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<br />854
<br />
<br />TYUS ET AL
<br />
<br />least two studies supported by the Recovery Im-
<br />plementation Program for Endangered Fishes in
<br />the Vpper Colorado River Basin, The second au-
<br />thor (WCS) used the protocol in a taxonomic study
<br />in which muscle and fin tissue samples were taken
<br />from over 400 chubs Gila spp, in the Colorado
<br />River, No fish mortality was detected and all fish
<br />were vigorously swimming when released into the
<br />river, The sampling protocol also has been applied
<br />to several contaminants studies (e,g" Waddell and
<br />May 1995), including a selenium study of razor-
<br />back suckers held in a pond near Grand Junction,
<br />Colorado (Hamilton 1998), where muscle tissue
<br />was sampled four times annually for 3 years from
<br />36 razorback suckers (12 plugs taken from each
<br />fish), In that study, the senior author (HMT) ob-
<br />served most of the fish, and wounds inflicted by
<br />the dermal punch were so well healed they were
<br />difficult to detect Despite the frequency and du-
<br />ration of sampling, there has been no mortality (E
<br />Pfeifer, V,S, Fish and Wildlife Service, unpub-
<br />lished data),
<br />Although we did not compare removal of fin
<br />tissue by dermal biopsy punch with fin clips (i.e"
<br />clipping part, or all of fins), our experience and
<br />observation suggested that the dermal punch is the
<br />desired method, Fin clips usually result in de-
<br />formed fins, which could affect the behavior of the
<br />fish and result in reduced growth and survival
<br />(Wydoski and Emery 1983), Fin punches made
<br />through the mid-portion of the fin produced a hole
<br />of small diameter, but the resulting sample was
<br />thick As a result, the sample was adequate for
<br />tissue samples and the small hole healed rapidly,
<br />Our evaluation revealed no acute or chronic ef-
<br />fects of the tissue sampling protocol, but we urge
<br />caution when liver tissue must be sampled. Liver
<br />tissue samples should only be removed by a highly
<br />practiced surgeon, and only when a less invasive
<br />method is unavailable, We also caution against tak-
<br />ing larger amounts of tissue or otherwise changing
<br />methods, especially in ways that might prolong the
<br />procedure, without further study, As in case of the
<br />Colorado River fishes, we are optimistic that re-
<br />covery efforts for other endangered or otherwise
<br />sensitive species will benefit from the use of this
<br />tissue sampling protocoL
<br />
<br />Acknowledgments
<br />
<br />Funding and other support for this study was
<br />provided, in part, by the Recovery Implementation
<br />Program for Endangered Colorado River Fish Spe-
<br />cies in the Vpper Colorado River Basin, and the
<br />V, S, Fish and Wildlife Service, who furnished
<br />
<br />Endangered Species Act research permits, The
<br />Dexter and Jones Hole National Fish hatcheries
<br />provided fish, laboratory space, and care for the
<br />fish, Colorado River Fishes Project personnel at
<br />Vernal, Vtah, also provided care for the endan-
<br />gered fishes and assisted with autopsies. Frank
<br />Pfeifer ofthe V, S, Fish and Wildlife Service office
<br />in Grand Junction, Colorado, provided information
<br />concerning application of the protocol to razor-
<br />back suckers that was part of a study of selenium,
<br />
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