Tropical Eastern Pacific Region
The Tropical Eastern Pacific Region extends along the Pacific coast of the Americas from the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula in the north to northern Chile in the south. It also includes a number of islands and island groups, including the Galápagos and Revillagigedo islands, Cocos Island, and Clipperton Island, the latter a small but biologically important coral atoll located off the coast of Central America.
Species and subspecies
The pygmy beaked whale (Mesoplodon peruvianus) is known only from a handful of strandings and several dozen sightings in the Tropical Eastern Pacific between Baja California and Peru. It may be particularly vulnerable to gillnets in parts of its range.
The eastern spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris orientalis) is confined to an area corresponding to part of the Eastern Tropical Pacific off the coast of Mexico and Central America, where it is threatened by fisheries by-catch.
The eastern Pacific subpopulation of the leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) nests along the Pacific coast of the Americas from Mexico to Ecuador.
The whitenose shark (Nasolamia velox) is a rare species from the continental shelf of Central and north-western South America from Mexico to Peru. It is threatened by overfishing, destructive trawling practices, pollution, and coastal sedimentation.
The sharpfin houndshark (Triakis acutipinna) is only known from a few specimens collected off the coast of Ecuador. The spotted houndshark (T. maculata) is known from the Galápagos Islands and from coastal Peru and northern Chile. Both are seriously threatened by overfishing.
The Panama ghost catshark (Apristurus stenseni) is known only from a small area off the coast of southern Panama.
Two small, shark-like rays of the genus Pseudobatos are threatened by overfishing of the shallow waters where they live. Prahl’s guitarfish (P. prahli) is found along the coast of Central and South America from southern Mexico to northern Peru. The flathead guitarfish (P. planiceps) occurs from southern Mexico to northern Chile and around the Galápagos Islands.
The roughskin bullray (Aetomylaeus asperrimus) is known only from the southern coast of Panama and from the Galápagos Islands.
The Tumbes round stingray (Urobatis tumbesensis) is known only from three specimens collected in the coastal waters of northern Peru.
The Ecuadorian skate (Dipturus ecuadoriensis) is known only from San Helena Bay off the coast of central Ecuador.
The Aguja skate (Bathyraja aguja) is known only from a few specimens collected in deep waters off the coast of Peru in 1904.
The sailfin grouper (Mycteroperca olfax) is largely confined to three disjunct insular localities (the Galápagos Islands, Cocos Island, and Malpelo Island), with vagrants reported sporadically along the coast between Costa Rica and Peru. Despite its legal protection throughout most of its range, fishing continues to be a threat.
The Galápagos drum (Umbrina galapagorum) is known only from shallow reefs in the Galápagos Islands and Cocos Island.
Hildebrand’s drum (Sciaena callaensis) is known only from Callao Bay, near the city of Lima in central Peru. Not recorded in many decades, it is most likely extinct due to extensive pollution.
Wiener’s drum (Robaloscion wiener) is known only from two specimens collected in the late nineteenth century from Callao Bay, off the coast of central Peru and another undefined locality off Chile.
The professor stardrum (Stellifer walkeri) is known only from a few specimens collected along the south-western coast of Mexico from Nayarit to Guerrero.
The Galápagos croaker (Odontoscion eurymesops) is confined to the waters of the Galápagos Islands and Cocos Island.
The Clarion angelfish (Holacanthus clarionensis) is primarily found in the waters of the Revillagigedo Islands, including Clarion Island, although vagrants are occasionally recorded from the southern tip of Baja California, the southeastern Gulf of California, and Clipperton Island. It is frequently collected for use in the aquarium trade.
The yellow soldierfish (Myripristis clarionensis) is confined to reef-caves off the Revillagigedo Islands and Clipperton Atoll.
Beebe’s ringtail damselfish (Stegastes beebei) is a reef-associated species found primarily within the Galápagos Islands and, to a lesser extent, around Malpelo and Cocos Island, with vagrants occasionally recorded along the coast of Costa Rica and the Pearl Islands off Panama. It has suffered serious localized declines after strong El Niño events, which result in shallow waters that are too warm and nutrient-poor for extended periods.
The smalleye grunt (Pomadasys schyrii) is known only from its original collection during the early twentieth century from the Gulf of Guayaquil off southern Ecuador and northern Peru.
