Tui chub

Last updated

Tui chub
Gila bicolor.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Leuciscinae
Clade: Laviniinae
Genus: Siphateles
Species:
S. bicolor
Binomial name
Siphateles bicolor
(Girard, 1856)
Synonyms [2]
  • Algansea bicolorGirard, 1856
  • Gila bicolor(Girard, 1856)
  • Algansea formosaGirard, 1856
  • Algansea obesaGirard, 1856
  • Algansea antica Cope, 1865
  • Siphateles vittatusCope, 1883
  • Leucus dimidiatusCope, 1883
  • Leucus olivaceusCope, 1883
  • Myloleucus thalassinusCope, 1883
  • Rutilus columbianus Snyder, 1908
  • Siphateles columbianus(Snyder, 1908)
  • Rutilus oregonensisSnyder, 1908

The Tui chub (Siphateles bicolor) [3] is a cyprinid fish native to western North America. Widespread in many areas, it is a highly adaptable fish that has historically been a staple food source for native peoples.

Contents

Range

The Tui Chub's range includes the Lahontan and Central system of the Great Basin, as well as the Owens, Truckee, Carson, Quinn, Humboldt, Columbia Klamath, and Mojave Rivers. [4] It is also found in the Pit River and Goose Lake of the upper Central Valley, California.

Description

The form and appearance of the Tui chub is variable; many were originally described as different species by J. O. Snyder, but have since been reduced to subspecies. In general, mature individuals are characterized by a deep olive above and white below, with a smooth variation in shading along the sides, and a brassy reflection. The fish has broad scales and a relatively large head compared to body. [5] Fins are olive and sometimes tinted with red. The pectoral fins are far forward and low on the body. Length has been recorded at up to 45 centimeters (18 inches); however, 20-25cm is typical for an adult. [6]

Habitat and behavior

Tui chubs are found in a variety of habitats, including small, fast-flowing streams, meandering rivers, springs, ponds, and lakes. [7] Their adaptability allows them to live in both high cold lakes, such as Lake Tahoe, and warmer desert streams. Their optimal range for water temperature lies between 15 and 30°C but they can survive in 2 to 36°C conditions. Although they are suited for wide range of environments, they are typically found in slow water with abundant vegetation.

Tui chub diet is varied; young fish eat mostly invertebrates, adding plant material and especially algae as they mature. Diet also varies by location and available food sources. Eating habits can be determined by the fineness of the gill rakers. Fine-rakered forms in Pyramid Lake feed more on plankton in open water, while coarse-rakered forms, which live near the bottom eat more plants and algae. The largest individuals will eat other fish also. [8]

Life cycle

Spawning may occur between late April and early August, depending on water temperature. In Pyramid Lake the peak season is June; males move inshore first, then congregate around arriving females in shallow water, preferring areas with a sandy substrate and heavy vegetation. [9] The female scatters her eggs randomly over a wide area, where they are then fertilized by several males. Eggs hatch between three and six days later; however, the embryos do not mature uniformly, leading to multiple spawning periods. The hatchlings feed in a pelagic state and grow rapidly in their first summer, attaining lengths of 22 to 42mm. In the subsequent summers they gain 20 to 55mm until they reach a mature adult size of 20 to 40cm. [10] Females reach sexual maturity at two years old while males reach it at one. [11] Tui chubs are considered old once they surpass seven years and the oldest ever recorded was 33. [12]

Culture

Archeological evidence reveals that the Tui chub was an important food source for the native people of the Western Great Basin, namely the Northern Paiute. Dip and gill nets were the preferred methods for harvesting fish; however, baited trotlines, basket traps, and weirs were often used for small-scale fishing. [13] Ethnographic reports indicate that the Northern Paiute fished on a large scale with gill nets. They used tule floats, willow sticks, and stone weights to suspend the unattended nets in shallow water for up to a few days. Tui chub were a staple in the indigenous diet because they are abundant and available year round, especially from April to August. During this 5 month period, the natives were provided with an almost inexhaustible stock. Fresh, small fish were swallowed whole while large fish were filleted. [14] The remaining fish were dried and stored for later consumption. After examining bone fragments from several caches of fish, researchers determined that the natives had a preference for small chub. [15] Many speculate that this arose from the desire to acquire calories efficiently. At larger sizes, the bone structure of the Tui Chub makes it difficult to separate edible portions. However, at small sizes, the bones are small enough to be ingested. Through careful observation of the Tui chub's behavior and environment, the tribes of the Western Great Basin were able to capitalize on this vital food source. [16]

Subspecies

The exact number of subspecies is not known; Sigler & Sigler estimate as high as 16. Agreed subspecies include:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohave tui chub</span> Subspecies of fish

The Mohave tui chub is a subspecies of the tui chub endemic to the Mojave River.

