(DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
TAXONOMY
NAME - SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
OTHER COMMON NAMES - SHINER, BEAUTIFUL; SHINER, BEAUTIFUL, YAQUI; SHINER, BEAUTIFUL, GUZMAN; SHINER, YAQUI; SHINER and GUZMAN
ELEMENT CODE -
CATEGORY - Fish
PHYLUM AND SUBPHYLUM - CHORDATA,
CLASS AND SUBCLASS - OSTEICHTHYES,
ORDER AND SUBORDER - CYPRINIFORMES,
FAMILY AND SUBFAMILY - CYPRINIDAE,
GENUS AND SUBGENUS - NOTROPIS,
SPECIES AND SSP - FORMOSUS,
SCIENTIFIC NAME - NOTROPIS FORMOSUS
AUTHORITY -
TAXONOMY REFERENCES -
COMMENTS ON TAXONOMY -
Beautiful Shiner
Notropis formosus (Girard, 1857)
KINGDOM: Animal GROUP: Fish
PHYLUM: Chordata CLASS: Osteichthyes
ORDER: Cypriniformes FAMILY: Cyprinidae
The beautiful shiner is a small fish rarely exceeding 75 mm TL,
characterized by an eliptical, compressed, and elongated body. The
caudal peduncle is slender, the dorsal fin is posterior, the eyes and
scales are large, and dark bars and spots are absent from the body.
The body depth is almost equal to the length of the head and the
snout is pointed. The dorsal fin typically has 8 rays and the anal
fin has 8 or 9. The caudal fin is deeply notched with pointed lobes
(17).
The beautiful shiner is tan to olivaceous dorsally, and metallic
or silver laterally, with some orange on the body. Dorsal lateral
scales are usually well outlined with melanophores (17). Breeding
males are brilliantly colored, with orange or yellow fins and a
bright, greenish-blue body tending to have a wash of yellow or orange
on dorsal and anterior surfaces. Females remain drab,
yellowish-brown with colorless, clear, or slightly yellowed fins
Taxonomy - 1 (DRAFT) - Taxonomy
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
throughout the year (10).
The lateral line is nearly complete and slightly decurved.
Scales number from 36 to 48 on the lateral line. The anal fin rays
are 8 or 9, and the dorsal and pelvic fin rays are 8. The head is
3 1/8 - 3 3/4 into the length and the eye is 3 1/2 into the head.
The mouth is oblique and the maxillary is 3 1/2 into the head,
reaching past the front of the orbit. The pharyngeal teeth are in a
single row, 0,4 - 4,0.
Notropis formosus is a member of the Notropis lutrensis group of
subgenus Cyprinellus (Gibbs (01)). Girard (02) originally described
Moniana formosa from the Rio Mimbres, Mexico. Chernoff and Miller
(03), however, restricted the type locality to the Mimbres River
north of Deming, Luna County, New Mexico. Meek (04) referred the
nominal genus Moniana to Notropis, recognized Notropis formosus, and
accepted Notropis santamariae. Evermann and Goldsborough (05)
described Notropis frigidus (=N. lutrensis [Baird and Girard]) from
Lago de Santa Maria, Chihuahua. Meek (04) considered other related
populations west of the Continental Divide in Mexico, including those
from the upper Rio Yaqui system at Minaca, Chihuahua, to represent
N. lutrensis. Conspecificity of the N. frigidus specimen with
N. santamariae was confirmed by Miller (06). Contreras-Balderas
(07,08), and Gilbert (09) alternatively designated N. santamariae and
N. formosus as subspecies of N. lutrensis. Other descriptors with
past usage are Notropis mearnsi (18), Notropis formosus mearnsi (20),
and Notropis lutrensis formosus (19).
A short synonomy for Notropis formosus (Girard) follows:
Moniana formosa Girard, 1857
Notropis santamariae Evermann and Goldsborough, 1902
Notropis frigidus, Evermann and Goldsborough, 1902
Notropis mearnsi Snyder, 1915
Notropis formosus mearnsi Hubbs, 1954
Notropis lutrensis formosus Hendrickson et al., 1979
Other common names for the species include the common names for
the two forms: Yaqui beautiful shiner (03) (or Yaqui shiner), and
Guzman beautiful shiner (03) (or Guzman shiner).
