Pupfish can take the heat

Thousands of flower peepers have been tromping through Death Valley National Park since February in search of record blooms. But there’s another boom in progress: the desert pupfish. Depending on the species, pupfish range in size from 1 to 2 1/2 inches and can survive in water that exceeds 100 degrees and is saltier than seawater, though they’ve even been known to adapt to freshwater. Over thousands of years, this amazingly adaptive fish has evolved into five separate species at the park -- including one that boasts the smallest natural habitat of any vertebrate in the world. “The Devil’s Hole pupfish lives its entire life in a cave entrance,” says park ranger Terry Baldino. “It gets limited sun and food but has existed there for thousands of years.” The park is also home to the Cottonball Marsh pupfish, a threatened species that survives in water up to six times saltier than seawater. Another species, the Salt Creek pupfish, which swim in marshes just north of Furnace Creek, is enjoying the peak of its brief mating season. “Right now is the time to see them because they’re very active,” says Baldino. During its spawning season, the male pupfish turns bright blue and puts on a frantic acrobatic display to drive off rival suitors. But the spectacle may end well before the flowers fade. In a few weeks, when temperatures skyrocket, the stream will disappear and the adult population will dwindle. If you miss the Salt Creek mating season, a good place to see the fish year-round is at Crystal Spring in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, just east of Death Valley over the Nevada border. For more information, go to www.nps.gov/deva/ or desertcomplex.fws.gov/ashmeadows/. Other pupfish hangouts past and present include an artificial pond at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the Coachella Valley Preserve, Dos Palmas Oasis preserve near Indio and the Living Desert Zoo & Gardens near Palm Desert.

-- Janet Cromley