10 Lesser-Known Endangered Species At Risk Of Disappearing From Earth Forever

Some endangered species are a little more famous than others--but all of them are important. Here are ten endangered underdogs living in the United States--for now.

Some endangered species are a little more famous than others--but all of them are important. Here are ten endangered underdogs living in the United States--for now. 

Number one is the Ozark Hellbender, an aquatic salamander whose diet is almost entirely comprised of crayfish, other small fish and even its own kind. 

Number two is the Akepa, a small honeycreeper featuring bright coloration and bill specially-shaped to open buds. 

Number three is the Purple Cat’s Paw Pearlymussel, which doesn't just have an extremely long name, it's also one of the rarest freshwater mussels in the country.

At number four is the Shasta Crayfish, native to freshwater ponds and rivers in the Rocky Mountain area--where it feeds off the slime covering rocks.

Number five is the Texas Blind Salamander, a creature originally discovered swimming in an artesian well at the San Marcos National Fish Hatchery. 

Number six is the Spectacled Eider, a duck named for the black eye patch-like markings on the male's green head. 

Number seven is the Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp--quite small, threatened, and as its name suggests, found in vernal pools in the western part of the country. 

At number eight, the Tipton Kangaroo Rat is a bit different from other kangaroo rats in that it has four toes on its hind feet instead of five like the others in its range. 

Number nine is the Oregon Spotted Frog, a species that lives in warm, large marshes and which is thought to be the most aquatic frog in all of the Pacific Northwest. 

Rounding out the list at number 10 is the Puritan tiger beetle, which lays its eggs on the cliffs of beaches in the northeastern United States.