Distribution, Abundance, and Genetic Population Structure of Wood River Sculpin, Cottus leiopomus

Abstract

Abstract The Wood River sculpin Cottus leiopomus is endemic to the Wood River Basin in central Idaho and is a nongame species of concern because of its limited distribution. However, status and genetic population structure, 2 factors often central to the conservation and management of species of concern, have not been assessed for this species. We used backpack electrofishers to survey streams that were small enough (i.e., <10 m wide) to collect quantitative distribution and abundance data for Wood River sculpin, and we used mitochondrial DNA control region sequencing to investigate the distribution of genetic variation across the species' range. Of the 102 study sites surveyed, 20 sites (20%) had Wood River sculpin present, including 50%, 15%, and 0% of the sites predicted a priori to contain, possibly contain, or not contain the sculpin, respectively. Native redband trout Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri were present at 21 study sites, including 18 of the 20 sites that contained Wood River sculpin. Sixty-o...