7781

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7781
• Author: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Title: Recovery Plan for WOUNDFIN,
• USFW Year: 1979.
• Copyright Material: NO

WOUNDFIN RECOVERY-PLAN
INTRODUCTION
The woundfin, Plagopterus argentissimus, is a streamlined silvery minnow
with a flat head and a conspicuous, sharp dorsal spine, from which its
common name was derived. The type specimen was described by Cope in 1874
from a collection apparently made in Washington County, Utah (Miller and
Hubbs, 1960). The woundfin was first placed on the endangered species
list by the Department of the Interior in 1967.
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The historic range of woundfin has been documented in the Salt River near
Tempe, Arizona; at the mouth of the Gila River near Yuma, Arizona; in the
Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona; in the Virgin River in Nevada, Arizona,
and Utah and in LaVerkin Creek, a tributary to the Virgin River in Utah
(Gilbert and Scofield, 1898; Snyder, 1915; Miller and Hubbs, 1960; Cross,
1975). Recently, researchers have attempted to transplant woundfin into
four localities in Arizona at the periphery of the historic range without
success.
Woundfin are capable of surviving and reproducing in a habitat that most
fish would find intolerable. The adults are typically found in swift,
shallow, highly turbid waters that sometimes reach a summer temperature
of 37.6°C. The ability to tolerate these harsh habitats has probably
been an asset to the woundfin by limiting competition and predation from
exotic fishes which cannot thrive under these conditions. Little is
known of the historical abundance. of woundfin, but now they are locally
abundant in the Virgin River in reaches of permanent water. Some investi-
gators believe populations have remained static for many years. Others
believe populations have been decreasing because of habitat modification
and destruction.
Basic data on woundfin life history and ecology are currently being
collected in studies being conducted by Dr. James Deacon (University of
Nevada, Las Vegas) and his staff. A recently completed Master's thesis
by one of Dr. Deacon's students, Mr. Jeffrey Cross (1975), provides much
data relative to the ecological distribution of the species.
At this time (1979) several proposed projects are being suggested that
may have a substantial impact upon the remaining woundfin habitat.
Continued encroachment upon woundfin habitat in the Virgin River must be
carefully monitored to assure that "progress" will not adversely affect
the last known stronghold of this unique species. Despite the present
and future proposals for Virgin River water, federal agencies are required
by the amended Endangered Species Act of 1973 to protect existing woundfin
populations and habitat designated as critical to their survival.
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