1. Fishes of Pennsylvania
Introduction to the Nekton
Lecture by Michael D. Bilger, MS

2. Fishes of Pennsylvania
Lampreys
Sturgeons
Paddlefish
Gars
Bowfin
American Eel
Herrings
Minnows
Suckers
Catfishes
Pikes
Rainbow Smelt
Trout and Salmon
Burbot
Banded Killifish
Threespine Stickleback
Sculpin
Temperate Basses
Sunfishes
Perches
Freshwater Drum
171 total sp. in PA?

3. Major Streams of Pennsylvania

4. Lampreys American Brook Lamprey Lethenteron appendix
Larvae filter feed
Adult does not feed.
The Sea Lamprey Pteromyzon marinus (in Great Lakes) and the Ohio Lamprey (western PA) are parasitic.
The three native PA Brook Lampreys are not parasitic.

5. Sturgeons
The Lake Sturgeon –Acipenser fulvescens- is the only freshwater sturgeon in PA. It is found in Lake Erie.
The Shortnose Sturgeon and the Atlantic Sturgeon are marine and tidal fish that may occur in the lower Delaware River.
All PA sturgeons are endangered

6. Paddlefish Paddlefish –Polydon spathula- only living species.
Eat zooplankton
Extirpated from former ranges in western PA and Lake Erie.
PA Fish and Boat Commission reintroduced them to the Ohio and Allegheny Rivers.

7. Gar Two gar species occur in PA: The Spotted Gar and the Longnose Gar.
The Longnose Gar –Lepidosteus osseus- is in low numbers through the lower Great Lakes, western PA and extreme lower Susquehanna River.

8. Bowfin Bowfin – Amia calvia
Found mainly around Presque Isle and in the lower parts of the major drainages.
Can tolerate very warm water and gulp air.

9. American Eel
The American Eel –Anguila americana –occurs in the major PA drainages.
Now attempts are being made to return the eel to the Upper Susquehanna River Drainage

10. Herrings
This family includes Blueback Herring, Alewife, Gizzard Shad, Hickory Shad, and American Shad.
The American Shad –Alosa sapidissima- anadromous fish that enter mainstem of large rivers to spawn.
Attempts to support shad run in the Susquehanna River
In rivers, shad eat small crustaceans, zooplankton, worms, insects, and small fish

11. Minnows
PA has 39 species of minnows, including exotics like Carp and Goldfish.
The minnows of Pennsylvania include:
Bluntnose Minnow
Cutlips Minnow
Central Stoneroller
Emerald Shiner
Hornyhead Chub
Grass Carp
Common Carp
Common Shiner
River Chub
Golden Shiner
Fathead Minnow
Spotfin Shiner
Rosyface Shiner
Blacknose Dace
Longnose Dace
Creek Chub
Fallfish

12. Bluntnose Minnow Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales notatus)
Scales crowded within predorsal area
Narrow even stripe along sides w/ small distinct spot at base of tail
Tolerant of silt
Feeds on bottom ooze, midges, cladocerans

13. Cutlips Minnow Cutlips Minnow (Exoglossum maxillingua)
Lower lip in three lobes, the center of which looks like a tongue
Stony pools of clean streams
Mainly feed on small mollusks, insects, and diatoms

14. Central Stoneroller Central Stoneroller (Campostoma anomalum)
Undistinguished minnow
Cartilaginous ridge at lower lip
Likes riffles
Scrapes algae off stones; midges

15. Emerald Shiner Emerald Shiner (Notropis atherinoides)
Slender minnow; no barbels; >10 anal fin rays
Big water; near surface sp.
Populations fluctuate greatly year to year
Plankton cropper; protozoans; insect larvae

16. Hornyhead Chub Horneyhead Chub (Nocomis biguttatus)
Well developed terminal barbels
Diamond pattern dark margins of scales
Breeding tubercules cover the head thus give name
Prefer clean water and clean gravel bottom
Feed on variety of plant and animals

