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<br />Colorado River from the right and the rest enter <br />the river from the left. The variation in color <br />patterns was not restricted to tributary samples <br />from either side of the river. <br /> <br />Reproduction occurs during late spring, summer <br />and early fall. Direct spawning observations were <br />made on two occasions. A ripe female collected on <br />April 28, 1975 voided numerous large eggs upon <br />slight pressure. This female was taken from Crys- <br />tal Creek (River Mile 98.2). The water tempera- <br />ture of the creek was 220C at the time of collec- <br />tion. During the same time the Colorado River <br />was 11oC. Nuptial coloration was apparent; the <br />corner of mouth, the upper portion of operculum, <br />bases of pectoral, pelvic and anal fins and lower <br />portion of caudal fin were reddish. A ripe male <br />was taken from Clear Creek (River Mile 84.2) on <br />June 6, 1975. The water temperature was 200C at <br />the place of capture. Besides being tuberculate <br />the male specimen had the same reddish areas as <br />described for the female mentioned above but per- <br />haps even brighter. Tuberculate males were taken <br />during last of April through summer months as late <br />as the middle of November. The November collected <br />specimens were in postspawning condition and ex- <br />hibited blunt pointed tubercles which were believed <br />to be in a state of regression. <br /> <br />A sample of young taken from Boucher Creek <br />(River Mile 96.5) on June 4, 1976 represented an <br />early spawning. The six specimens ranged from 7.3 <br />to 12.7 millimeters in standard length and aver- <br />aged 10.3 mm in standard length. Another sample <br />which represented a late spawning was collected <br />from the paria River (River Mile 0) on November <br />16, 1975. The thirty-four specimens ranged from <br />12.4 to 20.3 mm standard length with an average of <br />15.6 mm. For comparison, an adult speckled dace <br />may exceed a hundred millimeters in standard length. <br /> <br />The original description of the humpback chub, <br />Gila cypha, was based on specimens from the Grand <br />Canyon area (Miller 1946a). We collected one <br />adult humpback chub from Shinumo Creek on August <br />1, 1975. This individual was photographed and re- <br />leased. Four adult humpback chubs* were obtained <br />from the Little Colorado River near its mouth on <br />June 2, 1976. No adult specimen of the bony tail, <br />Gila elegans, was taken during the survey. Posi- <br />tive identification of young and small juvenile <br />specimens of Gila has not been made up to this <br />time but we believe that these small specimens are <br />Gila cypha. During our study young or small juve- <br />nile Gila were taken at River Mile 44, 61.5, 65.8, <br />69, 71 and 108.7. A single young specimen (35.6 <br />rom in standard length) was taken at the River Mile <br />44 site on September 8, 1970. Additional attempts <br />to collect Gila above the Little Colorado River <br />(River Mile 61.5) failed to produce any more speci- <br />mens. Although Holden and Stalnaker (1970) re- <br />ported specimens of Gila from Lee's Ferry our <br />numerous attempts with a small-mesh seine revealed <br />no Gila of any size. <br /> <br />In addition to the adult Gila that was captured <br />and released at the Shinumo Creek site, two young <br />Gila were taken on September 23, 1975. One meas- <br />ured 32.3 mm and the other 32.8 mm in standard <br />length. The four smallest specimens of Gila ob- <br />tained from the mouth of the Little Colorado River <br />were 26.0, 27.3, 27.6 and 28.2 mm in standard <br />length. These specimens were collected on July 30, <br />1975. The smallest specimen taken at River Mile 69 <br />was 27.6 mm in standard length and was collected <br />on September 22, 1975. Two small specimens of <br />Gila were obtained from the Colorado River at <br />River Mile 71 on April 26, 1975. These two <br /> <br />*Gila cypha were collected under F~deral Permit <br />No. PRT 8-l85-C. <br /> <br />specimens measure 26.2 mm and 28.1 mm in standard <br />length. The three smallest specimens taken during <br />the study were obtained from the same area (River <br />Mile 71) on September 22, 1975. These three speci- <br />mens measure 24.5, 24.6 and 24.6 mm in standard <br />length. These data are important additions to our <br />knowledge of the chub in the Grand Canyon area and <br />will be useful in the planning of continued stud- <br />ies. Unfortunately we have not observed spawning <br />activity nor have we observed any ripe individuals. <br />In consideration of the size of the young and the <br />various dates of collection we believe that spawn- <br />ing may occur at various times during the summer <br />months. However, the present spawning pattern <br />may be a disrupted one which has resulted from <br />the imposed environmental conditions. <br /> <br />We believe that the impoundment of the Colorado <br />River by the Glen Canyon dam and the subsequent <br />continuous unnatural releases of cold bottom water <br />has had a devastating effect on the Gila popula- <br />tion. We believe our samples are evidence that <br />the distribution of Gila in the Grand Canyon area <br />has been reduced to an area near and extending a <br />few miles below the mouth of the Little Colorado. <br />Further, we believe the continuance of the Little <br />Colorado River in its present physical" and chemi- <br />cal state is essential to the survival of Gila in <br />the Grand Canyon. The Little Colorado River and <br />the main Colorado River downstream to Shinumo <br />Creek is critical habitat. <br /> <br />Our survey did not disclose any specimens of the <br />Colorado squawfish, Ptychocheilus lucius. Numer- <br />ous sampling sites should have produced young or <br />juveniles if the species still exists and repro- <br />duces in the Grand Canyon area. We are convinced <br />that the Colorado squawfish was extirpated from <br />the Canyon area by impoundment and the conditions <br />that prevailed thereafter. <br /> <br />The fifteen exotic species taken during the <br />study are listed with annotations. <br /> <br />The thread fin shad, Dorosoma petenense, an ex- <br />otic form presumably was introduced as a forage <br />species for the large introduced game species. <br />The threadfin shad was collected at Spencer Creek <br />(Mile 246), at Emory Falls (Mile 274.3) and at <br />Scorpion Island (Mile 279.5). <br /> <br />A single specimen of the coho salmon, Oncorhyn- <br />chus kisutch, was seined at River Mile 194.5 on <br />August 16, 1971. <br /> <br />The introduced rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, <br />and various hybrid combinations were taken from <br />many of the tributaries and various places along <br />the main river. No young or juveniles were col- <br />lected around the mouth of the paria River and we <br />suspect that little if any spawning is successful <br />in that part of the river. <br /> <br />The carp, cyprinus carpio, was as widely dis- <br />tributed in the Grand Canyon area as the rainbow <br />trout. Schools of individuals were observed in <br />the main river from Lee's Ferry down to and along <br />the shores of the Mead Reservoir and at the mouths <br />of all moderate to large size tributaries. For <br />example, a group of 21 was observed at River Mile <br />34 on July 29, 1975 and twelve were collected <br />from the mouth of Kan?b Creek on June 9, 1975. <br />The uppermost site for young or juvenile carp was <br />the Little Colorado River (Mile 61.5). Young or <br />juveniles were collected at Cardenas Creek area <br />(Mile 71), River Mile 194.5 and at Emory Falls <br />in the Mead Reservoir (Mile 274.3). All other <br />collections and sightings were of adults thus <br />indicating that the conditions prevailing in the <br />upper stretches of the Colorado River around Lee's <br />Ferry are not favorable spawning area even for the <br />tolerant carp. <br /> <br />603 <br />