Species of Greatest Conservation Need

**Species of Greatest Conservation Need** (Updated: 02/18/2025)
Common Name	Scientifc Name	Taxonomic Group	Federal Status	State Status	Global Rank	State Rank	Endemic	General Habitat Type(s)
Blotched Gambusia	Gambusia senilis	Fish	Not Listed	T	G3G4	SX	False	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.
Rio Grande chub	Gila pandora	Fish	Not Listed	T	G3	S1	False	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.
goldeye	Hiodon alosoides	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3	False	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.
Rio Grande silvery minnow	Hybognathus amarus	Fish	E, XN	E	G1	SX	False	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.
Mississippi silvery minnow	Hybognathus nuchalis	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S4	False	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.
plains minnow	Hybognathus placitus	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S4	False	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.
pallid shiner	Hybopsis amnis	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S4	False	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).
headwater catfish	Ictalurus lupus	Fish	Not Listed	T	G3	S1S2	False	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.
speckled chub	Macrhybopsis aestivalis	Fish	Not Listed	T	G3G4	S1S2	False	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.
prairie chub	Macrhybopsis australis	Fish	Not Listed	T	G3	S1	False	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.
shoal chub	Macrhybopsis hyostoma	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	SNR	False	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
burrhead chub	Macrhybopsis marconis	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	SNR	True	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.
silver chub	Macrhybopsis storeriana	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3	False	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.
peppered chub	Macrhybopsis tetranema	Fish	E	E	G1	S1	False	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.
Guadalupe bass	Micropterus treculii	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	S3	True	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.
spotted sucker	Minytrema melanops	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3	False	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.
longlip jumprock	Moxostoma albidum	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	SNR	False	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.
Mexican redhorse	Moxostoma austrinum	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	S1	False	Limited/uncertain distribution within the Rio Grande. Rocky runs and riffles of creeks and small to medium rivers; often near boulders in swift water.
Texas shiner	Notropis amabilis	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S4	False	In Texas, it is found primarily in Edwards Plateau streams from the San Gabriel River in the east to the Pecos River in the west. Typical habitat includes rocky or sandy runs, as well as pools.
blackspot shiner	Notropis atrocaudalis	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S3	False	Occurs from the lower Brazos River to the Sabine River drainage; Red River drainage. Small to moderate size tributary streams in runs and pools over all types of substrates.
Red River shiner	Notropis bairdi	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S3	False	Red River basin; typically found in turbid waters of broad, shallow channels of main stream, over bottom mostly of silt and shifting sand.
river shiner	Notropis blennius	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3?	False	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.
Tamaulipas shiner	Notropis braytoni	Fish	Not Listed	T	G4	S1S2	False	Restricted to the Rio Grande basin in Texas including the lower Pecos River. Typically found in large rivers and creeks associated with a variety of flowng-water habitats such as runs and riffles over gravel, cobble, and sand.
smalleye shiner	Notropis buccula	Fish	E	E	G2	S1S2	True	Endemic to the Brazos River drainage; presumed to have been introduced into the Colorado River. Historically found in lower Brazos River as far south as Hempstead, Texas but appears to now be restricted to upper Brazos River system upstream of Possum Kingdom Lake. Typically found in turbid waters of broad, sandy channels of main stream, over substrate consisting mostly of shifting sand.
ironcolor shiner	Notropis chalybaeus	Fish	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S3	False	Found only in northeastern streams from the Sabine to the Red River with the exception of an isolated population found in the San Marcos River headwaters. Found primarily in acidic, tannin-stained, non-turbid, sluggish Coastal Plain streams and<br />rivers of low to moderate gradient. Occurs in aggregation, often at the upstream ends of pools, with a moderate to sluggish current and sand, mud, silt or detritus substrates. Usually associated with aquatic vegetation.