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Devils River Minnow Scientific Name: Dionda Diaboli Federal Status: Threatened, 3/20/99• State Status: Threatened

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Devils River Minnow Scientific Name: Dionda Diaboli Federal Status: Threatened, 3/20/99• State Status: Threatened Devils River Minnow Scientific Name: Dionda diaboli Federal Status: Threatened, 3/20/99• State Status: Threatened Description Alamo), but now appear to be rare. Where To See The The Devils River minnow is a small The most recent collections of Devils Devils River Minnow fish, with adults reaching sizes of River minnow can only confirm popu- In Del Rio, a green belt is being approximately 2 inches in length. lations in San Felipe Creek, Pinto developed along the banks of San The fish has a wedge-shaped caudal Creek and in the headwaters of the Felipe Creek. Its purpose is not only (near the tail) spot and pronounced Devils River. to preserve the unique fauna of this lateral stripe extending through the desert stream in an urban environ- eye to the snout. Double dash mark- Life History ment, but also to allow residents and ings extend along the lateral line. The Little information is available on life visitors to view birds, fish, and other species has a narrow head and a history characteristics, feeding pat- native plants and animals. body with prominent dark markings terns, or reproductive behaviors of on scale pockets above the lateral line this species. However, based on their that produce a cross-hatched appear- long coiled intestinal tract, species of How You Can Help Area landowners can help by protect- ance when viewed from the top. The the genus Dionda are considered to species occurs with other similar min- feed primarily on algae. Dionda ing the groundwater of the Edwards- nows, such as the closely-related man- episcopa, a closely related species Trinity Aquifer. Do what you can as antial roundnose minnow (Dionda occurring throughout the Edwards an individual to conserve water and argentosa). Plateau of central Texas and the prevent pollutants from entering the Pecos River drainage of New Mexico aquifer. Care should be taken to and Texas, was found to spawn from avoid reduction in recharge to the January through August, laying dem- aquifer. Limestone aquifers are vul- ersal (deposited near the stream bot- nerable to pollution and measures to tom), non-adhesive eggs, sometimes prevent aquifer contamination are beneath several millimeters of gravel urged. Land managers can help by (Hubbs 1951). The life expectancy of implementing sound range manage- the fish has not been studied, but ment practices designed to protect based on other similar minnows, it vegetative cover, improve range con- can be estimated at one to two years. dition, and prevent soil erosion and runoff. Good vegetation management Threats and Reasons will help to ensure optimum aquifer Devils River Minnow recharge and the continuous flow of © ????????? for Decline springs that support streams in Val The primary threats to the species Verde and Kinney counties. Since Distribution include habitat loss and degradation competition and/or hybridization (water quantity and quality) and and Habitat with closely related or introduced The Devils River minnow is found in impacts from non-native species. species is a major threat to endan- channels of fast-flowing, spring-fed Devils River minnow depends on con- gered fishes, never release fish into waters over gravel substrates (Harrell stant, clean flowing spring waters. natural waters from which they didn’t 1978). Although the species is Spring flows are under significant originate. closely associated with spring sys- threat of failure when groundwater Finally, you can support the Spe- tems, the fish most often occurs levels decline, particularly in drought- cial Nongame and Endangered Species where spring flow enters a stream, prone areas like west Texas. Threats Conservation Fund by purchasing a rather than in the spring outflow to stream ecosystems from pollution stamp, available at the Texas Parks itself (Hubbs and Garrett 1990). and introduction of nonnative species and Wildlife Department (TPWD) The Devils River minnow was also put Devils River minnow at risk. headquarters in Austin or at most historically (pre-1980) known to State Parks. Part of the proceeds occur in Texas in Las Moras Creek in Recovery Efforts from the sale of these items is used Brackettville, in Sycamore Creek, in A conservation agreement for Devils to conserve habitat and provide infor- San Felipe Creek in Del Rio and in River minnow among Texas Parks and mation concerning rare and endan- the Devils River from near the conflu- Wildlife Department, U.S. Fish and gered species. Contact Texas Parks ence with the Rio Grande upstream Wildlife Service, and the city of Del and Wildlife Department or the U.S. to Beaver Lake near Juno. In 2002, Rio, in cooperation with several pri- Fish and Wildlife Service for more they were discovered in the headwa- vate landowners, is currently under- information. ters of Pinto Creek, Kinney County. way. This agreement outlines In Mexico, Devils River minnow were cooperative efforts among all parties reported (pre-1980) in the Río San to research and conservation efforts Carlos and in the Río Salado drainage designed to recover the Devils River (Río Sabinas, Río San Juan, and Río minnow. Devils River Minnow 1 For More Information Contact Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Wildlife Diversity Branch 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 (512) 912-7011 or (800) 792-1112 or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services Field Office 10711 Burnet Road, Suite 200 Austin, Texas 78758 (512) 490-0057 References Garrett, G.P., R.J. Edwards, and A.H. Price. 1992. Distribution and status of the Devils River minnow, Dionda diaboli. The Southwestern Naturalist 37:259-267. Harrell, H.L. 1978. Response of the Devil’s River (Texas) fish community to f looding. Copeia 1978:60-68 Hubbs, C. 1951. Observations on the breeding of Dionda episcopa serena in the Nueces River, Texas. Texas Journal of Science 3:490-492. Hubbs, C. and G.P. Garrett. 1990. Reestablishment of Cyprinodon eximius (Cyprin- odontidae) and status of Dionda diaboli (Cyprinidae) in the vicinity of Dolan Creek, Val Verde Co., Texas. The Southwestern Naturalist 35:446-478. Funds for the production of this leaflet were provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act. 2 Devils River Minnow.
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