9470

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 9470
• Author: Shiozawa, D. K., M. D. McKell, B. A. Miller and R. P. Evans.
• Title: Genetic Assessment of four native fishes from the Colorado River drainages in western Colorado
• USFW Year: 2003.
• USFW - Doc Type: the results of DNA analysis.
• Copyright Material: NO

INTRODUCTION

Native fishes throughout the western United States have been impacted by water development
and the introduction of non-native fishes. This has resulted in a significant number of fishes
being federally listed as threatened or endangered. The Colorado River Basin, especially the
mainstem rivers, has been especially impacted by water development and non-native
introductions (Tyus and Saunders 2000). Concern for the non-listed native fishes of the
Colorado River system has caused the State of Colorado to initiate a genetics assessment of these
fish. This assessment is focused on determining the degree of phylogenetic uniqueness among
existing populations of four unlisted native fishes that inhabit warm water reaches of rivers and
streams entering the Colorado River system. These are speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), ,
roundtail chub (Gila robusta), flannelmouth sucker (Catostomus latipinnis), and bluehead sucker
(Catostomus disco bolus ).

METHODS

On April 6, 2001, we received notice that the Colorado Division of Wildlife had approved
funding for the study of four native fishes from the Colorado River basin in the state of
Colorado (West Slope Native Fishes Genetics Assessment: Solicitation Number: PBA-114V.
We made our initial contact with CDOW regarding the scientific collection permit on April 16,
2001. We also began contacting various biologists and others in CDOW to gain a better
perspective of the distribution of the native species we were to collect and to assemble an'
undergraduate crew to assist in collecting and processing the fish. We trained them with regional
collecting trips in Utah so that they became familiar with field collecting procedures. A formal
permit application was submitted on June I, 2001. Additional contacts were made through June
with various regional offices of the CDOW so that the biologists could begin keeping specimens
encountered during their field surveys. The undergraduates were switched to alternate research
accounts while we waited for permit approval. The graduate student on the project also worked
in the DNA lab, receiving training on DNA protocols. During this time, while we were awaiting
receipt of the collecting permit, we collected various catostomids and cyprinids from Utah to
help anchor genetic relatedness of the same or related species along the west slope of the Rocky
Mountains in Colorado. These collections included speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) for
comparison to conspecifics from Colorado, longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae), Utah chub
(Gila atraria), and redside shiner (Richardsonius balteatus) to serve as outgroups for the
speckled dace and roundtail chub phylogenies; mountain sucker (Catostomus platyrhynchus),
Utah sucker (Catostomus ardens), and desert sucker (Catostomus clarki) to be used as outgroups
for both flannelmouth and bluehead sucker phylogenies.

We received the collecting permit (# 01-AQ908) on July 25,2001. In conjunction with advice
from CDOW biologists on collection locales, we used USGS 1: I 00,000 scale maps to select
prospective sampling sites prior to each sampling trip. We first selected streams classified by
USGS as perennial, and attempted to confirm this by downloading streamflow data from the
USGS website. Next, we identified potential sites along major rivers and their tributaries where
access appeared feasible. This list then served as a tentative itinerary for sampling trips. We
began our collections in the rivers of the northern portion of the state and sampled several sites in

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