 It was named by ichthyologist Robert Rush Miller.In their original Mojave River habitat, the Mohave chub have hybridized with the coastal chub ("Gila orcutti"); because of this, the Mojave Chub Spring is now the main source for all genetically "pure" Mohave chubs.Other locations in California have been used as refuges for this pure variety by intentionally introducing the fish into the location.