The bigspine grunt (P. empherus) is confined to estuaries along the coast of Costa Rica, where it is threatened by loss of habitat.
The Peruvian selema (Xenichthys rupestris) is confined to shallow coastal waters in southern Ecuador and Peru.
The Vaqueria longfin herring (Opisthopterus effulgens) appears to be confined to estuarine environments in northwestern coastal Ecuador.
The mottled flounder (Pseudorhombus binii) is known only from two disjunct coastal localities off south-western Ecuador and north-western Peru.
The Balboa anchovy (Anchoviella balboae) is known for certain only from specimens collected in the 1940s off the western coast of Peru. Records from El Salvador appear to be erroneous.
The Peruvian flying fish (Exocoetus peruvianus) is confined to a small area of the north-western South American continental shelf from Ecuador to southern Peru.
The Pacific sand flounder (Etropus pacificus) is known only from two specimens collected off Panama and northern Chile.
The spotted-cheek sole (Trinectes opercularis) is known only from a few specimens collected from shallow waters off south-western Colombia and Ecuador.
Herre’s reef sole (Aseraggodes herrei) is known only from a few specimens collected off the Revillagigedos Islands, Galápagos Islands, Cocos Island, and the tip of the Baja California Peninsula.
Two sea-catfish of the genus Cathorops are considered to be highly threatened by pollution and coastal development. The Belize sea-catfish (C. belizensis) is known only from mangrove channels within a small area of Belize City. Steindachner’s seacatfish (C. steindachneri) is known only from Costa Rica and northern Peru.
The Nato sea-catfish (Notarius armbrusteri) is known only from six specimens collected from brackish waters along the south-western coast of Colombia. The freckled sea-catfish (N. lentiginosus) is known only from coastal Panama, where it was reported to be historically common, although it has been rarely collected in recent decades. The false sculptured sea-catfish (N. cookei) is known only from a small number of mangrove and estuarine localities in coastal Panama, where it is threatened by pollution as well as by indiscriminate gill netting in rivers.
The flathead sea-catfish (N. insculptus) is known only from a few specimens collected from coastal areas of southern Panama and north-western Colombia.
The reticulated toadfish (Daector reticulata) is known only from two localities off the coast of southern Panama. Schmitt’s toadfish (D. schmitti) is known only from the shallow waters around the islands of Negritos and South Viradore, Costa Rica, and Secas Island off Panama. Both are threatened by pollution and habitat destruction due to coastal development.
Boulenger’s toadfish (Batrachoides boulengeri) is known for certain only from shallow waters off Panama, possibly extending as far north as El Salvador.
The smalleye midshipman (Porichthys oculellus) is a type of toadfish is known only from a few records from coastal north-western Colombia and southern Panama.
The Peruvian pufferfish (Sphoeroides andersonianus) is known only from a few specimens collected off the coast of Peru.
Victor’s razorfish (Xyrichtys victori) is known only from the waters around the Galápagos Islands and Cocos Island.
The Clipperton razorfish (Xyrichtys wellingtoni) is known only from the waters off Clipperton Atoll.
The long-ray sea robin (Prionotus teaguei) is known only from the shallow coastal waters of south-western Costa Rica and Panama, where it is frequently taken as by-catch in shrimp trawls.
The Clipperton cardinal soldierfish (Myripristis gildi) is known only from the waters off Clipperton Atoll, a small, uninhabited coral atoll located off the coast of Central America.
The hake weakfish (Cynoscion nortoni) is known only from six specimens collected from the coasts of western Ecuador and north-western Peru.
Robertson’s wrasse (Thalassoma robertsoni) is known only from the waters off Clipperton Atoll.
The Soccoro wrasse (Halichoeres insularis) is confined the waters of the Revillagigedo Islands, with vagrants occasionally recorded at Alijos Rocks and Guadalupe off the central coast of the Baja California Peninsula. Bussing’s wrasse (H. discolor) and the red-striped wrasse (H. salmofasciatus) are both confined to the waters around Cocos Island and Malpelo Island. The black wrasse (H. adustus) occurs patchily within the Revillagigedo, Galápagos, and Tres Marías Islands as well as Cocos Island, with vagrants recorded along the coast of Baja California, Costa Rica, and Colombia. All are threatened by strong El Niño events, which result in shallow waters that are too warm and nutrient-poor for extended periods
The emerald wrasse (Thalassoma virens) is only found near the Revillagigedo Islands and Clipperton Atoll, with vagrants occasionally observed off the tip of Baja California.
