Species of Greatest Conservation Need

1279 species
Taxonomic Group
Federal Status
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Species of Greatest Conservation Need (Updated: 01/31/2024)
Common Name Scientifc Name Taxonomic Group Federal Status State Status Global Rank State Rank Endemic General Habitat Type(s)
blue sucker Cycleptus elongatus Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T G3G4 S3 False Blue Sucker usually inhabit rapids, riffles, runs and pools with moderate to fast current, with bottoms of exposed bedrock sometimes in combination with hard clay, sand, gravel, and boulders; generally intolerant of highly turbid conditions. Adults winter in deep pools and move upstream in spring to spawn on riffles. Current distribution in Texas includes the Red River downstream of Lake Texoma, Sabine and Neches rivers, and Colorado River downstream of Austin, Texas. May occur in other river systems (Warren et al. 2000).
Rio Grande blue sucker Cycleptus sp. Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed SNR SNR False swift rivers, deeper creeks; more information in progress
plateau shiner Cyprinella lepida Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T G1G2 S2? True Edwards Plateau portion of Nueces basin, mainstem and tributaries of Nueces, Frio, and Sabinal rivers; may also be endemic to upper reaches of the Guadalupe River; clear, cool, spring-fed headwater creeks; usually over gravel and limestone substrates.
Maravillas red shiner Cyprinella lutrensis blairi Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed G5TX SX True Presumed extinct; Garden Springs, adjacent to the generally dry bed of Pena Colorado Creek; and Pena Colorado Creek, which is a cool, clearish but easily roiled creek 3-20 feet wide (Hubbs 1940).
Conchos shiner Cyprinella panarcys Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed GNR SNR False R�o Conchos and Big Bend region of the Rio Grande; occupies shallow, still pools to flowing riffles over a variety of substrates.
proserpine shiner Cyprinella proserpina Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T G3 S2 False Limited range includes Devils and lower Pecos rivers, Las Moras, Pinto, and San Felipe creeks, and Independence Creek in the Rio Grande watershed in western Texas. Associated with spring-fed tributaries and spring-runs. May be found in flowing pools, swift runs and riffles.
Nueces River shiner Cyprinella sp. 2 Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed G1G2Q S1S2 True Upper reaches of the Nueces River. Inhabits clear, cool, spring-fed headwater creeks.
Leon Springs pupfish Cyprinodon bovinus Fish - Freshwater LE E G1 S1 True Leon Creek, a tributary of the Pecos River (Pecos County); Diamond Y Spring. Natural spring-fed marshes, pools, and slow-flowing waters; usually near edges with minimal growth of vegetation.
Comanche Springs pupfish Cyprinodon elegans Fish - Freshwater LE E G1 S1 True Restricted to small series of springs and their outflows, and man-made irrigation canals in the area of Balmorhea, Texas, including Phantom Springs (Jeff Davis County), San Solomon Springs, Giffin Springs and Toyah Creek (Reeves County). Native range: Comanche, Phantom Cave, San Solomon springs (Pecos and Reeves counties). Prefers fast-flowing water. Originally in Comanche Springs, San Solomon, and Phanton Cave, presently restricted to San Solomon and Phantom Cave and associated springs, and downstream irrigation canals; found in constantly discharging springs and in swift-flowing water of canals and earthen ditches
Conchos pupfish Cyprinodon eximius Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T G3G4 S1 False Devils River and Alamito Creek. The Devils River and Alamito Creek populations are morphologically and biochemically distinct from the Rio Conchos (Mexico) populations. Shallow water (<25 cm) on bedrock shelves and in coves, sloughs, and backwaters over soft bottoms, all where current is negligible and bottom generally devoid of aquatic macrophytes.
Pecos pupfish Cyprinodon pecosensis Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T G2 S1 False Originally Pecos River basin, presently restricted to upper basin only; shallow margins of clear, vegetated spring waters high in calcium carbonate, as well as in sinkhole habitats
Red River pupfish Cyprinodon rubrofluviatilis Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T G5 S2 False Native to the upper Red River and Brazos River basins where it is typically found in saline waters of main channels and in saline springs. Introduced populations also exist in the Canadian River and Colorado River basins. River edges, channels, backwaters, over sand bottoms. Males establish spawning territories typically in shallowest waters up to 50 cm over sandy shoals and in small coves with little or no current.
manantial roundnose minnow Dionda argentosa Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed G3 S2 True Lower Pecos River, Devils River, San Felipe and Sycamore creeks. Val Verde County. Headwaters and runs of spring-influenced waters.
Devils River minnow Dionda diaboli Fish - Freshwater LT T G1 S1 False Devils River, San Felipe and Sycamore creeks in Val Verde County; Las Moras (extirpated) and Pinto creeks in Kinney County. Restricted to clear, spring-fed waters having little temperature variation. Found over gravel-cobble substrate, usually associated with aquatic macrophytes.
roundnose minnow Dionda episcopa Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T G4 S1 False Pecos River and Limpia Creek. Restricted to clear, spring-fed waters having little temperature variation.
Guadalupe roundnose minnow Dionda flavipinnis Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed GNR SNR False Endemic to Guadalupe and southern Colorado drainages; primarily restricted to clear spring-fed waters that have slight temperature variations.
Medina roundnose minnow Dionda nigrotaeniata Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T GNR S1 True Upper Medina River system; Primarily restricted to clear spring-fed waters that have slight temperature variations
Frio roundnose minnow Dionda serena Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T GNR S2 True Upper Nueces River system; Primarily restricted to clear spring-fed waters that have slight temperature variations
Conchos roundnose minnow Dionda sp. 1 Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed GNR SNR False R�o Conchos and tributaries (e.g., Cibolo, Alamito, Terlingua and Tornillo creeks) in the Big Bend region of the Rio Grande; Prefers clear, spring-fed waters of tributaries.
Colorado roundnose minnow Dionda sp. 3 Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed GNR SNR False Endemic to San Saba and Concho rivers, northern Colorado river drainage; primarily restricted to clear spring-fed waters that have slight temperature variations.
Nueces roundnose minnow Dionda texensis Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed GNR SNR False Endemic to the headwaters of the Nueces River; habitat unknown but likely similar to Devils River Minnow (Often found in association with spring outflows over gravel-cobble substrate and adjacent to aquatic macrophytes; may inhabit a microhabitat associated with the interface between spring runs and the river).
western creek chubsucker Erimyzon claviformis Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T G5 S2S3 False Eastern Texas streams from the Red River to the San Jacinto drainage. Habitat includes silt-, sand-, and gravel-bottomed pools of clear headwaters, creeks, and small rivers; often near vegetation; occasionally in lakes. Spawning occurs in river mouths or pools, riffles, lake outlets, or upstream creeks. Prefers headwaters, but seldom occurs in springs.
fountain darter Etheostoma fonticola Fish - Freshwater LE E G1 S1 True Known only from the spring-fed San Marcos and Comal rivers in dense beds of aquatic plants growing close to bottom; may be found in slow- and fast-flowing habitats.
Rio Grande darter Etheostoma grahami Fish - Freshwater Not Listed T G2G3 S2 False Essentially restricted to the mainstream and spring-fed tributaries of the Rio Grande and the lower Pecos River downstream to the Devils River and Dolan, San Felipe and Sycamore creeks. Gravel and rubble riffles
orangebelly darter Etheostoma radiosum Fish - Freshwater Not Listed Not Listed G4 S3 False Streams, creeks, and small to moderate-sized rivers in the Red River basin. Riffle areas of gravel-bottoms streams with moderate to high currents.