ATTACHMENT SS2

REGION 2 SENSITIVE SPECIES EVALUATION FORM

Species: (Scientific Name/Common Name/National Code for Plants – USDA PLANTS) Western Silvery (Hybognathus argyritis)

Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations This species is unevenly distributed in R2. It is ranked as demonstrably Hesse, L. W. 1994. The status of 1 B Nebraska in the , Distribution secure in SD and NE, and it is ranked as imperiled in WY and KS. It is within R2 5. selected chubs and not present in CO. This species is mainly found in the Missouri River (): sicklefin chub and its tributaries along the northern and eastern parts of R2. ( MEEKI), (M. GELIDA), silver chub (M. STORERIANA), speckled chub (M. Confidence in Rank High or Medium or Low AESTIVALIS), flathead chub (PLATYGOBIO GRACILIS), plains minnow (HYBOGNATHUS PLACITUS), and western silvery minnow (H.ARGYRITIS). Trans. Nebr. Acad. Sci. 21:99-108.

Patton, T. M. 1997. Distribution and status of fishes in the Missouri River drainage in Wyoming: Implications for identifying conservation areas. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming.

NatureServe: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. 2001. Version 1.4. Arlington, Virginia, USA: Association for Biodiversity Information. Available: http://www.natureserve.org/.

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Species: (Scientific Name/Common Name/National Code for Plants – USDA PLANTS) Western Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus argyritis)

Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations This species has a limited distribution in North America and it is ranked Patton, T. M. 1997. Distribution and 2 B status of fishes in the Missouri River Distribution as apparently secure globally and nationally (G4/N4). Its range includes outside R2 drainage in Wyoming: Implications for the Missouri River basin in Alberta in Canada and to , identifying conservation areas. Ph.D. USA, south in River basin to southern Illinois; South dissertation, University of Wyoming, Saskatchewan River in extreme southern Alberta, Canada, and Souris Laramie, Wyoming. River (Hudson Bay basin) in extreme eastern Manitoba, Canada. Its distribution has been documented as decreasing over the past several Houston, J. 1998. Status of the decades in the southern parts of its range. western silvery minnow, HYBOGNATHUS ARGYRITIS, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 112:147-153. Confidence in Rank High or Medium or Low

NatureServe: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. 2001. Version 1.4. Arlington, Virginia, USA: Association for Biodiversity Information. Available: http://www.natureserve.org/. This species disperses only through suitable habitat it is most commonly Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A 3 B field guide to freshwater fishes: North Dispersal found in freshwater habitat such as backwaters and pools of large, silty, Capability America north of Mexico. Houghton small to large plains rivers; usually over sand or mud. It is not usually Mifflin Company, Boston, found in higher elevation cold streams. Massachusetts. 432 pp.

Confidence in Rank High or Medium or Low Houston, J. 1998. Status of the western silvery minnow, HYBOGNATHUS ARGYRITIS, in Canada. Canadian Field-Naturalist 112:147-153.

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Species: (Scientific Name/Common Name/National Code for Plants – USDA PLANTS) Western Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus argyritis)

Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations This species is considered common in both NE and SD throughout the Hesse, L. W. 1994. The status of 4 C Nebraska fishes in the Missouri River, Abundance in Missouri River System. Despite recent reports of declines in NE this R2 5. selected chubs and minnows species is still considered to be common in most rivers in the Missouri (Cyprinidae): sicklefin chub River System. This species is less common now in WY and KS than it (MACRHYBOPSIS MEEKI), sturgeon was in the past but overall abundance is great enough that this species chub (M. GELIDA), silver chub (M. persistence in R2 is not immediately threatened. Future research STORERIANA), speckled chub (M. should focus on monitoring changes in this species abundance to AESTIVALIS), flathead chub (PLATYGOBIO GRACILIS), plains determine if it is declining especially in WY and KS. minnow (HYBOGNATHUS PLACITUS), and western silvery minnow (H.ARGYRITIS). Trans. Confidence in Rank High or Medium or Low Nebr. Acad. Sci. 21:99-108.

