Great Lakes & Mid-western Freshwater Fish – Identification Vocabulary

Thirty vocabulary flashcards summarizing common and scientific names, families, and distinguishing traits of freshwater fish covered in the lecture.

Emerald Shiner; small, very silvery minnow with 10–12 anal rays and glittering scales.

Leuciscidae Notropis atherinoides

Spottail shiner; conspicuous black spot on caudal fin

Leuciscidae Notropis hudsonius

White Perch; lacks black horizontal stripes; three anal spines—the first short, the next two nearly equal in length.

Moronidae Morone americana

White Bass; bold black horizontal stripes; three anal spines of progressively different lengths.

Moronidae Morone chrysops

Longnose Gar; long, narrow snout armed with needle-like teeth; ganoid scales.

Lepisosteidae Lepisosteus osseus

Sea Lamprey; eel-like parasite with round sucking mouth and no paired fins.

Petromyzontidae Petromyzon marinus

Lake Sturgeon; large bottom feeder with bony scutes and shovel-shaped snout

Acipenseridae Acipenser fulvescens.

Paddlefish; long paddle-shaped rostrum and nearly scaleless body; filter-feeds on plankton

Polyodontidae Polyodon spathula.

Round Goby; fused pelvic fins, black spot on rear of first dorsal fin, mottled gray-brown body.

Gobiidae Neogobius melanostomus

Tubenose Goby; elongated anterior nostrils (“tubes”); mottled pattern, fused pelvic fins.

Gobiidae Proterorhinus semilunaris

Mottled Sculpin; large pectoral fins, mottled coloration, lacks true scales.

Cottidae Cottus bairdii

Bowfin; long dorsal fin, rounded tail, distinctive gular (bony) plate between lower jaws

Amiidae Amia calva

Smallmouth Bass; mouth corner stops before eye; 9–16 dark vertical bars on side.

Centrarchidae Micropterus dolomieu

Largemouth Bass; mouth corner extends well past eye; broad dark lateral stripe.

Centrarchidae Micropterus nigricans

Mimic Shiner; 8 anal fin rays; scales outlined in pigment giving cross-hatched look.

Leuciscidae Notropis volucellus

Gizzard Shad; last dorsal ray greatly prolonged; subterminal mouth and deep body.

Dorosomatidae Dorosoma cepedianum

Alewife; laterally compressed body, terminal mouth, single dark shoulder spot.

Alosidae Alosa pseudoharengus

Grass Pickerel; duck-shaped snout, prominent dark bar beneath eye, green-brown mottling.

Esocidae Esox americanus

Greenside Darter; greenish fish with V/W-shaped bars on sides and 12–14 dorsal spines.

Percidae Etheostoma blennioides

Johnny Darter; tan body marked with X- or Y-shaped dark blotches along sides.

Percidae Etheostoma nigrum

Fantail Darter; very short first dorsal fin and broad, rounded second dorsal and caudal.

Percidae Etheostoma flabellare

Walleye; large, marble-eyed predator with spiny first dorsal and white tip on lower caudal lobe.

Percidae Sander vitreus

Logperch Darter; vertically barred body and long, pig-like snout used for flipping stones.

Percidae Percina caprodes

Black Bullhead; dark barbels, squared tail, adipose fin joined to caudal base.

Ictaluridae Ameiurus melas

Flathead Catfish; broad flat head, mottled brown coloration, lower jaw projects beyond upper.

Ictaluridae Pylodictis olivaris

Yellow Bullhead; white or yellow chin barbels, rounded tail, mottled olivaceous body.

Ictaluridae Ameiurus natalis

Channel Catfish; deeply forked tail, scattered black spots, gently curved anal fin (vs. blue’s straight).

Ictaluridae Ictalurus punctatus

Yellow Perch; 6–9 dark vertical bars, golden-yellow body, two separated dorsal fins.

Percidae Perca flavescens

Tadpole Madtom; stout tadpole-like body, jaws equal in length, dark bar at base of caudal fin.

Ictaluridae Noturus gyrinus

Stonecat Madtom; elongated body, subterminal mouth, pale barbels, weakly serrated pectoral spines.

Ictaluridae Noturus flavus

Northern Hog sucker; depression on top of head between eyes

Catostomidae Hypentelium nigricans

White sucker; 55+ lateral line scales

Catostomidae Catostomus commersonii

Golden Redhorse; 39-42 lateral line scales, no red caudal fin

Catostomidae Moxostoma erythrurum

Trout perch; adipose fin, ctenoid scales

Percopsidae Percopsis omiscomaycus

Brown trout

Salmonidae Salmo trutta

Rainbow trout

Salmonidae Oncorhyncus mykiss

Brook trout

Salmonidae Salvelinus fontinalis

Brook stickleback

Gasterosteidae Culea inconstans

Brook silverside

Atherinopsidae Labidesthes sicculus

Blackstripe topminnow

Fundulidae Fundulus notatus

Pumpkinseed

Centrarchidae Lepomis gibbosus

Rock bass; 6 anal spines

Centrarchidae Amblopites rupestris

Bluegill

Centrarchidae Lepomis macrochirus

Green sunfish; large mouth, pectoral fin rounded

Centrarchidae Lepomis cyanellus

White crappie

Centrarchidae Pomoxis annularis

Black crappie

Centrarchidae Pomoxis nigromaculatus

Western Blacknose dace

Leuciscidae Rhinichthys obtusus

Central stoneroller

Leuciscidae Campostoma anomalum

Creek chub; large terminal mouth, base of caudal peduncle spot, anterior dorsal spot

Leuciscidae Semotilus atromaculatus

Striped shiner

Leuciscidae Luxilus chrysocephalus

Sand shiner

Leuciscidae Notropis stramineus

Suckermouth minnow

Leuciscidae Phenacobius mirabilis

Goldfish; no barbels

Cyprinidae Carassius auratus

Spotted sucker

Catostomidae Minytrema melanops

Quillback Carpsucker; very long dorsal spine

Catostomidae Carpiodes cyprinus

Blunt nose minnow

Leuciscidae Pimephales notatus