Charco Palma pupfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Charco Palma pupfish |
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The Charco Palma pupfish (Cyprinodon veronicae) is a very small type of fish. It belongs to a group of fish called Cyprinodontidae. This special fish used to live only in one place: a freshwater spring system called Ojo de Agua la Presa. This spring is located in southwestern Nuevo Leon state in Mexico.
Even though it was listed as critically endangered in 1996, which means it was in extreme danger of disappearing, the Charco Palma pupfish is now considered extinct in the wild. This means it no longer lives freely in nature. Luckily, some of these fish still survive in special care, like in aquariums or research centers.
Contents
What is a Pupfish?
Pupfish are small, hardy fish. They are known for living in tough environments. These can include very hot or salty waters. They are often found in isolated springs or desert pools. This makes them very unique.
Where Did It Live?
The Charco Palma pupfish lived in a specific freshwater spring system. This system was called Ojo de Agua la Presa. It was its only natural home. Being endemic means a species is found only in one particular area. The Charco Palma pupfish was endemic to this spring.
Why is it Disappearing?
The main reason the Charco Palma pupfish is gone from the wild is likely habitat loss or changes. When a species is extinct in the wild, it means its natural home can no longer support it. This often happens because of human activities. These can include using too much water, pollution, or changes to the land.
Other Animals from the Spring
The Ojo de Agua la Presa spring system was a special place. It was also home to three other types of pupfish. Sadly, these were:
- Cyprinodon ceciliae (now extinct)
- Cyprinodon inmemoriam (now extinct)
- Cyprinodon longidorsalis (extinct in the wild, but survives in captivity)
Even though they lived in the same spring system, each pupfish type stayed in its own small part of the spring.
The exact spring where the Charco Palma pupfish lived also had other unique animals. These animals are now extinct. They included:
- An undescribed species of Cambarellus crayfish. An undescribed species means scientists knew it was new, but had not yet given it a formal name.
- The valvatid freshwater snail Valvata beltrani.
- Another undescribed species of valvatid freshwater snail.
How It Got Its Name
The scientific name for the Charco Palma pupfish is Cyprinodon veronicae. The second part of the name, veronicae, was chosen to honor someone special. It honors Verónica Contreras Arqueita. She is the niece of María de Lourdes Lozano-Vilano and the daughter of Salvador Contreras-Balderas. Both Lozano-Vilano and Contreras-Balderas are scientists who first described this fish. Verónica helped them on the trip when they collected the first example of this fish. This first example is called the type specimen.