NatureServe: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. 2001. Version 1.4. Arlington, Virginia, USA: Association for Biodiversity Information. Available: http://www.natureserve.org/. This species was once considered abundant statewide in NE however Peters, E. J., and R. S. Holland. 5 A 1994. Biological and economic Population recent surveys over the past three decades indicate precipitous declines Trend in R2 analyses of the communities in have occurred in the Missouri, lower Niobrara, and Platte rivers. In the Platte River: modifications and Wyoming, this species has been reported as declining in the Little tests of habitat suitability criteria for Missouri and Little Powder rivers. These trends suggest that there may fishes of the Platte River. Federal Aid be a widespread trend of declines for this species population in R2. in Fish Restoration Project No. F-78- R Study III: Job III-2. University of Nebraska, Lincoln.

Confidence in Rank High or Medium or Low Patton, T. M. 1997. Distribution and status of fishes in the Missouri River drainage in Wyoming: Implications for identifying conservation areas. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming.

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Species: (Scientific Name/Common Name/National Code for Plants – USDA PLANTS) Western Silvery Minnow (Hybognathus argyritis)

Criteria Rank Rationale Literature Citations This species habitat in terms of quantity and quality in considered to be Northern Prairie Wildlife Research 6 A Center. 1995. North Dakota's Habitat Trend declining throughout its range due to nonpoint source pollution, water in R2 federally listed endangered, depletion from irrigation, degradation of riparian areas, and mainstem threatened, and candidate species: impoundments impacting natural flow regimes. plains minnow (HYBOGNATHUS PLACITUS). Available online: Confidence in Rank High or Medium or Low http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/ distr/others/nddanger/spe cies/hyboplac.htm.

This species is typically found in water less than one foot deep and Northern Prairie Wildlife Research 7 B Center. 1995. North Dakota's Habitat shallow shores heavily vegetated with emergent grasses and reeds. Vulnerability This species habitat is moderately threatened range-wide, habitat or federally listed endangered, or threatened, and candidate species: Modification community lends itself to alternate use. The greatest threats are plains minnow (HYBOGNATHUS nonpoint source pollution, water depletion from irrigation, degradation of PLACITUS). Available online: riparian areas, and mainstem impoundments impacting natural flow http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/ regimes. In Missouri, threatened by changes in flow regimes resulting distr/others/nddanger/spe cies/hyboplac.htm. from dam construction and channelization.

Confidence in Rank High or Medium or Low This species commonly moves about in large schools of 50 to l00 Page, L. M., and B. M. Burr. 1991. A 8 C field guide to freshwater fishes: North Life History individuals along the bottom in deep, quiet water. Adults may reach over and 4 inches in length. Spawning takes place in late May or early June. America north of Mexico. Houghton Demographics Mifflin Company, Boston, Breeding males may exhibit yellowish-fin coloration. This species feeds Massachusetts. 432 pp. by probably ingesting mud and bottom ooze from river and stream beds that contain algae and organic debris. NatureServe: An online encyclopedia of life [web application]. 2001. Confidence in Rank High or Medium or Low Version 1.4. Arlington, Virginia, USA: Association for Biodiversity Information. Available: http://www.natureserve.org/. Evaluator(s): Stan Anderson and Matt McGee Date: 7-15-01

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National Forests in the Rocky Mountain Region where species is KNOWN (K) or LIKELY (L)1 to occur:

Colorado NF/NG Kansas NF/NG Nebraska NF/NG South Dakota Wyoming NF/NG

NF/NG

y y

y y y Known Likel Known Likel Known Likel Known Likel Known Likel Arapaho-Roosevelt NF Cimmaron NG Samuel R.McKelvie NF * Black Hills NF * Shoshone NF White River NF Halsey NF * Buffalo Gap NG * Bighorn NF Routt NF Nebraska NF Ft. Pierre NG Black Hills NF Grand Mesa, Ogalala NG Medicine Bow NF Uncompahgre, Gunnison NF San Juan NF Thunder Basin NG Rio Grande NF Pike-San Isabel NF Comanche NG

1 Likely is defined as more likely to occur than not occur on the National Forest or Grassland. This generally can be thought of as having a 50% chance or greater of appearing on NFS lands.

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