Fish and aquatic organisms [Chapter 9]

Abstract

The UVR of central Arizona, from its source at Sullivan Lake to the mouth of Sycamore Creek, 60 km (38 mi) downstream, is rare among the State’s rivers because it still retains some of its native fish fauna. In 1994, six of the native fishes that were historically recorded in this reach of the Verde still occurred, along with at least seven nonnative species, and many other native species have been incidentally reported (Stefferud and Rinne 1995). The native fish fauna includes longfin dace (Agosia chrysogaster), speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus), roundtail chub (Gila robusta), spikedace (Meda fulgida), desert sucker (Catostomus clarki), and Sonora sucker (Catostomus insignis) (figs. 9.1 to 9.6; Minckley 1973). The skeletal remains of razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) and Colorado pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus lucius) have been found at an archaeological site near Perkinsville dated circa 1300 to 1400 A.D. (Minckley and Alger 1968). Both species have recently been stocked in this reach (Hendrickson 1993; Jahrke and Clark 1999). Nonnative species commonly found there include red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis), western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), and yellow bullhead (Ameiurus natalis) (Minckley 1973; Hendrickson 1993). Reasons for retention of this suite of the historic native fish fauna are unclear but may be related to the multiple influences of the geomorphic nature of the river, bed load composition, and its relatively unregulated flow that can scour the channel and dramatically change the physical and biological components, which, in turn, affect the dynamics of the fish assemblage (Brouder 2001; Rinne 2005).

Parent Publication

• Synthesis of Upper Verde River research and monitoring 1993-2008

Citation

Rinne, John N. 2012. Fish and aquatic organisms [Chapter 9]. In: Neary, Daniel G.; Medina, Alvin L.; Rinne, John N., eds. 2012. Synthesis of Upper Verde River research and monitoring 1993-2008. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-291. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 189-232.