Fish
Amargosa Pupfish
Cyprinodon nevadensisAlso known as Nevada Pupfish, Death Valley Pupfish
Amargosa pupfish are resilient desert survivors that thrive in isolated, mineral-rich thermal springs and seasonal desert waterways. Breeding males transform into brilliant iridescent blue gems and aggressively defend small territories on the muddy or gravelly substrate. Left behind as ancient pluvial lakes dried up thousands of years ago, they can endure extreme water temperatures and salinity fluctuations that would be lethal to most other freshwater fish.
DesertFreshwaterEndemic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyFilamentous algae, Midge larvae, Ostracods
Predators
- Great blue heron
- Green sunfish
- Dragonfly nymphs
ThreatsGroundwater pumping, habitat degradation, and invasive predators
HabitatsThermal desert springs, marshes, and river reaches
Life span1–3 years
Classification
- FamilyCyprinodontidae
- SpeciesCyprinodon nevadensis
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for small, active fish in clear desert springs, with mature males displaying bright metallic blue coloration.
- Support conservation
- Observe entirely from marked boardwalks and do not enter pools or disturb the water.
Responsible observation
- Viewing etiquette: Stay on designated boardwalks or trails around fragile desert spring edges.
- Habitat protection: Never wade in, touch, or contaminate desert spring pools.
- Best timing: Watch during warm, sunny mid-day hours when breeding males flash bright blue.
Competitor No machine-readable author provided. MikeMurphy assumed (based on copyright claims). / Public domain · cc0
Competitor (c) Zakqary Roy, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zakqary Roy · cc-by
Close Relative (c) USFWS Pacific Southwest Region, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) California Department of Fish and Wildlife, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) P.V. Loiselle, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.