Utah chub

The dorsal fin of the Utah chub contains nine rays and is located directly over the pelvic fins.{{Cite book|title=Peterson field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico|date=2011 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=978-0-547-24206-4 |editor-last=Page |editor-first=Lawrence M.|edition=2|editor-last2=Burr|editor-first2=Brooks M.}} Coloration of this species is variable; the dorsal side is generally olive-green ranging to nearly black, and sometimes with a bluish shade, while the sides are silvery, brassy, or golden. Males have somewhat more of a golden look, especially during spawning season, often including a narrow golden stripe along the upper side. Fin colors include olive-green, yellow, and golden shades. A maximum total length of {{cvt|56|cm}} and weight of {{cvt|1360|g}} was reported from Bear Lake, but sizes of {{cvt|15–20|cm}} are more typical in many locations.{{Cite book|last1= Sigler | last2= Miller |title=Fishes of Utah |date=1963 |publisher=Utah State Department of Fish and Game |pages=203 }} Age estimates on pectoral rays and otoliths suggest that Utah chub can live over 10 years.{{cite journal|last= Griffin |display-authors= etal |year=2017 |title= Estimating Ages of Utah Chubs by Use of Pectoral Fin Rays, Otoliths, and Scales |work= Western North American Naturalist |volume=77 |issue=2 |pages=189-194|doi= 10.3398/064.077.0206 }} In most populations, a majority of Utah chub are under seven years old.{{Cite book|last1= Carlander |title=Handbook of Freshwater Fishery Biology, Volume One; Life History Data on Freshwater Fishes of the United States and Canada, Exclusive of the Perciformes |date=1969 |publisher=The Iowa State University Press |pages=391-393 }}

The native range of Utah chub includes the Snake River basin in Idaho and Wyoming and the Bonneville basin in Utah and Idaho. The Utah chub has been introduced elsewhere, including various reservoirs in the Colorado River basin of Utah and Wyoming and to the upper Missouri River basin of Montana.{{Cite web |title=Utah Chub (‘’Gila atraria’’) - Species Profile |url=https://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.aspx?SpeciesID=531|access-date=2024-08-09 |website=USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database |language=en}} Most Utah chub introductions are thought to be the product of angler bait bucket release.

Utah chub can be found in a variety of habitats, from irrigation ditches to large rivers and lakes.{{Cite web |last=UDWR |date=2019 |title= Utah Chub - Gila atraria |url=https://fieldguide.wildlife.utah.gov/?species=gila%20atraria |access-date=2024-08-09 |website=Utah.gov}} Within these systems, they prefer areas with dense vegetation. This species is also tolerant to extreme environmental conditions such as high alkalinity.

Utah chub are omnivorous with highly plastic diets, consuming plants, algae, and a variety of aquatic invertebrates such as dipterans, chironomids, zooplankton, and crustaceans.{{cite journal|last1=Winters |last2=Budy |year=2015 |title= Exploring Crowded Trophic Niche Space in a Novel Reservoir Fish Assemblage: How Many is Too Many?|work= Transactions of the American Fisheries Society |volume=144 |issue=6 |pages=1117-1128 |doi=10.1080/00028487.2015.1083475 }}{{cite journal|last1= Schneidervin |last2=Hubert |year=1987 |title= Diet Overlap among Zooplanktophagous Fishes in Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Wyoming-Utah |work= North American Journal of Fisheries Management |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=379-385|doi= 10.1577/1548-8659(1987)7<379:DOAZFI>2.0.CO;2}} When abundant, zooplankton such as Daphnia comprise a majority of diet.{{cite journal|last1= Graham |year=1961 |title= Biology of the Utah Chub in Hebgen Lake, Montana |work= Transactions of the American Fisheries Society |volume=90 |issue=3 |pages=269-276|doi= 10.1577/1548-8659(1961)90[269:BOTUCI]2.0.CO;2}}

Broadcast spawning occurs in shallow water during late spring and summer, when water temperatures are around {{cvt|10–15|C}}. Peak spawning activity occurs around {{cvt|16|C}}. During the spawn, 2–6 male fish escort each female, and externally fertilize deposited eggs on the lake or river bottom. The eggs hatch in about one week, with hatch time depending on water temperature.