<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">Sacramento blackfish</span> Species of fish

The Sacramento blackfish is a species of freshwater fish in central California. A cyprinid, the blackfish is the sole member of its genus.

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

The chiselmouth is an unusual cyprinid fish of western North America. It is named for the sharp hard plate on its lower jaw, which is used to scrape rocks for algae. It is the sole member of the monotypic genus Acrocheilus and is a close relative of the Gila western chubs, and is known to hybridise with Ptychocheilus oregonensis.

The Alvord chub is a rare cyprinid fish endemic to the Alvord basin in southeastern Oregon and northwestern Nevada, U.S., known only from a few springs, streams and marshes in the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, and one location elsewhere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah chub</span> Species of fish

The Utah chub is a cyprinid fish native to western North America, where it is abundant in the upper Snake River and throughout the Lake Bonneville basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Borax Lake chub</span> Species of fish

The Borax Lake chub is a rare cyprinid fish found only in outflows and pools around Borax Lake, a small lake of the Alvord basin, Harney County, Oregon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Lake (Oregon)</span>

East Lake is one of the twin lakes that occupy part of the Newberry Crater or caldera in Central Oregon, United States. It is located in the Deschutes National Forest near the city of La Pine. The caldera was formed over 500,000 years ago from volcanic eruptions. East Lake's water comes from snow melt, rainfall, and hot springs only. The average depth is 67 feet (20 m), 180 feet (55 m) at the deepest point, and covers 1,044 acres (4.2 km2). East Lake is about 50 feet (15 m) higher in elevation and is to the east of its twin, Paulina Lake.

Bothriocephalus acheilognathi, also known as the Asian tapeworm, is a freshwater fish parasite that originated from China and Eastern Russia. It is a generalized parasite that affects a wide variety of fish hosts, particularly cyprinids, contributing to its overall success.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ana River</span> River in Oregon, United States of America

The Ana River is a short spring-fed river in south-central Oregon. It is on the northwestern edge of the Great Basin drainage. It flows 7 miles (11 km) from springs at the foot of Winter Ridge through high desert, range, and wetlands before emptying into Summer Lake. For most of its course, the Ana River flows through the Summer Lake Wildlife Area, which is maintained by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The river provides habitat for many mammal and bird species, as well as several fish species, including the rare Summer Lake Tui chub. The largest hybrid striped bass ever caught in Oregon was taken from Ana Reservoir in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Summer Lake Wildlife Area</span> Wildlife refuge in Oregon

The Summer Lake Wildlife Area is a 29.6-square-mile (77 km2) wildlife refuge located on the northwestern edge of the Great Basin drainage in south-central Oregon. It is administered by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The refuge is an important stop for waterfowl traveling along the Pacific Flyway during their spring and fall migrations. The Summer Lake Wildlife Area also provides habitat for shorebirds and other bird species as well as wide variety of mammals and several fish species. The Ana River supplies the water for the refuge wetlands.

The Death Valley freshwater ecoregion is a freshwater ecoregion in the western United States. It consists of endorheic rivers, lakes, and springs in the drainages of the Owens, Amargosa, and Mojave Rivers, in central-eastern California and southwestern Nevada.

Stillwater Marsh is an archaeology locality in the Carson Sink in western Nevada discovered when heavy flooding in the 1980s unearthed many human remains. The great diversity in plant life and altitudinally-determined microenvironments that surrounded the marsh helped to make it a popular place to live, as evidenced by archaeological findings. At Stillwater Marsh, skeletal remains were the primary means used to determine how people lived in the area. As large numbers of skeletons had not previously been found at Great Basin sites, Stillwater Marsh offered a remarkable opportunity to learn about daily life, as reflected in the human remains.

