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<br />Figure 47. Desert chub/charalito del desierto, 150 mm in
<br />total length, from Rio Matape. This species was only
<br />recently separated and named as distinct from the Yaqui
<br />chub. It is widespread in the western Rio Yaqui, Rio
<br />Sonora, and Rio Matape, but highly local in occurrence.
<br />Photograph by B. D. DeMarais.
<br />
<br />Arizona. Desert chub occupies the northwestern Rio
<br />Yaqui basin, and the adjacent rios Sonora and
<br />Matape. Yaqui chubs are small, usually less than 130
<br />mm total length, and chubby bodied, with small fins
<br />and mouths. They occupy pools of creeks, marshes,
<br />and other quiet water habitats, often in association
<br />with dense aquatic vegetation. Foods consist mostly
<br />of small invertebrates, algae, and organic debris.
<br />They breed sporadically throughout the summer,
<br />with males becoming gray blue when in breeding
<br />condition. Desert chubs tend to grow a bit larger,
<br />often to more than 15 em total length. They are
<br />similar in ecology, but may more often prefer pools
<br />of streams than marshes. Nothing is known of their
<br />
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<br />Fiqure 48. Undescribed chub/charalito, 86 mm in total
<br />length, from Rio Papigochic, Chihuahua. In 1978, it was
<br />relatively widespread in the Rio Yaqui basin; the American
<br />Fisheries Society did not consider it.
<br />
<br />foods or breeding habits. Even less is known of the
<br />undescribed species of chub (Fig. 48) found in the
<br />eastern Rio Yaqui basin, other than its general
<br />distribution in streams higher than 1400 m.
<br />The Gila chub (Fig. 49) is endemic to the Gila
<br />River basin, lower Colorado system, and is also
<br />characteristic of pools in small streams, marshes, and
<br />other quiet places. Females achieve lengths of 25 em
<br />total length; males rarely grow longer than 15 em.
<br />Foods include both large and small invertebrates,
<br />small fishes, algae, and organic debris. As with
<br />Yaqui chub, breeding seems to be sporadic
<br />throughout the spring and summer. This fish was
<br />widely distributed in isolated habitats, occurring in
<br />
<br />
<br />-,
<br />
<br />Figure 49. Gila chub/charalito del
<br />Gila, 14.2 em in total length, from
<br />Canelo Cienega, Arizona. This
<br />species is endemic to the Gila
<br />River basin, and is considered of
<br />special concern. It may be
<br />extirpated in Mexico, but still
<br />occurs in scattered localities in
<br />the United States.
<br />
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