17. Grass Carp Grass Carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idella); “White Amur”
Introduced sp.; large size (25 lbs)
Stocked in 1963
Live in lakes, ponds, streams
Can live in brackish waters
Herbivores used for aquatic weed control
35 states have outlawed their importation and release

18. Common Carp The Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Native to Asia and eastern Europe; considered invasive in some watersheds
Found in many habitats, but prefer slow-moving water with a well-developed littoral zone

19. Common Shiner Common Shiner (Luxilus cornutus)
Moving water, warm to cold
Very common in North America, East of the Rocky Mountains and North of the Gulf states
Omnivore: plants and insects mainly at or near the surface

20. River Chub River Chub (Nocomis micropogon)
Large minnow; deep caudal peduncle
Crosshatched pattern
Breeding tubercles only on top of head vs. Hornyhead Chub
Large clean creeks and rivers
Males build large nests
Feed on plankton, algae, insect larvae

21. Golden Shiner Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas); Abraminae
Compressed; deep bodied; long anal fin w/lobe
Deep lateral line; gold color
Fleshy scaleless keel in front of anus
Slow water w/vegetation
Plankton croppers; insect larvae; small fish

22. Fathead Minnow Fathead Minnow (Pimephales promelas)
Stubby; heavy body; small mouth; incomplete lateral line
Males develop thick fatty pad on head; grow 3 large tubercles on snout
Ponds and slow streams; tolerant
Males groom eggs with dorsal pad
Territorial with other males
Feed on algae, bottom detritus, insect larvae, zooplankton

23. Spotfin Shiner Spotfin Shiner (Cyprinella spiloptera)
Common in streams throughout the east
Omnivore: plants, insects, small fish near the surface

24. Roseyface Shiner Roseyface Shiner (Notropis rubellus)
Breeding males have bright red heads and pectoral fins
Slender; silvery; pointed snout
Confused with emerald, comely, silver shiners
Large to moderate streams with swift currents
Feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects

25. Blacknose Dace Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys atratulus)
Distinct mid-lateral stripes w/short snout
Breeding males w/pale gold stripe and bright orange pectoral rays
Lives in clear small streams, large, and headwater streams
Feeds on aquatic insect larvae w/some diatoms and desmids

26. Longnose Dace Longnose Dace (Rhinichthys cataractae)
In streams with riffles and pools
Mainly staying near the bottom where they feed on insect larvae, particularly chironomids

27. Creek Chub Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus)
Elongate; large head and mouth
Conspicuous spot at front of dorsal fin base
Sentinel species for AMD
Juveniles have a conspicuous mid- dorsal stripe
Breeding males have tubercles
Tolerant sp.; often with black spot infestations (trematode)
Generalized sight feeder- animals and plant materials

28. Fallfish Fallfish (Semotilus corporalis) Largest native minnow in NE
Large scales; falcate tail
Dark crescent shaped scales
Clear streams, ponds, lakes
Male builds large nests of gravel- 4 feet diameter
Plant and animal plankton to aquatic flies and terrestrial insects

29. Suckers Quillback Carpsucker White Sucker Northern Hog Sucker
The Redhorses
River Redhorse
Shorthead Redhorse

30. Quillback Carpsucker The Quillback Carpsucker (Carpoides cyprinus)
Body is deep and laterally compressed
They travel in schools in slow-moving rivers and backwaters with gravel bottoms.
Eat a wide variety of benthic macroinvertebrates

31. White Sucker The White Sucker (Catostomus commersoni)
Cylindrical body with a rounded snout
Range from headwaters to warm, low oxygen water.
They are omnivores, feeding on plants, zooplankton, benthos

32. Northern Hog Sucker The Northern Hogsucker (Hypentelium nigricans)
The body is cylindrical and darkly camouflaged
Found in clean streams
Overturn rock while scraping biofilm, and aquatic macroinvertebrates

