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Indiana Species of Greatest Conservation Need

What is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need?

Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are species whose populations are declining or who have limited abundance in the state. The SGCN list is indicative of the diversity of fish and wildlife in Indiana, with more than 150 species included. Identifying SGCN is a required component of the State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP).

How are Species of Greatest Conservation Need decided?

The list of Species of Greatest Conservation Need is reviewed and updated periodically, using expertise from scientists who study these species within the state. Species of Greatest Conservation Need are those listed as Federally Endangered, Threatened or Candidate species and species determined to be State Endangered or of State Special Concern.

  • State Endangered: Any animal species whose prospects for survival or recruitment within the state are in immediate jeopardy and are in danger of disappearing from the state. This includes all species listed as endangered or threatened by the federal government that occur in Indiana.
  • State Special Concern: Any animal species requiring monitoring because of known/suspected limited abundance or distribution or because of a recent change in legal status or required habitat.
  • Federal Endangered: Any species that is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range.
  • Federal Threatened: Any species that is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range.

Listings

Mammals

Endangered

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Gray Myotis Myotis grisescens Endangered
Little Brown Myotis Myotis lucifugus 
Northern Long-eared Myotis Myotis septentrionalis Threatened
Indiana Myotis Myotis sodalis Endangered
Tri-colored Bat Perimyotis subflavus 
Evening Bat Nycticeius humeralis 
Swamp Rabbit Sylvilagus aquaticus 
Franklin's Ground Squirrel Poliocitellus franklinii 
Allegheny Woodrat Neotoma magister 

Special Concern

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Smoky Shrew Sorex fumeus  
Pygmy Shrew Sorex hoyi  
Star-nosed Mole Condylura cristata  
Southeastern Myotis Myotis austroriparius  
Eastern Small-footed Myotis Myotis leibii  
Silver-haired Bat Lasionycteris noctivagans  
Eastern Red Bat Lasiurus borealis  
Hoary Bat Lasiurus cinereus  
Rafinesque's Big-eared Bat Corynorhinus rafinesquii  
Plains Pocket Gopher Geomys bursarius  
Black Bear Ursus americanus  
Least Weasel Mustela nivalis  
Badger Taxidea taxus

Birds

Endangered

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator  
Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus  
King Rail Rallus elegans  
Virginia Rail Rallus limicola  
Common GallinuleGallinula galeata 
Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis Threatened
Whooping Crane Grus americana Endangered
Piping Plover Charadrius melodus Endangered
Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda  
Rufa Red Knot Calidris canutus rufa Threatened
Least Tern Sternula antillarum 
Black Tern Chlidonias niger  
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus  
Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis  
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax  
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea  
Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius 
Barn Owl Tyto alba  
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus  
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus  
Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis 
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris 
Henslow's Sparrow Centronyx henslowii 
Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus  
Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera  
Kirtland's Warbler Setophaga kirtlandii 
Cerulean Warbler Setophaga cerulea 

Special Concern

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus  
Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus  
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor  
Eastern Whip-poor-will Antrostomus vociferus  
Sandhill Crane Antigone canadensis  
American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica  
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica  
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres  
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Calidris subruficollis  
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus  
American Woodcock Scolopax minor  
Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria  
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca  
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor  
Great Egret Ardea alba  
Osprey Pandion haliaetus  
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus  
Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis  
Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus  
Long-eared Owl Asio otus  
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus  
Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum  
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta  
Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum  
Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia  
Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina

Reptiles

Endangered

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Alligator Snapping Turtle Macrochelys temminckii  
Eastern Mud Turtle Kinosternon subrubrum  
Spotted Turtle Clemmys guttata  
Blanding's Turtle Emydoidea blandingii  
Ornate Box Turtle Terrapene ornata  
River Cooter Pseudemys concinna  
Butler's Gartersnake Thamnophis butleri  
Copper-bellied watersnake Nerodia erythrogaster neglecta Threatened *
Kirtland's Snake Clonophis kirtlandii  
Smooth Greensnake Opheodrys vernalis  
Scarletsnake Cemophora coccinea  
Southeastern Crowned Snake Tantilla coronata  
Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorous  
Eastern MassasaugaSistrurus catenatus Threatened
Timber Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus  

* Only the Distinct Population Segment of copper-bellied watersnake in northern Indiana is federally threatened.

