Spawning habitat and behavior of Gila trout, a rare salmonid of the southwestern United States

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980 · Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1577/1548-8659(1980)109<83:SHABOG>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:5568692

Rinne, J N

The spawning season of Gila trout, Salmo gilae Miller, in three streams in the Gila National Forest, New Mexico, began in early April at the lowest elevation and continued through June at the highest elevation. Water temperature and stream flow interacted to induce spawning; however, the former was more important. Spawning commenced at water temperatures near 8 C. Redds were normally in 6 to 15 cm deep water, about a quarter of the stream width from one bank and within 5 m of cover. The substrate was predominantly gravel and small pebble (0.2 to 3.8 cm). Spawning fish selected redd sites based on depth of water and substrate rather than on water velocity. Redds ranged in area from less than 0.1 m/sup 2/ to nearly 2.0 m/sup 2/ and averaged 3 to 4 cm in structural depth. Normally a single fish or a pair of fish occupied a redd, but occupancy by three to four fish was common. Most spawning activity occurred between 1300 and 1600 hours. Fry (15 to 20 mm long) emerged in 8 to 10 weeks and inhibited riffle areas. Absence of fry from pools occupied by adults indicated that cannibalism may occur.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Agriculture, Fort Collins, CO
• OSTI ID: 5568692
• Journal Information: Trans. Am. Fish. Soc.; (United States), Vol. 109:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
HABITAT
REPRODUCTION
TROUT
BEHAVIOR
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLOW RATE
ISOLATED VALUES
POPULATION DYNAMICS
STREAMS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DATA
DATA FORMS
FISHES
INFORMATION
NUMERICAL DATA
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
550100* - Behavioral Biology
551000 - Physiological Systems