Taxonomy - 2 (DRAFT) - Status
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
STATUS
Coded Status
T: Federal Threatened
COMMENTS ON STATUS -
U.S. STATUSES AND LAWS:
The Beautiful shiner (Notropis formosus) has been designated a
Threatened species pursuant to the Endangered Species Act of
1973 (50 CFR 17.11; P.L. 93-205, 87 Stat. 884; 16 U.S.C. 1531-1540),
as amended. The species has this status wherever found including
Mexico and the States of Arizona and New Mexico. Critical Habitat has
been designated in aquatic habitats of the San Bernardino NWR in the
S 1/2 Sec. 11; Sec. 14; S 1/2 and NE 1/4 Sec. 15, T24S, R30E in
Cochise County, AZ (50 CFR 17.95(e)).
Special rules concerning "take" for educational, scientific, or
conservation purposses in accordance with applicable Arizona State
laws and regulations for this species can be found in 50 CFR 17.44(h).
This species is protected by the Lacey Act (P.L. 97-79, as
amended; 16 U.S.C. 3371 et seq.) which makes it unlawful to import,
export, transport, sell, receive, acquire, or purchase any wild
animal (alive or dead including parts, products, eggs, or offspring):
(1) in interstate or foreign commerce if taken, possessed,
transported or sold in violation of any State law or
regulation, or foreign law; or
(2) if taken or possessed in violation of any U.S. law,
treaty, or regulation or in violation of Indian tribal law.
It is also unlawful to possess any wild animal (alive or dead
including parts, products, eggs, and offspring) within the U.S.
territorial or special maritime jurisdiction (as defined in
18 U.S.C. 7) that is taken, possessed, transported, or sold in
violation of any State law or regulation, foreign law, or Indian
tribal law.
RESPONSIBLE FEDERAL AGENCIES:
USFWS -Responsible for the management/recovery, listing, and
law enforcement/protection of this species.
All Federal agencies have responsibility to ensure that any
action authorized, funded, or carried out by that agency is not likely
to jeopardize the continued existence of the species or result in the
destruction or adverse modification of Critical Habitat (50 CFR 402),
and to utilize their authorities to carry out programs for the
conservation of the species.
Status - 1 (DRAFT) - Status
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
STATE STATUSES AND LAWS:
STATE: Arizona
DESIGNATED STATUS: Group 1; species extirpated from Arizona,
since 1900 but are not extinct. Since
this species is no longer present in Arizona,
this species is not given legal protection.
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY: Arizona Department of Game and Fish
STATE STATUTE: Arizona Revised Statute 17, 1982.
STATE: New Mexico
DESIGNATED STATUS: None. Species is extirpated from New Mexico,
and receives no state protection.
ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCY: New Mexico Department of Game and Fish.
INTERNATIONAL STATUSES, TREATIES, AND AGREEMENTS:
None.
ECONOMIC STATUSES:
None.
82/12/30:47 FR 58454/58460 - Notice of Review (vertebrates).
83/07/15:48 FR 32527/32534 - Proposed rule.
84/08/31:49 FR 34490/34497 - Listed as Endangered.
Status - 2 HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS
HABITAT - AQUATIC
INLAND AQUATIC
COMMENTS ON HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS -
The beautiful shiner is most common in riffles of small streams
and presumably uses pools of intermittent streams for refugia (12).
This species is not common in rivers but was taken in rapids with
water velocities exceeding 1.0 m/sec. and also from earthen tanks,
ponds on the San Bernardino Ranch, and has sucessfully reproduced in
earthen ponds at the Dexter National Fish Hatchery. Historic habitat
for this species in the Mimbres River has been described as a
lagoon-like system of deep pools with undercut banks (14).
