Cyprinodon macularius
Encyclopedia
Cyprinodon macularius is a rare species of fish in the family Cyprinodontidae and is known by the common name desert pupfish. It is a federally listed endangered species
in the United States.
Presently, the only remaining natural populations of the desert pupfish are located at a few sites in the Salton Sea
drainage in California
, and the Colorado River Delta
in Baja California
and Sonora, Mexico. The historic range of the desert pupfish included the lower Gila River
basin in Arizona
and Sonora, Mexico. It inhabited the Gila, Santa Cruz, San Pedro
, and Salt River
s as well as the lower Colorado River
from around Needles, California
, to the Gulf of California
.
There are natural populations of this fish remaining in Arizona, however, populations have been introduced to several areas and some fish are kept in private ponds and aquaria.
The desert pupfish was once a common fish, but it is now extirpated
from most of its historical natural range. The decrease in populations has been a trend since the early 1900s due to the loss of habitat. The desert pupfish is endangered
due to habitat destruction and fragmentation. It has been, and continues to be, preyed upon and displaced by non-native fishes
.
es. It is often associated with areas of soft substrates and clear water. It is adapted to variable water conditions and can live in warmer, saltier water than many other fish species.
The body color of females and juveniles is silvery with narrow, vertical, dark bands known as parr marks on the sides, generally interrupted laterally to give the impression of a disjunct lateral band. The fins are generally colorless, with the exception of an ocellate spot on the dorsal, and rarely a dark spot on anal fin. The male reaches a length of almost 3 inches (76 mm); the female is two-thirds that length. The breeding male develops an iridescent blue coloration with yellow or orange fins.
almost 3 times that of sea water.
The pupfish is omnivorous, feeding on aquatic invertebrates and plants
. Breeding occurs mainly in the spring and the summer. The breeding male is fiercely territorial, each defending its turf against invasion by other males. Females that are ready to spawn
will enter a male's territory. After spawning the male guards the nest. Periodically a subordinate male may sneak a dominant male's territory while the dominant male is busy chasing away other fish. The subordinate male may spawn with the female and then retreat to a safe place. The dominant male may therefore inadvertently protect eggs fertilized by another male.
, such as draining of habitat by rerouting stream water, stream impoundment, and channelization. Other threats include pollution
, livestock
grazing
, mining
, logging
, and fish stocking
, which introduces non-native species. The pupfish is susceptible to displacement and predation by introducing fish.
Management of this rare fish requires protection of existing populations, studies of the gene pool
of the remaining naturally occurring populations, reestablishment, and monitoring. Refugia populations have been established in private ponds and aquariums. Reintroduction efforts have been made in natural and "quasi-natural" locations.
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
in the United States.
Presently, the only remaining natural populations of the desert pupfish are located at a few sites in the Salton Sea
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, saline, endorheic rift lake located directly on the San Andreas Fault, predominantly in California's Imperial Valley. The lake occupies the lowest elevations of the Salton Sink in the Colorado Desert of Imperial and Riverside counties in Southern California. Like Death...
drainage in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and the Colorado River Delta
Colorado River Delta
The Colorado River Delta is the region where the Colorado River flows into the Gulf of California . The delta is part of a larger geologic region called the Salton Trough. Historically, the interaction of the river’s flow and the ocean’s tide created a dynamic environment, supporting freshwater,...
in Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
and Sonora, Mexico. The historic range of the desert pupfish included the lower Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
basin in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and Sonora, Mexico. It inhabited the Gila, Santa Cruz, San Pedro
San Pedro River (Arizona)
San Pedro River is a northward-flowing stream originating about ten miles south of Sierra Vista, Arizona near Cananea, Sonora, Mexico. It is one of only two rivers which flow north from Mexico into the United States. The river flows north through Cochise County, Pima County, Graham County, and...
, and Salt River
Salt River (Arizona)
The Salt River is a stream in the U.S. state of Arizona. It is the largest tributary of the Gila River. The river is about long. Its drainage basin is about large. The longest of the Salt River's many tributaries is the Verde River...
s as well as the lower Colorado River
Colorado River
The Colorado River , is a river in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico, approximately long, draining a part of the arid regions on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The watershed of the Colorado River covers in parts of seven U.S. states and two Mexican states...
from around Needles, California
Needles, California
Needles is a city located in the Mojave Desert on the western banks of the Colorado River in San Bernardino County, California. It is located in the Mohave Valley, which straddles the California–Arizona border. The city is accessible via Interstate 40 and U.S. Route 95...
, to the Gulf of California
Gulf of California
The Gulf of California is a body of water that separates the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland...
.
There are natural populations of this fish remaining in Arizona, however, populations have been introduced to several areas and some fish are kept in private ponds and aquaria.
The desert pupfish was once a common fish, but it is now extirpated
Local extinction
Local extinction, also known as extirpation, is the condition of a species which ceases to exist in the chosen geographic area of study, though it still exists elsewhere...
from most of its historical natural range. The decrease in populations has been a trend since the early 1900s due to the loss of habitat. The desert pupfish is endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
due to habitat destruction and fragmentation. It has been, and continues to be, preyed upon and displaced by non-native fishes
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
.
