7803

• UCREFRP Catalog Number: 7803
• Author: Holden, P. B. and C. B. Stalnaker
• Title: Systematic Studies of the Cyprinid genus Gila, in the Upper Colorado River Basin
• USFW Year: 1970
• USFW - Doc Type: COPEIA
• Copyright Material: NO

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1970 No.3

'COPEIA

September 3

Systematic Studies of the Cyprinid genus Gila, in the
Upper Colorado River Basin

PAUL B. HOLDEN AND C. B. STALNAKER

Three hundred and nine specimens of Gila from the Colorado River
basin were studied by taximetrics analysis. Results of the study indicate
that the concept of ecosubspecies or ecological subspecies does not fit
Colorado basin Gila. The roundtail and' honytail chubs, G. Tobusta
Baird and Girard and G. elegans Baird and Girard respectively, currently
treated as subspecies. a~ well separated morphologically, ecologically,
and 'apparently reproductively and therefore, are better considered two
species. The relationship between G. cyf1ha Miller, the humpback chub,
and G. elegons is clouded by the presence of intergrade fonus. Future
investigations are needed to resolve this problem. Insufficient material
was available to make any conclusions on taxonomic status of the Virgin
River population. However, the subspecies name seminuda Cope and
Yarrow should be restricted to Gila of Virgin River.

INTRODUCTION
THE cyprinid genus Gila is presently
divided into three subgenera; Gila,
Siphateles and Sn)'derichthys (Uyeno, 1960).
RichaTdsonius is included as another sub-
genus by some authors (Eddy, 1957). This
report is concerned with the systematics of
the subgenus Gila of the Colorado River
basin of western North America with em-
phasis on forms generally recognized as G. T.
robusta Baird and Girard, G. Tobusta elegans
Baird and Girard, and G. cypha Miller (Fig.
1). The following annotated synonymy traces
the taxonomic history of thes'e fishes:
Gila Tobusta elegans-Bonytail chub, widely
distributed in Colorado River basin at one
time but now reported extinct in lower Colo.
rado basin (Miller and Lowe, 1964; Minckley
and Deacon, (968).

Gila elegans Baird and Girard (1853).
Zuiii River, New J\lexico. Listed *
synonymous with G. robusta by Ellis
(1914). Placed as a subspecies of G.
Tobusta by J\liller (1946).
Gila emo!),i Baird and Girard (1854), Gila
River. Arizona. Listed as G. emorii by
Jordan and Gilbert (1883). Synonymized
by Jordan and Evermann (1896).

Gila Tobusta Tobusta-Roundtail chub, widely
distributed in Colorado River basin.

Gila robusta Baird and Girard, (1853),
Zuiii River, New Mexico.
Gila gracilis Baird and Girard (1853), Zuni
River, New Mexico. Giinther (1868)
placed Gila in genus Leuciscus and sub-
stituted L. zunnensis for G. gracilis be-
cause gracilis was preoccupied in
Leuciscus. Synonymized by Jordan and
Evermann (1896).
Gila grahami Baird and Girard (1854), Rio
San Pedro, tributary to Rio Gila, Ari-
zona. Synonymized by Jordan and Ever.
mann (1896).
Ptychocheilus vorax Girard (1857), locality
unknown. Synonymized by Jordan and
Gilbert (1883).
Gila affinis Abbot (1861), type erroneously
ascribed to Kansas River. Synonymized
by Jordan and Evermann (1896).
Gila naaea Cope (1872). tributary of
Green River, Fort Bridger, Wyoming.
Synonymized by Jordan and Evennann
(1896).

Gila 0'pha-Humpback chub, Colorado Ri\'er
of northern Arizona and sOllthern Utah,

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