The Pecos pupfish (Cyprinodon pecosensis) is a species of pupfish in the family Cyprinodontidae. It is endemic to the Pecos River watershed in eastern New Mexico and western Texas in the United States.

Pecos pupfish
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cyprinodontiformes
Family: Cyprinodontidae
Genus: Cyprinodon
Species:
C. pecosensis
Binomial name
Cyprinodon pecosensis

Distribution and Habitat

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Despite once existing throughout the Pecos River, C. pecosensis populations have become increasingly isolated due to significant portions of their native habitat being removed. [2][3] Following the introduction of Cyprinodon variegatus (sheepshead minnow), pure Pecos pupfish populations have been further isolated and largely exist in scattered sinkholes, man-made impoundments, and marshes.[3][4] Its natural habitat includes springs, sinkholes, and pools of streams.[5]

Introduction of Cyprinodon variegatus

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Cyprinodon variegatus is thought to have been introduced during the early 1980s, presumably via bait-bucket dumping. Shortly after the introduction of C. variegatus, C. variegatus X C. pecosensis hybrids quickly became widespread, occupying an estimated 50% of the native Pecos pupfish range by 1985. [6][7] The widespread success of hybrids, and quick range expansion throughout native Pecos pupfish waters, has been hypothesized to be the result of selection mechanisms for hybrids during a period when the native C. pecosensis population had experienced a reduction.[8]

Additionally, hybrid populations have been reported to have increased growth-rates and vigor (Heterosis), resulting in Pecos pupfish females to actively choose to mate with hybrids over pure male Pecos pupfish.[9][10] Given this, conservation efforts have been difficult and efforts are being made to prevent C. variegatus from entering into isolated C. pecosensis populations.

References

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  1. ^ NatureServe (2013). "Cyprinodon pecosensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2013: e.T6163A15361876. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T6163A15361876.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ R. R. Miller (1961). "Man and the Changing Fish Fauna of the American Southwest" (PDF). Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters.
  3. ^ a b C. Hoagstrom; J. Brooks (1999). "Distribution, Status, and Concervation of the Pecos pupfish, Cyprinodon pecosensis". Technical Report No. 2, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
  4. ^ M. L. Collyer; M. E. Hall; M. D. Smith; C. W. Hoagstrom (1999). "Habitat- morphotype associations of Pecos pupfish (Cyprinodon pecosensis) in isolated habitat complexes". Copeia. 2015: 181–199.
  5. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Cyprinodon pecosensis". FishBase. August 2019 version.
  6. ^ A. A. Echelle; P. J. Connor (1989). "Rapid, geographically extensive genetic introgression after secondary contact between two pupfish species (Cyprinodon, Cyprinodontidae)". Evolution. 43 (4): 717–727. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.1989.tb05171.x. PMID 28564193.
  7. ^ A. A. Echelle; C. W. Hoagstrom; A. F. Echelle; E. James (1997). "Expanded occurrence of genetically introgressed pupfish ( Cyprinodontidae : Cyprinodon pecosensis X variegatus ) in New Mexico". Southwestern Naturalist. 42 (3): 336–339. JSTOR 30055287.
  8. ^ M. R. Childs; A. A. Echelle; T. E. Dowling (1996). "Development of hybrid swarm between Pecos pupfish (Cyprinodontidae: Cyprinodon pecosensis) and sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus): a perspective from allozymes and mtDNA". Evolution. 50 (5): 2014–2022. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.1996.tb03588.x. PMID 28565604.
  9. ^ J. A. Rosenfield; A. Kodric-Brown (2003). "Sexual selection promotes hybridization between Pecos pupfish, Cyprinodon pecosensis and sheepshead minnow, C. variegatus". Journal of Evolutionary Biology. 16 (4): 595–606. doi:10.1046/j.1420-9101.2003.00557.x. PMID 14632223. S2CID 13302325.
  10. ^ J. A. Rosenfield; S. Nolasco; C. Sandoval; A. Kodric-Brown (2004). "The Role of Hybrid Vigor in the Replacement of Pecos Pupfish by Its Hybrids with Sheepshead Minnow". Conservation Biology. 18 (6): 1589–1598. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2004.00356.x. S2CID 39553092.