White River springfish


The White River springfish is a species of fish in the family Goodeidae, the splitfins. It is a rare species of the Great Basin of western United States, where it is endemic to isolated warm springs in the White River drainage of eastern Nevada.
Each side has two rows of dark blotches. The pelvic fins are entirely absent, while the anal fin is large, with 14 rays. The dorsal fin is set far back on the body, just above the anal fin, and is somewhat smaller than the anal fin, with 11 rays.

Subspecies

records five subspecies:
  • Crenichthys baileyi albivallis J. E. Williams & Gene [Robert Wilde Jr.|Wilde], 1981 - Preston White River springfish
  • Crenichthys baileyi baileyi - White River springfish
  • Crenichthys baileyi grandis J. E. Williams & Wilde, 1981 - Hiko White River springfish
  • Crenichthys baileyi moapae J. E. Williams & Wilde, 1981 - Moapa White River springfish
  • Crenichthys baileyi thermophilus J. E. Williams & Wilde, 1981 - Mormon White River springfish
Of these subspecies, Crenicthys baileyi grandis and Crenicthys baileyi baileyi are listed as endangered species under the U.S. Endangered [Species Act].

Etymology

The genus name is a compound of creno meaning "spring", a reference to the desert springs this species occurs in, and ichthys which is Greek for "fish". The specific name honours the American ethnologist and naturalist Vernon Orlando Bailey, who co-collected the type along with C. Hart Merriam.