Devil carp
The devil carp, scientific name Cyprinodon diabolis, belongs to the family Cyprinodontidae (Kyprinodontidae). It is considered one of the most amazing and rare fish. It lives in a small oasis in the Nevada desert in the United States in the Death Valley National Park.
The habitat is a water-filled limestone cave that enters the surface as a small pool of about 20 m² surrounded by rocks. The place received the name of the Devil’s Hole corresponding to the national park.
The fish live only in the upper layers of water at a depth of up to 50 cm, where the temperature does not drop below 33–34°C. Water has a low oxygen content and high carbonate hardness.
Description
Adults reach a length of about 3 cm. The fish has a stocky body with a large head. The fins are rounded short with a dark edging. In males, blue shades appear in the color. The females are grey-brown.
The lifespan of the Devil Tooth Carp is only 6-12 months. Sexual maturity is reached by 3-10 weeks.
According to the US National Park Service, the size of the entire population ranges from 100-180 individuals.
These fish are probably among the most geographically isolated organisms on Earth. They have lived in this area for over 30 years since the last Ice Age.
At that time, many rivers and interconnected lakes covered the entire southwestern United States, which included the ancestors of modern Toothfish. Over the past eras, green shrouds have been replaced by deserts, and water has practically disappeared. To survive in the remaining reservoirs, the fish had to rapidly evolve and adapt to harsh conditions.
For example, no less amazing adaptability is demonstrated by a related species, the Desert Toothed Carp, which lives in the drying up reservoirs of North America in California, Arizona, Nevada, and also the northern part of Mexico.
What do they eat in nature?
The basis of the food chain in this isolated ecosystem is the algae that flourishes on the limestone shelf and the microorganisms that inhabit them. There is no other food there.
Saving a View
The devil carp is not an aquarium fish and is prohibited from catching. Since 1976, the US Supreme Court has ruled to protect the water level in Devils Hole in order to preserve habitat. Since 1982, the fish has been listed as an endangered species. And giving the region the status of a national park stopped plans to turn the area into a residential area.
However, Devils Hole is located just 140 kilometers from Las Vegas, not far from a busy highway leading to the city. There is an active development around the national park, the need for groundwater is increasing, which is especially important for the hot, waterless regions of Nevada.
Scientists have attempted to relocate part of the population to other regions and create conditions for spawning, but by and large they were unsuccessful.
Sources: nature.org, fishbase.mnhn.fr, nps.gov, animaldiversity.org
