Amargosa Pupfish Station
The Amargosa Pupfish Station is a protected pupfish (Cyprinodon) wildlife refuge, part of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex, is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and located 90 miles (140 km) northwest of Las Vegas, Nevada in Nye County.
Description
The Amargosa Pupfish Station wildlife refuge is located in the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in the Amargosa Desert of the Amargosa Valley in Nye County, Nevada and Inyo County, California.
The Amargosa Pupfish Station refuge is contained within the larger Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex, which along with the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, also includes the Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, all managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
History
The refuge was established to provide habitat for the endangered Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis). In general, all surviving local Cyprinodon species and subspecies (pupfish) are on the IUCN Red List - endangered species, but the Devils Hole pupfish may have one of the most restricted habitats on the planet.
Another pool was later created near Hoover Dam in Nevada to provide additional support.
While the original pupfish habitat (Devils Hole) is located within the refuge, it is administered by the National Park Service as part of Death Valley National Park.
See also
Other Local Cyprinodons
- Death Valley pupfish (Salt Creek pupfish), Cyprinodon salinus
- Saratoga pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis nevadensis
- Amargosa pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis amargosa
- Tecopa pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis calidae (extinct)
- Shoshone pupfish, Cyprinodon nevadensis shoshone
- Desert pupfish, Cyprinodon macularius
- Owens pupfish, Cyprinodon radiosus
References
External links
- Official Nevada Fish & Wildlife Office
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Desert National Wildlife Refuge Complex
- The Southwestern Naturalist: "Pupfish Populations"