The Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) section of the IUCN Redlist of Threatened Species for 2004 is dominated by Madagascan fishes this year.
A high proportion of the Malagasy species are as yet undescribed.
Dozens of threatened rainbowfishes, killifish and cichlids from the island of Madagascar have been added to the list in 2004, as well as a number of new marine species, ranging from groupers to gobies.
Cichlids, such as the critically endangered Ptychochromoides betsileanus, which is known only from the Onilahy River system in south west Madagascar have been added this year due to the small size of the range of the species, as well as food-fishing pressures, alien species and habitat loss.
The list also shows some current trends in taxonomic thinking which recognise a number of new Bedotia species, as well as several possible new species of Paratilapia.
Acentrogobius therezieni (DD)
Ambassis fontoynonti (DD)
Ancharius brevibarbis (DD)
Ancharius fuscus (DD)
Ancharius sp. nov. "Onilahy" (DD)
Arius festinus (EN)
Arius uncinatus (EN)
Batrachus uranoscopus (VU)
Bedotia geayi (VU)
Bedotia madagascariensis (NT)
Bedotia marojejy (VU)
Bedotia masoala (VU)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Ankavia-Ankavanana' (VU)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Bemarivo' (VU)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Betampona' (VU)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Garassa' (DD)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Lazana' (VU)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Mahanara' (VU)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Makira' (DD)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Manombo' (CR)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Namorona' (VU)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Nosivola' (VU)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Sambava' (CR)
Bedotia sp. nov. 'Vevembe' (CR)
Bedotia tricolor (CR)
Eleotris pellegrini (NT)
Eleotris vomerodentata (DD)
Glossogobius ankaranensis (VU)
Gobitrichinotus arnoulti (DD)
Oxylapia polli (CR)
Pachypanchax sakaramyi (CR)
Pachypanchax sp. nov. 'Analava' (DD)
Pachypanchax sp. nov. 'Anjingo' (EN)
Pachypanchax sp. nov. 'Betsiboka' (VU)
Pachypanchax sp. nov. 'Sofia' (DD)
Pachypanchax sp. nov. 'Talio' (VU)
Pachypanchax sp. nov. 'Tsiribihina' (DD)
Pachypanchax sp. nov. 'Varatraza' (DD)
Pantanodon madagascariensis (EX)
Pantanodon sp. nov. 'Manombo' (CR)
Paratilapia bleekeri (DD)
Paratilpia polleni (VU)
Paratilapia sp. nov. 'Fiamanga' (DD)
Paratilapia sp. nov. 'Lac Ihotry' (DD)
Paratilapia sp. nov. 'Vevembe' (DD)
Paratilpia typus (VU)
Paretroplus dambabe (EX)
Paretroplus damii (DD)
Paretroplus kieneri (VU)
etc etc.
KEY: EX = Extinct, EXW = Extinct in the wild, CR = critically endangered, DD = data deficient, VU = vulnerable, sp. nov. = new species.
Many Madagascan species are being bred in the UK as part of conservation programmes. To read more about this valuable work, please see this interview with leading Malagasy cichlid breeders Sonia Guinane and Dave Tourle.