Costa Rica
Checklist of Endemic Freshwater Fish Species
This list of freshwater fish species found exclusively in Costa Rica is based on the taxonomy used in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes (2023). For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.
Fricke, R., Eschmeyer, W. N. & Van der Laan, R. (eds) 2023 Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. Version downloaded 9 February 2023 https://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp
The current version can be accessed here
An alternative 2013 list of 24 endemic species can be found on (p. 2 of ResearchGate pdf) and a 2021 list is at (p. 20 of ResearchGate pdf)
Pomadasys empherus
(Acanthuriformes Haemulidae) Bigspine Grunt
Eretmobrycon terrabensis
(Characiformes Characidae) Creek Tetra
Hyphessobrycon savagei
(Characiformes Characidae) Savage Tetra
Pseudocheirodon terrabae
(Characiformes Characidae) Terraba Tetra
Pterobrycon myrnae
(Characiformes Characidae) Semaphore Tetra
Roeboides ilseae
(Characiformes Characidae) Ilse's Tetra
Lebiasina boruca
(Characiformes Lebiasinidae)
Amatitlania myrnae
(Cichliformes Cichlidae) Topaz Cichlid
Amatitlania sajica
(Cichliformes Cichlidae) T-bar Cichlid
Cribroheros diquis
(Cichliformes Cichlidae) Diquis Cichlid
Talamancaheros underwoodi
(Cichliformes Cichlidae) Costa Rican Bandit
Cichlid
Brachyrhaphis olomina
(Cyprinodontiformes Poeciliidae) Olomina
Livebearer
Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora
(Cyprinodontiformes Poeciliidae) Striped
Livebearer
Poeciliopsis paucimaculata
(Cyprinodontiformes Poeciliidae) Spotted
Toothcarp
Poeciliopsis santaelena
(Cyprinodontiformes Poeciliidae) Santa
Elena Toothcarp
Priapichthys annectens
(Cyprinodontiformes Poeciliidae) Orange-finned
Flasher
Cynodonichthys
fuscolineatus (Cyprinodontiformes
Rivulidae) Arenal Rivulus
Cynodonichthys glaucus
(Cyprinodontiformes Rivulidae) Blue
Rivulus
Cynodonichthys siegfriedi
(Cyprinodontiformes Rivulidae) Siegfried's
Rivulus
Gobiesox fulvus
(Gobiesociformes Gobiesocidae) Cocos Stream
Clingfish
Eleotris tubularis
(Gobiiformes Eleotridae) Cocos Sleeper
Sicydium adelum
(Gobiiformes Gobiidae) Costa Rican Titi Goby
Sicydium altum
(Gobiiformes Gobiidae) Atlantic Titi Goby
Sicydium cocoense
(Gobiiformes Gobiidae) Cocos River Goby
Imparfinis lineatus
(Siluriformes Heptapteridae) Pygmy Catfish