Abstract
Telestes croaticus is a freshwater fish endemic in Croatia. It is a stygophile species, living above ground but occasionally retreating into subterranean waters. This species is found in the southwest region of Croatia, in the Lika-Jadova and Ričica drainages, in cold and clear waters in lowland habitats with little current, and in springs and associated wetlands. It is protected under Croatian law and was listed by the IUCN Red List as Endangered (EN). It has an extremely limited distribution which makes it vulnerable to different kind of traits such as habitat destruction, water extraction, dam construction, agricultural water pollution and especially the introduction of non-indigenous fish species. Suggested conservation actions for this species are: bans on watercourse regulation, reduction of pollution and eradication of alien fish species. Due to its fast decline in the last 10 years, it is our proposition that T. croaticus should be upgraded to a Critically Endangered species under criterion A2ace A4ace.