White River Springfish

Crenichthys baileyi

Goodeidae · freshwater water fish

2 minute read · Species guide

White River Springfish field guide illustration

About White River Springfish

The White River springfish (Crenichthys baileyi) is a species of fish in the family Goodeidae, the splitfins. It is a rare species of the Great Basin of western United States, where it is endemic to isolated warm springs in the White River drainage of eastern Nevada.

Each side has two rows of dark blotches. The pelvic fins are entirely absent, while the anal fin is large, with 14 rays. The dorsal fin is set far back on the body, just above the anal fin, and is somewhat smaller than the anal fin, with 11 rays.

Subspecies

Of these subspecies, Crenicthys baileyi grandis and Crenicthys baileyi baileyi are listed as endangered species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

Etymology

The genus name is a compound of creno meaning "spring", a reference to the desert springs this species occurs in, and ichthys which is Greek for "fish". The specific name honours the American ethnologist and naturalist Vernon Orlando Bailey (1864-1942), who co-collected the type along with C. Hart Merriam.

Article text: Wikipedia contributors, White River springfish (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; aquatic or other vascular plants; detritus or unidentified plant material; invertebrates or larval fish. These are broad categories, not a claim that every individual consumes every example in a category.

Reported feeding positions include bottom feeding and surface or water-column feeding. The compilation combines published observations; diets can vary with age, locality, and available food.

Habitat preferences

Reported habitat associations include springs or subterranean waters.

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

Reproduction and parental care

The compilation reports a representative maturity age of 0.5 years. Its maturity field summarizes mean, median, or modal estimates, usually for females; male estimates can be used when female data are unavailable. It is not a fixed age at which every fish first breeds.

Batch or serial spawning has been reported somewhere in the species’ range. This does not establish the same spawning pattern for every population.

Recorded spawning months are Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec for the source’s reporting region (NV). This is a regional calendar, not a range-wide schedule.

The reproductive-guild classification includes guarding eggs or young at a spawning substrate or nest.

Size and recorded longevity

FishTraits reports a maximum total length of 5 centimetres. Some entries use an estimated asymptotic length; this value should not be treated as a certified record catch.

Range

Where it lives

Share of 546 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 1 states.
0%
100%
Share of 546 GBIF observation records with a state location, across 1 states.

Share of records by state

Habitat

Water and movement

Water
WoRMS records this species in fresh water.
Migration
Undetermined

Classification

Taxonomy

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Superclass
Actinopterygii
Class
Teleostei
Order
Cyprinodontiformes
Family
Goodeidae
Genus
Crenichthys
Species
Crenichthys baileyi
ITIS TSN
165687
WoRMS AphiaID
1019472
GBIF key
4284447

Common questions about White River Springfish

What is the scientific name of White River Springfish?
The scientific name is Crenichthys baileyi, in the family Goodeidae. Classification follows ITIS.
Does White River Springfish live in fresh water or salt water?
WoRMS records this species in fresh water.
Where has White River Springfish been recorded in the United States?
GBIF has observations in 1 states, with the most records in Nevada. The map shows observation records, which do not establish the complete natural range.

Closest relatives

Other Crenichthys species

Same family

More Goodeidae