Rio Grande cutthroat trout
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| Rio Grande cutthroat trout | ||||||||||||||||
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 Rio Grande cutthroat trout from the Conejos watershed in southern Colorado.
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| Oncorhynchus clarki virginalis |
The Rio Grande Cutthroat, or Oncorhynchus clarki virginalis, is found in New Mexico and Southern Colorado. It one of 14 subspecies of cutthroat trout native to the western United States. Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout feed opportunistically on aquatic and terrestrial insects that fall into the water and live on 150 miles of stream on the Santa Fe National Forest, which is only 15% of their historical range.
According to U.S. Wildlife Service, thirteen core populations remain in the world. These are are the key to the survival of the species. Four of the thirteen core populations are located in the Santa Fe National Forest.
[edit] Life history
Rio Grande Cutthroat trout typically spawn between middle of May and the middle of June.Males are sexually mature at age 2; females at age 3; will live on average of five years; in rare cases, cutthroat trout have been known to enter their teens.
[edit] Conservation
The Rio grande Cutthroat Trout evolved in New Mexico as a member of a native fish assemblage that included longnose dace, Rio Grande chub and Rio Grande sucker.
[edit] References
- IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <http://www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 07 October 2007.
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