Rio Grande cutthroat trout

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Rio Grande cutthroat trout
Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Alamosa watershed.jpg
From the Conejos watershed in southern Colorado
Status TNC T3.svg
Vulnerable  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae
Genus: Oncorhynchus
Species:
Subspecies:
O. v. virginalis
Trinomial name
Oncorhynchus virginalis virginalis
(C. F. Girard, 1856)

The Rio Grande cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus virginalis virginalis) [2] , a member of the family Salmonidae, is found in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado in tributaries of the Rio Grande. [3] [4]

Contents

It is one of 9 subspecies [2] of the Rocky Mountain cutthroat trout [2] [5] [6] [7] native to the western United States, and is the state fish of New Mexico. [8] Cutthroat trout were the first New World trout encountered by Europeans when in 1541, Spanish explorer Francisco de Coronado recorded seeing trout in the Pecos River near Santa Fe, New Mexico. These were most likely Rio Grande cutthroat trout (O. v. virginalis). [9]

Life history

Rio Grande cutthroat trout typically spawn between mid-May and mid-June. Males are sexually mature at age two; females mature at age three. They live an average of five years, but in rare cases, may survive into their teens. Rio Grande cutthroat feed opportunistically on aquatic insects and terrestrial insects that fall into the water.

Description

Rio Grande cutthroat trout have variably shaped [10] spots located mostly posteriorly, [8] [10] [11] with fewer and smaller spots above the anterior lateral line. Basibranchial teeth are not prominent or may be absent. [10] Color is variable but often includes red, orange or pink on the opercula and throat, bright rosy to drab olive flanks and yellow-orange undersides. [8] [10] [11]

Conservation status

Rio Grande cutthroat have the distinction of being the southernmost subspecies of cutthroat trout. However, due to the loss of populations across their native range and reports of Rio Grande cutthroat in Mexico and Texas, it is unclear how far south this trout once occurred. The Mexican reports have been all but dismissed, but Garrett and Matlock (1991) provided evidence indicating that Rio Grande cutthroat were likely native to Texas. Today the southernmost known populations are found on the eastern flanks of the Gila Mountains in Southern New Mexico. [12]

Rio Grande cutthroats currently live on 700 miles of stream in the Santa Fe National Forest, which is approximately 91% of their historical range. The Rio Grande cutthroat trout was a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act from 2008 to 2014.

In 2014 it was removed from candidacy as it was determined that listing was not warranted for this species. [10] [13] The ruling was challenged by the Center for Biological Diversity, however, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will reevaluate the species' candidacy. [14] :41570

The Rio Grande cutthroat trout evolved in New Mexico as a member of a native fish assemblage that included the longnose dace, the Rio Grande chub and the Rio Grande sucker.[ citation needed ]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trout</span> Freshwater fish from subfamily Salmoninae

Trout is a generic common name for numerous species of carnivorous freshwater ray-finned fishes belonging to the genera Oncorhynchus, Salmo and Salvelinus, all of which are members of the subfamily Salmoninae in the family Salmonidae. The word trout is also used for some similar-shaped but non-salmonid fish, such as the spotted seatrout/speckled trout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cutthroat trout</span> Species of fish

The cutthroat trout is a fish species of the family Salmonidae native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean, Rocky Mountains, and Great Basin in North America. As a member of the genus Oncorhynchus, it is one of the Pacific trout, a group that includes the widely distributed rainbow trout. Cutthroat trout are popular gamefish, especially among anglers who enjoy fly fishing. The common name "cutthroat" refers to the distinctive red coloration on the underside of the lower jaw. The specific name clarkii was given to honor explorer William Clark, coleader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

<i>Oncorhynchus</i> Genus of fishes

Oncorhynchus is a genus of ray-finned fish in the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae, native to coldwater tributaries of the North Pacific basin. The genus contains twelve extant species, namely six species of Pacific salmon and six species of Pacific trout, all of which are migratory mid-level predatory fish that display natal homing and semelparity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yellowfin cutthroat trout</span> Extinct subspecies of fish

The yellowfin cutthroat trout is an extinct subspecies or variety of the cutthroat trout, a North American freshwater fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lahontan cutthroat trout</span> Subspecies of fish

Lahontan cutthroat trout is the largest subspecies of cutthroat trout and the state fish of Nevada. It is one of three subspecies of cutthroat trout that are listed as federally threatened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greenback cutthroat trout</span> Subspecies of fish

The greenback cutthroat trout is the easternmost subspecies of cutthroat trout. The greenback cutthroat, once widespread in the Arkansas and South Platte River drainages of Eastern Colorado and Southeast Wyoming, today occupies less than 1% of its historical range. It is currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. It was adopted as the state fish of Colorado on March 15, 1994, replacing the unofficial rainbow trout.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout</span> Subspecies of fish

