The Kendall Warm Springs dace (''Rhinichthys osculus thermalis'') is a speckled minnow subspecies of the

speckled dace The speckled dace (''Rhinichthys osculus''), also known as the spotted dace and the carpita pinta, is a member of the minnow family. It is found in temperate freshwater in North America, from Sonora, Mexico to British Columbia, Canada. Canada is ...

endemic to the Kendall Warm Springs in

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

; the only fish to inhabit the temperate freshwaters. Adults often only reach 2 inches in length. The fish was originally designated as a subspecies due to its distinct morphological features from other ''

Rhinichthys osculus The speckled dace (''Rhinichthys osculus''), also known as the spotted dace and the carpita pinta, is a member of the minnow family. It is found in temperate freshwater in North America, from Sonora, Mexico to British Columbia, Canada. Canada ...

'', which arose from its isolation in the Kendall Warm Springs within which lies its only habitat. The springs can be located in Western Wyoming within the Bridger-Teton National Forest at an elevation of 7,800 feet.

Endangerment and conservation

The primary threats to the fish were once

overfishing Overfishing is the removal of a species of fish (i.e. fishing) from a body of water at a rate greater than that the species can replenish its population naturally (i.e. the overexploitation of the fishery's existing fish stock), resulting in th ...

pollution Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can take the form of any substance (solid, liquid, or gas) or energy (such as radioactivity, heat, sound, or light). Pollutants, the ...

, and

habitat degradation Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...

. As well, the springs were used for bathing and laundry, and the detergents seemed to negatively impact fish populations, but in 1975 this was prohibited along with the use of them as bait fish in efforts to begin conserving the species. In the 1960s the Forest Service also constructed fencing around the perimeter of the springs spanning nearly 160 miles in efforts to keep the nearby livestock from contributing to habitat degradation in the springs.Gryska, A. D. 1996. Development of population monitoring protocals: description of several life history aspects of Kendall Warm Springs dace (Rhinichthys osculus thermalis). M.S. Thesis, University of Wyoming. Today the species could see issues in a lower water table, invasive species, illegal fishing/capturing, and various causes of further habitat degradation, but the Forest Service continues to monitor the population and is actively protecting the habitat.

References

Fish described in 1937 Rhinichthys {{Cyprinidae-stub