Amistad Gambusia: Facts & Habitat

About Amistad Gambusia

The Amistad gambusia (Gambusia amistadensis) is an extinct species of small fish known only from a single locality, the large vegetated Goodenough Spring in Val Verde County, Texas. It apparently was driven to extinction in the wild when its habitat was submerged to a depth of about 70 feet by the construction of the Amistad Reservoir in 1968. The two captive populations, at the University of Texas System and the Dexter National Fish Hatchery in New Mexico, later failed through hybridization with the related mosquitofish and predation. The species has been classified as extinct by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service since 1987, and by the IUCN since 2013.

NativeFresh2 states

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, Amistad gambusia (source revision). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Diet and feeding

The FishTraits compilation records these diet categories for this species: algae or phytoplankton; invertebrates or larval fish. These are broad categories, not a claim that every individual consumes every example in a category.

Habitat preferences

Reported habitat associations include springs or subterranean waters.

The source records associations with muck, clay or silt, sand, vegetation. An association indicates reported use, rather than an exclusive requirement.

Size and recorded longevity

FishTraits reports a maximum total length of 3.5 centimetres. Some entries use an estimated asymptotic length; this value should not be treated as a certified record catch.

Range

Where it lives

66.7%of mapped records

Share of 30 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 2 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water: WoRMS records this species in fresh water.
Migration: Not migratory

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Actinopterygii
Class: Teleostei
Order: Cyprinodontiformes
Family: Poeciliidae
Genus: Gambusia
Species: Gambusia amistadensis
ITIS TSN: 165883
WoRMS AphiaID: 1012961
GBIF key: 2350602

Common questions about Amistad Gambusia

What is the scientific name of Amistad Gambusia?

The scientific name is Gambusia amistadensis, in the family Poeciliidae. Classification follows ITIS.

Does Amistad Gambusia live in fresh water or salt water?

WoRMS records this species in fresh water.

Where has Amistad Gambusia been recorded in the United States?

GBIF has observations in 2 states, with the most records in Texas, New Mexico. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives