pupfish

[ puhp-fish ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) pup·fish, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) pup·fish·es.

1. any of several tiny, stout killifishes of the genus Cyprinodon, inhabiting marshy waters in arid areas of western North America: several species are endangered.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pupfish¹

First recorded in 1945–50; pup + fish

Example Sentences

The species they support range from tiger salamanders to desert pupfish, and from songbirds to mammals such as ground squirrels and bighorn sheep.

From Los Angeles Times

When it comes to sheer resilience, few, if any, species can match the tiny Devils Hole pupfish.

From New York Times

Not only that, but the pupfish are believed to be one of the most inbred of all species, a lack of genetic variation that makes it difficult for the creatures to procreate and thrive.

From New York Times

“If, this fall, we have over 300, I’ll be really ecstatic,” said Kevin Wilson, an aquatic ecologist at the National Park Service who has studied the Devils Hole pupfish for more than two decades.

From New York Times

If the pupfish census does not seem especially impressive, consider that there were only 35 pupfish left in Devils Hole in 2013, prompting worries about extinction.

From New York Times