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Home/Species/ Sonora Sucker

Catostomus insignis

Baird and Girard, 1854

Sonora Sucker

G3Vulnerable (G3G4) Found in 7 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
Least concernIUCN
HighThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.102739
Element CodeAFCJC02100
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVertebrate Animal
IUCNLeast concern
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomAnimalia
PhylumCraniata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderCypriniformes
FamilyCatostomidae
GenusCatostomus
Concept Reference
Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
Taxonomic Comments
See Clarkson and Minckley (1988) for information on hybridization between Catostomus insignis and C. clarkii in southeastern Arizona. See Smith (1992) for a study of the phylogeny and biogeography of the Catostomidae.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2011-10-26
Change Date2009-01-07
Edition Date2011-10-26
Edition AuthorsHammerson, G., and M. K. Clausen (2011)
Threat ImpactHigh
Range Extent20,000-200,000 square km (about 8000-80,000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Small range in streams in Arizona, New Mexico, and Sonora; has declined in some areas, apparently relatively common and stable in most of range; threats include water diversion, altered hydrology, and competition/predation from non-native fishes.
Range Extent Comments
Range includes the upper Gila River and Bill Williams River systems (Colorado River basin) in Arizona (Arizona Game and Fish Department 2002), Gila and San Francisco drainages (except extreme headwaters) in New Mexico (Sublette et al. 1990), and headwaters of the Santa Cruz and San Pedro rivers (Gila basin) in northern Sonora, Mexico (Miller 2005). The species is widely extirpated in the southern half of the range (Lee et al. 1980), possibly including the entire Santa Cruz River watershed (D. Foster, cited by Arizona Game and Fish Department 2002), although Miller (2005) cited a May 1988 collection in the Santa Cruz River in Sonora. Elevational range extends from about 300 meters to at least 2,663 meters (Arizona Game and Fish Department 2002).

Pyron (1999) estimated range size at 78,900 square kilometers, based on a generalized low-resolution map in Page and Burr (1991).
Occurrences Comments
This species is represented by a large number of occurrences (subpopulations). Minckley and Marsh (2009) mapped well over 100 collection sites that were 1980 or later.

Turner and List (2007) determined that this species occurs in 56 streams in Arizona.

Sublette et al. (1990) mapped more than 50 post-1960 collection sites throughout the Gila and San Francisco drainages in New Mexico.

Miller (2005) mapped two locations in Sonora.
Threat Impact Comments
Alteration of historic flow regimes and construction of reservoirs have diminished available habitat, and general watershed erosion causing excessive sand deposition in streams has eliminated much of the required pool habitat (Arizona Game and Fish Department 2002). Minckley (1973 noted that this sucker seems intolerant of lake conditions, though the species sometimes has been captured in low numbers in reservoirs.

Rarity or absence in the Salt River Canyon is due mainly to predation by the flathead catfish, Pylodictis olivaris (see Arizona Game and Fish Department 1995).

A winter snagging season currently (1994) exists below Stewart Mountain Dam on the Lower Salt River. This management action was taken to encourage harvest, as many die during the extremely low winter water flows (Arizona Game and Fish Department 1995).

The species is regarded as very threatened in its small historical range in Sonora (A. Villarreal L., pers. comm., 1997).
Ecology & Habitat

Habitat

This sucker occurs in various habitats, from warm-water rivers to trout streams (Sublette et al. 1990). Typically it is found in gravelly or rocky pools of creeks and small to medium rivers (Page and Burr 2011). Usually it stays close to cover during the day but moves to runs and deeper riffles at night (Lee et al. 1980, Minckley and Marsh 2009). Eggs are deposited in riffles, fall into spaces among gravel (Sublette et al. 1990).

Ecology

Sedentary.

Reproduction

Spawning occurs from February (sometimes January) through July (Minckley 1973, Miller 2005). Individuals sometimes do not reproduce for one or more years (Lee et al. 1980).
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
ArizonaS3Yes
New MexicoS2Yes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
7 - Natural system modifications——High (continuing)
7.2 - Dams & water management/use——High (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases——High (continuing)
8.1 - Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases——High (continuing)
9 - Pollution———