33. River Redhorse River Redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum)
Moderately long head and plicate lips without cross folds; red fins
Caudal fin forked; anal fin pointed or rounded
Fish of large streams with moderate to swift currents w/o silty bottom
Feed on mollusks and insects

34. Shorthead Redhorse Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma m. macrolepidotum
Has a short head; distinctive lips with folds broken by cross grooves into large papillae
Dark spots at base of scales; pink tails
Prefers moderate to large streams with swift flow; lakes
Food is benthic insect larvae

35. Catfishes White Catfish Yellow Bullhead Brown Bullhead Channel Catfish
Margined Madtom
Stonecat
Flathead Catfish

36. White Catfish White Catfish (Ictalurus catus)
Has a free adipose fin; forked tail vs. bullheads
White has no spots and a moderately forked tail channel has spots and deeply forked tail
Occurs in FW lakes and ponds prefers estuarine waters
Feed on a variety of fishes and fish eggs; insects, crustaceans, algae

37. Yellow Bullhead Yellow Bullhead (Ameiurus natalis)
Flag like adipose fin; round tail; long anal fin; white chin barbels
Prefers ponds and streams including small brooks with clear water and vegetation
Intolerant of silty bottoms
Generalized bottom and near bottom feeder- crustaceans, molluscs, immature aquatic insects, fishes
Feeds mostly at night

38. Brown Bullhead Brown Bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus)
Cylindrical body with flattened head
Black chin barbels
Found in lakes, ponds and slow-moving rivers
Tolerate warm water and low oxygen
Omnivorous

39. Channel Catfish Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Body cylindrical with spots on the sides; deeply forked tail
Habitats vary; fast-moving water to deep pools, reservoirs, lakes, and farm ponds
Young eat insects but change to fish and plants as they get larger

40. Margined Madtom Margined Madtom (Noturus insignis)
Small, tubular fish; have poison glands associated with pectoral spines
Found in rocks in riffles
Feed on benthic macroinvertebrates

41. Stonecat Stonecat (Noturus flavus) Adnate vs. adnexed adipose fin
Slender w/flat head w/no distinct markings
Pectoral spines are smooth w/o large serrations on posterior edge
Swift parts of larger streams with cobbles and rock slabs
Feeds on molluscs, insects, crayfish

42. Flathead Catfish Flathead Catfish (Pilodictis olivaris)
Lower jaw always longer than upper jaw
Posterior tail margin straight
Head wide and notably flattened between eyes; large adipose fin
Found in sluggish, long, deep low gradient parts of large streams
Fish; any prey smaller than them

43. Pikes Redfin Pickerel Grass Pickerel Northern Pike Tiger Muskellunge
Chain Pickerel

44. Redfin Pickerel Redfin Pickerel ( Esox a. americanus)
Small w/ short snout
Stays with fins orange or red throughout year
Has notched or heart-shaped scales on the sides
Lives in weedy streams, lakes, ponds w/sluggish flow
Prey consists of larger insect nymphs, crayfish, snails, crustaceans, fishes

45. Grass Pickerel Grass Pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus)
Cheeks and gill covers completely scaled; short snout
Dorsal profile of snout- redfin convex; concave in grass
Slow moving heavily vegetated streams and lakes and ponds
Small invertebrates; fish; crayfish as they get larger

46. Northern Pike Northern Pike ( Esox lucius)
Scale pattern on side of head- fully scaled
Pores on lower jaw- 3-6
Dark green above shading to white below
Occurs in weedy parts of rivers, ponds, lakes
Carnivorous and specialized feeders of large fish; crayfish; vertebrates

47. Muskellunge The Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy)
Tubular fish, nearly 1.5M long
Found in large clean rivers with submerged vegetation
Ambush predator

48. Tiger Muskellunge
Tiger Muskellunge is a muskellunge x northern pike hybrid
Stocked due to rapid growth and low reproductive potential

