Rio Grande silvery minnow

The Rio Grande silvery minnow (Hybognathus amarus) or Rio Grande minnow, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Leuciscidae, the shiners, daces and minnows. This is a small, herbivorous, North American fish, one of the seven North American members of the genus Hybognathus.

The Rio Grande silvery minnow is one of the most endangered fish in North America, according to the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). It was classified as endangered in the U.S. in 1994, and now is found in less than 5% of its natural habitat in the Rio Grande. Historically, the minnow was found from Española, New Mexico, to the Gulf of Mexico in Texas. Now, it can only be seen between Cochiti Dam and Elephant Butte Reservoir. It can also be found in a small pond in North Carolina.