Owens Tui Chub (Gila bicolor ssp. snyderi)

Listing Status: Endangered

Where Listed: WHEREVER FOUND

General Information

Owens Tui Chub (Gila bicolor synderi) is dusky-olive above and has blue and gold sides, a gold-colored head, and olive-brown to reddish brown fins. Individuals range from 15 mm (0.6 in) to 180 mm (7 in) in length (Miller 1973). It is distinguished from other tui chubs by the presence of lateral radii on the scales with a rounded or shield shaped scale base (Miller 1973, Madoz et al. 2005).
Current Listing Status Summary

» Range Information

Current Range
Last Updated: 03-20-2018 - Wherever found
Zoom in! Some species' locations may be small and hard to see from a wide perspective. To narrow-in on locations, check the state and county lists (below) and then use the zoom tool.
Want the FWS's current range for all species? Click here to download a zip file containing all individual shapefiles and metadata for all species.
* For consultation needs do not use only this current range map, please use IPaC.

Current range maps are only shown within the jurisdictional boundaries of the United States of America. The species may also occur outside this region.

  • Wherever found

    Listing status: Endangered

    • States/US Territories in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: California
    • US Counties in which this population is known to or is believed to occur: View All
    • USFWS Refuges in which this population is known to occur: 

» Candidate Information

No Candidate information available for this species.

No Candidate Assessments available for this species.

Candidate Notice of Review Documents

No Uplisting Documents currently available for this species.

» Federal Register Documents

Federal Register Documents

» Species Status Assessments (SSAs)

Species Status Assessments (SSAs)

No Species Status Assessments (SSA's) are currently available for this species.

Special Rule Publications

No Special Rule Publications currently available for this species.

» Conservation Plans

No Conservation Plans currently available for this species.

» Petitions

No Petitions currently available for this species.

» Biological Opinions

To see all FWS Issued Biological Opinions please visit the BO Report.

» Life History

Habitat Requirements

This species occurs in low-velocity waters with well-developed beds of aquatic vegetation, rocks, and undercut banks (Leunda et al. 2005). Vegetation is important for predator avoidance, reproduction, food, and water velocity reduction (McEwan 1990, 1991, Conservation Management Institute 1996, Geologica 2003).

Food Habits

The Owens tui chub is an opportunistic omnivore, consuming aquatic insects, vegetation, and detritus (Cooper 1978; McEwan 1990, 1991). Owens tui chubs feed mainly by gleaning and grazing among submerged vegetation. Its diet varies seasonally (McEwan 1990); the dominant items in its diet are chironomid larvae and algae in spring, chironomid larvae in summer, hydroptilid caddisflies in fall, and chironomid larvae in winter (McEwan 1990, Geologica 2003).

Movement / Home Range

The current distribution of genetically pure Owens Tui Chub is restricted to five, small, isolated sites within their historic range in the Owens Basin: Hot Creek headwaters (now limited to CD Spring), Little Hot Creek Pond, Upper Owens Gorge, Mule Spring, and White Mountain Research Center, operated by the University of California.

Reproductive Strategy

Tui chubs found in constant water temperature springs reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age for females and 1 year for males (McEwan 1989, 1990). Males and females will both reach sexual maturity at age 2 in varied temperature waters. Spawning in spring systems is likely triggered by day length and occurs from late winter to early spring (McEwan 1990). Spawning in riverine and lacustrine or lake-like habitats is triggered by warming water temperatures and occurs in spring and early summer. Spawning typically occurs over gravel substrate or aquatic vegetation, with eggs adhering to these features. Life expectancy is likely several years, with the oldest fish captured estimated at 7 years.

» Other Resources

NatureServe Explorer Species Reports-- NatureServe Explorer is a source for authoritative conservation information on more than 50,000 plants, animals and ecological communtities of the U.S and Canada. NatureServe Explorer provides in-depth information on rare and endangered species, but includes common plants and animals too. NatureServe Explorer is a product of NatureServe in collaboration with the Natural Heritage Network.

ITIS Reports-- ITIS (the Integrated Taxonomic Information System) is a source for authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

FWS Digital Media Library -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Digital Library is a searchable collection of selected images, historical artifacts, audio clips, publications, and video." +

Loading...