Elongate bitterling

The elongate bitterling (Acheilognathus elongatus) is a species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is found only in shallow water areas along the shores of Lake Dianchi in China.

Elongate bitterling

Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Acheilognathinae
Genus: Acheilognathus
Species:
A. elongatus
Binomial name
Acheilognathus elongatus
(Regan, 1908)
Synonyms
  • Acanthorhodeus elongatus Regan, 1908
  • Acanthorhodeus grahami Nichols, 1918

It has a silvery-white body with an olive dorsal surface and a black stripe along the side. It grows to a maximum length of 7.0 centimetres (2.8 in).

The fish is currently listed as critically endangered because its tiny range of 58 km2 (22 sq mi) within Lake Dianchi is threatened due to water pollution, which causes the destruction of its bivalves, which are essential for hatching its eggs. Likewise, artificial dykes and the enclosing of lakes for farmland is causing degradation of its habitat. It had likely disappeared by the 1980s, but further surveys are necessary to confirm its possible extinction.

References
  1. NatureServe (2016). "Acheilognathus elongatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2017.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)


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