Catherine "Kay" S. Fowler is an anthropologist whose work has focused on preserving the cultures of the native people of the Great Basin. She earned her PhD from the University of Pittsburgh, and from 1964 to 2007 taught at the University of Nevada, Reno, where she is now Professor Emerita.

Siphateles is a genus of fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae, native to the Western United States. They were formerly placed in the genus Gila.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Klamath smallscale sucker</span> Species of fish

The Klamath smallscale sucker(Catostomus rimiculus), also known as the Jenny Creek sucker, is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Catostomidae. It is a freshwater fish that primarily inhabits the Trinity and Klamath River watersheds, as well as the overall region of the Klamath Basin in general. Within the Klamath Basin, they inhabit the area along with three other sucker fish: the Lost River sucker, shortnose sucker, and the Klamath largescale sucker. These fish can vary in length from 35 cm to 50 cm, and usually have a lifespan of around 9-15 years. They often form mixed schools with speckled dace, sculpins, and juvenile steelhead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Owens tui chub</span> Subspecies of fish

The Owens tui chub was described in 1973 as a subspecies of tui chub endemic to the Owens River Basin in Eastern California, United States. The Owens tui chub is distinguished from its closest relative, the Lahontan tui chub, by scales with a weakly developed or absent basal shield, 13 to 29 lateral and apical radii, also by the structure of its pharyngeal arches, the number of anal fin rays, 10 to 14 gill rakers, and 52 to 58 lateral line scales. Dorsal and lateral coloration varies from bronze to dusky green, grading to silver or white on the belly. It may reach a total length of 30 centimetres (12 in). Owens tui chub are believed to be derived from Lahontan Basin tui chub that entered the Owens Basin from the north during the Pleistocene Epoch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Mateo Rocks</span> Uninhabited California coastal islands

San Mateo Rocks are uninhabited islands that lie approximately 0.5 mi (0.80 km) off the coast of California, to the south of San Clemente, and just north of San Mateo Point, a minor headland that marks the border between Orange County and San Diego County. The rocks rise about 3 ft above high tide. In 2017 the San Mateo Rocks, a pinniped haul-out and scuba destination, became part of the California Coastal National Monument.

References

  1. NatureServe (2013). "Siphateles bicolor". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T62200A18229814. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T62200A18229814.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. "Synonyms of Siphateles bicolor (Girard, 1856)". Fishbase . Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  3. ITIS, 2006
  4. Raymond, Anan W.; Sobel, Elizabeth (1990). "The Use of Tui Chub as Food by Indians of the Western Great Basin". Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology. 12 (1): 2–18. ISSN   0191-3557. JSTOR   27825400.
  5. "California Fish Species - California Fish Website". calfish.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-24.
  6. Raymond, Anan W.; Sobel, Elizabeth (1990). "The Use of Tui Chub as Food by Indians of the Western Great Basin". Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology. 12 (1): 2–18. ISSN   0191-3557. JSTOR   27825400.
  7. "California Fish Species - California Fish Website". calfish.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  8. "California Fish Species - California Fish Website". calfish.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  9. "California Fish Species - California Fish Website". calfish.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  10. Raymond, Anan W.; Sobel, Elizabeth (1990). "The Use of Tui Chub as Food by Indians of the Western Great Basin". Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology. 12 (1): 2–18. ISSN   0191-3557. JSTOR   27825400.
  11. "ECOS: Species Profile". ecos.fws.gov. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  12. "California Fish Species - California Fish Website". calfish.ucdavis.edu. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
  13. Delacorte, Michael G. (2015). "Some Thoughts on Great Basin Fisheries". Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology. 35 (1): 29–51. ISSN   0191-3557. JSTOR   45155438.
  14. Raymond, Anan W.; Sobel, Elizabeth (1990). "The Use of Tui Chub as Food by Indians of the Western Great Basin". Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology. 12 (1): 2–18. ISSN   0191-3557. JSTOR   27825400.
  15. Delacorte, Michael G. (2015). "Some Thoughts on Great Basin Fisheries". Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology. 35 (1): 29–51. ISSN   0191-3557. JSTOR   45155438.
  16. Delacorte, Michael G. (2015). "Some Thoughts on Great Basin Fisheries". Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology. 35 (1): 29–51. ISSN   0191-3557. JSTOR   45155438.