Pupfish

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Pupfish
Macularius stimulation.jpg
Desert pupfish (Cyprinodon macularius)
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cyprinodontiformes
Suborder: Cyprinodontoidei
Family: Cyprinodontidae
T. N. Gill, 1865

Pupfish are a group of small killifish belonging to ten genera of the family Cyprinodontidae of ray-finned fish. Pupfish are especially noted for being found in extreme and isolated situations. [1] They are primarily found in North America, South America, and the Caribbean region, but Aphanius species are from southwestern Asia, northern Africa, and southern Europe. As of August 2006, 120 nominal species and 9 subspecies were known. Several pupfish species are extinct and most extant species are listed. In the U.S., the most well-known pupfish species may be the Devils Hole pupfish, native to Devils Hole on the Nevada side of Death Valley National Park. Since 1995 the Devils Hole pupfish has been in a nearly steady decline, where it was close to extinction at 35–68 fish in 2013. [2]

Contents

Warm Springs pupfish recovery plan art Warm Springs Pupfish recovery plan (IA warmspringspupfi5987warm) (page 1 crop).jpg
Warm Springs pupfish recovery plan art

The common name is said to derive from the mating habits of the males, whose activities vaguely resemble puppies at play [3] ; Carl L. Hubbs, a prominent ichthyologist and one of the first people to take an interest in them, coined the name after he observed their "playful" circling and tussling, which is actually the aggressive behavior of territorial males. [4] [5]

Now extinct, this was the last male Catarina pupfish (Megupsilon aporus) which died in 2014 Megupsilon aporus - last male.tif
Now extinct, this was the last male Catarina pupfish (Megupsilon aporus) which died in 2014

In spite of their name, the cyprinodontids are not closely related to Cyprinidae, or carp family. They were formerly considered near allies of the pikes and their relatives, as they share some features: a flat head with protractile mouth beset with cardiform, villiform, or compressed, bi- or tricuspid teeth, generally large scales, and the absence of a well-developed lateral line. However, they are now generally assigned to the order Cyprinodontiformes. Several forms occur in the fossil records of the Oligocene and Miocene beds of Europe. [6] Pupfish from San Salvador Island were able to diversify into multiple species with different eating habits due to interbreeding with pupfish from other islands, mainly Caribbean. [7]

Most pupfish are inhabitants of fresh and brackish waters. Many species are ovoviviparous; often the sexes are dissimilar, the female being larger and less brilliantly coloured, with smaller fins; the anal fin of the male may be modified into an intromittent organ by means of which internal fertilization takes place. [6] Most pupfishes' diet consists, mainly, of algae, decaying vegetation, and any insects they can get.

Genera

Pupfish evolution

Pupfish on the island of San Salvador, Bahamas, have a large adaptive diversification in only two small lakes. They evolve 50-130 times faster than any other species of pupfish.[ citation needed ] This is also the fastest morphological diversification seen in any fish that has been documented. It is believed that this diversification is because of their ecological niches.

Three species of pupfish on the island of San Salvador, Bahamas, all live in salty lakes. These pupfish are able to take advantage of different food sources so they can all coexist. One species feeds on only the scales of other pupfish. Another has a modified jaw to be able to eat snails and ostracods.

Before the 1990s, Lake Chichancanab, in Mexico, was full of brackish water and another five species of pupfish were found there. Cyprinodon maya was the largest pupfish, and it ate other fish. Cyprinodon simus was the second smallest, and it ate zooplankton. These species are now considered extinct in the wild because of an invasive species of African tilapia.

The Death Valley pupfish evolve 5-10 faster than average[ citation needed ] and are known for their abilities to survive in extremely hot waters. Cyprinodon diabolis eat algae off a rock shelf near the surface of the deep pool they live in.

North American pupfish

The pupfish found in Death Valley were once thought to be one main species. They were once all found in Lake Manly, a glacial lake over 620 square miles (1,600 km2), roughly 185,000-128,000 years ago. Over time this lake dried up and started to separate into smaller lakes or ponds. As this drying happened the pupfish became separated into different ponds and started to divergently evolve. There are thought to be two main subspecies of Death Valley pupfish (C. salinus and C. milleri) present. These are both considered endangered since they are only found in one area of the world. Cyprinodon pachycephalus live in extremely hot waters, 114 °F (45.5 °C).

The Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) is a specific species native to Nevada. There are fewer than 200 individuals since 2005. Their population size usually fluctuates between 37 and 400 fish. They are considered one of the world's rarest fish. These fish live in 94 °F (34.4 °C) waters. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Death Valley pupfish</span> Small endangered fish native to Death Valley, California

The Death Valley pupfish, also known as Salt Creek pupfish, is a small species of fish in the family Cyprinodontidae found only in Death Valley National Park, California, United States. There are two recognized subspecies: C. s. salinus and C. s. milleri. The Death Valley pupfish is endemic to two small, isolated locations and currently classified as endangered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tecopa pupfish</span> Extinct subspecies of fish

The 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 Inyo County, California. Habitat modifications, the introduction of non-native species and hybridization with the related Amargosa River pupfish led to its extinction around 1979.

The Shoshone pupfish is a subspecies of Cyprinodon nevadensis from California in the United States. It 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. It also has fewer pelvic fin rays and scales than the other subspecies of C. nevadensis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devils Hole pupfish</span> Rare species of fish native to Nevada, U.S.

The Devils Hole pupfish is a critically endangered species of the family Cyprinodontidae (pupfishes) found only in Devils Hole, a water-filled cavern in the US state of Nevada. It was first described as a species in 1930 and is most closely related to C. nevadensis and the Death Valley pupfish. The age of the species is unknown, with differing analyses offering ranges between one thousand and sixty thousand years. It is a small fish, with maximum lengths of up to 30 mm (1.2 in). Individuals vary in coloration based on age and sex: males are bright metallic blue while females and juveniles are more yellow. A defining trait of this species is its lack of pelvic fins. The pupfish consumes nearly every available food resource at Devils Hole, including beetles, snails, algae, and freshwater crustaceans, with diet varying throughout the year. It is preyed on by the predaceous diving beetle species Neoclypeodytes cinctellus, which was first observed in Devils Hole in 1999 or 2000. Reproduction occurs year-round, with spikes in the spring and fall. Females produce few eggs, though, and the survivorship from egg to adult is low. Individuals live 10–14 months.

<i>Cyprinodon</i> Genus of fishes

Cyprinodon is a genus of pupfishes found in waters that range from fresh to hypersaline. The genus is primarily found in Mexico, the Caribbean Islands and southern United States, but C. variegatus occurs as far north as Massachusetts and along the entire Gulf of Mexico coastline, and C. dearborni and C. variegatus are found in northern South America. Many species have tiny ranges and are highly threatened, in some cases already extinct. Cyprinodon are small; the largest reaches 10 cm (3.9 in) in length and most other species only reach about half that size.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lepidophagy</span> Fish eating scales of other fish

Lepidophagy is a specialised feeding behaviour in fish that involves eating the scales of other fish. Lepidophagy is widespread, having evolved independently in at least five freshwater families and seven marine families. A related feeding behavior among fish is pterygophagy: feeding on the fins of other fish.

Potosi pupfish is a species of fish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to Mexico, but is now extinct in the wild, only surviving in captivity.

Blackfin pupfish is a species of fish in the family Cyprinodontidae. This pupfish is endemic to Lake Chichancanab in Quintana Roo, Mexico. In almost all places, different Cyprinodon species do not overlap in their range, but there are two notable exceptions and one of these is Lake Chichancanab, which is inhabited by C. beltrani, C. esconditus, C. labiosus, C. maya, C. simus, C. suavium and C. verecundus. Among the endemic Cyprinodon species in Lake Chichancanab, only C. beltrani and C. labiosus still occur in some numbers in their habitat, while the remaining are virtually—if not fully—extinct in the wild. This species feeds on detritus. Compared to the other species of pupfish mentioned previously, the C. beltrani prefer a different feeding substrate. In regards to mating, the female blackfin pupfish seems to mate with other species of pupfish and not just the C. beltrani. The male blackfin pupfish have similar markings and courting behaviors to other pupfish in their habitat. The person honored in the specific name of this pupfish is the Mexican biologist Enrique Beltrán Castillo (1903–1994) to mark his quarter century of being a biologist.

