Railroad Valley springfish [SEP] parent taxon
Railroad Valley springfish
The Railroad Valley springfish "Crenichthys nevadae", is a rare goodeid fish of the Great Basin of western United States, occurring naturally in just seven thermal springs of Railroad Valley in Nye County, Nevada.
The body gives a somewhat heavy or massive impression, particularly forward, the head being almost as wide as deep. Each side has a distinctive row of dark blotches, with pale bars in between. The pelvic fins are entirely absent, while the anal fin is large, with 13 rays.
these are found range in temperature from 77 to 102 degrees F (25 to 39 C).
Although the Railroad Valley springfish is not currently threatened with extinction, its extremely limited range makes it vulnerable to competition from introduced species, and to habitat modifications. For instance, it was nearly eliminated from Duckwater Spring in the early 1980s by introduced channel catfish. The springfish has been introduced to Chimney Springs and in Hot Creek Canyon in Mineral County, Nevada.
References.
- FWS page for Railroad Valley springfish