7949

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7949
• Author: Williams, J. E.
• Title: Taxonomic Status Of
• USFW Year: 1978
• Copyright Material: YES

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Fig. 1. Distribution of Rhinichthys osculus subspecies in southern Nevada.

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eastern Nevada (La Rivers 1962). The purpose of this paper is to in-
terpret the taxonomic status of R. osculus from the Moapa River.
The Moapa River is a relatively small, swift-water stream in eastern
Clark County, Nevada. Prior to the filling of Lake Mead, the Moapa
River flowed into the Virgin River about 35 km above its confluence
with the Colorado River.
Rhinichthys osculus in Nevada, and particularly in southern Ne-
vada, is quite diverse (Fig. 1). The subspecies R. o. yarrowi inhabits
the Virgin River just east of the Moapa River (Sigler and Miller 1963;
Minckley 1973). The White River and Meadow Valley Wash north
of the Moapa contains R. o. velifer, although the latter population also

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