Study Suggests Galápagos Damselfish Extinction Linked to Climate Change
A recent study by Jack Stein Grove and Benjamin Victor has concluded that the Galápagos damselfish (Azurina eupalama) is likely extinct. This small, blue-gray fish, once common along the rocky shores of the Galápagos Islands, has not been recorded since 1983. Historically, it was frequently encountered and collected by scientific expeditions throughout the 20th century. The study points to the 1982-83 El Niño Southern Oscillation as a significant factor in its disappearance. This event, one of the most intense on record, disrupted the nutrient-rich upwelling that sustains the islands' marine ecosystem, leading to warmer, less productive waters. The damselfish, an obligate planktivore, was particularly vulnerable to these changes due to its limited range and dependence on steady plankton productivity. 
