title: Cyprinodon brontotheroides
text: # Cyprinodon brontotheroides
  
  Cyprinodon brontotheroides is a species of pupfish in the genus Cyprinodon.
  
  ## Distribution and habitat
  
  It is endemic to hypersaline interior lakes on San Salvador Island, Bahamas.
  
  ## Ecology and taxonomy
  
  It coexists alongside two other closely related Cyprinodon species C. desquamator and C. variegatus. Together, these three species represent a recent adaptive radiation, each having moved into a difference niche within their specialized environment. Each of these species are defined by distinct trophic adaptations that have affected various aspects of functional morphology.
  
  ## Description
  
  Cyprinodon brontotheroides is durophagous. It has a large in-lever to out-lever ratio for closing its lower jaw with force and a protruding, reinforced nasal region probably used for crushing its specialized diet of ostracods and gastropods. They breed in the spring and the breeding territories are guarded by the males.
  
  