Habitat
The pupfish occupies shallow waters of springs, small streams, and marshMarsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
es. It is often associated with areas of soft substrates and clear water. It is adapted to variable water conditions and can live in warmer, saltier water than many other fish species.
Description
The body of the desert pupfish is thickened and markedly compressed laterally in adult males. The mouth is superior, highly protractile, armed with tricuspid teeth. The scales bear spine-like projections. The dorsal profile of the fish is smoothly rounded.The body color of females and juveniles is silvery with narrow, vertical, dark bands known as parr marks on the sides, generally interrupted laterally to give the impression of a disjunct lateral band. The fins are generally colorless, with the exception of an ocellate spot on the dorsal, and rarely a dark spot on anal fin. The male reaches a length of almost 3 inches (76 mm); the female is two-thirds that length. The breeding male develops an iridescent blue coloration with yellow or orange fins.
Biology
Pupfish are capable of withstanding extreme environmental conditions, and are known to survive in water with low oxygen content, water temperatures over 35C (95F), and salinitiesSalinity
Salinity is the saltiness or dissolved salt content of a body of water. It is a general term used to describe the levels of different salts such as sodium chloride, magnesium and calcium sulfates, and bicarbonates...
almost 3 times that of sea water.
The pupfish is omnivorous, feeding on aquatic invertebrates and plants
Aquatic plant
Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in aquatic environments. They are also referred to as hydrophytes or aquatic macrophytes. These plants require special adaptations for living submerged in water, or at the water's surface. Aquatic plants can only grow in water or in soil that is...
. Breeding occurs mainly in the spring and the summer. The breeding male is fiercely territorial, each defending its turf against invasion by other males. Females that are ready to spawn
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
will enter a male's territory. After spawning the male guards the nest. Periodically a subordinate male may sneak a dominant male's territory while the dominant male is busy chasing away other fish. The subordinate male may spawn with the female and then retreat to a safe place. The dominant male may therefore inadvertently protect eggs fertilized by another male.
Management Factors
Threats to the species include alterations in local hydrologyHydrology
Hydrology is the study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth and other planets, including the hydrologic cycle, water resources and environmental watershed sustainability...
, such as draining of habitat by rerouting stream water, stream impoundment, and channelization. Other threats include pollution
Pollution
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light...
, livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
grazing
Grazing
Grazing generally describes a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants , and also on other multicellular autotrophs...
, mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
, logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
, and fish stocking
Fish stocking
Fish stocking is the practice of raising fish in a hatchery and releasing them into a river, lake, or the ocean to supplement existing populations, or to create a population where none exists...
, which introduces non-native species. The pupfish is susceptible to displacement and predation by introducing fish.
Management of this rare fish requires protection of existing populations, studies of the gene pool
Gene pool
In population genetics, a gene pool is the complete set of unique alleles in a species or population.- Description :A large gene pool indicates extensive genetic diversity, which is associated with robust populations that can survive bouts of intense selection...
of the remaining naturally occurring populations, reestablishment, and monitoring. Refugia populations have been established in private ponds and aquariums. Reintroduction efforts have been made in natural and "quasi-natural" locations.
See also
- PupfishPupfishPupfish are a group of small killifish belonging to ten genera of the family Cyprinodontidae of ray-finned fish. All pupfish are especially noted for being found in extreme and isolated situations, in various parts of North America, South America, and the Caribbean region...
- CyprinodonCyprinodonCyprinodon is a genus of small killifish belonging to the family Cyprinodontidae of ray-finned fish.-Species:* Whitefin pupfish, Cyprinodon albivelis Minckley & Miller, 2002.* Potosi pupfish, Cyprinodon alvarezi Miller, 1976....
- Genus
- Death Valley pupfishDeath Valley pupfishThe Death Valley pupfish, Cyprinodon salinus salinus, is found in Death Valley National Park.-Description:The Death Valley pupfish is a species of fish that is the last known survivor of what is thought to have been a large ecosystem of fish species that lived in Lake Manly, which dried up at the...
, Salt Creek pupfish, Cyprinodon salinus - Shoshone PupfishShoshone pupfishThe Shoshone pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis shoshone, is characterized by large scales and a "slab-sided," narrow, slender body, with the arch of the ventral contour much less pronounced than the dorsal...
, Cyprinodon nevadensis shoshone - Tecopa PupfishTecopa pupfishThe Tecopa pupfish is an extinct subspecies of the Amargosa pupfish . The small, heat-tolerant pupfish was endemic to the outflows of a pair of hot springs in the Mojave Desert of California...
, Cyprinodon nevadensis calidae (extinct)
- Owens pupfishOwens pupfishThe Owens pupfish is a rare species of fish in the family Cyprinodontidae, the pupfish. It is endemic to California in the United States, where it is limited to the Owens Valley. It is a federally listed endangered species of the United States. This pupfish is up to long, the largest males...
‘’Cyprinodon radiosus’’ - Devil's Hole pupfishDevil's Hole pupfishThe Devil's Hole pupfish, Cyprinodon diabolis, is a species of fish native to Devil's Hole, a geothermal , aquifer-fed pool within a limestone cavern, in the Amargosa Pupfish Station of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex east of Death Valley National Park.-Physical description:The Devil's...
‘’Cyprinodon diabolis’’
- Category: Cyprinodon (Pupfish)