The Snake River fine-spotted cutthroat trout is a form of the cutthroat trout that is considered either as a separate subspecies O. c. behnkei, or as a variety of the Yellowstone cutthroat trout. The fish takes its common name from its original habitat, the Snake River of southern Idaho and western Wyoming, and from its unusual pattern of hundreds of small spots that cover most of its body, differing from the larger-spotted Yellowstone cutthroat pattern. Genetically, it cannot be distinguished from the Yellowstone cutthroat trout, and before the construction of dams, no physical barriers were between the ranges of the two subspecies in the Snake River drainage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westslope cutthroat trout</span> Subspecies of fish

The westslope cutthroat trout, also known as the black-spotted trout, common cutthroat trout and red-throated trout is a subspecies of the cutthroat trout and is a freshwater fish in the salmon family of order Salmoniformes. The cutthroat is the Montana state fish. This subspecies is a species of concern in its Montana and British Columbia ranges and is considered threatened in its native range in Alberta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coastal cutthroat trout</span> Subspecies of fish

The coastal cutthroat trout, also known as the sea-run cutthroat trout, blue-back trout or harvest trout, is one of the several subspecies of cutthroat trout found in Western North America. The coastal cutthroat trout occurs in four distinct forms. A semi-anadromous or sea-run form is the most well known. Freshwater forms occur in both large and small rivers and streams and lake environments. The native range of the coastal cutthroat trout extends south from the southern coastline of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska to the Eel River in Northern California. Coastal cutthroat trout are resident in tributary streams and rivers of the Pacific basin and are rarely found more than 100 miles (160 km) from the ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paiute cutthroat trout</span> Subspecies of fish

Paiute cutthroat trout is one of fourteen subspecies of cutthroat trout. Paiute Cutthroat are native only to Silver King Creek, a headwater tributary of the Carson River in the Sierra Nevada, in California. This subspecies is named after the indigenous Northern Paiute peoples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cutbow</span> Hybrid fish

The cutbow is an interspecific fertile hybrid between rainbow trout and cutthroat trout. While natural separation of spawning habitat limited hybridization in most native populations of rainbow and cutthroat trout, introduction of non-native hatchery-raised rainbow trout into native cutthroat trout range increased hybridization across the landscape. Due to these introductions, many populations of cutthroat trout are at risk of genetic pollution. As a result, significant management intervention at state and federal levels has occurred to preserve native populations of cutthroat trout.

The Baja California rainbow trout or San Pedro Martir trout or Nelson's trout is a localized subspecies of the rainbow trout, a freshwater fish in the family Salmonidae.

The Humboldt cutthroat trout is a subspecies of cutthroat trout, a North American fish in the family Salmonidae. It is one of the several subspecies of cutthroat trout. It was formally scientifically named in 2008 by Trotter and Behnke, who stated its distribution is in the basins of the upper Humboldt River of northern Nevada, the Upper Quinn River, as well as the Whitehorse (Coyote) basin (Oregon). The Nevada and Oregon Fish and Wildlife authorities still consider these populations belonging to the subspecies O. c. henshawi.

The Willow-Whitehorse Basin cutthroat trout refers to a population segment of the cutthroat trout complex from the streams of the Whitehorse Basin, southeastern Oregon. It is alternatively considered as a part of the Lahontan cutthroat trout subspecies, or of the Humboldt cutthroat trout whose main range is in Nevada. These fish have adapted to live under extreme conditions, and can withstand water temperatures as high as 85 °F for short periods of time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert J. Behnke</span> American fisheries biologist

Dr. Robert J. Behnke was an American fisheries biologist and conservationist who was recognized as a world authority on the classification of salmonid fishes. He was popularly known as "Dr. Trout" or "The Trout Doctor". His seminal work, Trout and Salmon of North America, was published in 2002. He wrote a regular column for Trout Magazine, the quarterly publication of Trout Unlimited. He was a fisheries biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in the Colorado Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit and a professor at Colorado State University in the 1970s. He became a Professor Emeritus at the Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology at Colorado State University.

Mexican native troutMexican rainbow trout, sometimes Baja rainbow trout and Mexican golden trout —occur in the Pacific Ocean tributaries of the Baja California peninsula and in the Sierra Madre Occidental of northwestern Mexico as far south as Victoria de Durango in the state of Durango. Many forms of the Mexican rainbow trout, subspecies of the rainbow trout, have been described. The Mexican golden trout is a recognized species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Costilla Creek</span> Tributary of the Rio Grande

Costilla Creek is a tributary of the Rio Grande in Colorado and New Mexico.

