Death Valley June beetle Concern by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. The California Department of Fish and Game considers the beetle a "Special Animal" of high conservation need. Death Valley June beetle The Death Valley June beetle ("Polyphylla erratica") is a scarab beetle in the subfamily Melolonthinae. It is only known to occur in the drainage basin of the Amargosa River in the southwestern United States. Saltgrass communities, such as those at Saratoga Springs in Death Valley, provide habitat for the insect at all stages of its life. Predators of the beetle include coyotes, ravens, and shrikes, the last of which are
Death Valley pupfish Death Valley pupfish The Death Valley pupfish ("Cyprinodon salinus"), also known as Salt Creek pupfish, is found in Death Valley National Park. There are two recognized subspecies: "C. s. salinus" and "C. s. milleri". It is endemic to two small, isolated locations and currently classified as endangered. The desert pupfish is a small, silvery colored fish with 6-9 dark bands on its sides. It has an average length of , with a recorded maximum of . The males turn bright blue during mating season, April through October. The pupfish can withstand harsh conditions that would kill other fish: water that