Going the distance: Multiscale assessment of Conchos Pupfish (Cyprinodon eximius) abundance and distribution in West Texas

Authors: Lindsey Elkins, Matthew Acre, Joshuah Perkin, Megan Bean, Sarah Robertson, Ryan Smith, Stephanie Parker

Year: 2021

Abstract

The goal of this study was to assess the distribution and abundance of Conchos Pupfish at multiple spatial scales. The broad-scale distribution assessment included developing a species distribution model (SDM) across the range of the species in Mexico and the United States, while the fine-scale abundance model focused on population size at the three locations where the species persists in the United States. Results of the SDM illustrated high suitability at locations in the upper Rio Conchos in Mexico and the lower Devil’s River of Texas in the United States. Focal abundance estimates based on distance sampling at three locations on the Devil’s River showed highest abundances in Dolan Creek near the USGS gage 08449100 (N = 2,251; 95% confidence intervals = 945-3,558), followed by the Devil’s River at Pafford Crossing (N = 1,386; 826-1,947), and the Devil’s River near Dolan Falls (N = 671; 301-1,042). We found Conchos Pupfish were most abundant in shallow areas with high floc and algal coverage, but slow water velocity. This research advances the field of conservation biology by demonstrating the application of distance sampling in an aquatic setting to develop ecological baselines and a status assessment for a rare and poorly studied species.