The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™

   ISSN 2307-8235 (online)

   IUCN 2008: T183257A8081686

Dormitator latifrons, Pacific Fat Sleeper

Assessment by: Van Tassell, J.

View on www.iucnredlist.org

Citation: Van Tassell, J. 2010. Dormitator latifrons. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010:
e.T183257A8081686. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183257A8081686.en

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Taxonomy
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family

Animalia Chordata Actinopterygii Perciformes Eleotridae

Taxon Name:  Dormitator latifrons (Richardson, 1844)

Synonym(s):
• Eleotris latifrons

Common Name(s):
• English: Pacific Fat Sleeper
• Spanish: Camote del Pacífico, Chame, Guavina, Poyoco

Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published: 2010

Date Assessed: May 24, 2007

Justification:
Dormitator latifrons has been assessed as Least Concern. This species is widespread in the Eastern
Pacific, and is common throughout its range. There are no known major threats to this species, and no
current indication of population decline.

Geographic Range
Range Description:
This species is endemic to the Eastern Pacific, and is found from southern California, USA and the Gulf of
California, Mexico to Ecuador, including the Galapagos Islands.

Country Occurrence:
Native: Colombia; Costa Rica; Ecuador; El Salvador; Guatemala; Honduras; Mexico; Nicaragua; Panama;
United States

FAO Marine Fishing Areas:

Native: Pacific - eastern central, Pacific - southeast

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dormitator latifrons – published in 2010. 1
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183257A8081686.en
Distribution Map

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dormitator latifrons – published in 2010. 2
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183257A8081686.en
Population
This species is very common within its range.
Current Population Trend:  Stable

Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)

This amphidromous fish inhabits estuaries, stagnant ditches or creeks of low current velocity. It is a
benthic species and is most abundant on sandy and muddy substrate (Rojas et al. 1994). It ingests mud,
detritus and small fishes. This species is found typically in freshwater, but moves freely into the sea and
can be regularly found in middle estuaries, mangroves, bar-formed lagoons and upper estuaries along
the tropical eastern Pacific coast (Cooke 1992).

Systems:  Freshwater, Marine

Use and Trade (see Appendix for additional information)

This is a commercial species that may be used for aquaculture and has now begun to be semi-cultivated
in marshes. It has proven extremely tolerant of variations in salinity, and traditionally has been used for
food. Its ability to withstand long periods of transportation (up to three days) without refrigeration
makes it attractive for marketing in isolated communities where logistical facilities are inadequate (FAO,
1987).

Threats
There are no major threats known for this species.

Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)

There are no known conservation measures for this species. However, this species distribution falls
partially into a number of Marine Protected Areas in the Eastern Pacific region (WDPA 2006).

Credits
Assessor(s): Van Tassell, J.

Reviewer(s): Carpenter, K., Polidoro, B. & Livingstone, S. (Global Marine Species Assessment
Team)

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dormitator latifrons – published in 2010. 3
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Bibliography
Cooke, R. 1992. Prehistoric nearshore and littoral fishing in the eastern tropical pacific: an icthyological
evaluation. Journal of World Prehistory 6(1): 1-49.

IUCN. 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (ver. 2010.3). Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org.
(Accessed: 2 September 2010).

IUCN and UNEP. 2014. The World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA). Cambridge, UK Available at:
www.wdpa.org .

Richardson, J. 1844. Ichthyology. Part 1. In: R.B. Hinds (ed.), The zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Sulphur,
under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher, R.N., C.B., F.R. G.S., etc., during the years 1836-42,
pp. 51-70. Smith, Elder & Co.

Robertson, D.R. and Allen, G.R. 2006. Shore fishes of the tropical eastern Pacific: an information system.
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panamá.

Rojas, J.R., Pizarro, J.F. and Castro, M.V. 1994. Diversidad y abundancia íctica en tres áreas de manglar en
el Golfo de Nicoya, Costa Rica. Revista de Biología Tropical 42(3): 663-672.

Citation
Van Tassell, J. 2010. Dormitator latifrons. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010:
e.T183257A8081686. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183257A8081686.en

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To make use of this information, please check the Terms of Use.

External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dormitator latifrons – published in 2010. 4
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-3.RLTS.T183257A8081686.en
 Appendix

Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Major
Habitat Season Suitability
Importance?

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.5. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Sandy-Mud - Suitable -

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.6. Marine Neritic - Subtidal Muddy - Suitable -

9. Marine Neritic -> 9.10. Marine Neritic - Estuaries - Suitable -

12. Marine Intertidal -> 12.7. Marine Intertidal - Mangrove Submerged - Suitable -
Roots

13. Marine Coastal/Supratidal -> 13.4. Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal - Suitable -

Brackish/Saline Lagoons/Marine Lakes

13. Marine Coastal/Supratidal -> 13.5. Marine Coastal/Supratidal - Coastal - Suitable -

Freshwater Lakes

Use and Trade

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

End Use Local National International

Food - human Yes Yes Yes

Conservation Actions in Place

(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)

Conservation Actions in Place

In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management

Occur in at least one PA: Yes

Additional Data Fields

Distribution
Lower depth limit (m): 2

Upper depth limit (m): 1

Population
Population severely fragmented: No

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dormitator latifrons – published in 2010. 5
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 Habitats and Ecology
Movement patterns: Full Migrant

© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Dormitator latifrons – published in 2010. 6
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The IUCN Red List Partnership

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership. The IUCN
Red List Partners are: BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens Conservation International; Conservation
International; Microsoft; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Sapienza University of Rome; Texas
A&M University; Wildscreen; and Zoological Society of London.

THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™