New Mexico State Fish
Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout (common name) Oncorhynchus clarki virginalis (scientific name) Overview The Rio Grande cutthroat trout is native to the cold mountain streams of some of the most remote virgin wilderness in the United States. Its coloration is dark olive on its back, yellowish-green to gray-brown on its flanks, and scattered black spots all over that get more concentrated toward the end of the tail. During the breeding season, the male’s belly turns a bright reddish-orange. There are two distinct forms of the species: one from the Pecos River basin and one from the Rio Grande river system. The Pecos version has larger (1-inch or 25-cm diameter) spots whereas the Rio Grande version has a bluish tinge to its jaw. The fish is rare, and known for its beauty. It's also popular with fly-fishermen due to its fighting ability. The Rio Grande cutthroat remains threatened due to water diversion, competition from non-native trout, livestock grazing, logging, road building, mining, drought, fire, and freezing temperatures. It was designated New Mexico's state fish in 1955. Close-up STATUS Official PHYSICAL DETAILS Length: Up to 10 in (25 cm); average of 7 in (19 cm) Weight: Up to 1 lbs (450 g); average of 8 oz (225 g) LIFESPAN Up to 11 years; 5 years on average HABITAT Tiny, cold, fast-moving mountain streams Range: Confined to 13 isolated pockets across 150 miles of streams, four of which are in the Santa Fe National Forest in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado. These 200 streams represent about 5 percent of the fish’s historical range, which once extended to west Texas and northern Mexico. Water type: Freshwater Water temp: 48–52°F (9-11°C) Elevation: 8,250-10,750 feet (2,515–3,277 m) Conservation Status: Threatened DIET Rio Grande cutthroat trout feed on insects (midges, caddis flies, mayflies), larvae, plankton, and small freshwater crustaceans. REPRODUCTION Fertilization: External Spawning frequency: Approximately once every three years after the fish reaches its third year; April to July (depending on elevation and temperature). Mating behavior: Distinct pairing. Males court females by nudging them and quivering. Egg laying: The female clears a depression (a "redd") in the gravel of a stream where she lays between 200 and 4,500 eggs. Eggs hatch in one to two months. USES Game fish. OTHER NAMES New Mexico cutthroat trout TRIVIA The Rio Grande cutthroat was once virtually the only trout in New Mexico, but over-fishing in the late 1800s reduced the populations so severely that non-native rainbow, brook, and brown trout were introduced in the 1890s. These aggressive fish preyed on the native Rio Grande cutthroat and forced them upstream to unconnected pockets in high-mountain waters. This fragmentation of the Rio Grande cutthroat's range has disrupted the fish’s ability to spawn and adversely affected the species long-term genetic viability.
	Click to enlarge an image Releasing Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Colorful Juvenile Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Stocking River with Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout Beautiful Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout CLASSIFICATION Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Sub-Class: Osteichthyes Order: Salmoniformes Family: Salmonidae Genus: Oncorhynchus Species: O. clarki Subspecies: O. c. virginalis
	Raw Data Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Author: World Trade Press