Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of pelagic fish, mostly from the family Scombridae. They are found in both temperate and tropical seas, mostly living along the coast or offshore in the oceanic environment.
The white-winged duck or white-winged wood duck is a large species of duck, formerly placed in the genus Cairina with the Muscovy duck and allied with the dabbling ducks. However, mtDNA cytochrome b and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 sequence analysis indicate that the anatomical similarity to the Muscovy duck is deceiving and that the species is appropriately placed in a monotypic genus, as Asarcornis scutulata, which is evolutionarily closer to the redhead.
The otter civet is a semiaquatic viverrid native to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei. It is believed to be undergoing severe population decline due to habitat destruction and is classified as an endangered species by the IUCN Red List.
The conservation status of a group of organisms indicates whether the group still exists and how likely the group is to become extinct in the near future. Many factors are taken into account when assessing conservation status: not simply the number of individuals remaining, but the overall increase or decrease in the population over time, breeding success rates, and known threats. Various systems of conservation status are in use at international, multi-country, national and local levels, as well as for consumer use such as sustainable seafood advisory lists and certification. The two international systems are by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The billfish are a group (Xiphioidea) of saltwater predatory fish characterised by prominent pointed bills (rostra), and by their large size; some are longer than 4 m (13 ft). Extant billfish include sailfish and marlin, which make up the family Istiophoridae; and swordfish, sole member of the family Xiphiidae. They are often apex predators which feed on a wide variety of smaller fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. These two families are sometimes classified as belonging to the order Istiophoriformes, a group which originated around 71 million years ago in the Late Cretaceous, with the two families diverging around 15 million years ago in the Late Miocene. However, they are also classified as being closely related to the mackerels and tuna within the suborder Scombroidei of the order Perciformes. However, the 5th edition of the Fishes of the World does recognise the Istiophoriformes as a valid order, albeit including the Sphyraenidae, the barracudas.
The pollan or Irish pollan is a freshwater whitefish known only from five Irish lakes, Lough Neagh, Lower Lough Erne, Lough Ree, Lough Derg and Lough Allen. The pollan faces competition from introduced species such as pike, roach and zebra mussel, and the populations rely on restocking for survival.
The Santa Cruz cypress is a species of North American tree within the cypress family. The species is endemic to the Santa Cruz Mountains within the Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties of west-central California. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed the species on the Endangered Species Act in 1987 due to increasing threats from habitat loss and disruption of natural forest fire regimes. In 2016, the conservation status of the Santa Cruz cypress changed to Threatened. The cited reasoning was a decrease in threats against their habitat.
The European river lamprey, also known as the river lamprey or lampern, is a species of freshwater lamprey.
The Iberian nase is a species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is found in Portugal and in Spain. Its natural habitats are rivers and intermittent rivers.
The Southern straight-mouth nase, Pseudochondrostoma willkommii, is a species of cyprinid fish, which is found in Portugal and Spain. Its natural habitats are rivers and water storage areas, and it is threatened by habitat loss.
Cobitis arachthosensis is a species of ray-finned fish in the true loach family (Cobitidae). It is endemic to Greece.
The Greek lamprey is a species of jawless fish in the Petromyzontidae family. It is endemic to Greece. Its natural habitats are rivers and freshwater springs. It is threatened by habitat loss. Originally considered a species of the genus Eudontomyzon, later phylogenetic analyses suggested that a placement within Caspiomyzon was more likely. It is the most endangered species of lamprey, living only in the Strymon and Louros river basins.
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, invasive species, and climate change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List lists the global conservation status of many species, and various other agencies assess the status of species within particular areas. Many nations have laws that protect conservation-reliant species which, for example, forbid hunting, restrict land development, or create protected areas. Some endangered species are the target of extensive conservation efforts such as captive breeding and habitat restoration.
Achondrostoma arcasii, termed the bermejuela, is a species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is found in the Douro River in northern Portugal and in rivers draining to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean, including the Ebro River, in northern Spain where it is threatened by loss of habitat caused by the building of canals and the construction of dams, as well as by introduced predators and water pollution.
Pseudochondrostoma is a genus of cyprinid fish that occurs in the Iberian Peninsula. They are commonly known as the straight-mouth nases.
Tabernaemontana pandacaqui, known as windmill bush and banana bush, is a species of plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae.
Bidenichthys beeblebroxi is a species of common reef fish of the family Bythitidae. The species is found in the coastal waters off North Island and northern South Island, New Zealand. It is a common, uniformly gray-brown fish, ranging from SL 6.5–9.5 centimetres long in one study, found in holes beneath rocks and boulders in kelp forest and other reef habitats from the surface down to depths of 30 metres (98 ft). The species was described by Chris D. Paulin in 1995. IUCN and the Catalog of Fishes consider it a synonym of Bidenichthys consobrinus.