Sola’s goby (Lythrypnus solanensis) is confined to the coastal waters of Gorgona Island, off the coast of Colombia.
Eric’s goby (Evermannia erici) is confined to the shallow coastal waters of Costa Rica.
The Central American goby (E. panamensis) is found in mangroves, beaches, and estuaries from El Salvador to Panama. Both are threatened by loss of habitat due to coastal development.
The smooth-scaled goby (Gobionellus liolepis) is known only from a few specimens collected over a wide area of coastline from El Salvador to Ecuador.
Dagua’s goby (G. daguae) is confined to coastal areas of southern Panama and north-western Colombia.
The fin-joined goby (Gobulus birdsongi) is known only from two mangrove streams flowing into the Panama Canal, where it is threatened by loss of habitat.
The plain goby (Gobiosoma homochroma) was originally known only from the Pedro Miguel Locks in the Panama Canal, but has since been found in a few other mangrove and estuarine localities.
The white-margined goby (Enypnias aceras) is known from a few mangrove localities along the Pacific coast from El Salvador to Panama, where it is uncommon.
The saddle-banded goby (Barbulifer mexicanus) is a nearshore species known only from the tip of the Baja California Peninsula, the Tres Marías Islands, and central coastal Mexico.
The dark-tailed worm-goby (Microdesmus hildebrandi) is known only from a single specimen collected along the southern coast of Panama during the 1930s.
The fat-lipped wormgoby (M. knappi) is known only from three specimens collected along the south-western coast of Colombia.
The giant worm-goby (M. multiradiatus) is known only from a few specimens collected along the Bay of Panama.
The long-tailed worm-goby (M. intermedius) is known only from a few specimens collected on the rocky shores of Costa Rica and Panama.
The mangrove worm-goby (Cerdale paludicola) and the spotted worm-goby (C. ionthas) are both known only from a few specimens collected in mangrove swamps and estuaries between Costa Rica and Ecuador.
The broken-back cleaner goby (Elacatinus nesiotes) is known only from the Galápagos Islands and from Gorgona and Cocos Island.
The southern frillfin goby (Bathygobius lineatus) is known only from the Galápagos Islands, Clipperton Atoll, and Lobos de Afuera off the coast of northern Peru.
The blackfin specter goby (Akko rossi) is known only from a single specimen collected from the southern coast of El Salvador.
The dark-tail specter goby (A. brevis) is a rare species confined to mangroves and estuaries from El Salvador to Panama.
Ginsburg’s sleeper goby (Guavina micropus) is confined to freshwater streams and brackish waters on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica and Panama.
The Ecuadorian clingfish (Tomicodon prodomus) is known only from two collections from south-western Colombia and western Ecuador, the last of which was in 1970.
The grandparents clingfish (T. abuelorum) is confined to mangrove areas of Costa Rica and Panama.
The bifid clingfish (T. bidens) is known only from two localities in southern Panama. All are threatened by loss of habitat.
The narrow-headed clingfish (Gobiesox stenocephalus) is known only from its original collection in 1955 from coastal north-western Costa Rica.
The lonely clingfish (G. marijeanae) is known only from its original collection from the Tres Marías Islands in 1959.
The thick clingfish (G. crassicorpus) is known only from two collections during the 1950s and 1960s from coastal Costa Rica. Miller’s clingfish (G. milleri) is known only from its original collection in 1959 from the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica.
The southern fraildisc clingfish (Pherallodiscus varius) is a type of intertidal goby known only from three collections in south-western Mexico (Jalisco), the last one in 1972.
The milky sand stargazer (Dactyloscopus lacteus) is known only from the Galápagos Islands and Cocos Island.
The bravo clinid (Gobioclinus dendriticus) is known only from the waters around the Galápagos Islands and Malpelo Island.
Fehlmann’s blenny (Paraclinus fehlmanni) is confined to coastal southern Ecuador and northern Peru.
