Use of ultrasonic imaging 

evaluate egg maturation 

humpback chub Gila cyph

Grand Canyon 

Morgan Brizendine1*, David Ward

2, Scott Bonar1

William Matter

3

1University of Arizona, Arizona Cooperative Fish 

and Wildlife Research Unit

2U.S. Geological Survey, Grand Canyon 

Monitoring and Research Center

3University of Arizona, School of Natural Resources 

and Environment

*mobriz@email.arizona.edu
Background 
Background 

http://www.uahealth.com/sites/default/files/Ultrasound%20Aplio-.png 
Background 

• Ultrasonic imaging 

• Non-lethal • Used to determine sex and 

ovarian maturity of variety of fishes 

• Not waterproof 
Goals 

• Evaluate use of ultrasonic imaging to identify egg dev

in humpback chub 

• Document locations of humpback chub egg maturatio

Grand Canyon 
Objectives 

• Determine if ultrasonic 

imaging can be used to: 

• Identify eggs • Identify level of egg maturity 

• Evaluate reproductive 

condition of humpback chub in: 

• Colorado River aggregations • Little Colorado River • Shinumo Creek • Havasu Creek 
Sample Locations 

MoGU
Methods 
Methods 
Methods 
Methods 
Methods 
Methods 
Methods 
Methods 
Results-Lab Data 

• Mix of males and females

• Some ripe males and

3 ripe females

• Correctly identified 78% of common carp

• 

2 females misidentified as males

• 4/13 fish misidentified were ripe males

• Common carp ranged from 230

‐424 mm total length (N=5
Results-Chub Egg Identification 

• Identified egg 

development with ultrasonic imaging 
       

100

908070605040302010

0

Presence of Females with Eggs

Females in Total Catch (%)
 69 51 58 64 68 77 59 64 65 65

94

Sample Site and Date (MM/YYYY)
Results-Different Levels of Egg 

Development 

• Stage

0

• No ovary lining present

• Stage

1

• Ovary lining present

• Small mass of eggs • Range

0

‐31

• Low density of eggs (dark)

• Stage

2

• Ovary lining present

• Small to medium mass of eggs • Range 45

‐100

• High density of eggs (bright)

• Stage

3

• Ovary lining present

• Large mass of eggs

• Dense bright centers surrounded by

water

• Range 32

‐44
Stage 1

Stage 2 Stage 3Stage 0
      Number of Female Fish
 

1210

86420

0‐2

3‐5

6‐8

9‐11

12‐14

15‐17

18‐20

21‐23

24‐26

27‐29

29‐31

32‐34

35‐37

38‐40

41‐43

44‐46

47‐49

50‐52

53‐55

56‐58

59‐61

62+

Brightness Value of Egg Mass

LCR 4/13 and 4/14Dexter 4/14Dexter 4/15
Percentage of Ripe Females (No. Ripe/No. Females * 10

Colorado River

(main stem)

Little Colorado

River Havasu Creek Shinum

Total

Females % Ripe

Total

Females % Ripe

Total

Females % Ripe

Total

Females 

Spring2013 ‐ ‐ 37 38 30 7 ‐ Spring2014 ‐ ‐ 23 78 52 8 ‐ Spring2014 ‐ ‐ 28 25 ‐ ‐ ‐ Summer2013 46 63 37 5 ‐ ‐ 11 

Summer2014 48 31 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 23 Fall 2013 42 31 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 

Fall 2014 96 25 51 24 ‐ ‐ ‐ 

Fall 2015 63 19 ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ ‐ 
Stage 1

Stage 2 Stage 3Stage 0
Number of Stage 2 Females

July/August

2013

(Total S2F = 7)

July/August

2014

(Total S2F = 15)

September

2013

(Total S2F = 10)

Septem

2014

(Total S2F 

# S2 # S2 # S2 # S2 

30 Mile 2 6 0 11 

LCR + Lava Chuar 2 4 1 28 

Bright Angel 0 0 0 0 

Shinumo Creek 0 0 0 1 

Stephen's Isle 0 0 0 3 

Middle Granite Gorge 0 0 5 4 

Havasu Creek 2 3 3 3 

Pumpkin Springs 0 0 1 1 

Deer Creek 0 ‐ ‐ ‐ 

Kanab Creek 1 ‐ ‐ ‐ 

Parashant 0 2 0 0 
Number of Stage 3 (Potentially Ripe) Females

July/August

2013

(Total S3F = 30)

July/August

2014

(Total S3F = 15)

September

2013

(Total S3F = 13)

Septem

2014

(Total S3F 

# S3 # S3 # S3 # S3 

30 Mile 8 10 0 8 

LCR + Lava Chuar 2 2 0 12 

Bright Angel 5 0 0 1 

Shinumo Creek 0 0 3 0 

Stephen's Isle 0 2 0 0 

Middle Granite Gorge 0 1 8 2 

Havasu Creek 5 0 2 1 

Pumpkin Springs 0 0 0 0 

Deer Creek 4 ‐ ‐ ‐ 

Kanab Creek 6 ‐ ‐ ‐ 
Conclusions to Date 

• Ultrasonic imaging can be used to: 

• Identify eggs • Evaluate egg maturity of female 

humpback chub 

• Egg development in female 

humpback chub varies by: 

• Location • Time of year 
Conclusions to Date cont.

• Female fish with eggs within brightness

range 32

‐44 were considered

potentially ripe (Stage 3)

• Female fish with eggs detected at all

sample locations and sample dates

• Ripe females detected at all except

Shinumo Creek 2014

• July/August 2013 sample

• 63% of females with eggs were ripe• Ripe females detected at Deer Creek and

Kanab
Conclusions to Date cont.

• Colorado River (main stem) samples

• Most ripe females in both summer samples from 30

Mile Aggregation

• Most ripe females in September 2013 sample from

Middle Granite Gorge aggregation

• Most ripe females in September 2014 and 2015 from

LCR Aggregation

• No potentially ripe fish caught at Pumpkin Springs

(don’t catch adults)
Acknowledgements 

• Dennis Stone• Randy VanHaverbeke • Rylan Morton‐Starner• Kirk Young • Bill Persons

• Luke Avery • Mike Pillow

• Manuel Ulibarri • Mike Dodrill

• William Knight • Scott Vanderkooi

• Ian Paige

• Wade Wilson • Robin Osterhoudt

• Pilar Wolters

• Brian Healy • Kristy Manuell

• Melissa Trammell

• Clay Nelson • Chelsea Powers

• Emily Omana‐Smith • Christina Perez

• Shannon Blackburn• Donna Richardson
Questions? 

mobriz@email.arizona.edu