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