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The most well-known species of pupfish, these fish have their entire population confined to a single 130 meter deep hole, and more specifically a single partially submerged rock shelf in the hole. The conditions in the Devils Hole are very extreme, but the Devils Hole pupfish has many adaptations that help it survive: the pupfish can, for example, stop using oxygen for up to two hours!
Devils Hole Pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis)
(Photo by Olin Feuerbacher)
Conservation Status- Critically Endangered
Habitat- Devil’s Hole in Nevada
Size (Weight/Length)- 3 cm
Diet- Algae; Aquatic plants; Insects
Cool Facts- I actually got the opportunity to speak with one of the lead conservationists working to protect the Devils Hole pupfish. He described holding two buckets full of the pupfish and realizing he was holding the last population left on the planet. These bright blue pupfish are some of the rarest fish in the world. Originally only inhabiting Devils Hole pond in Nevada, they evolved separately from any other desert pupfish species. Starting in the 2010, several pupfish were caught and began an offsite breeding program in an attempt to increase their genetic diversity. Efforts to protect Devils Hole are extensive and water is slowly added to the aquifer to keep water levels steady.
Rating- 13/10 (As of 2022, only 263 wild adults remain.)