Fishing in Colorado has brought in a large amount of revenue for the state. In 2019 Colorado Parks and Wildlife estimated outdoor recreation contributed roughly 62 billion dollars to the state economy. Fishing was reported to be the 5th most popular outdoor activity and 110, 511 fishing and hunting combination licenses were sold. Ice fishing makes up part of this total fishing revenue and is a common annual sport for Colorado residents and out-of-state visitors. There is no legal definition of ice fishing season. Rather, people begin to ice fish once the lakes freeze over with thick enough ice. Colorado Parks and Wildlife also recommend that people always ice-fish with another person. Typically, this starts in December and ends in April for Colorado. Lakes size, depth, elevation, and seasonal weather can cause variance to the season. Once the lakes freeze over with thick enough ice, anglers go out onto the ice, drill holes through the ice, and fish for a variety of species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rocky Mountain cutthroat trout</span> Species of fish

The Rocky Mountain cutthroat trout(Oncorhynchus virginalis), formerly lumped in with the cutthroat trout as one species with multiple subspecies, is a fish species of the family Salmonidae native to cold-water tributaries of the northern and southern Rocky Mountains, as well as into portions of the Great Basin in North America. As a member of the genus Oncorhynchus, it is a part of the Pacific trout group, which includes the widely distributed rainbow trout. Cutthroat trout are popular gamefish, especially among anglers who enjoy fly fishing. The common name "cutthroat" refers to the distinctive red coloration on the underside of the lower jaw.

References

  1. NatureServe (2 February 2024). "Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis". NatureServe Network Biodiversity Location Data accessed through NatureServe Explorer. Arlington, Virginia: NatureServe. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 Trotter; Bisson; Schultz; Roper, eds. (2018). Cutthroat Trout: Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy. American Fisheries Society. doi:10.47886/9781934874509. ISBN   978-1-934874-50-9.
  3. Pritchard, Victoria; Cowley, David (2006). "Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout: A Technical Conservation Assessment" (PDF). Retrieved 2014-07-10.
  4. Trotter, Patrick C. (2008). "Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout". Cutthroat: Native Trout of the West (2nd ed.). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. pp. 421–447. ISBN   978-0-520-25458-9.
  5. Fishery Science Consultant (retired) 4926 26th Avenue South, Seattle, Washington 98108, USA; Trotter, Patrick; Bisson, Peter; U.S. Forest Service (emeritus), Pacific Northwest Research Station 3625 83rd Avenue SW, Olympia, Washington 95812, USA, eds. (2018), "Cutthroat Trout: Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy", American Fisheries Society, doi:10.47886/9781934874509.ch13, ISBN   978-1-934874-50-9 , retrieved 2024-08-07{{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: editors list (link)
  6. Fishery Science Consultant (retired) 4926 26th Avenue South, Seattle, Washington 98108, USA; Trotter, Patrick; Bisson, Peter; U.S. Forest Service (emeritus), Pacific Northwest Research Station 3625 83rd Avenue SW, Olympia, Washington 95812, USA, eds. (2018), "Cutthroat Trout: Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy", American Fisheries Society, doi:10.47886/9781934874509.ch1, ISBN   978-1-934874-50-9 , retrieved 2024-08-07{{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: editors list (link)
  7. Fishery Science Consultant (retired) 4926 26th Avenue South, Seattle, Washington 98108, USA; Trotter, Patrick; Bisson, Peter; U.S. Forest Service (emeritus), Pacific Northwest Research Station 3625 83rd Avenue SW, Olympia, Washington 95812, USA, eds. (2018), "Cutthroat Trout: Evolutionary Biology and Taxonomy", American Fisheries Society, doi:10.47886/9781934874509.ch2, ISBN   978-1-934874-50-9 , retrieved 2024-08-07{{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: editors list (link)
  8. 1 2 3 "State Fish". About New Mexico. New Mexico Office of the Secretary of State. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  9. Behnke, Robert J.; Tomelleri, Joseph R. (illustrator) (2002). "Cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarki". Trout and Salmon of North America. The Free Press. p. 139. ISBN   0-7432-2220-2.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 "Species Profile Rio Grande cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis)". Environmental Conservation Online System. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  11. 1 2 Springer, Craig (11 December 2023). "A Trout to Tout: Recovery of Rio Grande Cutthroat Is a Model for Fisheries Conservation". Fall 2023 Fish & Wildlife News. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  12. "Rio Grande Cutthroat - Oncorhynchus clarki virginalis - Introduction" . Retrieved 2016-05-01.
  13. New Mexico Game and Fish http://www.wildlife.state.nm.us/rio-grande-cutthroat-trout-no-longer-an-endangered-species-candidate/
  14. 88 FR 41560

Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2006). "Oncorhynchus clarki" in FishBase . April 2006 version.