Federal and State Listed Fishes
in Texas

In Texas, animal or plant species of conservation concern may be listed as threatened or endangered under the authority of state law and/or under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). Species may be listed as state threatened or endangered and not federally listed. The state list only addresses the status of a species within Texas. A federal listing means that a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range which may encompass several other states or nations.

Candidate species are those organisms the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has sufficient information on to propose as endangered or threatened under the ESA but development of a proposed listing regulation is precluded by other higher priority listing activities. Unlike species listed under the ESA, candidates receive no statutory protection.

Species are ranked (Global and State) using a conservation status system established by NatureServe.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Inland Fisheries and Coastal Fisheries Divisions maintain purview over the following fish species. Inquiries about rare, threatened, and endangered fish species should be directed to those TPWD Divisions

Common Name Scientific Name State Status Federal Status Global Rank State Rank
Arkansas River Shiner Notropis girardi Threatened Threatened G2 S2
Big Bend Gambusia Gambusia gaigei Endangered Endangered G1 S1
Blackside Darter Percina maculata Threatened G5 S1
Blotched Gambusia Gambusia senilis Threatened G3G4 SX
Blue Sucker Cycleptus elongatus Threatened G3G4 S3
Bluehead Shiner Pteronotropis hubbsi Threatened G3 S1
Bluntnose Shiner Notropis simus Threatened G2 SX
Chihuahua Shiner Notropis chihuahua Threatened G3 S2
Clear Creek Gambusia Gambusia heterochir Endangered Endangered G1 S1
Comanche Springs Pupfish Cyprinodon elegans Endangered Endangered G1 S1
Conchos Pupfish Cyprinodon eximius Threatened G3G4 S1
Creek Chubsucker Erimyzon oblongus Threatened G5 S2S3
Devils River Minnow Dionda diaboli Threatened Threatened G1 S1
Fountain Darter Etheostoma fonticola Endangered Endangered G1 S1
Leon Springs Pupfish Cyprinodon bovinus Endangered Endangered G1 S1
Mexican Goby Ctenogobius claytonii Threatened GNR S1
Mexican Stoneroller Campostoma ornatum Threatened G3G4 S1
Opossum Pipefish Microphis brachyurus Threatened G4G5 S1N
Paddlefish Polyodon spathula Threatened G4 S3
Pecos Gambusia Gambusia nobilis Endangered Endangered G2 S2
Pecos Pupfish Cyprinodon pecosensis Threatened G2 S1
Proserpine Shiner Cyprinella proserpina Threatened G3 S2
Rio Grande Chub Gila pandora Threatened G3 S1
Rio Grande Darter Etheostoma grahami Threatened G2G3 S2
Rio Grande Silvery Minnow Hybognathus amarus Endangered Endangered G1 SX
River Goby Awaous banana Threatened G5 S1
San Felipe Gambusia Gambusia clarkhubbsi Threatened G1 S1
San Marcos Gambusia Gambusia georgei Endangered Endangered GX SX
Sharpnose Shiner Notropis oxyrhynchus Endangered G3 S3
Shovelnose Sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus Threatened G4 S2
Smalleye Shiner Notropis buccula Endangered G2 S2
Smalltooth Sawfish Pristis pectinata Endangered Endangered G1G3 SNR
Toothless Blindcat Trogloglanis pattersoni Threatened G1G2 S1
Widemouth Blindcat Satan eurystomus Threatened G1G2 S1