Amargosa River pupfish
The Amargosa River pupfish is a member of a pupfish species complex which inhabits the watershed of ancient Lake Manly. Currently, the species inhabits two disjunct perennial reaches of the lower Amargosa River. The upstream portion is near Tecopa and passes through the Amargosa Canyon. The lower portion is northwest of Saratoga Springs, just at the head of Death Valley, where the Amargosa River turns north to enter the valley.
These diminutive fish subsist on cyanobacteria and algae. They have a life history adapted to the vagaries of the intermittent nature of their environment. They have a very short generation time, which allows for rapid exploitation of flooded portions of the streambed in years of high flow.
