Environmental Conditions Associated with Occurrences of the Threatened Yaqui Catfish in the Yaqui River Basin, Mexico

Abstract The Yaqui Catfish Ictalurus pricei is an understudied species, with limited information available on its ecology, distribution, and local habitat use. Native to the southwestern United States northwestern Mexico, populations are declining, which has prompted listing of species as threatened in a concern Mexico. Water overallocation, degradation, invasive introductions, hybridization nonnative Channel I . punctatus have caused Mexico decline. population collapsed after years low recruitment. To better focus conservation efforts well define associated occurrences, we assessed distribution River basin by using historical data at landscape scale. were historically found across watershed among diversity environments but most frequently small, intermittent streams. Basin land cover was dominated forest, shrubland, grassland, generally occurred stream segments similar proportions. However, small number occurrences urban cropland types proportions greater than availability those categories landscape. With facing declines region, this work will help inform future aimed securing Catfish, protecting suitable habitat, defining current status