Northern Hog Sucker Hypentelium Nigricans Research Articles

Environment Affects Sucker Catch Rate, Size Structure, Species Composition, and Precision in Boat Electrofishing Samples

Abstract Catostomidae (catostomids) are suckers of the order Cypriniformes, and the majority of species are native to North America; however, species in this group are understudied and rarely managed. The popularity in bowfishing and gigging for suckers in the United States has increased concerns related to overfishing. Little information exists about the relative gear effectiveness for sampling catostomids. We sought to evaluate the relative effectiveness of boat electrofishing for sampling Black Redhorse Moxostoma duquesnei, Golden Redhorse M. erythrurum, Northern Hogsucker Hypentelium nigricans, White Sucker Catostomus commersonii, and Spotted Sucker Minytrema melanops populations in Lake Eucha, Oklahoma. We used an information theoretic approach to determine the abiotic variables related to sucker catch per effort (C/f). Our analysis indicated that sucker C/f was highest during the night and decreased with increasing water temperature. Sucker size structure was significantly different between daytime and nighttime samples; however, effect size estimates for size structure comparisons indicated that size distributions exhibited moderate overlap. Distributional comparisons indicated that daytime and nighttime samples were similar for fish greater than 180 mm in total length. Effect size estimates also indicated little association between the proportion of each species captured and time of day or water temperature. Night electrofishing in reservoirs at water temperatures from 16 to 25°C yielded the most precise C/f estimates, with the highest numbers of suckers collected at water temperatures from 6 to 15°C. Further study of the relationship between abiotic variables and catostomid catchability using various gears will be beneficial to agencies interested in these populations.

A low-water crossing impacts Northern Hog Sucker Hypentelium nigricans movement in an Ozark stream

Streams are complex systems that rely on connectivity to maintain natural ecological function. Low-water crossings are common in small-intermediate sized streams and can restrict longitudinal movement of fishes. The Current River in Missouri (USA) contains a single anthropogenic barrier to longitudinal connectivity: the Cedar Grove low-water crossing, which spans the main channel (10 culverts) and a side channel (4 culverts). In July 2017, we radio-tagged Northern Hog Sucker Hypentelium nigricans upstream (henceforth ‘above’; N = 24) and downstream (henceforth ‘below’; N = 26) of the crossing and followed their movements monthly for a year to assess fish passage and maximum displacement. Passage was limited to four below-tagged fish passing upstream of the crossing with one fish making an additional downstream and then upstream passage. Passage was more likely to occur during high flow. On average, below-tagged fish exhibited more than seven times greater maximum displacement (Mean (M) = 6.55 km, Standard Error (SE) = 2.91 km) than above-tagged fish (M = 0.92 km, SE = 0.33 km). The majority (71%) of fish exhibited stationary behavior (<1 km) compared to mobile behavior (>1 km). Among mobile individuals, maximum displacement was greatest away from the crossing, with above-tagged fish favoring upstream movements (100%) and below-tagged fish favoring downstream movements (67%). Our results suggest the crossing is a semi-permeable barrier in which fish passage primarily occurs during high flows. Alternatives to the low-water crossings at Cedar Grove should be considered to promote natural longitudinal movement of fishes. The side channel provides a potentially impactful and economically feasible management opportunity to act as a fish bypass channel on the Current River.

Survival of Upper Piedmont Stream Fishes Implanted with 8‐mm Passive Integrated Transponder Tags

