Species of Greatest Conservation Need

**Species of Greatest Conservation Need** (Updated: 06/16/2025)
Scientifc Name	Common Name	Taxonomic Group	SGCN Status	Federal Status	State Status	Global Rank	State Rank	Endemic	General Habitat Type(s)
Etheostoma grahami	Rio Grande darter	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	T 07/18/1977	G2G3	S2	No	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
Etheostoma radiosum	orangebelly darter	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S3	No	Streams, creeks, and small to moderate-sized rivers in the Red River basin. Riffle areas of gravel-bottoms streams with moderate to high currents.
Etheostoma thompsoni	gumbo darter	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	SNR	No	Endemic to the Neches, Sabine and Calcasieu river systems of east Texas and western Louisiana; tends to congregate near shore, sometimes under cuts among exposed roots with accumulated vegetational debris over a sand and gravel substrate with very little silt.
Gambusia gaigei	Big Bend gambusia	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	E 02/24/1967	E 05/19/1974	G1	S1	Yes	Constant temperature environments; clear, shallow water fed by warm springs, or shallow margins of deeper water among dense aquatic vegetation. Presently restricted to one artificial springfed pool in Big Bend National Park close to the Rio Grande; type locality described as a marshy cattail slough fed by springs.
Gambusia heterochir	Clear Creek gambusia	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	E 02/24/1967	E 05/19/1974	G1	S1	Yes	Restricted to impounded headwater springs of Clear Creek, a tributary to the San Saba River (Menard County). Clear, constant temperature water with low pH (6.1-6.5) and abundant aquatic vegetation composed mostly of an endemic Ceratophyllum.
Gambusia krumholzi	spotfin gambusia	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	T 01/22/2009	G1	S1	Yes	Restricted to San Felipe and Sycamore creeks in Texas; also occurs in Mexico. Prefers densely vegetated, edge or quiet water habitats in close association with areas of swift flows.
Gambusia nobilis	Pecos gambusia	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	E 10/13/1970	E 05/19/1974	G2	S2	No	Endemic to the Pecos River basin in southeastern New Mexico and western Texas. Restricted to two locations in Texas (Balmorhea springs complex and Diamond Y Draw). Stenothermal springs, runs, ci�negas and irrigation canals carrying spring waters.
Gambusia senilis	Blotched Gambusia	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	T 01/30/1997	G3G4	SX	No	The population once known from the Devils River has likely been extirpated. Formerly known from springs and vegetated, quiet pools of the Devils River; still extant in Rio Conchos drainage, Mexico.
Gila pandora	Rio Grande chub	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	T 07/18/1977	G3	S1	No	Formerly widespread in creeks of upper Rio Grande and Pecos watersheds; isolated population found in Little Aguja Creek in the Davis Mountains of Trans-Pecos Texas. Pools of small to moderate-sized tributaries, often near inflow of riffles and in association with cover such as undercut banks and plant debris.
Hiodon alosoides	goldeye	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3	No	Restricted to the Red River basin; adults in quiet turbid water of medium to large lowland rivers, small lakes, marshes and muddy shallows connected to them.
Hybognathus amarus	Rio Grande silvery minnow	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	E, XN 09/05/2007	E 01/30/1997	G1	SX	No	Historically Rio Grande and Pecos River systems and canals; reintroduced in Big Bend area; pools and backwaters of medium to large streams with low or moderate gradient in mud, sand, or gravel bottom.
Hybognathus nuchalis	Mississippi silvery minnow	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S4	No	Found in eastern Texas streams, from the Brazos River eastward and northward to the Red River; found in moderate current; silty, muddy, or rocky substrate. In Texas, adults likely to inhabit smaller tributary streams.
Hybognathus placitus	plains minnow	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S4	No	Range in central Texas from the Colorado and Brazos basins northward to the Red River; found in large, often turbid rivers having exposed, shallow, sand-filled channels where sediments accumulate in shallow backwaters, gentle eddies, and along the deeper edges of sand �waves� that are formed on shifting substrate by actions of the current.
Hybopsis amnis	pallid shiner	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S4	No	This pale minnow ranges widely throughout the Mississippi River basin southward along the Gulf Coastal Plain in Texas to the Guadalupe River basin (Hubbs et al. 2008). Occurs in quiet waters over sand/silt bottoms, often at the end of sand and gravel bars; intolerant of heavy siltation and pollutants (Clemmer 1980). Nothing is known about the spawning or food habits of this species (Kwak 1991).
Ictalurus lupus	headwater catfish	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	T 03/30/2020	G3	S1S2	No	Originally throughout streams of the Edwards Plateau and the Rio Grande basin, currently limited to Rio Grande drainage, including Pecos River basin; springs, and sandy and rocky riffles, runs, and pools of clear creeks and small rivers.
Macrhybopsis aestivalis	speckled chub	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	T 03/30/2020	G3G4	S1S2	No	Found throughout the Rio Grande and lower Pecos River but occurs most frequently between the R�o Conchos confluence and the Pecos River. Flowing water over coarse sand and fine gravel substrates in streams; typically found in raceways and runs.
Macrhybopsis australis	prairie chub	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	T 03/30/2020	G3	S1	No	Upper Red River basin. Found in flowing water over coarse sand and fine gravel substrates in streams; may be found in intermittent streams and in saline waters.
Macrhybopsis hyostoma	shoal chub	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	SNR	No	Medium to large rivers in the Sabine, Brazos, and Colorado rivers. Prefers streams with well-defined pools and riffles/runs, braided channels, and shifting sand/gravel bars. Considered a habitat specialist in habitats with clean sand or pea-size gravel substrates and moderate current velocities
Macrhybopsis marconis	burrhead chub	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	SNR	Yes	Occurs in the San Antonio and Guadalupe rivers; remnant populations may exist in the Edwards Plateau portion of the Colorado River. Occupies flowing water over coarse sand and fine gravel substrates in medium to large streams; found to be most abundant in riffles over large gravel and cobble.
Macrhybopsis storeriana	silver chub	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3	No	Red River and Brazos River basins. Mainly restricted to large, often silty rivers. Ranges over gravel to silt substrates but found more commonly over silt or mud bottom.
Macrhybopsis tetranema	peppered chub	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	E 02/28/2022	E 02/28/2022	G1	S1	No	Historically found throughout Arkansas River basin but is now found only in portions of the upper South Canadian River upstream of Lake Meredith. Flowing water over coarse sand and fine gravel substrates in streams.
Megalops atlanticus	Atlantic tarpon	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S2S3	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Micropterus treculii	Guadalupe bass	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	S3	Yes	Endemic to the streams of the northern and eastern Edwards Plateau including portions of the Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, and San Antonio basins; species also found outside of the Edwards Plateau streams in decreased abundance, primarily in the lower Colorado River; two introduced populations have been established in the Nueces River system. A pure population was re-established in a portion of the Blanco River in 2014. Species prefers lentic environments but commonly taken in flowing water; numerous smaller fish occur in rapids, many times near eddies; large individuals found mainly in riffle tail races; usually found in spring-fed streams having clear water and relatively consistent temperatures.
Minytrema melanops	spotted sucker	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3	No	Found primarily in east Texas streams from the Red to the Brazos river basins. An isolated, disjunct population occurs in the Llano River near Junction downstream to about Mason; this may be an introduced population. Typically in clear creeks with firm substrates.
Moxostoma albidum	longlip jumprock	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	SNR	No	Restricted to the lower Rio Grande, lower Pecos and tributaries (e.g., Devils River). Rocky runs and riffles of creeks and small to medium rivers; often near boulders in swift water.