Natural History of Vertebrates Lab
Emporia State University

FISH LIST (Spring 2008)

Taxonomy and nomenclature follows Relson et al. (2004).
Nelson, J.S., E.J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Perez, L.T. Findley, C.R. Gilbert, R.N. Lea, and J.D. Williams. 2004. Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, MD.
You will be responsible for the classification from kingdom to species, its common name, and its general distribution in Kansas (you can learn either the river drainage or the general section of the state). Links at the taxonomic levels above family, take you to the Tree of Life Project. Links at the species level take you to a collection of photographs on the North American Freshwater Fishes Index or The Fishes of Nebraska. If you click on the family names, you will see a couple of charateristics that will be useful in recognizing the families. Use the "back" button in the top left corner to go back to the species list. 
Kingdom Animalia
   Phylum Chordata
      Subphylum Vertebrata
         Class Cephalaspidomorphi (=Hyperoartia)
            Order Petromyzontiformes
               Family Petromyzontidae
                  Ichthyomyzon castaneus  (chestnut lamprey) threatened
         Class Actinopterygii
            Order Acipenseriformes
               Family Acipenseridae
                  Scaphirhynchus platorynchus  (shovelnose sturgeon)
               Family Polyodontidae
                  Polyodon spathula  (paddlefish)
            Order Lepisosteiformes
               Family Lepisosteidae
                  Lepisosteus platostomus  (shortnose gar)
                  Lepisosteus osseus  (longnose gar)
            Order Amiiformes
               Family Amiidae
                  Amia calva  (bowfin)
            Order Anguilliformes
               Family Anguillidae
                  Anguilla rostrata  (American eel)
            Order Clupeiformes
               Family Clupeidae
                  Dorosoma cepedianum  (gizzard shad)
            Order Cypriniformes
               Family Cyprinidae
                  Cyprinus carpio  (common carp)
                  Notemigonus crysoleucas  (golden shiner)
                  Platygobio gracilis  (flathead chub) threatened
                  Notropis atherinoides  (emerald shiner)
                  Campostoma anomalum  (central stoneroller)
                  Pimephales promelas  (fathead minnow)
                  Cyprinella lutrensis  (red shiner)
                  Lythrurus umbratilis  (redfin shiner)
                Family Catostomidae
                  Carpiodes carpio  (river carpsucker)
                  Moxostoma erythrurum  (golden redhorse)
            Order Siluriformes
               Family Ictaluridae
                  Ameiurus melas  (black bullhead)
                  Ictalurus  punctatus  (channel catfish)
                  Noturus flavus  (stonecat)
                  Pylodictis olivaris  (flathead catfish)
            Order Atheriniformes
                Family Atherinopsidae
                  Labidesthes sicculus  (brook silverside)
            Order Cyprinodontiformes
                Family Fundulidae
                  Fundulus zebrinus  (plains killifish)
                Family Poeciliidae
                  Gambusia affinis  (western mosquitofish)
               
                  
            Order Perciformes
               Family Moronidae
                  Morone saxatilis  (striped bass)
                  Morone chrysops  (white bass)
               Family Centrarchidae
                  Micropterus dolomieu  (smallmouth bass)
                  Micropterus salmoides  (largemouth bass)
                  Lepomis cyanellus  (green sunfish)
                  Lepomis macrochirus  (bluegill)
                  Lepomis humilis  (orangespotted sunfish)
                  Lepomis megalotis  (longear sunfish)
                  Pomoxis annularis  (white crappie)
                  Pomoxis nigromaculatus  (black crappie)
               Family Percidae
                  Sander vitreus  (walleye)
                  Sander canadensis  (sauger)
                  Perca flavescens  (yellow perch)
                  Etheostoma spectabile  (orangethroat darter)
                  Percina phoxocephala  (slenderhead darter)
                  Percina caprodes  (logperch)
               Family Sciaenidae
                  Aplodinotus grunniens   (freshwater drum)

CHARACTERISTICS USEFUL IN IDENTIFYING
THE FAMILIES OF FISHES IN KANSAS

PETROMYZONTIDAE--pelvic and pectoral fins absent, jaws absent, long slender body, 7 gill openings

ACIPENSERIDAE--snout shovel-shaped, 4 large barbels on lower surface of head, body with several rows of bony plates

POLYODONTIDAE--snout long and paddle-shaped, no bony plates on body

LEPISOSTEIDAE--snout a bony, strongly toothed beak; body covered with hard, plate-like scales

AMIIDAE--length of dorsal fin more than half of body length; tail fin rounded; gular plate present

CLUPEIDAE--pelvic fins behind pectoral fins; dorsal fin in front of anal fin; keel on midline of belly with sharp, saw-tooth projections

CYPRINIDAE--pelvic fins behind pectoral fins; dorsal fin in front of anal fin; dorsal and anal fin each with a spine at front (carp) or dorsal fin with no spine and 8 principal rays (native minnows)

CATOSTOMIDAE--pelvic fins behind pectoral fins; dorsal fin in front of anal fin; dorsal fin with 10 or more principal rays

ICTALURIDAE--8 large barbels near mouth; scales absent; stout spine at front of pectoral fin

CYPRINODONTIDAE--pelvic fins behind anal fins; dorsal fin above anal fin; tail fin rounded; third ray of anal fin branched

POECILIIDAE--pelvic fins behind anal fin; dorsal fin almost behind anal fin; tail fin rounded; third ray of anal fin unbranched

ATHERINOPSIDAE--2 separate dorsal fins; pectoral fin high on body

MORONIDAE--pelvic fins under pectoral fins; spinous dorsal fin separate from soft dorsal fin; 3 spines in anal fin

CENTRARCHIDAE--pelvic fins under pectoral fins; spinous dorsal fin well connected to soft dorsal fin

PERCIDAE--pelvic fins under pectoral fins; spinous dorsal fin not connected to soft dorsal fin with soft dorsal fin not longer than spinous dorsal fin; 2 or fewer spines in anal fin

SCIAENIDAE--pelvic fins under dorsal fins; spinous dorsal fin not connected to soft dorsal fin with soft dorsal fin longer than spinous dorsal fin; 2 stout spines in anal fin with the second much larger than the first

Last updated on 29 January 2008.
Provide comments to Dwight Moore at mooredwi@emporia.edu.
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