OCCURRENCE AND REPRODUCTION BY RAZORBACK SUCKER (XYRAUCHEN TEXANUS) IN THE GRAND CANYON, ARIZONA

From 1944 to 1990, only 10 razorback suckers (Xyrauchen texanus) were captured in the Colorado River within the Grand Canyon, Arizona. Except for a single larval razorback sucker captured in 1998 near Havasu Creek, the species was not found during fish surveys conducted between 1990 and 2011. Biologists confirmed the presence and spawning of razorback sucker within the Grand Canyon in 2014 and 2015 when conducting sampling for small-bodied (age 0+) and larval fishes. Although no juvenile or adult razorback suckers were found, larvae were captured indicating that razorback sucker are using historical Colorado River habitats within the Grand Canyon.