Cuban Topminnow (Girardinus creolus)

Mohamed bin Zayed Species project number 14059847

Conservation of the endemic freswater fish genus Girardinus from western Cuba: know their ecology will guarantee your immediate preservation

Cuban freshwater fish species, due to their unknown origin, diversity, endemism and degree of isolation, have special values for taxonomy, ecology, biogeography, genetics and evolution of freshwater fish. This situation gives to this group of Cuban vertebrates a special value per se and for conservation. Some species are distributed all along the Cuban territory in rivers, natural lagoons, artificial water reservoirs and seasonal wetlands, while others are restricted to specific habitat in low extended areas within the Cuban archipelago. In the last case appears most part of species of the genus Girardinus which has four local endemic species in western Cuba. The current proposal has as the main objectives: 1. To collect updated information regarding natural history, population parameters, basic ecological requirements and current threats of focal species in their habitat 2. To carry out training programs in situ to qualify technical personnel in conservation actions which involve target species 3. To evaluate the current conservation status of target species applying the IUCN criteria