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<br />15 <br /> <br />and Jacobi 1981; McAda and Tyus 1984). One or more of the following species; redside <br />shiner, common carp, white sucker, or fathead minnow; were identified in different studies <br />as prey consumed by yearling, juvenile, or adult Colorado squawfish (Vanicek 1967; <br />Grabowski and Hiebert 1989; Osmundson and Kaeding 1989b). <br /> <br />Introduced fishes used as prey may pose a threat if they have anti-predatory <br />mechanisms that are deadly to their predators, especially if native predators are naive to this <br />defense. Several authors have noted the occurrence of channel catfish lodged in the throats <br />of Colorado squawfish. Apparently, pectoral fins of catfish lock out and become lodged in <br />the esophagus of squawfish (Vanicek 1967). McAda (1983) collected a Colorado squawfish <br />(550 mm TL) with a 120 mm TL catfish in this condition in 1974. He believed it was a rare <br />occurrence based on the large number of Colorado squawfish collected without this problem <br />and considered this to have had little influence on the decline of Colorado squawfish. Wick <br />et al. (1985) also collected a Colorado squawfisIl (591 mm TL) with a 174 mm TL channel <br />catfish lodged headfirst in its throat <br /> <br />Pimentel et al. (1985) reported three occurrences of Colorado squawfish choking on <br />channel catfish in the Green River in 1982 and 1983. They also performed laboratory <br />studies of adult Colorado squawfish (mean TL = 444 mm) and small channel catfish <br />(mean TL = 77 mm). Colorado squawfish that did consume channel catfish were not <br />injured and catfish did not lodge in their throats. A possible explanation for the lack of <br />lodging was that Colorado squawfish in this study were considerably larger than the prey. <br />Colorado squawfish did not prefer channel catfish and fed on other species when possible. <br />Removal of spines did not enhance predation on channel catfish and Colorado squawfish fed <br />on them only after being starved for over 5 days. Pimentel et al. (1985) suggested that <br />environmental conditions, such as cold water, might make channel catfish sluggish and more <br />vulnerable to predation. <br /> <br />Spatial interactions <br /> <br />Any desirable space in limited supply can be contested, creating competition between <br />nonnative and native species. There can be competition for habitat, feeding station, or <br />spawning space. Using a preferred space and protecting it from others might benefit a fish <br />that is resting, feeding, spawning or performing any necessary activity. Benefit may be <br />obtained from an area that provides better water quality, depth, velocity, substrate, or some <br />other parameter. Spatial competition is often tested by determining overlap of microhabitat <br />use between two species. A high degree of overlap may indicate competition for a defined <br />space, but for competition to occur microhabitat must be limited Habitat use of some <br />introduced fishes in the upper basin was summarized by Miller and Hubert (1990) and <br />Valdez (1990) summarized additional information on nonnative distribution and life history. <br /> <br />Holden (1977) suggested possible competition based on similar microhabitat use by <br />rare and introduced species. His collections of YOY squawfish and humpback chub on the <br />Green River were dominated by young nonnative species. McAda and Tyus (1984) <br />