Cyprinodon ceciliae is an extinct species of pupfish. It was endemic to the Ojo de Agua la Presa in southwestern Nuevo Leon state in Mexico, but disappeared in 1990 due to habitat loss. The same freshwater spring system was the home of three other pupfish: Cyprinodon inmemoriam (extinct), Cyprinodon longidorsalis and Cyprinodon veronicae. Although these were from the same spring system, each was restricted to its own individual spring and associated waters. The exact spring and associated waters inhabited by the Villa Lopez pupfish were also the home of a now-extinct, undescribed species of Cambarellus crayfish. The specific name honours the daughter of María de Lourdes Lozano-Vilano and niece of Salvador Contreras-Balderas, Cecilia Contreras Lozano, who assisted on the trip on which the type was collected.

The thicklip pupfish, known in Spanish as Cachorrito cangrejero, is a species of fish in the family Cyprinodontidae. The thicklip pupfish is endemic to Laguna Chichancanab in Quintana Roo, Mexico. In almost all places, different Cyprinodon species do not overlap in their range, but there are two notable exceptions and one of these is Lake Chichancanab, which is inhabited by C. labiosus, C. beltrani, C. esconditus, C. maya, C. simus, C. suavium and C. verecundus. Among the endemic Cyprinodon species in Lake Chichancanab, only C. beltrani and C. labiosus still occur in some numbers in their habitat, while the remaining are virtually—if not fully—extinct in the wild. They usually live in a tropical climate with temperatures ranging from 22 to 26 °C. The maximum total length of this fish is 7 centimetres (2.8 in).

The Parras pupfish is a small species of freshwater pupfish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to the Laguna de Mayrán basin in southern Coahuila, Mexico. This species was widely thought to be extinct, 1903 being the date of the last recorded observation and it was declared to be extinct in 1930 until a single specimen was accidentally collected from an irrigation canal, in the town of Parras de la Fuente in 2012.

The Maya pupfish, known in Spanish as cachorrito gigante, is a highly threatened species of fish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to Lake Chichancanab in Quintana Roo, Mexico. In almost all places, different Cyprinodon species do not overlap in their range, but there are two notable exceptions and one of these is Lake Chichancanab, which is inhabited by C. maya, C. beltrani, C. esconditus, C. labiosus, C. simus, C. suavium and C. verecundus. Living together, the Cyprinodon species in Lake Chichancanab have diverged into different niches. Pupfish typically feed on algae and detritus. In Lake Chichancanab, however, C. maya has become not only the largest species in the genus Cyprinodon, up to 10 cm (3.9 in) long, but also the only that catches and eats whole fish. In smaller quantities it eats ostracods and freshwater snails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owens pupfish</span> Species of fish

The 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 5 centimetres long, the largest males sometimes longer. The male is blue-gray, turning bright blue during spawning. The female is greenish brown with a silvery or whitish belly.

The boxer pupfish is a small species of pupfish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to Lake Chichancanab in Quintana Roo, Mexico.

The largefin pupfish, also known as cachorrito de dorsal larga, is a small species of pupfish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to Lake Chichancanab in Quintana Roo, Mexico. In almost all places, different Cyprinodon species do not overlap in their range, but there are two notable exceptions and one of these is Lake Chichancanab, which is inhabited by C. verecundus, C. beltrani, C. esconditus, C. labiosus, C. maya, C. simus and C. suavium. Living together, the Cyprinodon species in Lake Chichancanab have diverged into different niches. Pupfish typically feed on algae and detritus. In Lake Chichancanab, however, C. verecundus has become an amphipod- and bivalve-eater.

The Charco Palma pupfish is a species of small fish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to the Ojo de Agua la Presa in southwestern Nuevo Leon state in Mexico. Although listed as critically endangered by the IUCN in 1996, the species is now extinct in the wild. The same freshwater spring system was the home of three other pupfish: Cyprinodon ceciliae (extinct), Cyprinodon inmemoriam (extinct) and Cyprinodon longidorsalis. Although these were from the same spring system, each was restricted to its own individual spring and associated waters. The exact spring and associated waters inhabited by the Charco Palma pupfish were also the home of three now-extinct invertebrates: An undescribed species of Cambarellus crayfish, the valvatid freshwater snail Valvata beltrani and an undescribed species of valvatid freshwater snail. The specific name honours the niece of María de Lourdes Lozano-Vilano and daughter of Salvador Contreras-Balderas, Verónica Contreras Arqueita, who assisted on the trip on which the type was collected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catarina pupfish</span> Species of fish

