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)
Texas silverside	Menidia clarkhubbsi	Fish - Bays and Estuaries	Not Listed	Not Listed	G1	SNR	True	This coastal species inhabits ponds, shallow bays, and estuaries. It is an all-female species that relies on fertilization from males of Menidia beryllina or M. peninsulae. Identification is near impossible unless using genetic techniques (Chernoff 2002).
opossum pipefish	Microphis brachyurus	Fish - Bays and Estuaries	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4G5	S3N	False	Adults are only found in low salinity waters of estuaries or freshwater tributaries within 30 miles of the coast (Gilmore 1992), where they also give birth. Young move or are carried into more saline waters off the coast after birth. Newly released larvae must have conditions near 18 ppt salinity for at least two weeks after birth to survive, indicating a physiology adapted for downstream transport to estuarine and marine environments (Frias-Torres 2002). Juvenile migration toward the ocean depends on water flow regimes, salinity, and vegetation for cover and capturing prey (Frias-Torres 2002). Seawalls, docks, and riprap construction destroy habitat and poor water quality and alteration of flow regimes may prevent migration (NMFS 2009).
southern flounder	Paralichthys lethostigma	Fish - Bays and Estuaries	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S5	False	This is an estuarine-dependent species that inhabits riverine, estuarine and coastal waters, and prefers muddy, sandy, or silty substrates (Reagan and Wingo 1985). Individuals can tolerate wide temperature (~5-35�C) and salinity ranges (0-60 ppt). Southern Flounder spawn in offshore waters of the Gulf of Mexico from October to February (Reagan and Wingo 1985). The oceanic larval stage is pelagic and lasts 30�60 days. Metamorphosing individuals enter estuaries and migrate towards low-salinity headwaters, where settlement occurs (Burke et al. 1991, Walsh et al. 1999). The young fish enter the bays during late winter and early spring, occupying seagrass; some may move further into coastal rivers and bayous. Juveniles remain in estuaries until the onset of sexual maturation (approximately two years), at which time they migrate out of estuaries to join adults on the inner continental shelf. Adult southern flounder leave the bays during the fall for spawning in the Gulf of Mexico. They spawn for the first time when two years old at depths of 50 to 100 feet. Although most of the adults leave the bays and enter the Gulf for spawning during the winter, some remain behind and spend winter in the bays. Those in the Gulf will reenter the bays in the spring. The spring influx is gradual and does not occur with large concentrations that characterize the fall emigration.
speckled hind	Epinephelus drummondhayi	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	S3	False	Gulf of Mexico
sailfish	Istiophorus platypterus	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3	False	Gulf of Mexico
white marlin	Kajikia albida	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3	False	Gulf of Mexico
blue marlin	Makaira nigricans	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	SNR	False	Gulf of Mexico
giant manta ray	Manta birostris	Fish - Marine	T	Not Listed	G3G4	SNR	False	Gulf of Mexico
Atlantic tarpon	Megalops atlanticus	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S2S3	False	Gulf of Mexico
black grouper	Mycteroperca bonaci	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3S4	False	Gulf of Mexico
scamp	Mycteroperca phenax	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	SNR	False	Gulf of Mexico
smalltooth sawfish	Pristis pectinata	Fish - Marine	E	E	G1G3	SNR	False	Different life history stages have different patterns of habitat use: young of year, Age 1, and Age 2 are dependent upon shallow (<1m), eurahayline waters with red mangrove lined shoreline (Norton et al. 2012). These age classes are often found found very close to shore over muddy and sandy bottoms in sheltered bays, on shallow banks, and in estuaries or river mouths. These age classes can tolerate a wide range of salinities, but will move in and out of protected areas (estuaries) due to changes in flow and salinity (Poulakis and Seitz 2011). Larger juveniles may occupy greater depth strata in areas further from shore as they consistently occupy marine waters. Adult sawfish are encountered in various habitat types (mangrove, oyster reef, seagrass, and coral), in varying salinity regimes and temperatures, and at various water depths, feed on a variety of fish species. Adult female sawfish return to protected estuarine areas to give birth.
largetooth sawfish	Pristis pristis	Fish - Marine	E	Not Listed	G2G3	SX	False	Gulf of Mexico
cobia	Rachycentron canadum	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3S4	False	Gulf of Mexico
Atlantic guitarfish	Rhinobatos lentiginosus	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S2S3	False	Gulf of Mexico
greater amberjack	Seriola dumerili	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3	False	Gulf of Mexico
swordfish	Xiphias gladius	Fish - Marine	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3	False	Gulf of Mexico
Blanchards' sphinx moth	Adhemarius blanchardorum	Invertebrates	Not Listed	Not Listed	G1	S1	True	Chihuahuan oak woodland. Woodland also contains a wide variety of shrubs and some conifers. May be confined to the deciduous forest in Upper Green Gulch to Panther Pass summit of Big Bend National Park; host plant undetermined; May-June adult emergence
Tamaulipan agapema	Agapema galbina	Invertebrates	Not Listed	Not Listed	G1	SH	False	Tamaulipan thornscrub with adequate densities of the caterpillar foodplant Condalia hookeri hookeri (= obovata); adults occur Sep - Oct; eggs hatch within two weeks and larvae mature rapidly
No Accepted Common Name	Almuerzothyas comalensis	Invertebrates	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	SU	True	Spring obligate. Known only from Comal Springs, Comal County. Fine scale habitat requirements unknown.
Brush Hunter Tiger Beetle	Amblycheila hoversoni	Invertebrates	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	S3	True	Habitat description is not available at thist time.
No Accepted Common Name	Amblycheila picolominii	Invertebrates	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3G4	S2	False	Habitat description is not available at thist time.
No Accepted Common Name	Amblycorypha uhleri	Invertebrates	Not Listed	Not Listed	G2G3	SNA	False	Habitat description is not available at thist time.
No Accepted Common Name	Anomala suavis	Invertebrates	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S1	False	Habitat description is not available at thist time.
Padre Island tibial scarab	Anomala tibialis	Invertebrates	Not Listed	Not Listed	GH	SH	True	Sandy soils