Copper Redhorse
Moxostoma hubbsi, to English. Copper Redhorse, French Chevalier Cuivre is a Saugkarpfenart, which is found only in Canada. He belongs to one of seven species of the genus Moxostoma in Canada. It is believed that the species was described in 1866 by Pierre Fortin for the first time, officially the way in 1942 by Vianney Legendre applies discovered.
Distribution and habitat
Moxostoma hubbsi occurs only in a very small area of distribution, which is limited to a few rivers in the southwestern lowlands of the Canadian province of Quebec. Populations were in the St. Lawrence River and found the Richelieu River ( Rivière des Mille Îles ). They inhabit mainly medium-sized rivers that heat up in the summer. They keep mostly to in pool with stone base, backwater water or rapids with low gradient. In the Yamaska and Noire River their stocks declined sharply due to environmental degradation. The distribution area of Moxostoma hubbsi is located in the most densely populated areas of Canada, the consequences of which have a negative impact on the fish population.
Description
The animals are average 47.5 inches long. The largest ever caught specimen was 72 inches long and weighed 6 pounds.
Way of life
Moxostoma hubbsi spawn at water temperatures from 20 ° C. One of their spawning areas can be found in the upper reaches of the Richelieu River at moderately flowing water and light rapids, depths of 0.75 to two meters and a base of gravel or crushed stone. Like their congeners spend the juveniles their first year in the shore region in the underwater vegetation on clay or loam. Other spawning areas in which fit these criteria are the Chambly Archipelago, the channel downstream of the Saint-Ours dam, Saint -Marc- sur -Richelieu and the Lavaltrie - Contrecoeur of the St. Lawrence River. M. hubbsi is different from other Moxostoma species by its highly specialized lifestyle, his diet, late spawning season and special requirements for the habitat.
Threat status
Due to their high degree of specialization in environmental conditions of the population is severely threatened. The decline in population began in the 1980s. Reproduction and outgrowth rate of Moxostoma hubbsi are very low. Only 0.35% or less of the young fish are older than one year. In the last 30 to 40 years and with a strong decrease of the size distribution was observed. He will barely caught fish older than two years. The total number of mature fish amounts to only a few thousand copies. Other factors are threatening the siltation of water bodies, eutrophication, pollution, aquatic physical measures and disturbances during the spawning process. Moxostoma hubbsi is to some extent an indicator of anthropogenic influences on the water of Quebec. The public interest in a survival of the species is large.