Summer movements of desert pupfish among habitats at the Salton Sea

• Published in: Hydrobiologia 2002-04, Vol.473 (1-3), p.223-228
• Main Author: SUTTON, Ronald J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal and plant ecology; Animal migration; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; Brackish; Creeks; Cyprinodon macularius; Deserts; Fish; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Habitats; Marine ecology; Shorelines; Summer; Vertebrata; Water levels
• ISSN: 0018-8158; 1573-5117
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1016558407279

Summer movement behavior of native desert pupfish (Cyprinodon macularius Baird and Girard) was evaluated among various habitats around the Salton Sea, located in southern California. Agricultural drains, shoreline pools, and Salt Creek were sampled six times between June 28 and September 16, 1999. Collected pupfish were marked using fluorescent elastomer implants. Unique marks were used at each site. Movements were detected from locations of recaptured pupfish. Desert pupfish were found in 10 of 12 sites sampled. Of 3239 pupfish captured during the study, 278 were recaptures, including 27 recaptures at areas different from where they were initially marked. The best evidence of pupfish movements was in the southwestern area of the Salton Sea between a drain and a connected shoreline pool. Movements were also observed from lower Salt Creek into a shoreline pool at the mouth of the creek as the water level dropped. The use of the Salton Sea as a migration corridor between habitats was not documented during this short study. The marking technique was successful and showed promise for future mark and recapture studies of desert pupfish.