Boxer pupfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Boxer pupfish |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cyprinodontiformes |
| Family: | Cyprinodontidae |
| Genus: | Cyprinodon |
| Species: |
C. simus
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| Binomial name | |
| Cyprinodon simus Humphries & R. R. Miller, 1981
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The boxer pupfish (Cyprinodon simus) is a small, unique fish. It belongs to a group of fish called pupfish. You can only find it in one special place: Lake Chichancanab in Quintana Roo, Mexico. This means it is endemic to that lake, so it doesn't live anywhere else in the world!
Contents
What Makes the Boxer Pupfish Special?
Most pupfish species usually live in their own separate areas. But Lake Chichancanab is different. It is one of the few places where many different kinds of pupfish live together.
A Unique Home
In Lake Chichancanab, seven different types of Cyprinodon pupfish share the same water. These include:
- C. simus (the boxer pupfish)
- C. beltrani
- C. esconditus
- C. labiosus
- C. maya
- C. suavium
- C. verecundus
Living together, these pupfish have learned to use different parts of the lake. They have found their own special "jobs" or niches.
What the Boxer Pupfish Eats
Most pupfish eat things like algae (tiny water plants) and detritus (bits of dead plants and animals). But the boxer pupfish is special. In Lake Chichancanab, it changed its diet. It became a zooplankton-feeder. This means it eats tiny animals that float in the water.
Why the Boxer Pupfish is in Danger
The boxer pupfish used to live in large groups, swimming together in schools. Sadly, its numbers have dropped a lot. This is mainly because of new fish that were brought into the lake. These are called introduced species.
The Problem with New Species
When new species are introduced, they can cause big problems for the native animals. In Lake Chichancanab, two main introduced species caused trouble:
- The Nile tilapia
- A type of tetra called Astyanax fasciatus
These new fish compete with the native pupfish for food and space. They might also eat the pupfish or their eggs.
Its Current Status
Among the unique pupfish species in Lake Chichancanab, only C. beltrani and C. labiosus are still found in good numbers. The other species, including the boxer pupfish, are almost gone from the wild. Some might even be completely extinct in the wild.
However, there is still hope! Some of these rare pupfish, including the boxer pupfish, are being cared for in special places. This helps keep them from disappearing forever. In 2009, a boxer pupfish was even seen in the wild, which was a good sign.
 | Aurelia Browder |
 | Nannie Helen Burroughs |
 | Michelle Alexander |
