IUCN Red List Assessment
Red List Category
VU
Vulnerable
Red List Criteria
C2a(ii);D2
Version
3.1
Year Assessed
2008
Assessor/s
Erdmann, M.
Reviewer/s
Carpenter, K. & Livingstone, S. (Global Marine Species Assessment Coordinating Team)
Contributor/s
Justification
Latimeria menadoensis is only known from three locations in northern Sulawesi, Indonesia and very few specimens have been seen. It is thought to be naturally rare with a population of less than 10,000 mature adults. This is a slow growing species with low fecundity, and therefore is naturally susceptible to over-exploitation. Major threats are bycatch in deep set shark nets and hook and line fishing for deepwater groupers. There is no population information available and nothing is known about current trends. Due to small number of localities known, and the life history, suspected low population size, and threats from bycatch, Latimeria menadoensis is listed as Vulnerable under criteria D2 and C2a (ii).
