Gila cypha
Humpback Chub
Federal:
Threatened
NS
G1
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Cypriniformes (Carps and Minnows)
Cyprinidae (Carps and Minnows)
Gila
Gila cypha (Humpback Chub)
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal. Body deep and compressed; caudal peduncle long, extremely slender; fins falcate; caudal fin large, forked; angle along anal fin base continues along upper edge of caudal fin. Large-sized individuals possess large, nearly scaleless hump behind small, depressed head; mouth subterminal, extending to front of small eye; 73-90 scales on lateral line; usually 9 dorsal rays; 10 anal rays; pharyngeal teeth 2,5-4.2. Dark olive-gray above, silver side (Ref. 86798).
Distribution
North America: upper Colorado River drainage in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Arizona, USA.
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. benthopelagic. Found in: streams.
Biology
Inhabits swift, rocky runs and flowing pools. The hump at the back of the head directs fish to maintain position in the swift water (Ref. 86798).
Max length: 38.0 cm TL; common length: 25.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders.
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered (EN), assessed 2012-02-10. Resilience: Medium (K=0.15-0.22).
References
Riehl, R. and H.A. Baensch (1991) Aquarien Atlas. Band. 1. Melle: Mergus, Verlag für Natur-und Heimtierkunde, Germany. 992 p.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr (1991) A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr (2011) A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 663p.
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