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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Nevada legally has one official state animal: the desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni). The phrase “six official state animals” is a popular shorthand for Nevada’s six official animal-related symbols: one animal, one bird, one insect, one reptile, one fish and one fossil. The categories matter because Nevada law does not call all six “state animals.”
Here is the complete list, followed by the statutory distinction that keeps the wording accurate.
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Nevada’s six animal-related state symbols at a glance
| Legal category | Common name | Scientific name | Living? |
|---|---|---|---|
| State animal | Desert bighorn sheep | Ovis canadensis nelsoni | Yes |
| State bird | Mountain bluebird | Sialia currucoides | Yes |
| State insect | Vivid dancer damselfly | Argia vivida | Yes |
| State reptile | Desert tortoise | Gopherus agassizii | Yes |
| State fish | Lahontan cutthroat trout | Salmo clarki henshawi | Yes |
| State fossil | Ichthyosaur | Genus Shonisaurus | No; extinct |
All six designations appear in Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 235. The Nevada State Assembly’s educational “Nevada’s State Symbols” page presents the same categories for the public, while the Nevada State Library and Archives’ 2018 reference publication lists the desert bighorn sheep as Nevada’s animal and cites NRS 235.070.
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Why “six state animals” is not the legal wording
Nevada’s statutes assign a separate category to each symbol. NRS 235.070 says the desert bighorn sheep is the official state animal. Other sections identify a state bird, state insect, state reptile, state fish and state fossil. In ordinary conversation, “animals” can describe all six organisms, including the extinct fossil animal. In a legal or school assignment, however, calling all six “state animals” erases distinctions the Legislature deliberately made.
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The most accurate description is “Nevada’s six animal-related state symbols” or “Nevada’s official animal symbols by category.” That wording answers the common search for six animals while making clear that only one entry carries the statutory animal label.
Nevada’s official state animal: desert bighorn sheep
The designation
The desert bighorn sheep is Nevada’s official state animal. The Assembly education page dates the designation to 1973, and the Nevada State Library and Archives reference list identifies it as “Animal (1973).” The controlling statute is NRS 235.070.
NRS 235.070 uses this wording: “The animal known as the Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) is hereby designated as the official state animal of the State of Nevada.” The quotation identifies both the common name and the scientific name, so the statutory designation is not merely a general reference to any bighorn sheep.
How to write the name correctly
Use “desert bighorn sheep” in ordinary text and Ovis canadensis nelsoni when a scientific identification is useful. Scientific names are conventionally italicized, with the genus capitalized and the species and subspecies terms lowercase. The statute itself capitalizes “Desert Bighorn Sheep” in its formal sentence; normal prose can use lowercase unless it begins a sentence.
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The five other official animal-related symbols
State bird: mountain bluebird
Nevada’s state bird is the mountain bluebird, Sialia currucoides. NRS 235.060 supplies the bird designation. It is a separate legal symbol from the state animal, even though it is another living animal associated with Nevada’s official emblems.
When a list asks for Nevada’s “animals,” include the mountain bluebird only after labeling it as the state bird. That category label prevents readers from assuming the Legislature designated a second state animal.
State insect: vivid dancer damselfly
The vivid dancer damselfly, Argia vivida, is Nevada’s official state insect under NRS 235.062. “Damselfly” is part of the common name; the legal category is insect. In a classroom chart or field-guide index, place this entry with insects rather than with the state animal or the state bird.
The scientific name is useful because common names can vary between regions and publications. Including Argia vivida preserves the exact identification used in the state-symbol listing.
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State reptile: desert tortoise
Nevada designates the desert tortoise, Gopherus agassizii, as its state reptile in NRS 235.065. This is the reptile entry in the six-symbol set. The category is not interchangeable with the state animal designation in NRS 235.070, so a fact sheet should show “state reptile” beside the name.
