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ENDANGERED AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS IN NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS
<br />WITH A LIST OF VANISHING FISHES OF THE REGION
<br />JACK E. WILLIAMS'
<br />U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
<br />2800 Cottage Way, Room E-1823, Sacramento, CA 95825
<br />DAVID B. BOWMAN
<br />U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
<br />500 Gold Avenue SW., P.O. Box 1306, Albuquerque, NM 87103
<br />JAMES E. BROOKS
<br />Arizona Game and Fish Department
<br />2222 W. Greenway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85023
<br />ANTHONY A.ECHELLE
<br />Department of Zoology
<br />Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078
<br />ROBERT J. EDWARDS
<br />Department of Biology
<br />Pan American University, Edinburg, TX 78539
<br />DEAN A. HENDRICKSON
<br />Department of Zoology
<br />Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287
<br />JERRY J. LANDYE
<br />BIO GEO Southwest, Inc.
<br />3465 N. Jamison Blvd., Flagstaff, AZ 86001
<br />ABSTRACT
<br />Habitat degradation and the introduction of exotic species are endangering an increasing number of fishes and other aquatic
<br />organisms in the desert areas of North America. We identify 164 fishes from North American deserts as endangered, vulner-
<br />able, rare or of indeterminate status. Forty-six of these fishes are herein considered endangered. Additionally, 18 recently
<br />extinct fishes are recorded from the region. Fifteen ecosystems are identified as providing habitat for 83 of these vanishing
<br />fishes. These highly significant aquatic ecosystems, with locations given parenthetically, are: Cuatro Cienegas (Coahuila),
<br />Gila River (New Mexico, Arizona and Sonora), Rio Grande (New Mexico, Texas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and
<br />Tamaulipas), Pecos River (New Mexico and Texas), Railroad Valley (Nevada), Colorado River (Colorado, Utah, New Mexico,
<br />Arizona, Nevada, California, Baja California del Norte and Sonora), Green River (Wyoming, Colorado and Utah), Pahranagat
<br />Valley (Nevada), Parras Valley (Coahuila), La Media Luna (San Luis Potosi), Ash Meadows (Nevada), Upper White River
<br />(Nevada), Moapa River (Nevada), Rio Yaqui (Arizona, Chihuahua and Sonora), and Upper Klamath Basin (Oregon and Cali-
<br />fornia). A discussion of these ecosystems and their vanishing fishes, amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates are provided.
<br />Protection of remaining natural habitats and communities within these areas provide the best opportunity for long-term
<br />survival of the constituent rare organisms.
<br />RESUMEN
<br />La degradacion del habitat y la introduccion de especies exoticas estan ponienda en peligro un numero creciente de peces y
<br />otras especies acuaticas en los areas deserticos de Norteamerica. Se han identificado 164 especies de peces de estas areas
<br />IThe authors comprise the Endangered Species Committee of the Desert Fishes Council.
<br />Williams, Jack E., Bowman, David B., Brooks, James E., Echelle, Anthony A., Edwards, Robert J., Hendrickson, Dean A. and
<br />Landye, Jerry J. 1985. Endangered Aquatic Ecosystems in North American Deserts with a List of Vanishing Fishes of the
<br />Region. Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science 20:1-62.
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