Special Concern

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Eastern Box Turtle Terrapene carolina  
False Map Turtle Graptemys pseudogeographica  
Plains Gartersnake Thamnophis radix  
Western Ribbonsnake Thamnophis proximus  
Rough Greensnake Opheodrys aestivus  
Red-bellied Mudsnake Farancia abacura

Amphibians

Endangered

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis  
Mole Salamander Ambystoma talpoideum  
Red Salamander Pseudotriton ruber  
Green Salamander Aneides aeneus  
Crawfish Frog Lithobates areolatus  
Plains Leopard Frog Lithobates blairi  

Special Concern

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Mudpuppy Necturus maculosus  
Blue-spotted Salamander Ambystoma laterale  
Streamside Salamander Ambystoma barbouri  
Four-toed Salamander Hemidactylium scutatum  
Blanchard's Cricket Frog Acris blanchardi  
Boreal Chorus Frog Pseudacris maculata

Fishes

Endangered

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Lake Sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens  
Redside Dace Clinostomus elongatus  
Pallid Shiner Hybopsis amnis  
Greater Redhorse Moxostoma valenciennesi  
Cisco Coregonus artedi  
Hoosier Cavefish Amblyopsis hoosieri  
Bantam Sunfish Lepomis symmetricus  
Western Sand Darter Ammocrypta clara  
Variegate Darter Etheostoma variatum  
Channel Darter Percina copelandi  
Gilt Darter Percina evides  

Special Concern

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Northern Brook Lamprey Ichthyomyzon fossor  
Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula  
American Eel Anguilla rostrata  
Pugnose Shiner Notropis anogenus  
Bigmouth Shiner Notropis dorsalis  
Longnose Dace Rhinichthys cataractae  
Northern Madtom Noturus stigmosus  
Trout-perch Percopsis omiscomaycus  
Slimy Sculpin Cottus cognatus  
Spotted Darter Etheostoma maculatum  
Banded Pygmy Sunfish Elassoma zonatum

Mollusks

Endangered

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Fanshell Cyprogenia stegaria Endangered
White Catspaw Epioblasma perobliqua Endangered
Northern Riffleshell Epioblasma rangiana Endangered
Snuffbox Epioblasma triquetra Endangered
Round Hickorynut Obovaria subrotunda Threatened*
Sheepnose Pletheobasus cyphyus Endangered
Clubshell Pletheobasus clava Endangered
Rough Pigtoe Pleurobema plenum Endangered
Fat Pocketbook Potamilus capax Endangered
Rabbitsfoot Theliderma cylindrica Threatened
Rayed Bean Villosa fabalis Endangered

* Proposed as Threatened.

Special Concern

Common Name Scientific Name Federal Status
Slippershell Mussel Alasmidonta viridis  
Salamander Mussel Simpsonaias ambigua  
Elephantear Elliptio crassidens  
Spike Eurynia dilatata  
Wavyrayed Lampmussel Lampsilis fasciola  
Pocketbook Lampsilis ovata  
Black Sandshell Legumia recta  
Ohio Pigtoe Pleurobema cordatum  
Kidneyshell Ptychobranchus fasciolaris  
Ebonyshell Reginaia ebenus  
Purple Lilliput Toxolasma lividum  
Texas Lilliput Toxolasma texasiense  
Rainbow Villosa iris  
Little Spectaclecase Villosa lienosa  
Pointed Campeloma Campeloma decisum  
Swamp Lymnaea Lymnaea stagnalis

Rare and Endangered Wildlife

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