It is thought to have disappeared because of alteration of its habitat and possibly also as a result of the introduction of competing, non-native fish. One of 12 kinds of pupfishes in the U.S., the 1-l/2-inch Tecopa could tolerate highly Sal&e waters and temperatures up to 110 degrees.

When was the Tecopa pupfish discovered?

The Tecopa pupfish (Cyprinodon nevadensis calidae) was first described by Robert Miller in 1948 after six years of research. With a blunt head and dorsal fins close to the tail, these fishes were endemic to the Californian hot spring outflows in Tecopa at an altitude of 1,411 ft (430 m).

How do pupfish survive?

HABITAT: Desert pupfish are adapted to desert environments and have been reported to survive water temperatures in excess of 110 degrees Fahrenheit, extremely low oxygen levels, salinity levels more than twice that of the ocean, and daily temperature fluctuations of up to 45 degrees.