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Home/Species/ White River Springfish

Crenichthys baileyi baileyi

(Gilbert, 1893)

White River Springfish

T1T1 (G2T1) Found in 17 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
T1T1Global Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.103166
Element CodeAFCNB01012
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSubspecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderCyprinodontiformes
FamilyGoodeidae
GenusCrenichthys
Concept Reference
Deacon, J. E., and J. E. Williams. 1984. Annotated list of the fishes of Nevada. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 97(1):103-118.
Conservation Status
Review Date1996-09-20
Change Date1996-09-20
Edition Date2010-12-02
Range Extent<100 square km (less than about 40 square miles)
Number of Occurrences1 - 5
Rank Reasons
Restricted to one spring system in southeastern Nevada; threatened by habitat alteration (such as by cattle) and exotic fishes.
Range Extent Comments
Endemic to pluvial White River drainage in Pahranagat Valley, Lincoln County, southeastern Nevada. Presently restricted to Ash Springs (T6S R61E Sec. 6).
Threat Impact Comments
Current status is due to habitat disturbance and introductions of exotic fishes. Habitat changes associated with the presence of cattle resulted in increased mortality at Ash Springs; presence of cattle may be incompatible with effective protection (Taylor et al. 1989).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

Prefers spring heads and quiet waters along outflows. Ash Springs is a warm-water spring with temperatures ranging from 33 C at the outflow to 35 C at the headpool (Taylor et al. 1989).

Reproduction

Spawns in warm summer months. Apparently 10-17 eggs constitute a spawning; eggs are laid and fertilized one at a time. Incubation lasts 5-7 days (La Rivers 1962).
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN1
ProvinceRankNative
NevadaS1Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
2 - Agriculture & aquaculturePervasive - largeSerious - moderateUnknown
2.3 - Livestock farming & ranchingPervasive - largeSerious - moderateUnknown
6 - Human intrusions & disturbancePervasive - largeModerate - slightHigh (continuing)
6.1 - Recreational activitiesPervasive - largeModerate - slightHigh (continuing)
7 - Natural system modificationsPervasive - largeExtreme - moderateHigh - low
7.2 - Dams & water management/usePervasive - largeExtreme - moderateHigh - low
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesPervasive - largeSerious - slightHigh (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseasesPervasive - largeSerious - slightHigh (continuing)

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Roadless Areas (17)
Nevada (16)
AreaForestAcres
Bald Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest41,598
CottonwoodHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest18,161
Currant - East SlopeHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest10,101
Grant - IrwinHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,196
Grant - ScofieldHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest3,265
Grant - WiregrassHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest8,541
Indian CreekHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest9,996
Lower TerraceHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest992
Red MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest30,242
The Cove 1Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest2,847
The Cove 2Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest51
The Cove 3Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest1,728
Upper TerraceHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest120
Ward MountainHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest15,927
White Pine Mtn.Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest25,244
WilhoitesHumboldt-Toiyabe National Forest11,297
South Dakota (1)
AreaForestAcres
Indian CreekBuffalo Gap National Grassland24,666
References (20)
  1. Courtenay, W. R., Jr., J. R. Deacon, D. W. Sada. R. C. Allan and G. L. Vinyard. 1985. Comparative status of fishes along the course of the pluvial White River, Nevada. Southwestern Naturalist 30(4):503-524.
  2. Deacon, J. E., and J. E. Williams. 1984. Annotated list of the fishes of Nevada. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 97(1):103-118.
  3. Fricke, R., W. N. Eschmeyer, and R. van der Laan (eds). 2025. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes: Genera, Species, References. Online. Available: http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp. Accessed 2025.
  4. Jelks, H. L., S. J. Walsh, N. M. Burkhead, S. Contreras-Balderas, E. Díaz-Pardo, D. A. Hendrickson, J. Lyons, N. E. Mandrak, F. McCormick, J. S. Nelson, S. P. Platania, B. A. Porter, C. B. Renaud, J. Jacobo Schmitter-Soto, E. B. Taylor, and M.L. Warren, Jr. 2008. Conservation status of imperiled North American freshwater and diadromous fishes. Fisheries 33(8):372-407.
  5. La Rivers, I. 1962. Fishes and Fisheries of Nevada. Nevada State Fish and Game Commission, Carson City, Nevada. 782 pp.
  6. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  7. Matthews, J.R. and C.J. Moseley (eds.). 1990. The Official World Wildlife Fund Guide to Endangered Species of North America. Volume 1. Plants, Mammals. xxiii + pp 1-560 + 33 pp. appendix + 6 pp. glossary + 16 pp. index. Volume 2. Birds, Reptiles, Amphibians, Fishes, Mussels, Crustaceans, Snails, Insects, and Arachnids. xiii + pp. 561-1180. Beacham Publications, Inc., Washington, D.C.
  8. Miller, R.R., and M.L. Smith. 1986. Origin and geography of fishes on central Mexico. Pages 487-517 in C.H. Hocutt and E.O. Wiley, editors. The zoogeography of North American freshwater fishes. John Wiley and Sons, New York, New York. xiii + 866 pp.
  9. Minckley, W. L., G. K. Meffe, and D. L. Soltz. 1991a. Conservation and management of short-lived fishes: the cyprinodontoids. Pages 247-82 in W. L. Minckley and J. E. Deacon (editors). Battle Against Extinction: Native Fish Management in the American West. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, Arizona.
  10. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. xix + 663 pp.
  11. Parenti, L. R. 1981. A phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of cyprinodontiform fishes (Teleostei, Atherinomorpha). Bulletin of the American Museum Natural History 168:335-557.
  12. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
  13. Sigler, W. F., and J. W. Sigler. 1987. Fishes of the Great Basin: a natural history. University of Nevada Press, Reno, Nevada. xvi + 425 pp.
  14. Taylor, F. R., L. A. Gillman, and J. W. Pedretti. 1989. Impact of cattle on two isolated fish populations in Pahranagat Valley, Nevada. Great Basin Naturalist 49:491-495.
  15. Tippie, D., J. E. Deacon, and C.-H. Ho. 1991. Effects of convict cichlids on growth and recruitment of White River springfish. Great Basin Naturalist 51:256-260.
  16. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1990. Endangered and threatened species recovery program: report to Congress. 406 pp.
  17. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 1998. Recovery plan for the aquatic and riparian species of Pahranagat Valley. USFWS, Portland, Oregon. vi + 82 pp.
  18. Wilde, G. R. 1989. Foods and feeding periodicity of the White River springfish, <i>Crenichthyes baileyi</i>. Great Basin Naturalist 49:249-251.
  19. Williams, J. E., and G. R. Wilde. 1981. Taxonomic status and morphology of isolated populations of the White River springfish, <i>Crenichthys baileyi</i> (Cyprinodontidae). Southwestern Naturalist 25(4):485-503.
  20. Williams, J.E, J.E. Johnson, D.A. Hendrickson, S. Contreras-Balderas, J.D. Williams, M. Navarro-Mendoza, D.E. McAllister, and J.E. Deacon. 1989b. Fishes of North America endangered, threatened or of special concern: 1989. Fisheries 14(6):2-20.