7998

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7998
• Author: Desert Fishes Council, G. a. S., ed.)‎.
• Title: Proceedings of the Desert Fishes Council Volume XXVII, 1995 Annual Symposium.
• USFW Year: 1996.
• USFW - Doc Type: November, 16-19.
• Copyright Material: NO

PROCEEDINGS OF THE DESERT FISHES COUNCIL, 1995 Srn>POsIuM
been introduced about 70 years earlier (ca. 150
fish from somewhere in Texas). Our dry weight
data for G. minis offspring vary to a similar
degree. He used embryos and I used newborn
young, which should be slightly heavier than
embryos (Hubbs, 1971). The fish released into
Hawaii came from "Texas," presumably either
from the same location or were mixed prior to
release, and his results were not caused by
differences among the source populations.
Stearns tested fish living in stable environments
or environments with fluctuating water levels.
Clearly, the influence of an environmental
variable influenced the life history traits he
observed. I found similar levels of variation
among native populations of G. af"inis that did
not correlate with environmental factors.
All of us demonstrated variation in life
history traits for introduced populations (G.
af'inis for Stearns and Stockwell and G. geiseri for
me). The degree of variation of life history traits
for G. geised was less than Stearns and Stockwell
showed for G. affinis. This may have resulted
from a) a shorter time since release (50 versus 55
or 70 years), b) the species used, or c) the
differences among the environments (quite
different for Stearns and Stockwell, virtually
identical for me).
It is therefore essential that reports of life
history (and perhaps all) traits include a
consideration of the population used as well as
the species. Furthermore, it is essential that the
use of fish for practical applications consider the
population as well as the species. This applies to
the use of hatchery fish for recreational activities
as well as for public health concerns.
It is possible, but unlikely, that the variation
of G. a finis life history traits reflects species level
differences, (i.e., G. affinis sensu stricto is a
complex of numerous species). If that hypothesis
is valid, there should be a correlation among the
life history traits and with geographic location;
these do not occur. Certainly that cannot apply
to the East Sandia Spring population of G. geised.
Even if G. affinis is a species complex, these
results are merely raised to another evolutionary
VOLUME XXVII - PuBusHED 1996
level, and this variation is among populations of
a morphologically-recognized species.
Acknowledgments
The field work to capture stocks benefitted
from the assistance of numerous individuals
including: Francisco Abarca; Daniel R. Brooks;
Tony Castillo; Pat Connor; Laurie Dries; David
Edds; Debby and Robert J. Edwards; Alice F.
Echelle; James Fries; Linda Fuselier; Noeleonel
Garcia; Cole and Gary Garrett; Lawrence Gilbert;
Baile Griffith; Sam Hamilton; Tom Hayes; Dean,
Garrett and Jacob Hendrickson; Ereckson and
David Hillis; Anson and A. Ryland Howard;
Catherine S. Hubbs; James E. Johnson; John
Kargis; James King; Andy and Edie Marsh;
William J. Matthews; Hanna Robin Morgan;
James Peoples; Amy and A Lee Pfluger; Andy
Price; Haven Riley; Michael J. Ryan; Michael J.
Ryan; Glen A. Sachtleben; David Schlesser; John
Tilton; Arcadia Valdes-Gonzales; David Van
Meter; Robert Wienecke; and David C. Wilson.
The laboratory work involved the assistance of
Laurie Dries, Catherine A Mader, Deborah A
McLennan, Molly R. Morris, Tanya Peterson, Gil
Rosenthal, and Paige Warren.
I am also indebted to landowners, principally
Ford and Edie Boulware and A Lee Pfluger for
permission to collect fishes from their ranches.
Deborah J. Miller patiently word processed
numerous versions of this report, including the
tables, and Janet Young prepared the map.
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