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spawned earlier in the spring when water temperatures were lower. Although little is <br />known about the reproductive ecology of Colorado squawfish in that area, spring <br />spawning is also supported by collection of 32 mm (likely age-0) Colorado squawfish in <br />May in Arizona (Sigler and Miller 1963). " <br />Hatch was highest at 18°C (regimes combined) and lowest at 26°C, but survival to <br />7 d post-hatch was lowest at 18°C and highest at 26°C. If overall reproductive output <br />(product of % hatch and % survival of larvae) to 7 d is considered, the "optimum <br />temperature" for reproduction by Colorado squawfish may be 18-2b°C. The lower <br />temperature limit for incubation is unknown but survival was < 3% among embryos <br />incubated at 12-13°C (Hamman 1981). The upper temperature limit for incubation is <br />probably near 30°C. Our results indicate reproduction is precluded at 30°C by the high <br />rate of abnormalities. Marsh (1985) found no hatching of Colorado squawfish embryos <br />spawned artificially at 18°C and transferred to 10, 15, or 30°C; however, he did not <br />acclimate his embryos, which increased the likelihood of temperature shock and <br />subsequent embryo mortality. <br />The higher hatch at lower temperatures and higher post-hatch survival at higher <br />temperatures observed in this study may suggest that these are differences in <br />physiological tolerances of embryos and larvae and may represent adaptions to particular <br />habitats. Colorado squawfish may spawn in the 16-26°C main channel habitat (Kesler et <br />al. 1988; Tyus and Haines 1991). Larvae emerge from the substrate after an <br />undetermined period, drift downstream, and occupy 25-28°C, low-velocity channel <br />margin habitats. Field evidence suggests that larger (older) Colorado squawfish larvae <br />and juveniles prefer backwater habitat (Tyus 1991b; Tyus and Haines 1991, Haines and <br />16 <br />