49. Chain Pickerel The Chain Pickerel (Esox niger) Tubular body
Can be found in backwaters and in brown-water habitats; but can be found in deep lakes among weeds and stumps
Ambush predators

50. Rainbow Smelt The Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax)
Like a minnow with strong teeth; adipose fin
Anadromous fish introduced to the Great Lakes
Feed on insects; crustaceans; marine worms; fish fry

51. Trout and Salmon Coho Salmon Chinook Salmon Pink Salmon Rainbow Trout
Steelhead
Golden Rainbow Trout
Brown Trout
Brook trout
Lake trout
Atlantic Salmon

52. Brook Trout The Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)
Official State Fish of PA
Only stream trout native to PA
Low order cold, clean streams
Feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans, small fish

53. Rainbow Trout Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Introduced species
Lighter than the Brook Trout and has a red lateral line
In fast water streams
Feed on aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans, and small fish

54. Burbot Burbot (Lota lota)
Endangered native and member of the Cod family
Found in the Great Lakes and Allegheny River; requires cold, clean water
Feed on invertebrates and fishes

55. Banded Killifish The Banded Killifish (Fundulus diaphanus)
Established in most drainages in PA
Called topminnnow, but feed at all levels of slow-moving parts of streams
Eat macroinvertebrates, mainly insects and crustacea. Will take small fish.

56. Threespine Stickleback
The Threespine Stickleback (Gasterosteous aculeatus)
Endangered native
Fish are small, schooling fish with bony plates on their sides
Require clean, clear water in slow-moving parts of streams
Eat fish fry and eggs; insects and crustaceans

57. Sculpins
There are two species of sculpins in PA waters: Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdi) and Slimy Sculpin (C. cognatus)
Freshwater members of a mostly marine family
Often found together with Brook Trout; require clean, clear, cold low order streams

58. Temperate Basses
This family includes White Perch (Morone americana), White Bass (M. chrysops), and Striped Bass (M. saxatilis)
Fish of large rivers and lakes; introduced into reservoirs
Travel in schools and feed on fish

59. Sunfishes Redear Sunfish Banded Sunfish Blackbanded Sunfish
Bluespotted Sunfish
Warmouth
Mud Sunfish
Longear Sunfish
Rock Bass
Redbreast Sunfish
Green Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Bluegill
Smallmouth Bass
Spotted Bass
Largemouth Bass
White Crappie
Black Crappie

60. Redear Sunfish Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus); introduced sp.
Small mouth; posterior end of upper jaw extends almost to anterior edge of eye
Flexible black centered opercle flap
Pectoral fin very long, pointed; soft anal, dorsal fins w/o definite spots
Mostly non-flowing clear waters w/vegetation
Feed on snails, small mussels, insects, fishes

61. Bluegill Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
Oval deep body that is laterally-flattened
In lakes, ponds, and slow-moving parts of streams with submerged plants
Eat aquatic macroinvertebrates, small fish, and, occasionally, plants

62. Pumpkinseed Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus)
Long pointed pectoral fin; opercular flap w/pale margin w/red sector; stiff
Sides w/patches of dark scales
Streams, small ponds, slower parts of large rivers
Opportunistic feeder- insects, amphipods, molluscs, larval salamanders, fish

63. Redbreast Sunfish Redbreast Sunfish ((Lepomis auritus)
Short, rounded pectoral fin
Opercular flap dark to margin
Fish of standing waters and slow streams even slightly brackish
Feeds on plankton and a variety of aquatic insects and other invertebrates

64. Green Sunfish Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus)
Large mouth; small scales
Short, rounded pectoral fin; pale margin on opercular flap
Lives in wide range of habitats- small streams and ditches to larger rivers, lakes, ponds; w/vegetation
Tolerates turbid waters
Feeds on insects, mollusks, small fishes