The Catarina pupfish was a diminutive species of fish in the family Cyprinodontidae, first described in 1972. It was endemic to a spring in Nuevo León, Mexico. In an attempt of saving the rapidly declining species, some were brought into captivity in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but it proved very difficult to maintain. In 1994 it became extinct in the wild. Gradually the captive populations also perished. The last male died in 2014 and the species became extinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Desert pupfish</span> Species of fish

The desert pupfish is a rare species of bony fish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is a small fish, typically less than 7.62 cm (3 in) in length. Males are generally larger than females, and have bright-blue coloration, while females and juveniles are silvery or tan. A notable attribute of the desert pupfish is their ability to survive in environments of extreme salinity, pH, and temperature, and low oxygen content. The desert pupfish mates in a characteristic fashion, wherein compatible males and females will come in contact and collectively jerk in an s-shape. Each jerk typically produces a single egg that is fertilized by the male and deposited in his territory. Breeding behavior includes aggressive arena-breeding and more docile consort-pair breeding.

The Death Valley freshwater ecoregion is a freshwater ecoregion in the western United States. It consists of endorheic rivers, lakes, and springs in the drainages of the Owens, Amargosa, and Mojave Rivers, in central-eastern California and southwestern Nevada.

Lake Chichancanab from Yucatec Maya "Little Sea" is a lake in Mexico located in the northwest of the state of Quintana Roo, in the municipality of José María Morelos. It is also known as Laguna Chichancanab, Laguna Chicnancanab and Laguna de Chichancanab. It has an approximate length of 30 kilometers from near the settlement of La Presumida to that of Kantemó, in the same municipality. It is the largest lake on the Yucatan Peninsula.

References

  1. ↑ McGinnis, Samuel M. (2006). Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes of California (Revised ed.). University of California Press. p. 271.
  2. ↑ Beissinger SR. 2014. Digging the pupfish out of its hole: risk analyses to guide harvest of Devils Hole pupfish for captive breeding.
  3. ↑ Berra, Tim M. (2001). Freshwater Fish Distribution. Academic Press. p. 348.
  4. ↑ Moyle, Peter B. (2002). Inland Fishes of California. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. pp. 326–239. ISBN   0-520-22754-9.
  5. ↑ Barlow, George W. (1961). "Social behavior of the desert pupfish, Cyprinodon macularius, in the field and in the aquarium". American Midland Naturalist. 65 (2): 330–359. doi:10.2307/2422959. JSTOR   2422959.
  6. 1 2 Wikisource-logo.svg One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain :  Boulenger, George Albert (1911). "Cyprinodonts". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica . Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 695.
  7. ↑ "San Salvador pupfish acquired genetic variation from island fish to eat new foods". ScienceDaily. 10 August 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  8. ↑ Ceballos, G.; E.D. Pardo; L.M Estévez; H.E. Pérez, eds. (2016). Los peces dulceacuícolas de México en peligro de extinción. ISBN   978-607-16-4087-1.
  9. ↑ González, A.V.; L.M. Estévez; Ma.E.A. Villeda; G. Ceballos (2018). "The extinction of the Catarina pupfish Megupsilon aporus and the implications for the conservation of freshwater fish in Mexico". Oryx. 54 (2): 154–160. doi: 10.1017/S003060531800056X .
  10. ↑ Arratia, G., I. Vila, N. Lam, C.K. Guerrero, and C. Quezada-Romegialli (2017). Morphological and taxonomic descriptions of a new genus and species of killifishes (Teleostei: Cyprinodontiformes) from the high Andes of northern Chile. PLOS ONE 12(8): e0181989. doi : 10.1371/journal.pone.0181989
  11. ↑ Huber, J.H. (2015): A morphological rediagnosis of Yssolebias within cyprinodontoids (Cyprinodontiformes) following the detailed osteological analysis by Costa based on a new radiograph of the single type of Cyprinodon martae Steindachner. Killi-Data Series, 2015: 4-16.
  12. ↑ Greenfieldboyce, Nell (July 7, 2023). "Against all odds, the rare Devils Hole pupfish keeps on swimming". NPR News.
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