Hendrickson et al. (13) reports collecting this species from habitats
containing the following vegetation: Chara sp., Rorippa
nasturtium-aquaticum (watercress), Ranunculus sp. (buttercup),
Lilaeopsis sp., Potamogeton sp., (pondweed), Lippa sp., Justica sp.,
Azolla sp., Najas sp., Ceratophyllum sp. (hornwort), Typha ssp.
(cattail), and submerged terrestrial grasses.
Habitat Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Food Habits
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
FOOD HABITS
TROPHIC LEVEL -
CARNIVORE
LIFESTAGE FOOD FOOD PART
General Zooplankton
General Arthropods
General Crustaceans
General Molluscs
General Worms
Food Habits - 1 (DRAFT) - Environment Associations
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATIONS
Environment Associations - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
LIFE HISTORY
FOOD HABITS:
The beautiful shiner feeds on small aquatic and terrestrial
macro-invertebrates (15).
HOME RANGE/TERRITORY:
No information on home range/territory.
PERIODICITY:
No information on periodicity.
MIGRATION PATTERNS:
No information on migration patterns.
COVER/SHELTER REQUIREMENTS:
What little is known about the cover/shelter requirements for
this species indicates that pools of intermittent streams are used as
refugia. Hendrickson et al. (13) report abundant aquatic vegetation
at some sites where the beautiful shiner has been collected. The
vegetation includes Chara sp., Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum
(watercress), Ranunculus sp. (buttercup), Lilaeopsis sp., Potamogeton
sp. (pondweed), Lippa sp., Justica sp., Azolla sp., Najas sp.,
Ceratophyllum sp. (hornwort), Typha sp. (cattail), and submerged
terrestrial grasses.
REPRODUCTIVE SITE REQUIREMENTS:
No information on reproductive site requirements.
REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS:
This species may live to three years and may spawn from spring
through late summer (15, 16). The reproductive biology of this
species is most likely similar to that of the red shiner (Notropis
lutrensis).
PARENTAL CARE:
No information on parental care.
POPULATION BIOLOGY:
No information on population biology.
SPECIES INTERRELATIONSHIPS:
Associated species in the Guzman Basin are the Mexican
stoneroller, Chihuahua chub, fathead minnow, Rio Grande
mountain-sucker, an undescribed pupfish, and the introduced common
carp, black bullhead, and rockbass (17). Hendrickson et al. (13)
recorded 19 native and 11 non-native fishes at localities in common
with the beautiful shiner in the Rio Yaqui basin. The Mexican
stoneroller, longfin dace, Yaqui sucker, and Sonoran (Yaqui)
topminnow were the most frequent native species at 47 shiner
collection sites. The most frequent non-native introduced species
was the river carpsucker found at six localities.
Life History - 1 (DRAFT) - Life History
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
OTHER LIFE HISTORY DESCRIPTORS:
No additional life history information is available.
Life History - 2 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
RESULT MANAGEMENT PRACTICE
Beneficial Restricting/regulating human disturbance of populations
Beneficial Developing/maintaining stream structures
Beneficial Maintaining/Controlling Water Flow
Beneficial Developing/maintaining/protecting wetlands
Beneficial Controlling water levels
Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Pesticide Use
Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Herbicide Use
Beneficial Controlling/Restricting Agricultural Practice
Beneficial Creating Artificial Habitat/Nesting Structure
Beneficial Reforestation
Beneficial Stocking captive-reared wild-strain animals
Beneficial Controlling/Removing Exotic Vertebrates
Adverse Predation
Existing Predation
Adverse Groundwater drawdown
Existing Groundwater drawdown
Adverse Irrigating
Existing Irrigating
Adverse Exotic/Feral/Introducted Species
Existing Exotic/Feral/Introducted Species
Adverse Erosion
Existing Erosion
Adverse Grazing
Existing Grazing
Adverse Vegetation Composition Changes
Existing Vegetation Composition Changes
COMMENTS ON MANAGEMENT PRACTICES -
Primary reasons for the decline of this species include
arroyo cutting due to overgrazing and the removal of riparian
vegetation, pumping of groundwater, damming of watercourses, and the
introduction of exotic species (10). More specifically, within the
United States, capping of the artesian well leading to what is now
Twin Ponds on the San Bernardino National Wildlife Refuge in about
1970 destroyed a short spring-fed run and cienega that served as a
breeding habitat and refuge for the beautiful shiner. Capping of the
well forced the shiner into a pond inhabited by predatory bluegill
(Lepomis macrochirus), black crappie (Poximus nigromaculatus), and
largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), causing extinction of the
minnow within the United States (10). No member of this species has
been taken within the United States since 1970 (11,12).
