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)
Rhinichthys cataractae	longnose dace	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S2	No	Can only be found in the Big Bend portion of the Rio Grande. Occasionally taken in lakes and clear pools of rivers but prefers clear, flowing water in gravelly riffles.
Satan eurystomus	widemouth blindcat	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	PE 08/22/2023	T 07/18/1977	G1G2	S1	Yes	Restricted to five artesian wells penetrating the San Antonio Pool of the Edwards Aquifer; found at depths of 305-582 m.
Scaphirhynchus platorynchus	shovelnose sturgeon	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	SAT 10/01/2010	T 01/30/1997	G4	S2	No	Found only in the Red River below Denison Dam (Lake Texoma). Evidence of the presence of this species in the lower Pecos River, during prehistoric times, strongly suggests that it likely occurred in many Texas rivers. Inhabits flowing water over sandy bottoms or near rocky points or bars.
Trogloglanis pattersoni	toothless blindcat	Fish - Freshwater	Yes	PE 08/22/2023	T 07/18/1977	G1G2	S1	Yes	Restricted to five artesian wells penetrating the San Antonio Pool of the Edwards Aquifer; found at depths of 305-582 m.
Epinephelus drummondhayi	speckled hind	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	S3	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Istiophorus platypterus	sailfish	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Kajikia albida	white marlin	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Makaira nigricans	blue marlin	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Manta birostris	giant manta ray	Fish - Marine	Yes	T 02/21/2018	Not Listed	G3G4	S3	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Mycteroperca bonaci	black grouper	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3S4	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Mycteroperca phenax	scamp	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	SNR	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Pristis pectinata	smalltooth sawfish	Fish - Marine	Yes	E 11/16/2005	E 01/22/2009	G1G3	S1	No	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.
Pristis pristis	largetooth sawfish	Fish - Marine	Yes	E 07/23/2014	Not Listed	G2G3	SX	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Rachycentron canadum	cobia	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3S4	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Rhinobatos lentiginosus	Atlantic guitarfish	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S2S3	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Seriola dumerili	greater amberjack	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S3	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Xiphias gladius	swordfish	Fish - Marine	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Adhemarius blanchardorum	Blanchards' sphinx moth	Invertebrates	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G1	S1	Yes	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
Agapema galbina	Tamaulipan agapema	Invertebrates	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G1	SH	Not Evaluated	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
Almuerzothyas comalensis	No accepted common name	Invertebrates	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	SU	Yes	Spring obligate. Known only from Comal Springs, Comal County. Fine scale habitat requirements unknown.
Amblycheila hoversoni	brush hunter tiger beetle	Invertebrates	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3	S3	Yes	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Amblycheila picolominii	No accepted common name	Invertebrates	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G3G4	S2	Not Evaluated	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Amblycorypha uhleri	No accepted common name	Invertebrates	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G2G3	SNA	Not Evaluated	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Anomala suavis	No accepted common name	Invertebrates	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GNR	S1	No	Habitat description is not available at this time.
Anomala tibialis	Padre Island tibial scarab	Invertebrates	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	GH	SH	Yes	Sandy soils