Comparisons of the Age Structure of Several Populations of Bonneville Bluehead Sucker

Authors: Chance Broderius

Year: 2018

Abstract

Bluehead Sucker occurring in the Bonneville Basin and Snake River Basin have been determined to be genetically distinct from those occurring in the Colorado River drainage. As such, the few disjunct populations that occur across parts of Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming have become increasingly necessary to protect. This study aged Bonneville Bluehead Sucker from fin ray samples taken in five disjunct sections of the Weber River (Weber, Davis, Morgan, and Summit counties UT) as well as Snake River Bluehead Sucker from the Raft River (Box Elder County, UT). Age structure information from this study will allow managers to make better informed decisions related to the effects of missing age classes, max age, growth, and reproductive maturity which differs within each population due to differing habitat characteristics.