UNAPPROVED PLAN:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1984. Yaqui Fishes Recovery Plan.
Technical Review Draft. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Albuquerque,
NM. v + 43 pp.
Management Practices - 1 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
The recovery of the beatiful shiner is dependent upon the
successful implementation of the master plan for the San Bernadino
National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). Delisting is recommended when five
stable populations have been established. Since the beautiful
shiner does not presently exist within the U.S., it is necessary
to obtain stocks of these fish from Mexico, where they are
still available. The first step is to contact appropriate Mexican
Government officials to request permits to obtain beautiful
shiner. A minimum of 200 individuals (400 is more desirable) would
then be captured and transported to Dexter National Fish Hatchery,
New Mexico. After obtaining fish from Mexico, other recommended
actions include:
1. maintaining the stock of beautiful shiner at Dexter NFH, where it
has been successfully cultured,
2. development of cultural techniques for beautiful shiner,
3. maintain the genetic integrity of hatchery reared beautiful shiner,
4. provide a refugium for beautiful shiner at Dexter NFH,
5. reintroduction of beautiful shiner into suitable habitat on San
Bernardino NWR.
Actions that may be required to create or maintain
suitable habitat are:
a. control or removal of exotic vertebrates,
b. habitat revegetation/land rehabilitation,
c. creation of artificial habitat or nesting areas,
d. control of agricultural practices that may effect the
habitat,
e. restriction of use of pesticides and herbicides within the
habitat area,
f. maintaining the water table and flow rate,
g. wetland management,
h. stream bank or channel modification, and
i. limit human impact by limiting access.),
6. monitoring of reintroductions,
7. enforcement of all Federal laws protecting the species, and
8. development of public support through an information and education
program through:
a. development of an interpretive program at San Bernardino
NWR,
b. initiation of a program of contact with and education of
private landowners on the Mimbres River, New Mexico,
c. preparation of an information pamphlet,
d. production of a video for schools and public TV stations,
and
e. news releases to the media.
The plan also calls for studies on this and other native fish
species, particularly Yaqui chub, Yaqui topminnow, and the Yaqui
catfish (the other listed fishes present or destined for
reintroduction at San Bernardino NWR), including:
1. basic studies on the biology and ecology of the species,
2. species habitat utilization,
3. competition and predation among listed species and other
historically present species that are slated for reintroduction at
Management Practices - 2 (DRAFT) - Management Practices
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
San Bernardino NWR (roundtail chub, Mexican stoneroller, longfin
dace, and Yaqui sucker).
Ongoing recovery efforts include management of the San Bernardino
National Wildlife Refuge.
Management Practices - 3 (DRAFT) - References
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
References
***** REFERENCES FOR ALL NARRATIVES EXCEPT N-OCCURRENCE *****
01 Gibbs, R.H., Jr. 1957. Cyprinid fishes of the subgenus
Cyprinella of Notropis. I. Systematic status of the subgenus
Cyprinella, with a key to the species exclusive of the
lutrensis-ornatus group. Copeia 1957:185-195.
02 Girard, C. 1857. Researches upon the cyprinoid fishes inhabiting
the fresh waters of the United States of America, west of the
Mississippi Valley, from species in the Museum of the Smithsonian
Insitution. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 8:165-213.
03 Chernoff, B. and R.R. Miller. 1982. Notropis bocagrande, a new
cyprinid fish from Chihuahua, Mexico, with comments on Notropis
formosus. Copeia 1982:514-522.
04 Meek, S.E. 1904. Distribution of fresh-water fishes of Mexico.
Amer. Nat. 37:771-784.