Using the scientific name also helps distinguish the official symbol from broad references to tortoises generally. The statutory listing identifies Gopherus agassizii specifically.
State fish: Lahontan cutthroat trout
The Lahontan cutthroat trout, Salmo clarki henshawi, is Nevada’s official state fish under NRS 235.075. It is the only fish in the six-symbol list and should be identified by both its common name and the Lahontan designation.
Because “state fish” is a distinct statutory category, the trout should not be described as Nevada’s official state animal. A table that includes a category column makes the distinction immediately visible.
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State fossil: ichthyosaur
Nevada’s state fossil is an ichthyosaur in the genus Shonisaurus, designated by NRS 235.080. This is the only extinct entry among the six symbols. It represents an animal known through the fossil record, not a living species selected as the state animal.
The statutory level of identification is the genus, so “ichthyosaur (Shonisaurus)” is more precise than assigning a particular species that the designation does not name. Keep “state fossil” in the category field whenever the list is reproduced.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where each designation appears in Nevada law
Chapter 235 of the Nevada Revised Statutes is the primary legal source. The relevant sections are:
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11- NRS 235.060: mountain bluebird, state bird.
- NRS 235.062: vivid dancer damselfly, state insect.
- NRS 235.065: desert tortoise, state reptile.
- NRS 235.070: desert bighorn sheep, official state animal.
- NRS 235.075: Lahontan cutthroat trout, state fish.
- NRS 235.080: ichthyosaur (Shonisaurus), state fossil.
The Nevada Legislature’s current online statutes carry a revision note dated April 16, 2026, for the 2025 statutes. That date describes the statutory publication update; it does not change the category structure summarized here. If you are preparing a legal filing, curriculum, exhibit label or government publication, consult the current text of each cited section rather than relying on an undated secondary list.
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How to use the list without creating a factual error
For a classroom or worksheet
Use six rows and four columns: category, common name, scientific name and living status. This format lets students see that “animal” is one category among six. Ask learners to match each NRS section to its symbol, then have them explain why the ichthyosaur belongs in the table even though it is extinct.
For a museum, park or visitor display
Title the panel “Nevada’s animal-related state symbols” and place “official state animal” only beside the desert bighorn sheep. A short note that the fossil is extinct prevents visitors from reading the list as six living species. Scientific names should remain italicized and should match the statutory spelling.
For a wildlife reference list
Separate legal status from natural-history information. The state-symbol laws establish the names and categories; they do not, by themselves, provide population estimates, lifespan figures, range maps or conservation assessments. Add those details only from species-specific authorities, and keep them visually separate from the designation table.
Common mistakes and the accurate correction
- Mistake: “Nevada has six official state animals.” Correction: Nevada has one official state animal and five additional animal-related symbols in other categories.
- Mistake: Listing the ichthyosaur as a living state animal. Correction: It is the state fossil, an extinct ichthyosaur identified at the genus level as Shonisaurus.
- Mistake: Omitting scientific names. Correction: Include the statutory scientific names when precision matters: Ovis canadensis nelsoni, Sialia currucoides, Argia vivida, Gopherus agassizii, Salmo clarki henshawi and genus Shonisaurus.
- Mistake: Treating the 1973 date as the adoption date for every symbol. Correction: 1973 is the designation year documented for the desert bighorn sheep; the other entries have their own statutory provisions.
- Mistake: Replacing the legal category with a broad label. Correction: Keep “bird,” “insect,” “reptile,” “fish” and “fossil” visible wherever the symbols are presented together.
A compact answer for quick reference
If you need a one-sentence response, say: Nevada’s official state animal is the desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni), and the state’s other animal-related symbols are the mountain bluebird (state bird), vivid dancer damselfly (state insect), desert tortoise (state reptile), Lahontan cutthroat trout (state fish) and ichthyosaur of genus Shonisaurus (state fossil).
This phrasing preserves the popular six-item answer while matching the categories established in NRS Chapter 235.
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