Devils Hole pupfish

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/devils-hole-pupfish

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is Devils Hole pupfish?Maximum standard length of 30 mm (1.2 inches)
2. What is the scientific name?Cyprinodon diaboli
3. What is the lifespan?Approximately 10-14 months in the wild
4. Where does the Devils Hole pupfish live?It lives only in Devils Hole, a geothermally heated cavern in the Amargosa Desert of Nevada. The fish use the upper 24 meters of the water, especially a shallow rock shelf, for feeding and breeding.
5. Why is the Devils Hole pupfish so small and special?The fish is very small because it has adapted to a very special environment. It has no pelvic fins, lives in water that stays around 33°C (91°F), and eats whatever food is available, like algae and insects.

Endemic Species: A species native and restricted to a particular geographic region.
Geothermal: Relating to or produced by the heat of the Earth's interior.
Ex Situ Conservation: Conservation efforts that take place outside of the species' natural habitat, such as in zoos or captive breeding programs.
Hydrology: The scientific study of the movement, distribution, and quality of water on Earth.