Michigan Fishes 23 October 2012 Michigan Fishes Michigan

Michigan Fishes 23 October 2012

Michigan Fishes • • Michigan dominates Great Lakes watershed Shoreline = 3, 288 miles (2 nd to Alaska) Over 35, 000 inland lakes and 36, 350 miles of rivers Of 172 Great Lakes species, 153 found in Michigan

Species List Ictaluridae: Ictalurus punctatus – channel catfish Salmonidae: Salvelinus fontinalis – brook trout Oncorhynchus mykiss – rainbow trout Salmo trutta – brown trout Sciaenidae: Aplodinotus grunniens – freshwater drum Gasterosteidae: Culaea inconstans – brook stickleback Amiidae: Amia calva – bowfin Clupeidae: Dorosoma cepedianum – gizzard shad Percopsidae: Percopsis omiscomaycus – trout-perch Aphredoderidae: Aphredoderus sayanus – pirate perch Lotidae: Lota lota – burbot Moronidae: Morone chrysops – white bass Atherinopsidae: Labidesthes sicculus – brook silverside

Ictaluridae Catfishes: family characteristics • Four pairs of barbels • No scales • Adipose fin present • Stout spines in dorsal and pectoral fins Ictalurus punctatus – channel catfish • Deeply forked tail • Tail usually with dark margin • Usually dark spots on sides 35 lb CO state record

Salmonidae Trouts: family characteristics • Body terete to moderately compressed • Single soft-rayed dorsal fin, adipose fin present • Cycloid scales on body, head naked • 18 total Michigan species Salvelinus fontinalis: brook trout • Head, back, and dorsal fin vermiculated • Side with light spots (often blue and red in life) • Leading edge of lower fins white with black inner edge • Caudal fin truncate or shallowly forked

Salmonidae Trouts: family characteristics • Body terete to moderately compressed • Single soft-rayed dorsal fin, adipose fin present • Cycloid scales on body, head naked • 18 total Michigan species Oncorhynchus mykiss: rainbow trout • Oncorhynchus = hooked nose • Back, top of head, dorsal and caudal fins with many small black spots • Usually pink stripe along side • Adipose usually spotted with black margin

Salmonidae Trouts: family characteristics • Body terete to moderately compressed • Single soft-rayed dorsal fin, adipose fin present • Cycloid scales on body, head naked • 18 total Michigan species Salmo trutta: brown trout • Lightish brown background color • Side with many orange and red spots • Adipose orange without black margin

Sciaenidae Drums: family characteristics • Body compressed and deep • Highly arched lateral line that extends to end of rounded caudal • Two dorsal fins, pelvic fins with one spine, anal fin with two • Ctenoid scales • Snout blunt with almost horizontal mouth Aplodinotus grunniens: freshwater drum • Only species in Michigan • Strongly nocturnal • Large grooved otoliths used to estimate age and migrations

Gasterosteidae Sticklebacks: family characteristics • Series of free dorsal spines • Body elongate and compressed • Caudal peduncle slender, naked or with bony plates • Anal fin with single strong spine Culaea inconstans: brook stickleback • Dorsal spines 5 or 6 • Caudal peduncle deeper than wide, without keel

Amiidae Bowfins: family characteristics • Bony (gular) plate between lower jaw bones • Single long dorsal fin • Cycloid scales • Caudal fin abbreviate heterocercal Amia calva: bowfin • A. k. a. dogfish, grinnel • Black spot at caudal fin base • Mottled coloration • Similar to burbot, mudminnow • Only species in this family • Gulp air when oxygen is low

Clupeidae Herrings and shads: family characteristics • Body compressed • Single dorsal fin, no adipose fin • Thin cycloid scales, head naked (scaleless) • Spiny scutes on midline of belly • No lateral line Dorosoma cepedianum: gizzard shad • Posterior ray of dorsal fin elongated • Dorsal fin starts behind pelvic fin insertion • Snout rounded, mouth subterminal • Dark spot behind operculum

Percopsidae Trout-perches: family characteristics • Body slender with mod. sized ctenoid scales • Jaws with villiform teeth • Head naked, nostrils narrowly separated • Adipose fin present, caudal deeply forked Percopsis omiscomaycus: trout-perch • Small silvery fish • Dark spots down lateral line • Dorsal and anal fin each with spine • One of only two species in genus

Aphredoderidae Pirate perches: family characteristics • Body oblong, heavy forward • Villiform teeth • Caudal fin truncate • Genital aperture and anus migrates forward to throat in adult Aphredoderus sayanus: pirate perch • Only species in Michigan • Body dark slate color • Distinct dark caudal bar • Often dark teardrop • 3 dorsal and 2 anal fin spines

Lotidae Hakes and burbots: family characteristics • One to three dorsal fins • Chin barbel • Caudal fin rounded Lota lota: burbot • Dorsal, caudal, anal fins separate • Pelvic fins jugular • Mottled coloration all over body • Similar to American eel • Only species in genus

Moronidae Temperate basses: family characteristics • Two separate or narrowly joined dorsal fins • Shallowly forked caudal • 3 spines in anal fin • Opercular spine (separates from Centrarchidae) Morone chrysops: white bass • Anal spines graduated in length (1 st shortest, 3 rd longest) • Distinct stripes on body

Atherinopsidae Silversides: family characteristics • Body elongate, terete • Superior mouth • Many small scales • Silver lateral stripe • 2 dorsal fins Labidesthes sicculus: brook silverside • Mouth formed into short beak • 1 st dorsal fin very small • Long anal fin