The Tecopa pupfish is an extinct subspecies of the Amargosa pupfish. The small, heat-tolerant pupfish was endemic to the outflows of a pair of hot springs in the Mojave Desert of California. Habitat modifications and the introduction of non-native species led to its extinction in about 1970.

What happened to the Tecopa pupfish?

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.

What does a Tecopa pupfish look like?

The fish were about 1–1.5 inches (2.5–4 cm) in length. The dorsal fin was positioned closer to the tail than the head. The pelvic fin was small or sometimes absent, and had six lepidotrichia. Similar to some other Cyprinodons, breeding males displayed a bright blue coloration.