Scientifc name : Hypomesus transpacificus
Family : Osmeridae
Native to : Sacramento–San JoaquinRiver Delta in California
Interesting fact : The deltasmelts die shortly after spawning.
Conservation status : Critically Endangered
Found only in California, the delta smelt is a tiny, transparent, silvery blue fish found in the freshwater-saltwater mixing zone of the estuary but migrates to freshwater for spawning. It is pelagic and can tolerate a wide range of salinity. It feeds on plankton, copepods, amphipods, insects’ larvae and opossum shrimp. Lifespan is only one year.
