S. Goodchild
G.G. Scoppettone
2009
<p><span>Moapa dace. </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Conservation status</i><span>: Endangered (U.S. Department of the Interior </span><span class="CitationRef"><a title="View reference" href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR7" data-mce-href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR7">1967</a></span><span>), Critically Endangered, IUCN (Gimenez </span><span class="CitationRef"><a title="View reference" href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR1" data-mce-href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR1">1996</a></span><span>). </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Identification</i><span>: Small embedded scales, narrow caudal peduncle and a bright black spot at the base of deeply forked tail. Pharyngeal teeth (0,5–4,0) hooked but with a grinding surface. Adults 50 to 120 mm total length. Drawing adapted from La Rivers (</span><span class="CitationRef"><a title="View reference" href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR2" data-mce-href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR2">1962</a></span><span>). </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Distribution</i><span>: Endemic to the upper Muddy River system, Clark County, Nevada where the river originates from over 20 thermal springs. Prior to 1995 Moapa dace occupied 9.5 stream km including the upper Muddy River and spring-fed tributaries (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service </span><span class="CitationRef"><a title="View reference" href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR8" data-mce-href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR8">1995</a></span><span>). Distribution has contracted to 2 km (unpublished data) since the 1995 invasion of blue tilapia, </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Oreochromis aurea</i><span>. </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Abundance</i><span>: In 1994 the population was about 3,800, but after tilapia invasion dropped below 1,600 (Scoppettone et al. </span><span class="CitationRef"><a title="View reference" href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR6" data-mce-href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR6">1998</a></span><span>) where it has remained (unpublished data). </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Habitat and ecology</i><span>: Omnivorous but tends toward carnivory. Feed primarily on drift in areas adjacent to fast water 26–32°C. </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Reproduction</i><span>: Occurs year round in spring-fed tributaries to the Muddy River in water temperature of 30–32°C (Scoppettone et al. </span><span class="CitationRef"><a title="View reference" href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR5" data-mce-href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR5">1992</a></span><span>). </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Threats</i><span>: Nonnative species (Scoppettone </span><span class="CitationRef"><a title="View reference" href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR4" data-mce-href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR4">1993</a></span><span>; Scoppettone et al. </span><span class="CitationRef"><a title="View reference" href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR6" data-mce-href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR6">1998</a></span><span>) and ground-water pumping (Mayer and Congdon </span><span class="CitationRef"><a title="View reference" href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR3" data-mce-href="http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10641-009-9524-1#CR3">2008</a></span><span>). </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Conservation actions</i><span>: Moapa Valley National Wildlife Refuge was established in the upper Muddy River for the protection and perpetuation of Moapa dace. Barrier installation and chemical removal of blue tilapia downstream of refuge habitat provides 2 km of stream without tilapia. </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Conservation recommendations</i><span>: Eliminate tilapia from the Muddy River system and control or eliminate other nonnative species. Protect spring discharge from excessive water withdrawal. </span><i class="EmphasisTypeItalic ">Remarks</i><span>: Given a high priority for recovery by the U.S. Government.</span></p>
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10.1007/s10641-009-9524-1
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Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
Threatened fishes of the world: Moapa coriacea Hubbs and Miller, 1948 (cyprinidae)
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