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citing early 1960s agency reports) reported that Razorback Sucker was rare in the <br />Green and Yampa rivers. Following closure of Flaming Gorge Dam, Vanicek et al. <br />(1970) then collected 16 putative hybrids from the Green River. Vanicek (1967:45) also <br />noted that morphological characters of hybrids were intermedia#e between those of the <br />two parental species. This was in agreement with Hubbs and Miller (1953), who <br />recorded similar findings from an examination of eight total specimens, two from the <br />upper Colorado River and six from the upper Green River. Holden (1973) reported that <br />hybrids were collected throughout the range of the species, usually in quiet, backwater <br />areas in assoaation with the parental species. Holden also noted that Razorback <br />Sucker were collected only in the middle and lower sections of the upper Colorado River <br />basin, and were considered "rare." In his study, Holden collected 40 hybrids and 53 <br />razorbacks. He noted that hybrids were readily distinguished by an intermediate lateral <br />line scale count and by an abbreviated (although clear) keel. <br />Buth et al. (1987) used allozymes to examine potential for natural hybridization in <br />C. latipinnis and X. texanus collected throughout the Colorado River basin. Overall, the <br />propensity was 0--3% toward X. texanus and 0--5% toward C. latipinnis. Of 41 putative <br />hybrids morphologically identified by Douglas and Marsh (1998) in the Little Colorado <br />River of Grand Canyon, nine (22%) were examined electrophoreticallysnd with RFLP <br />analysis of mtDNA. Eight of these proved to be backcrossed. This suggests that <br />morphological identification of putative hybrids was reasonable, in that 89% (8/9) were <br />correctly identified. It also indicated that a very small subpopulation of hybrids exists <br />within the Marble Canyon reach of Grand Ganyon. It averages 30 in number, is <br />predominantly male, and frequents the Little Colorado River in spring, on average 2.2 <br />km above the confluence. Lastly, results from Douglas and Marsh (199$) suggest that <br />hybrids are indeed fertile and capable of backcrossing with parental forms. <br />The present study also focuses upon introgressive hybridization among suckers <br />(Catostomidae), but specifically between introduced White Sucker (Catostomus <br />commerson~) and the endemic Colorado River Basin Flannelmouth Sucker (C. <br />latipinnis) and Bluehead Sucker [C. (Pantosteus) discobolus]. These three species <br />7 <br />