The Paiute cutthroat trout is a member of the Salmonidae (trout and salmon) family. It is distinguishable from other cutthroat trout by the absence or near absence of body spots. Body spots are the diagnostic character that distinguishes the Paiute cutthroat from the Lahontan cutthroat. Paiute cutthroat trout rarely have more than five body spots; Lahontan cutthroat trout typically possess 50 to 100 body spots and may have more. A secondary distinguishing character is body color. Lahontans typically have a coppery to purplish-pink body color, whereas Paiutes from comparable streams are normally yellowish to light green. Distribution: Paiutes are native to Silver King Creek in the East Fork-Carson River drainage of east-central California. The current distribution in the Silver King Creek watershed (Alpine County) consists of two small pure populations in Fly Valley Creek and Four-mile Canyon Creek and two probable pure populations in Corral Valley Creek and Coyote Valley Creek. Self-sustaining pure populations have also become established outside the native range in the North Fork of Cottonwood Creek (Mono County) and Stairway Creek (Madera County). Long-term restoration effort has re-established pure strain Paiute cutthroat in the mainstream of Silver King Creek above Llewellyn Falls; hybrids are found in mixed populations below. The extant pure populations all occur in headwater stream environments that are isolated from other fish species by barrier falls. Special Considerations: The major threats to the survival of this fish are
Paiute cutthroat trout hybridize readily with rainbow trout and with other subspecies of cutthroat trout. They are also readily displaced by brook trout. Effective fish barriers are needed to keep other trout from invading Paiute cutthroat territory. Prepared by Endangered Species Divison, Sacramento Fish and Wildlife Office, US Fish and Wildlife Service. See also |
Paiute Cutthroat Trout |
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