Although easily captured while fishing, most anglers do not consider Utah chub a desirable catch and may find it a nuisance while targeting gamefish. However, Utah chub are occasionally used as bait to catch other piscivorous gamefish. Their usage as live bait has resulted in numerous illegal introductions outside their native range, and has caused states such as Utah and Wyoming to outlaw the use of live Utah chub as bait.{{cite web |url= https://wildlife.utah.gov/guidebooks/fishing_guidebook.pdf |title= Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Fishing Guidebook |author= |date= 2024 |website= Utah.gov |publisher= Utah Division of Wildlife Resources |access-date= 2024-08-09 }}{{cite web |url= https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regulations/Fish/Fishing-Regulation |title= Fishing Regulations |author= |date= 2024-08-09 |website= wygfd.wyo.gov|publisher= Wyoming Game and Fish Department |access-date= 2024-08-09}}

Populations of Utah chub, both native and introduced, are generally viewed as nuisance due to competition with stocked gamefish such as rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).{{cite web |url= https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/why-utah-dwr-wants-to-poison-an-entire-lake-of-fish/ |title= Why Utah DWR wants to poison an entire lake of fish |author=Addy Bink |date= 2021-08-26 |website= abc4.com |publisher= ABC4 |access-date= 2024-08-09 }} Additionally, introduction of Utah chub may pose a threat to native fish through competition or introduction of disease.{{cite web |url= https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/nation-world/national/article287742605.html |title= ‘Bucket biologist’ blamed for introducing fish into Utah reservoir. Why that’s illegal |author=Brooke Baitinger |date= 2024-04-16 |website= idahostatesmen.com |publisher= Idaho Statesmen |access-date= 2024-08-09 }} However, in contrast to observed effects on rainbow trout populations, competitive interactions between an invasive population of Utah chub and Yellowstone cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri) were not identified in Henrys Lake, Idaho.{{cite web |url= https://idfg.idaho.gov/blog/2022/07/affect-utah-chub-yellowstone-cutthroat-trout-henrys-lake |title= F&G biologists look into the effect of Utah chub on Yellowstone cutthroat in Henrys Lake |author= idfg-dmccarrick |date= 2022-07-20 |website= idfg.idaho.gov |publisher= Idaho Fish and Game |access-date= 2024-08-09 }}

State wildlife agencies such as the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources have used reclamation projects on various lakes and reservoirs to eliminate or greatly reduce populations of Utah chub.{{cite report |author= Michael J. Hadley |date=2022 |title= Panguitch Lake 2022 Trend Net Survey |url= https://digitallibrary.utah.gov/#!/s?v=L&a=c&q=*&type=0&criteria=title%3D%22PANGUITCH%20LAKE%202022%20TREND%20NET%20SURVEY%22 |publisher=Utah Division of Wildlife Resources |page=1–4 |access-date=2024-08-09 }} A majority of reclamation projects are completed using the piscicide rotenone. Although these projects can be successful, they are expensive and may not be a viable long-term management solution, as Utah chub populations may persist or be illegally reintroduced after treatment.{{cite book|last= Lentsch |display-authors= etal |year=2001 |title= Overview of a Large-Scale Chemical Treatment Success Story: Strawberry Valley, Utah |pages=63-79|doi= 10.47886/9781888569339.ch7 }} Additionally, rotenone reclamation projects are often unpopular with the public,{{cite web |url= https://www.hcn.org/issues/issue-48/rare-native-fish-found-in-utah-then-poisoned-by-mistake/ |title= Rare native fish found in Utah, then poisoned by mistake |author=Jeff Rice |date= 1995-11-27 |website= hcn.org |publisher= High Country News |access-date= 2024-08-09 }}{{cite web |url= https://www.hatchmag.com/articles/chemophobia-america-part-i-rotenone/7714785 |title= Chemophobia in America: Part I — Rotenone |author=Ted Williams |date= 2019-03-06 |website= hatchmag.com |publisher= Hatch |access-date= 2024-08-09 }} which may limit their appeal as a repeated management tool. Some efforts to reduce Utah chub population size have included top-down control by stocking predatory fish such as walleye (Sander vitreus),{{cite report |author= Birchell |display-authors=etal |date=2017 |title= Starvation Reservoir Creel Census April 2014- March 2015 |url= https://digitallibrary.utah.gov/#!/s?v=L&a=c&q=*&type=0&criteria=title%3D%22Starvation%20Reservoir%20Creel%20Census,%20April%202014-March%202015%22 |publisher=Utah Division of Wildlife Resources |page=5–7 |access-date=2024-08-09 }} tiger muskellunge (Esox masquinongy × lucius),{{cite report |author= Hadley |date=2021 |title= Navajo Lake 2020 Trend Net Survey |url= https://digitallibrary.utah.gov/#!/s?v=L&a=c&q=*&type=0&criteria=title%3DNAVAJO%20LAKE%202020%20TREND%20NET%20SURVEY |publisher=Utah Division of Wildlife Resources |page=4 |access-date=2024-08-10 }} and cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii). These methods have also proven effective at controlling Utah chub, in some cases extirpating populations; however, this strategy may result in the establishment of predatory fish outside their native range.

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Utah

Category:Gila (fish)

Category:Taxa named by Charles Frédéric Girard

Category:Fish described in 1856

Category:Endemic fish of the United States

Category:Fish of the Western United States

Category:Freshwater fish of the United States

Category:Fauna of the Rocky Mountains

Utah chub