65. Longear Sunfish Longear Sunfish (Lepomis megalotis); introduced
Stouter w/short, rounded pectoral fin not long and pointed like pumpkinseed
Opercule flexible not stiff like pumpkinseed; color
Likes weedy areas in larger streams
Feeds on small invertebrates

66. Warmouth Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus)
Looks like a rock bass but has 3, NOT 5 or 6 anal spines
Short rounded pectoral fins
Patches of well developed teeth on the tongue
Likes clear waters, dense weeds, soft bottom
Feeds on crayfish, insects, other invertebrates

67. Smallmouth Bass The Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu)
Native to Great Lakes and Ohio Valley; distributed elsewhere; PA invasive
Require rocky habitats, usually in, but not restricted to, moving water
Feed on crustaceans and fish

68. Largemouth Bass Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Native to Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, now distributed throughout PA
Prefer warm water habitats; ponds and small lakes with submerged aquatics
They eat almost any animal that they can fit into their mouths

69. Spotted Bass Spotted Bass (Micropterus punctulatus)
Only described by Hubbs in 1927; introduced
Known to hybridize with SMB
Blotched, speckled, stripe-sided
Low first dorsal fin; not deeply emarginate
Low, clear, warm moderately turbid and gradient streams and rivers
Small fish feed on microcrustaceans and with growth progress to larger insects, crayfish, fishes

70. Rock Bass Rock Bass (Ambloplites rupestris)
Brownish colored w/5 spines on anal fin
Juveniles and breeding adults can have a distinct checkerboard pattern
Most abundant in rocky bottom streams of moderate size; lakes
Feed on insects, crustaceans, fish

71. White Crappie White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis)
Compressed rhombic body; long anal fins; short dorsal fins w/6-8 spines
More pale than black crappie
Occur in lakes, ponds and slower streams
Tolerate considerable turbidity and silt
Feed on aquatic invertebrates and small fishes

72. Black Crappie Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
Diamond shaped body; more than 3 anal spines
7 to 8 dorsal fin spines
Less tolerant of silt and turbidity than white; more clear water w/abundant vegetation
Young are plankton feeders; older fish prey on insects and fish at night

73. Banded Sunfish Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus)
3 anal spines; rounded vs. forked tail
Specific color pattern and scale counts
Coastal plain sp. In slow moving, darkly-stained waters w/vegetation
Probably feeds on insects and other small invertebrates (poorly studied)

74. Bluespotted Sunfish Bluespotted Sunfish (Enneacanthus gloriosus)
Small <3 inches; deep body; 3 anal spines; rounded tail
Closely resembles Banded Sunfish since young are banded; adults different
Pale spots in dorsal fin surrounded w/dark rings
Slow moving streams, standing waters w/vegetation and darkly-stained waters
Feed on snails, copepods, Asellus, amphipods, insects

75. Mud Sunfish Mud Sunfish (Acantharchus pomotis)
Round tail in Mud Sunfish forked in the Rock Bass
Smooth scales in MS rough in RB
Brown eye in MS red eye in RB
Live in darkly-stained sluggish streams and lakes with silt or mud bottoms
Prey is unknown

76. Black Banded Sunfish Black Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon)
Bold black bars; markedly notched dorsal fin
Pointed pectoral fin; rounded caudal fin
Lives in thickly vegetated ponds, swamps, pools of creeks and rivers
Diet is small invertebrates associated w/aquatic macrophytes

77. Perches Greenside Darter Banded Darter Rainbow Darter
Bluebreast Darter
Johnny Darter
Tesselated Darter
Gilt Darter
Spotted Darter
Longhead Darter
Eastern Sand Darter
Tippecanoe Darter
Yellow Perch
Logperch
Sauger
Saugeye
Walleye

78. Greenside Darter Greenside Darter (Etheostoma blenniodes)
Large; blunt head; snout overhangs mouth
Have large W’s or V’s on side; caudal fin emarginate
Inhabit deep riffles and cobbles in moderate to large streams
Feed on mayfly and midge larvae