The Costa Rican blenny (Malacoctenus costaricanus) is known only from a few historical records from the western coasts of Costa Rica and El Salvador.
The delta pike-blenny (Chaenopsis deltarrhis) is known only from a few specimens collected over a relatively wide area of coastal Central America as well as Cocos Island.
The Clipperton combtooth blenny (Ophioblennius clippertonensis) is confined to shallow rocky reefs surrounding Clipperton Atoll.
The dark four-eyed blenny (Dialommus fuscus) is known only from the Galápagos Islands and Cocos Island.
The brown-spotted blenny (Starksia posthon) is known only from a few specimens collected disjunction from coastal south-western Mexico and southern Panama.
The spotcheek blenny (Labrisomus pomaspilus) is known only from a few tide pool localities in coastal south-western Colombia and north-western Ecuador.
The slit-pore tube blenny (Ekemblemaria lira) is known only from three specimens collected in the early 1960s from coastal northern Ecuador.
The Cocos brotula (Ogilbia cocoensis) is confined to the shallow inshore waters of Cocos Island.
Smithvaniz’s jawfish (Opistognathus smithvanizi) is known only from two specimens collected from Isla del Caño, off the south-western coast of Costa Rica.
The Gorgona jawfish (O. fenmutis) is known only from a few specimens collected between south-western Costa Rica and Colombia, including Gorgona Island.
The offshore pipefish (Bryx veleronis) is known from coastal Costa Rica and Panama, the Revillagigedo Islands, the Galapagos Islands, and Malpelo Island, but has not been seen or collected since 1938.
The bigheaded slickhead (Bathylaco macrophthalmus) is known only from a single specimen collected in the 1960s off the western coast of Central America.
The sawtooth moray eel (Gymnothorax serratidens) is known only from a few specimens collected from coastal south-western Colombia and north-western Peru.
The pouch snake-eel (Paraletharchus opercularis) is confined to shallow waters around the Galápagos and Revillagigedo Islands, as well as Cocos Island.
The thin snake-eel (Ophichthus apachus) is known only from two specimens, the first collected near the Tres Marías Islands of Mexico and the second off the coast of western Colombia.
The Galápagos snake-eel (Quassiremus evionthas) is confined to shallow waters around the Galápagos Islands, Cocos Island, and Malpelo Island.
The acned snake-eel (Leuropharus lasiops) is known only from a single specimen collected off Jalisco state, Mexico.
The slender worm-eel (Leptenchelys vermiformis) is known only from a single specimen collected off the western coast of Costa Rica in the 1940s.
The Galápagos Rise
The Galápagos Islands are the exposed summits of a much more extensive submerged volcanic field rising from the ocean floor. While nominally protected within the Galápagos Marine Reserve, its numerous endemic species are potentially threatened by El Niño events, which cause the shallow waters in which they live to become too warm and thus deficient in nutrients for extended periods.
McCosker’s ghostshark (Hydrolagus mccoskeri) and the whitespot ghostshark (H. alphus) are both confined to deep waters off the Galapágos Islands.
The Galápagos grey skate (Rajella eisenhardti) is known only from two localities within the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos rock bass (Paralabrax albomaculatus) is confined to the Galápagos Islands, where it is threatened by illegal fishing.
The scalyfin grunt (Orthopristis lethopristis) and Forbes’ grunt (O. forbesi) are both confined to the shallow waters of the Galápagos Islands.
The black-striped salema (Xenocys jessiae) is confined to the shallow waters of the Galápagos Islands.
The white salema (Xenichthys agassizii) is confined to the shallow waters of the Galápagos Islands.
The odd highhat (Pareques perissa) is a perch-like species confined to the shallow waters of the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos sea robin (Prionotus miles) is a shallowwater species confined to the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos damselfish (Azurina eupalama) is known for certain only from the Galápagos Islands, where it has not been observed for several decades. It is thought that the intense El Niño event of 1982–83, which greatly increased sea temperatures, may have driven it extinct, although populations might perhaps survive around islands off Peru.
The Galápagos thread herring (Opisthonema berlangai) is known only from the south-central Galápagos Islands.
The broadstripe silverside (Atherinella nesiotes) is known only from a few specimens collected from the waters off the Galápagos Islands.
