Spawning by flannelmouth sucker in the main-channel Colorado River between Lee’s Ferry and Glen Canyon Dam

Authors: Rogers, R.S., McKinney, T.

Year: 1997 (xxix)

Abstract

Flannelmouth sucker ( Catostomus latipinnis ) aggregate throughout the Colorado River and its tributaries below Lee’s Ferry, but spawning is thought to occur primarily, if not exclusively, in tributaries. Arizona Game and Fish documented spawning during 1997 on a main-channel gravel bar located between Lee’s Ferry and Glen Canyon Dam (Glen Canyon). Viable eggs were expelled by flannelmouth sucker during spawning, but few eggs were recovered from spawning gravels, and none were found on substrate in deeper water downstream from the spawning bar. During 1997, we netted 374 flannelmouth sucker and PIT-tagged 253 (32% recaptures) in the Glen Canyon tailwater. Several fish were recaptured on the Glen Canyon spawning bar that were captured in previous years on or near known spawning areas in the Paria and Little Colorado Rivers. El desove del matalote boca de franela en el cauce principal del Río Colorado entre Lee’s Ferry y la Presa Glen Canyon

Resumen

El matalote boca de franela ( Catostomus latipinnis) se congrega a lo largo del río Colorado y sus tributarios por debajo de Lee’s Ferry, pero se piensa que el desove ocurre principalmente, si no es que exclusivamente, en los tributarios. En 1997 el Arizona Game and Fish documentó el desove en un canal principal de canto rodado localizado entre Lee’s Ferry y la tarjea Glen Canyon (Cañon Glen). Durante el desove, el matalote boca de franela arrojó huevos viables, pero se recuperaron pocos huevos de los desoves en canto rodado y no se encontró ninguno sobre el substrato en aguas mas profundas corriente abajo del banco de desove. Durante 1997, atrapamos en redes 374 matalotes boca de franela y marcamos 253 (32% recapturas) en el relave del Cañon Glen. Varios peces que fueron capturados en otros años volvieron a ser recapturados en el banco de desove en el Cañon Glen cerca o en el área de desove, capturadas en años previos en áreas conocidas de los ríos Paria y Little Colorado.