AbstractWe studied weekly and bimonthly survival of select nongame fishes that were implanted with 8‐mm PIT tags in upper Piedmont streams of South Carolina, USA. Weekly survival in stream enclosures was assessed for a total of 350 tagged individuals and 311 control (untagged) fish (39–101 mm TL; median = 65 mm TL) belonging to six species (Bluehead Chub Nocomis leptocephalus, Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus, Yellowfin Shiner Notropis lutipinnis, Mottled Sculpin Cottus bairdii, Northern Hog Sucker Hypentelium nigricans, and Striped Jumprock Moxostoma rupiscartes). Weekly survival rates ranged from 93.3% to 100% among species, with Yellowfin Shiners experiencing the lowest survival rate. Only 2 of the 337 surviving tagged individuals lost their tags (0.6% tag loss). Logistic regression indicated that species and body length were statistically significant predictors of survival and tag retention. Odds ratios indicated that tagged fish were 1.718 times less likely to survive than control fish, but the tagging effect was not statistically significant. Bimonthly survival was estimated by conducting a mark–recapture study from September 2015 to May 2016, which involved tagging 1,413 unique individuals of Bluehead Chub (45–75 mm TL) in a 520‐m stream section and 431 individuals of Mottled Sculpin (45–75 mm) in another 740‐m section. Bayesian state–space analysis of Cormack–Jolly–Seber models indicated that apparent survival did not differ between newly tagged and previously tagged (i.e., recaptured) individuals in any sampling interval, suggesting that the acute and chronic effects of tagging did not differ. Mean bimonthly apparent survival rate was 0.76 (95% credible interval = 0.64–0.86) for Bluehead Chub and 0.74 (95% credible interval = 0.59–0.88) for Mottled Sculpin. Our results indicate that PIT tags can be successfully applied to study the ecology and life history of small‐bodied, nongame fish species, although caution should be exercised when selecting the species and body sizes to be tagged.

Demographics of the spawning aggregations of four catostomid species in the Savannah River, South Carolina and Georgia, USA

Abstract – Differences in the life history strategies employed by otherwise ecologically similar species of a fish assemblage may be an important factor in the coexistence of these species and is an essential consideration in the conservation and management of these assemblages. We collected scales to determine age and growth of four species of the catostomid assemblage (northern hogsucker Hypentelium nigricans, spotted sucker Minytrema melanops, notchlip redhorse Moxostoma collapsum and robust redhorse Moxostoma robustum) of the Savannah River, Georgia–South Carolina in spring 2004 and 2005. Robust redhorse was the largest species; reaching sexual maturity at an older age and growing faster as a juvenile than the other species. Spotted sucker did not achieve the same size as robust redhorse, but reached sexual maturity at younger ages. Notchlip redhorse was intermediate between the abovementioned two species in age at maturity and size. Northern hogsucker was the smallest species of the assemblage and reached the sexual maturity at the age of three. Both robust redhorse and spotted sucker were sexually dimorphic in size‐at‐age. The range of life history strategies employed by Savannah River catostomids encompasses the range of life history strategies exhibited within the family as a whole.

Spatial and temporal segregation of spawning habitat by catostomids in the Savannah River, Georgia and South Carolina, U.S.A.

Spawning aggregations of five species of catostomids were observed on the two mid‐channel gravel bars of the Savannah River, Georgia and South Carolina, in 2004 and 2005 to assess the degree of spatial and temporal overlap in the use of this habitat and determine the habitat preferences leading to segregation. Spawning catostomids showed a considerable amount of temporal overlap in their use of these mid‐channel gravel bars. The observed temporal overlap was consistent between 2004 and 2005 and corresponded to temperatures at which species were present. The distribution of catostomids was not uniform at the upstream gravel bar. Carpsuckers Carpiodes sp., spotted sucker Minytrema melanops and robust redhorse Moxostoma robustum both demonstrated some spatial overlap with notchlip redhorse Moxostoma collapsum; however, their overall distributions were different from one another. Northern hogsucker Hypentelium nigricans was present across the gravel bars, apparently as an egg predator. Spawning catostomids segregated based on flow, depth, slope and substratum size. Whether due to limited habitat availability or changes in the timing of reproduction due to altered cues, temporal and spatial overlap occurs between spawning catostomids despite the apparent partitioning of available spawning habitat. It is unclear, however, if this overlap results in excessive mortality in the early life‐history stages of these species. Results suggest spatial overlap among catostomid species was minimized due to species spawning in areas within a narrow range of conditions. Intraspecific interactions such as nest site superimposition or disturbance may be a concern.

