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were weighted since considerable overlap occurs between species for <br />particular meristic characters (e.g., precaudal vertebrae counts for <br />Gila cypha and Gila robusta). Meristic characters exhibiting the least <br />overlap were weighted more than those with considerable overlap as <br />follows: <br />Character <br />Weighting <br />factor <br />1. Mouth, whether terminal or inferior 2 <br />2. Eye diameter 1 <br />3. Gill raker counts on second arch 4 <br />4. Precaudal vertebrae 2 <br />5. Dorsal and anal fin ray number 1 <br />Total 0- <br />6. Head length divided by caudal peduncle depth 3 <br />7. Caudal peduncle length divided by head length 2 <br />8. Total vertebrae count 5 <br />Total 10 <br />Characters 1 through 5 gave the best separation into the three <br />species. Characters 6 through 8 were utilized to separate Gila cypha <br />from Gila elegans if meristic characters 1 through 5 did not segregate <br />the two. <br />Four Vernal FWS fishery biologists then participated in the identi- <br />fication of specimens and a score sheet was compiled for each specimen. • <br />A total of 7.5 out of 10 points (75 percent) was required to classify a <br />specimen as to species; less than 7.5 was considered an unknown. <br />Data Storage and Retrieval <br />The MANAGE data-based management system- developed by the Western <br />Energy and Land Use Team (WELUT) in Fort Collins, Colorado, was used <br />for the project. This system provides storage, retrieval, and manipula- <br />tion of large volumes of data. In addition, data analysis capability <br />was integrated into the MANAGE system by integrating certain features of <br />the IMSL (International Mathematical and Statistical Library) Package <br />(Shumate et al., 1981). <br />Field data were organized into four data sets in the Vernal data <br />base. Data sheets and the following data sets were developed: <br />1. Physical: Physical and chemical data, including water and air <br />temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, salinity, turbidity, <br />and stream width and depth. <br />2. Catch-Green: Catch data for fishes; includes sample time, dura- <br />tion, gear type, habitat, area sampled, depth, velocity, and <br />substrate for each fish species (endangered and nonend angered) by <br />age groups. 0 <br />18