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Cyprinidae -Carps and Minnows <br />Red Shiner Cyprinella lutrensis <br />Native Distribution: <br />Mississippi and Gulf drainages, from South Dakota through <br />Illinois and from Louisiana westward into northern Mexico <br />[Lee et al. 1980]. <br />Distribution and Status in Upper Colorado River Basin: <br />First collected in the Lower Colorado River Basin south of <br />Gadson, Arizona, in 1953 (fish probably escaped from a bait <br />farm near Ehrenburg, Arizona) [Hubbs 19541. Possibly first <br />introduced into the UCRB near Grand Junction in the late <br />1950's or early 1960's [Holden and Stalnaker 1975]. Spread <br />rapidly throughout the Colorado River and tributary streams <br />where it is now common or abundant [Minckley 1973; Moyle 1976; <br />Gleason 1982; Tyus et al. 1982; Sublette et al. 1990; Hawkins and Nesler <br />1991] . <br />Widespread, common or abundant (possibly the most abundant <br />fish species in the upper basin). Principal distribution is <br />in middle and lower sections of larger rivers having warm <br />and usually turbid water. Predominant species in <br />low-velocity nursery habitats of native fishes (all life <br />stages of red shiner occur in these habitats) [Tyus et al. <br />1982; Haines and Tyus 1990; Karp and Tyus 1990a; Ruppert et al. 1993; <br />Nelson et al. 1995]. <br />In a survey of CRB researchers, red shiner ranked second on <br />a list of 28 nonnative fish species considered to adversely <br />impact native fishes of the CRB and the southwestern United <br />.States. Suspected impacts included predation on larvae of <br />native fishes, especially Colorado squawfish and razorback <br />sucker, and competitive interactions with young of native <br />fishes, especially Colorado squawfish and Gila sp. [Hawkins <br />and Nesler 1991]. <br />General Habitat: <br />Mobile, aggressive, generalist species (adapts well to new <br />habitats). Primarily a riverine species but occurs in <br />impoundments. Found in streams of all sizes but most <br />abundant in moderate- to large-sized creeks and rivers with <br />low gradient and low to moderate water velocities. Inhabit <br />a variety of perennial and ephemeral riverine habitats <br />(including quiet pools, backwaters, mouths of creeks, runs, <br />and riffles) with a variety of substrate types (silt, sand, <br />gravel, boulders). Adaptable and tolerant of high turbidity <br />and siltation and fluctuations in flow, temperature, <br /> <br />34