Sex-biased dispersal in a salmonid fish.

We tested the hypothesis that dispersal is sex biased in an unexploited population of brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, on Cape Race, Newfoundland, Canada. Based on the assumptions that trout are promiscuous and that reproductive success is limited primarily by either number of mates (males) or fecundity (females), we predicted that males would disperse greater distances than females. We also tested the hypothesis that trout populations comprise stationary and mobile individuals, predicting that males have greater mobility than females. Based on a mark-recapture study of 943 individually tagged fishes, 191 of which were recaptured over 5 years, we find strong support for our hypothesis of male-biased dispersal in brook trout. Averaged among all 11 resampling periods, males dispersed 2.5 times as far as females; during the spawning period only, male dispersal exceeded that by females almost fourfold. Both sexes were heterogeneous with respect to movement, with a lower incidence of mobility among females (29.6%) than males (41.1%); mobile males dispersed six times further than mobile females. We conclude that this sex bias reduces mate competition among male kin and decreases the probability that males will reproduce with related females.

Patterns of Movement and Habitat Use by Northern Hog Suckers in an Ozark Stream

Although the northern hog sucker Hypentelium nigricans is widely distributed throughout the Mississippi and Ohio river basins and is both ecologically and recreationally important, much of its basic ecology is not known. We determined movement and habitat use for 25 fish in the Current River, Missouri, for 1 year using radio telemetry. Seasonal movements were recorded two or three times each week during daylight hours from January to November 1988. Diet movement and habitat use were recorded once each hour for 17 d in winter and 12 d in summer. Mean daily distance traveled was greater in summer (425 m) than in winter (276 m). Home range was greater in winter and spring (812 m) than in summer and fall (426 m). Habitat use changed seasonally from slower, deeper water and smaller substrates during winter to increasing use of taster, shallower water and larger substrates through warmer-water periods. In both seasons, fish had a consistent daily pattern, moving more during the day than at night. Diet patterns of use were distinct. In winter, fish used pool habitat with moderate flow during the day and riffle or edge habitat at night. In summer, fish used run habitat during the day and riffle or edge habitat at night. Patterns of habitat use indicated fish used one area of the river during the day to feed and another at night to rest. Fish remained in their home area during high-flow events but used flooded riparian areas where current velocities were lower. Fish moved up- or downstream short distances (mean = 497 m, N = 7) into spawning areas during late February and early March. This study emphasizes the importance of habitat diversity to accommodate this speciesˈ diel and seasonal preferences and the necessity of a connected floodplain for the fish to survive catastrophic events.

NOTES: Predator Recognition and Avoidance by Larval Razorback Sucker and Northern Hog Sucker

The razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus is an endangered catostomid endemic to the mainstream Colorado River, which originally supported a limited number of piscivorous fishes. Recent attempts to recover razorback suckers by reintroducing them into their native range have not been successful, likely due to predation on the naive young suckers by nonnative fishes. We tested razorback sucker larvae singly and in groups to determine their ability to recognize and avoid predators. We related their performance to that of northern hog sucker Hypentelium nigricans, a species that evolved in a predator-rich fish community. All larvae of both species recognized a predator attack when they were close to the predator and avoided the attack by fleeing or hiding. Single sucker larvae of both species improved their rate of avoidance with age, but northern hog suckers had a significantly higher initial avoidance rate than did razorback suckers. Groups of larval suckers of both species did not improve predator avoidance with age as rapidly as did single larvae. These results suggest an inherent difference in predator avoidance between species from predator-rich and predator-poor communities rather than a differential improvement with age. Recovery of razorback suckers by reintroducing them into historic riverine habitats will be limited by the presence of nonnative fishes.

