freshwater habitats throughout the region, a formal analysis of extinction risk for the region’s ichthyofauna is lacking. In this manuscript, we report an updated checklist of species and a novel comprehensive assessment of the conservation status of Central American freshwater fishes by applying the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria to species at the global level. We also analyze the distribution of freshwater fishes across Central America and generate baseline geospatial data that can be used in multi-species conservation planning processes, which is available through the Red List Website. Our results indicate that between 15 and 28% of freshwater fishes in the region are threatened with extinction, with considerable uncertainty resulting from elevated data deficiency. We identify major and widespread threats in the region, including pollution, agriculture, aquaculture, biological resource use, natural system modifications, invasive species, and land development. This analysis represents an important first step in formulating effective conservation planning and action initiatives for a taxonomic group that historically has received few protections and can be used to inform conservation priorities of freshwater ecosystems at both national and regional scales.
Keywords: freshwater fishes; Central America; threats; red list; conservation freshwater fishes; Central America; threats; red list; conservation

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Contreras-MacBeath, T.; Ardón, D.A.; Quintana, Y.; Angulo, A.; Lyons, T.; Lardizabal, C.; McMahan, C.D.; Elías, D.J.; Matamoros, W.A.; Barraza, J.E.; et al. Freshwater Fishes of Central America: Distribution, Assessment, and Major Threats. Diversity 2022, 14, 793. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100793

AMA Style

Contreras-MacBeath T, Ardón DA, Quintana Y, Angulo A, Lyons T, Lardizabal C, McMahan CD, Elías DJ, Matamoros WA, Barraza JE, et al. Freshwater Fishes of Central America: Distribution, Assessment, and Major Threats. Diversity. 2022; 14(10):793. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100793

Chicago/Turabian Style

Contreras-MacBeath, Topiltzin, Diego A. Ardón, Yasmin Quintana, Arturo Angulo, Tim Lyons, Claudia Lardizabal, Caleb D. McMahan, Diego J. Elías, Wilfredo A. Matamoros, José Enrique Barraza, and et al. 2022. "Freshwater Fishes of Central America: Distribution, Assessment, and Major Threats" Diversity 14, no. 10: 793. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100793

APA Style

Contreras-MacBeath, T., Ardón, D. A., Quintana, Y., Angulo, A., Lyons, T., Lardizabal, C., McMahan, C. D., Elías, D. J., Matamoros, W. A., Barraza, J. E., González, R., Fuentes-Montejo, C. E., Ambruster, J. W., Carrasco, J. C., & Brito Rodriguez, M. (2022). Freshwater Fishes of Central America: Distribution, Assessment, and Major Threats. Diversity, 14(10), 793. https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100793

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