05 Evermann, B.W. and E.L. Goldsborough. 1902. A report on fishes
collected in Mexico and Central America, with notes and
descriptions of five new species. Bull. U.S. Fish. Comm.
21:137-159.
06 Miller, R.R. 1976. An evaluation of Seth E. Meek's contributions
to Mexican ichthyology. Fieldiana Zool. 69:1-31.
07 Contreras-Balderas, S. 1975. Zoogeography and evolution of
Notropis lutrensis and "Notropis" ornatus in the Rio Grande basin,
Mexico and United States (Pisces: Cyprinidae). Unpubl. Ph.D.
diss. Tulane Univ., LA.
08 Contreras-Balderas, S. 1975. Cambios de composicion de especies
en communidades de en zonas semiaridas de en zonas semiaridas de
Mexico. Publ. Biol. Inst. Invest. Cien. Univ. Aut., Nuevo Leon,
Mexico 1:181-194.
09 Gilbert, C.R. 1978. Type catalogue of the North American
cyprinid fish genus Notropis. Bull. Fla. St. Mus., Biol. Sci.
23:1-104.
10 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1984. Yaqui Fishes Recovery Plan.
Tech. Review Draft. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv., Albuquerque, NM
v + 43 pp.
11 Minckley, W.L. 1973. Fishes of Arizona, Ariz. Game Fish Dept.,
Phoenix. 293 pp.
12 Minckley, W.L. 1985. Native fishes and natural aquatic habitats
in U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region II west of the
Continental Divide. Rep. on file with U.S. Fish Wildl. Serv.,
Albuquerque, New Mexico.
13 Hendrickson, D., W.L. Minckley, R.R. Miller, D.J. Siebert, and
P.H. Minckley. 1981. Fishes of the Rio Yaqui basin, Mexico and
United States. J. Arizona-Nevada Acad. Sci. 15(1980):66-106.
14 Antisell, T. 1856. Geological report. Pac. Railroad Explor.
Surv. 7:1-204.
15 Pfleiger, W.L. 1975. The fishes of Missouri. Missouri Dept.
Conserv., Jefferson City, MO.
16 Becker, G.C. 1983. Fishes of Wisconsin. Univ. Wisc. Press,
Madison.
17 Anon. n.d. Status report on the Yaqui chub, beautiful shiner,
References - 1 (DRAFT) - References
Species SHINER, BEAUTIFUL
Species Id ESIS252012
Date 14 MAR 96
and Yaqui catfish. Unpubl. rep. on file with the Fish and Wildl.
Serv., Off. of Endg. Sp., Washington, D.C.
18 Miller, R.R. and J.R. Simon. 1943. Notropis mearnsi from
Arizona, an addition to the known fish fauna of the United States.
Copeia 1943:258.
19 Hubbs, C.L. 1954. Establishment of a forage fish, the red shiner
(Notropis lutrensis), in the lower Colorado River system. Calif.
Fish. Game 40:287-294.
***** REFERENCES FOR N-OCCURRENCE NARRATIVE ONLY *****
01 Matthews, W.J. 1980. Notropis formosus (Girard), beautiful
shiner, p. 264. IN: D.S. Lee et al., eds. Atlas of North
American freshwater fishes. NC State Mus. of Nat. Hist., Raleigh.
02 Minckley, W.L. 1973. Fishes of Arizona. Ariz. Game Fish. Dept.
Phoenix, AZ. 293 pp.
03 Chernoff, B. and R.R. Miller. 1982. Notropis bocagrande, a new
cyprinid fish from Chihuahua, Mexico, with comments on Notropis
formosus. Copeia 1982:514-522.
04 Hendrickson, D., W.L. Minckley, R.R. Miller, D.J. Siebert, and
P.H. Minckley. 1981. Fishes of the Rio Yaqui basin, Mexico and
United States. J. Arizona-Nevada Acad. Sci. 15(1980) 66-106.
05 Miller, R. R. and J. R. Simon. 1943. Notropis mearnsi from
Arizona, an addition to the known fish fauna of the United States.
Copeia 1943:253.
References - 2