Stream Habitat Types: Their Fish Assemblages and Relationship to Flow

Abstract To simplify selection of target species for instream flow studies, 114 fish species–life stage combinations in six Minnesota streams were assigned membership in six habitat-preference guilds based on the habitat type supporting their highest densities. Shallow pools (<60 cm deep and velocities <30 cm/s) were preferred by most of the young-of-the-year fishes. Slow riffles (<60 cm deep and velocities 30–59 cm/s) were preferred by stonerollers Campostoma spp.; spawning sand shiners Notropis stramineus; adult river shiners N. blennius; juvenile, spawning, and age-0 suckers (Moxostonta spp., northern hog sucker Hypentelium nigricans, and white sucker Catostomus commersoni); and most age-0 darters (Etheostoma flabellare, E. nigrum, E. caeruleum, and Percina phoxocephala). Fast riffles (< 60 cm deep and velocities ≥60 cm/s) were preferred by adult longnose dace Rhinichthys cataractae and most adult and spawning darters (Percina spp. and Etheostoma spp.). Raceways (60–149 cm deep and velocities ≥30 cm/s)...

Population Composition and Dispersal Pattern of Pomphorhynchus bulbocolli in Hypentelium nigricans from the West Fork of Drake's Creek, Kentucky

The seasonal prevalence and intensity of infection, infrapopulation composition and dispersal pattern of Pomphorhynchus bulbocolli were studied in Hypentelium nigricans from the West Fork of Drake's Creek, Kentucky. From February 1977 through November 1981, 165 H. nigricans were collected and examined. The prevalence of P. bulbocolli was 81.2%o and the mean intensity was 30.68 i 3.43. No significant differences were observed in the prevalence or intensity of infections in male and female H. nigricans. There were significant differences in the seasonal prevalence and mean intensity of infection; both were low in winter and high in summer. The sex ratio was relatively constant in all seasons with infrapopulations composed of slightly more females than males. Gravid females were recovered during all seasons. The smallest mean body lengths of both sexes occurred in the summer. This, with the highest seasonal mean intensity of infection, indicated that summer was the season of maximum recruitment. There was a positive correlation between total length of H. nigricans and the number of P. bulbocolli but not between the coefficient of condition of the fish and the number of parasites. Pomphorhyncus bulbocolli were clumped (overdispersed) in the H. nigricans population. INTRODUCTION The acanthocephalan, Pomphorhynchus bulbocolli Linkins, is a common endohelminth of fishes in the eastern United States; it has been reported from 81 host species (Samuel et al., 1976). The ecology of P. bulbocolli has been described in white suckers Catostomus commersoni Lacepede, from both lentic (Lawrence, 1970) and lotic environments (Muzzall, 1980). The present report is directed at the seasonal prevalence and intensity of infection, infrapopulation composition and dispersal pattern of P. bulbocolli in the northern hogsucker Hypentelium nigricans (Lesueur) from a small lotic environment in S-central Kentucky. MATERIALS AND METHODS From February 1977 to November 1981, northern hogsuckers were collected from the West Fork of Drake's Creek, 12 km N of Franklin, Simpson Co., Kentucky. The collection station consisted of a stretch of four riffles and three pools, approximately 150 m long, bisected by a low-water bridge. At the station, Drake's Creek is an Order IV stream, with a substrate of gravel and bedrock. It is a part of the Barren River drainage. The amphipod intermediate host, Gammarus pseudolimnaeus Bousfield, occurs in large numbers in the riffle areas. Fish were collected by electrofishing and seining. After return to the laboratory, fish were killed and the weight, total length and sex were determined. The intestinal tract was removed intact and divided into the regions A, B, Cl, C2, C3 and C4, as described by Amin (1975). The tract was opened and the number and location of Pomphorhyncus bulbocolli determined. The parasites were placed in distilled water at 7 C for 48-96 hr and then fixed in A.F.A. Whole mounts of worms with intact trunks were made using standard techniques. The trunk length, sex and state of maturity of each specimen were determined. Females were classified as being immature (ovary intact), mature (ovarian balls present) or gravid (shelled acanthors present). Males with sperm in the seminal vesicle were classified as mature and those without sperm as immature.