8062 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

(Hubbs and Miller 1953). Behnke (1973) reported that algae and higher vegetation mixed with detritus is common in the gut, and chironomid larvae were also eaten. Minckley (1973) found' planktonic crustaceans in the intest- inal tract of reservoir-dwelling razorback suckers. They appear to be oppor- tunistic feeders which collect much of their food by sifting through the benthos and can feed in the water column also. The long caudal peduncle, elevated nape, and falcate fins of the bonytail chub also appear to be mainstream adaptations. Gaufin et al. (1960) collected bonytail chubs only in the main river channel of the Green River. They found no Gila specimens at all in the colder tributaries. Sigler and Miller (1963) described the habitat of the'bonytail chub as swift water with clay, mud, sand, or occasionally gravel or rubble bottoms; the water may be muddy.or clear. Vanicek and Kramer (1969) collected gravid bonytail chubs over a substrate of rubble and boulders covered with silt. Bonytail chubs re- quire water temperatures of 650F for spawning. Young-of-the-year and yearling • bonytail chubs were found in the Green River in Colorado in late June and early July while Flaming Gorge Reservoir was filling (1965-66). The young have been found in shallow, quiet waters adjacent to the main river channel (Sigler and Miller 1963). Vanicek and Kramer (1969) investigated the food habits of bonytail chubs larger than four inches. They found that aquatic and terrestrial insects were the most abundant food items. Gaufin et al. (1960) reported that bony- tail chubs in the Flaming Gorge Reservoir area before impoundment were omnivor- ous, eating terrestrial insects, plant matter, and fish. - 3 -