The big-chinned sandab (Citharichthys gnathus) is a type of flatfish known only from a few specimens collected from a single deep-water locality off the Galápagos Islands.
Raisner’s wrasse (Halichoeres raisneri) is known only from relatively deep waters off the Galápagos Islands.
Cable’s goby (Eleotrica cableae) is confined to subtidal areas of the Galápagos Islands.
The mystery goby (Chriolepis tagus) is known only from a single specimen collected from an uncertain locality within the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos blue-banded goby (Lythrypnus gilberti) is a shallow-water species confined to the Galápagos Islands. The Galápagos clingfish (Arcos poecilophthalmus) is confined to subtidal areas within the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos barnacle blenny (Acanthemblemaria castroi) is confined to shallow rocky reefs surrounding the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos blenny (Starksia galapagensis) is confined to shallow rocky reefs surrounding the Galápagos Islands.
The Española blenny (Cottoclinus canops) is known only from two specimens collected from a tidal pool on Española during the late twentieth century.
Jenkins’ blenny (Labrisomus jenkinsi) is confined to subtidal areas within the Galápagos Islands.
The belted blenny (Malacoctenus zonogaster) is confined to tidal pools within the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos triplefin blenny (Lepidonectes corallicola) is confined to subtidal areas within the Galápagos Islands.
The yellow-mouth pike-blenny (Chaenopsis schmitti) is confined to shallow reefs surrounding the Galápagos Islands, where it is relatively common.
The arrow stargazer (Myxodagnus sagitta) is confined to sandy subtidal areas within the Galápagos Islands.
The shortfin sand stargazer (Platygillellus rubellulus) is a subtidal species confined to tidal pools within the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos batfish (Halieutopsis tumifrons) is a type of anglerfish known only from two specimens collected from deep waters within the Galápagos Islands.
The Galápagos hagfish (Eptatretus lakeside) is an eel-like species known only from a single specimen collected in deep waters off Fernandina Island.
The Galápagos ridgefin eel (Callechelys galapagensis) is known only from four specimens collected in 1972 from the vicinity of the Galápagos Islands.
The Mathematicians Ridge
The Mathematicians Ridge includes the Revillagigedo Islands along with a number of submerged seamounts. While much of it lies within the Revillagigedo Marine Protected Area, its numerous endemic species are potentially threatened by El Niño events, which cause the shallow waters in which they live to become too warm and thus deficient in nutrients for extended periods.
The Clarion damselfish (Stegastes redemptus) is largely confined to rocky reefs around the Revillagigedo Islands in the eastern Pacific, with occasional records form the southern coast of the Baja California Peninsula.
The Socorro soapfish (Rypticus courtenayi) is confined to shallow waters around the Revillagigedo Islands.
The Socorro serrano (Serranus socorroensis) is confined to shallow waters around the Revillagigedo Islands.
The distant goby (Lythrypnus insularis) is confined to shallow waters around the Revillagigedo Islands.
The Clarión clingfish (Gobiesox aethus) and the Socorro clingfish (G. canidens) are both confined to shallow waters around the Revillagigedo Islands.
The distant clingfish (Tomicodon absitus) is known only from shallow waters around the Revillagigedo Islands.
The misspelled blenny (Labrisomus socorroensis) is confined to subtidal areas within the Revillagigedo Islands.
The multi-barred triplefin blenny (Axoclinus multicinctus) is known only from shallow waters around Socorro and San Benedicto within the Revillagigedo Islands.
The Revillagigedo barnacle blenny (Acanthemblemaria mangognatha) is known only from shallow waters around Clarión and Socorro in the Revillagigedo Islands.
The Socorro combtooth blenny (Hypsoblennius proteus) is known only from shallow waters around Socorro in the Revillagigedo Islands.
The Revillagigedo sand stargazer (Dactyloscopus insulatus) is confined to the Revillagigedo Islands.
The Cocos Ridge
The Cocos Ridge trends north-easterly from the Galapagos to the coast of Costa Rica and Panama. It rises above the ocean surface at Cocos Island. While protected within the Cocos Marine Conservation Area, its numerous endemic species are potentially threatened by El Niño events, which cause the shallow waters in which they live to become too warm and thus deficient in nutrients for extended periods.
