Seasonal Movements of Native and Introduced Catostomids in the Big Sandy River, Wyoming

Abstract

During 2006–2007, we studied movements of native bluehead suckers (Catostomus discobolus) and flannelmouth suckers (C. latipinnis), and non-native white suckers (C. commersonii) and longnose suckers (C. catostomus) in the Big Sandy River, Wyoming. Radiotransmitters were surgically implanted into 20–22 fish of each species in September and October 2006. Movements of all four species in autumn and winter were short with most fish remaining ≤2 km from locations where they were captured initially. Bluehead suckers and flannelmouth suckers began movements downstream in mid-to-late April and returned upstream to locations ≤2 km from their original locations by early summer. White suckers did not make substantial movements during spring, whereas longnose suckers made movements upstream during mid-June and returned downstream by early July. During their estimated spawning periods, longnose suckers used upstream portions, bluehead suckers and white suckers used middle portions, and flannelmouth suckers used downstream portions of the study area.