Response of Devils River minnow and other fish in Pinto Creek, Kinney County, Texas during a severe drought

Abstract

Abstract We collected Devils River minnow (Dionda diaboli) and other fish, water-quality, and habitat data from 19 sites within the headwaters of Pinto Creek (Kinney County) during 2009–2011. We documented where D. diaboli occurred, its relative abundance, and its fish and habitat associations. Dominant species were Gambusia speciosa (54%) and Astyanax mexicanus (28%). Lepomis made up 5% of the fish captured. Densities of D. diaboli were lower than historical values. The headwaters were disjunct habitats for much of study because of drought. We collected D. diaboli at seven locations: six pools and one run just upstream of one of the pools. All fish were associated with thick Chara and low flow (<0.1 m/s). It is unclear whether our data reflect habitat preference or contraction of this population into the available habitat. By July 2011, our study sites were reduced to two pools; neither had D. diaboli.