Meet The Devils Hole Pupfish—It Defies Death In The World’s Deadliest ‘Fishbowl’

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The Devils Hole pupfish has survived court cases, assassination attempts and a debilitating lack of … [+] oxygen in one 72×11 ft space in the middle of the hottest place on earth. Here is its story.

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In the 1970s, it was not uncommon to spot cars around Nye County, Nevada, sporting stickers that said “Kill the Pupfish.”

These were made in response to stickers saying “Save the Pupfish,” which had been distributed by the Desert Fishes Council—a key player involved in the preservation of the Devils Hole pupfish, the world’s rarest fish.

The Supreme Court had been presiding over a case which would decide whether the pupfish’s sole habitat could be exploited for irrigation. This landmark case would go on to decide the fate of the smallest pupfish in existence—numbering around 300 at the time and at serious risk of extinction.

But what made the Devils Hole pupfish, a fish that measures no longer than an inch, such a contentious creature? Here’s the story of this little fish that continues to weather the forces of nature, humanity and even a drunk trespasser’s briefs.

The Devils Hole Pupfish Is Locked In A Battle Against All Odds

The habitat housing the Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) is as aptly named as it gets. Death Valley National Park, where the Devils Hole is located, is the hottest and driest national park in the United States.

In the waters of Devils Hole, the temperature remains a warm 92 °F through the year. The oxygen levels, however, remain incredibly low. Yet, the pupfish has evolved an extraordinary survival mechanism—it stops breathing. And it can keep this going for up to two hours at a time.

Devils Hole is located in Death Valley National Park, one of the hottest places in the world, … [+] meaning the pupfish has survived in consistently harsh conditions.

© Stan Shebs via Wikimedia Commons

When oxygen levels plummet, this tiny fish can halt aerobic respiration and switch to a process known as “ paradoxical anaerobism .” This metabolic state enables the pupfish to produce energy without oxygen, with ethanol as a byproduct—a feat most vertebrates would find toxic. By embracing this unique strategy, the Devils Hole pupfish defies conditions that would otherwise spell certain death.

Compounding … Read More