79. Banded Darter Banded Darter (Etheostoma zonale)
Small; conspicuous color pattern of a series of distinct vertical bands along side; 2 broad marks “thumbprints” in front of dorsal fin
Lives in moderate sized streams and small rivers with swift current among gravel, cobbles, boulders
Prey sp. not reported

80. Bluebreast Darter Bluebreast Darter (Etheostoma camurum)
Deep caudal peduncle and a moderately pointed head
Deep body rather compressed
Inhabit larger streams w/low turbidity; fast flowing sections w/deep riffles over large cobbles and some sand
Feeds on mostly benthic insects (dipteran larvae)

81. Rainbow Darter Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum)
Heavy-bodied; scaled belly; short lateral line; males w/red in fins
Inhabit small creeks to moderate sized rivers; very much a riffle species; in gravel/cobble areas w/fastest currents
Feed on small mayfly and midge larvae up to snails and small crayfish

82. Fantail Darter Fantail Darter (Etheostoma flaballare)
Slender; pointed head; deep caudal peduncle
Fine dark crossbands on tail; male w/fleshy knobs on dorsal fin spines to groom eggs
Occur in riffle areas w/cobbles and gravel; chunks or slabs of limestone
Variety of invertebrates including mayflies, caddisflies, dipterans, crustaceans, snails

83. Tesselated Darter The Tesselated Darter (Etheostoma olmstedi)
Tubular body with large pectoral fins; small X’s and W’s on side
Sandy or rock bottom in flowing water
Eat small insects and crustaceans

84. Johnny Darter Johnny Darter (Etheostoma nigrum)
Pale w/ X- and W- shaped marks on sides; one anal fin spine
Blunter snout than Tessallated
Occur in a variety of habitats- from fast flowing to standing waters; wide variety of bottom types
Feed on mayfly and midge larvae

85. Spotted Darter Spotted Darter (Etheostoma maculatum)
Heay-bodied w/ deep caudal peduncle; color pattern narrow, dark longitudinal lines
Deep fast riffles w/large rocks and filamentous algae
Feeds on chiefly aquatic insects- midges, stoneflies, mayflies, beetles, mites

86. Shield Darter Shield Darter (Percina peltata)
Midline of rectangular, partly connected, black blotches down sides
Inhabits clear moderate sized creeks with gravel and rubble bottom and current
No food habits studied

87. Gilt Darter Gilt Darter (Percina evides)
Moderate sized w/well developed frenulum
Distinct “neat” appearance with a row of squarish dorsal blotches, directly over the equally square midlateral blotches
Restricted to moderately fast, deep and slow riffles in larger streams; intolerant of slow water and silt
Prey sp. not known

88. Longhead Darter Longhead Darter (Percina macrocephala)
Long head and pointed snout; 1 to 3 dusky spots on each side of the ventral surface of head
Lives in moderate sized to large, clear streams over gravel and cobble; midwater sp.
Feeds on crayfish and mayflies

89. Yellow Perch Yellow Perch (Perca flavescens)
Throughout the northern US
In warm to cool lakes, ponds, and slow-moving parts of streams
Adults eat mainly small fish

90. Walleye Walleye (Sander vitreus)
Native to the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley, they have been introduced as a sport fish to appropriate habitats in PA
In large lakes and rivers
Usually the top predator

91. Freshwater Drum The Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus grunniens)
Called croakers; mainly from a marine family
In the Great Lakes and the western rivers of PA
Feeds on mollusks, insects, and crustaceans

92. Fishes of Small Drainages

93. Fishes Classified According to Habitat
Littoral Zone
Limnetic Zone
Benthic Zone
Streams
Upper Reaches
Middle Reaches
Lower reaches

94. Fishes Classified According to Ecological Conditions
Temperature
Light
Water Movement
Food
Social Factors
Population Density
Population Structure