The knave goby (Lythrypnus cobalus) and the cheek-spotted goby (L. alphigena) are both known only from deep rocky reefs near Cocos Island.
The white-starred goby (Chriolepis dialepta) is confined to shallow waters around Cocos Island.
The vermiculate clingfish (Tomicodon vermiculatus) is confined to shallow waters around Cocos Island.
Woods’ clingfish (Gobiesox woodsi) is confined to shallow waters around Cocos Island.
The Cocos triplefin blenny (Axoclinus cocoensis) is confined to shallow waters around Cocos Island.
The Cocos barnacle blenny (Acanthemblemaria atrata) is confined to shallow waters around Cocos Island.
The Cocos stargazer (Gillellus chathamensis) is confined to shallow waters around Cocos Island.
The clearspot flounder (Syacium maculiferum) is known only from a few specimens collected from the waters around Cocos Island.
The Malpelo Submarine Ridge
Volcanic in origin, the Malpelo Submarine Ridge extends in a north-east–south-west direction with a length of 300 km and a width of 100 km. Malpelo Island (Isla de Malpelo in Spanish), located about 500 km west of the Colombian mainland, is the only part of the ridge that rises above the ocean surface. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006.
The Malpelo wrasse (Halichoeres malpelo) is confined to the shallow waters off Malpelo Island.
The pretty goby (Chriolepis lepidota) is confined to the shallow waters off Malpelo Island.
Rubinoff’s triplefin blenny (Axoclinus rubinoffi) is confined to the shallow waters off Malpelo Island.
The twinspot triplefin blenny (Lepidonectes bimaculatus) is confined to the shallow waters off Malpelo Island.
The Malpelo barnacle blenny (Acanthemblemaria stephensi) is confined to the shallow waters off Malpelo Island.
The Nazca Ridge
The Nazca Ridge is a submarine ridge located off the western coast of South America. It runs roughly south-west to northeast for approximately 1100 km, is 200 km wide, and lies at a depth of 4000 m.
The pocket shark (Mollisquama parini) is known only from a single specimen collected from the Nazca Submarine Ridge.
The small-eyed lanternshark (Etmopterus litvinovi) is a poorly known and little recorded deep-water shark known only from the Nazca Submarine Ridge.
The Gulf of Panama
The Gulf of Panama (Golfo de Panamá in Spanish) is located on the southern coast of Panama.
The reticulated round stingray (Urotrygon reticulata) and the fake round ray (U. simulatrix) are both confined to shallow inshore waters of the Gulf of Panama, where they are threatened by bottom trawl by-catch.
Walker’s toadfish (Batrachoides walkeri) is known only from a single specimen collected from the Gulf of Panama in 1953.
The Chame Point anchovy (Anchoa chamensis) is known only from the Gulf of Panama.
The dark goby (Parrella fusca) is known only from a single specimen collected from the Gulf of Panama in the 1930s.
The many-spined worm-goby (Cerdale prolata) is known only from a few specimens collected from the Gulf of Panama.
The fringed tube blenny (Protemblemaria perla) is known only from three specimens collected in 1990 from Isla del Rey, in the Pearl Islands of the Gulf of Panama.
The slender blenny (Tanyemblemaria alleni) is known only from a single specimen collected in 1990 from the Pearl Islands in the Gulf of Panama.
The Pacific horsehair eel (Gordiichthys combibus) is known only from a few specimens collected in shallow waters off north-western Colombia, but may be more wide-ranging.
The Bay of San Miguel
The Bay of San Miguel is located on the coast of eastern Panama (Darién province).
The San Miguel drum (Paranebris bauchotae) is known only
from three specimens collected from the Gulf of San Miguel.
The snaggle-toothed snake-eel (Aplatophis zorro) is known only from a single specimen collected from the mouth of the Bay of San Miguel in 2001.
Anthropogenic effects on the fauna
Within the Tropical Eastern Pacific Region 1 species of marine fish is possibly extinct. In addition, there are 171 species/1 subspecies currently threatened with extinction (that is to say, either Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List, as well as certain forms either listed as Data Deficient or Not Assessed but which are clearly at some risk of extinction). Of these, 1 subspecies are mammals and 171 species are marine fishes.