General Impact
At the end of the 1970s the natural spread of C. lutrensis was through use as a baitfish which led it to New Mexico. With this also came the disappearance of the native spikedace (Meda fulgida) (Douglas et al. 1994). The niche of the native spikedace changes when it co-exists with C. lutrensis (Mooney and Cleland, 2001). C. lutrensis has been said to be the cause of the decline of the endangered woundfin (see Plagopterus argentissimus in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) and Virgin River chub (see Gila seminuda in the US Federal Register. Both species occur within the area designated as critical habitat (includes portions of the Virgin River in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada) (NatureServe, 2006) where C. lutrensis is the most numerous and the most problematic among a list of fourteen introduced fish, that prey on and compete with the two listed fish (The Federal Register Environmental Documents, 2000). They compete for food and available habitats and are known to prey on the eggs and early life stages of the listed fishes.
Location Specific Impacts:New Mexico (United States (USA)) 
Competition: Reduction in native spikedace populations Virgin River (United States (USA))
Threat to endangered species: Cyprinella lutrensis has been said to be the cause of the decline of the endangered woundfin (see Plagopterus argentissimus in IUCN Red List of Threatened Species) and Virgin River chub (see Gila seminuda in the US Federal Register. Both species occur within the area designated as critical habitat (includes portions of the Virgin River in Utah, Arizona, and Nevada) (NatureServe, 2006) where C. lutrensis is the most numerous and the most problematic among a list of fourteen introduced fish, that prey on and compete with the two listed fish (The Federal Register Environmental Documents, 2000). They compete for food and available habitats and are known to prey on the eggs and early life stages of the listed fishes.
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