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<br />Preface
<br />
<br />Native freshwater fishes of the desert Southwest
<br />are disappearing. Fishes obviously require water,
<br />scarce in the past in this vast arid zone, and even
<br />more so now with burgeoning human populations.
<br />As a result, this relatively small, special group of
<br />animals has fallen on hard times.
<br />Native freshwater fishes have received little
<br />attention from resource managers, or for that matter
<br />the public, simply because they tend to be unfamil-
<br />iar. Most people do not recognize the differences
<br />between different species of fishes, or even that
<br />different species of certain groups exist. Common
<br />names are confusing in fishes, since the term
<br />"minnow" means a little fish to almost anyone, and
<br />"sucker" is often used in a derogatory sense,
<br />referring to a species that feeds on other than
<br />"healthy" foods accumulated on the bottom.
<br />Actually, both minnows and suckers are each
<br />separate families, the Cyprinidae and Catostomidae,
<br />that make up a large proportion of the fishes native
<br />to western North America. Some minnows get big,
<br />and most suckers feed on live foods such as algae
<br />and mayflies, just like other stream fishes.
<br />Recognizing the problems of unfamiliarity and
<br />difficulties of identification, Rinne began to
<br />accumulate photographs of native fishes in the
<br />1970s. Efforts included development of a special
<br />chamber where fish could be kept alive and well
<br />during photography, and emphasis was on natural
<br />colors of living individuals, to illustrate how these
<br />animals actually look in nature. Photographs were
<br />chosen to illustrate not only their various body
<br />shapes, but also their functional features such as
<br />breeding color and morphologic variation-some of
<br />the more dynamic aspects of their existence. As
<br />permitted by other assignments, he traveled to
<br />obtain photographs throughout southwestern United
<br />States and northwestern Mexico. Acceptable
<br />photographs accumulated slowly. Some were
<br />published elsewhere to further other research efforts;
<br />others appear here for the first time. The present
<br />report includes photographs of 46 species of fishes,
<br />some of the places in which they live, and of some
<br />past and present conditions of regional aquatic
<br />habitats.
<br />The text by Minckley draws upon his experience
<br />of more than 30 years of research on desert aquatic
<br />systems and fishes. It emphasizes historic aspects of
<br />rivers and springs in the West-where they are,
<br />when they formed, and how they work. Treatments
<br />of fishes include comments on life-history traits,
<br />species uniqueness, and historic and present values,
<br />along with their roles in natural aquatic
<br />communi ties.
<br />
<br />The goal is to advertise these unique, threatened
<br />and endangered fishes, and try to increase public
<br />awareness of their plight. Knowledge of how these
<br />animals look and live, along with general information
<br />on their status, may contribute to their perpetuation.
<br />A list of technical literature on fishes of the region,
<br />their basic biology, and the imperiled status of the
<br />entire aquatic fauna is provided as Appendix I.
<br />Use of terms that refer to the conservation status
<br />of various species follows that of the International
<br />Committee on Endangered Species of the American
<br />Fisheries Society. "Endangered" fishes are those in
<br />danger of extinction throughout all or a significant
<br />portion of their ranges. "Threatened" species are
<br />likely to be endangered within the foreseeable future.
<br />Fishes of "special concern" may become threatened
<br />or endangered by minor disturbances, or those which
<br />require additional information to determine their
<br />status. Scientific names are not included in text or
<br />figure captions in an attempt to make the
<br />presentation more readable. Both common and
<br />scientific names of fishes mentioned in text are
<br />provided in Appendix II.
<br />
<br />Acknowledgments
<br />
<br />Permits for collecting, photographing, and
<br />otherwise dealing with native western fishes were
<br />granted by the States of Arizona, Nevada, and New
<br />Mexico, and for threatened and endangered species,
<br />by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Work in
<br />Mexico was under permits issued through the
<br />courtesy of the Mexican government. The Defenders
<br />of Wildlife and Nature Conservancy were especially
<br />helpful in allowing access to the Aravaipa Canyon
<br />Preserve. Uncredited photographs were taken
<br />specifically for this work. Photographs provided by
<br />others-B. D. DeMarais, S. G. Fisher, D. A. and J.
<br />R. Hendrickson, B. 1. Jensen, J. E. Johnson, W. G.
<br />Kepner, G. C. Kobetich, G. Mueller, R. D. Ohmart,
<br />R. Todd, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation-are
<br />credited in the figure captions; Figure 63 is
<br />reproduced by permission from Arizona Game and
<br />Fish Department. Forest Service personnel who
<br />provided able and substantial assistance with the
<br />project included Marty JakIe and Scott Belfit. Many
<br />others helped, and all are due our thanks.
<br />The text was originally prepared while Minckley
<br />was on an Interagency Personnel Agreement Act
<br />appointment between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
<br />Service and Arizona State University. B. 1. Jensen
<br />and his staff at Dexter National Fish Hatchery,
<br />Dexter, New Mexico, provided assistance, support,
<br />and encouragement that contributed substantially to
<br />the final product.
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