—

Roadless Areas (7)
Arizona (4)
AreaForestAcres
GaliuroCoronado National Forest28,333
GoldfieldTonto National Forest15,257
Lower San FranciscoApache-Sitgreaves National Forests59,310
Santa TeresaCoronado National Forest8,929
New Mexico (3)
AreaForestAcres
Contiguous To Gila Wilderness & Primitive AreaGila National Forest79,049
Eagle PeakGila National Forest34,016
Lower San FranciscoGila National Forest26,460
References (28)
  1. Arizona Game and Fish Department. 1995. <i>Catostomus insignis</i>. Unpublished abstract, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ. 4 pp.
  2. Arizona Game and Fish Department. 2002. <i>Catostomus insignis</i>. Unpublished abstract compiled and edited by the Heritage Data Management System, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ. 5 pp.
  3. Bestgen, K. R., D. A. Hendrickson, D. M. Kubly, and D. L. Propst. 1987. Movements and growth of fishes in the Gila River drainage, Arizona and New Mexico. Southwestern Naturalist 32:351-356.
  4. Boschung, H. T., and R. L. Mayden. 2004. Fishes of Alabama. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C. 960 pp.
  5. Clarkson, R. W., and W. L. Minckley. 1988. Morphology and foods of Arizona catostomid fishes: <i>Catostomus insignis</i>, <i>Pantosteus clarki</i>, and their putative hybrids. Copeia 1988:422-433.
  6. Jelks, H. L., S. J. Walsh, N. M. Burkhead, S. Contreras-Balderas, E. Díaz-Pardo, D. A. Hendrickson, J. Lyons, N. E. Mandrak, F. McCormick, J. S. Nelson, S. P. Platania, B. A. Porter, C. B. Renaud, J. Jacobo Schmitter-Soto, E. B. Taylor, and M.L. Warren, Jr. 2008. Conservation status of imperiled North American freshwater and diadromous fishes. Fisheries 33(8):372-407.
  7. Lee, D. S., C. R. Gilbert, C. H. Hocutt, R. E. Jenkins, D. E. McAllister, and J. R. Stauffer, Jr. 1980. Atlas of North American freshwater fishes. North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina. i-x + 854 pp.
  8. Lizarraga, Andres Villareal. Marine Biologist, Centro Ecologico de Sonora, Centro de Datos para la Conseracion de la Natrualeza. Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
  9. Marsh, Paul C. (Center for Environmental Studies, Arizona State University). 1997. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Ruth Mathews, TNC.
  10. Miller, R. R. (with the collaboration of W. L. Minckley and S. M. Norris). 2005 [actually published in 2006]. Freshwater fishes of Mexico. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois. 490 pp.
  11. Minckley, W. L. 1973. Fishes of Arizona. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, Arizona. 293 pp.
  12. Minckley, W. L., and P. C. Marsh. 2009. Inland fishes of the greater Southwest: chronicle of a vanishing biota. University of Arizona Press, Tucson, Arizona, 426 pp.
  13. Nelson, J. S., E. J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, and J. D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. 386 pp.
  14. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. 1996. October 1-last update. Fish and Wildlife Information Exchange-VA Tech. Online. Available: http//www.fw.vt.edu/fishex/nm.html. Accessed 1997, April 8.
  15. Olden, J. D., and N. L. Poff. 2005. Long-term trends of native and non-native fish faunas in the American Southwest. Animal Biodiversity and Conservation 28.1:75-89.
  16. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.
  17. Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 2011. Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston. xix + 663 pp.
  18. Page, L. M., H. Espinosa-Pérez, L. T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, R. L. Mayden, and J. S. Nelson. 2013. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Seventh edition. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 34, Bethesda, Maryland.
  19. Page, L. M., K. E. Bemis, T. E. Dowling, H.S. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C. R. Gilbert, K. E. Hartel, R. N. Lea, N. E. Mandrak, M. A. Neigbors, J. J. Schmitter-Soto, and H. J. Walker, Jr. 2023. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Eighth edition. American Fisheries Society (AFS), Special Publication 37, Bethesda, Maryland, 439 pp.
  20. Propst, David. L. 1997. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Endangered Species Biologist. New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, Sante Fe, NM.
  21. Pyron, M. 1999. Relationships between geographical range size, body size, local abundance, and habitat breadth in North American suckers and sunfishes. Journal of Biogeography 26:549-558.
  22. Rinne, John N. (Rocky Mountain Research Station, USFS). 1997. Review and annotation of fish watershed distribution maps. Review requested by Ruth Mathews, TNC. May 1997.
  23. Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott. 1991. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20. 183 pp.
  24. Schwartz, S. Data Manager, Arizona Heritage Data Management System, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ
  25. Smith, G. R. 1992. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Catostomidae, freshwater fishes of North America and Asia. Pages 778-826 in R.L. Mayden, editor. Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. xxvi + 969 pp.
  26. Sublette, J. E., M. D Hatch, and M. Sublette. 1990. The fishes of New Mexico. University New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, New Mexico. 393 pp.
  27. Texas Natural History Collections [University of Texas at Austin]. 1997. February 7-last update. North American Freshwater Fishes Index (Images, Maps and Information). Online. Available: http://www.utexas.edu/depts/tnhc/www.fish.tnhc/na/naindex.ht ml. Accessed 1997, April 4.
  28. Turner, D. S., and M. D. List. 2007. Habitat mapping and conservation analysis to identify critical streams for Arizona's native fish. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 17:737-748.