A PRELIMINARY KEY TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAL FISHES OF OKLAHOMA, • WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO CANTON RESERVOIR,
INCLUDING A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
By . I EDWIN B. mAY AND CHARLES R. OASAWAY
OKLAHOMA FISHERY RESEARCH LABORATORY
BULLETIN NUMBER 5
CONTRIBUTION No. 164 OF THE OKLAHOMA FISHERY RESEARCH LABORATORY,
NORMAN, OKLAHOMA
AUGUST, 1967
THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED AS PART OF FEDERAL-AID PROJECT F-I6-R
' PRESENT ADDRESS: ALABAMA MARINE RESOURCES LABORATORY, DAUPHIN ISLAND, ALABAMA 36524 f•
OKLAHOMA FISHERY RESEARCH LABORATORY
CHARLES R. GASAWAY, ACTING DIRECTOR •
SUPPORTING AGENCIES
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION II
AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA BIOLOGICAL SURVEY
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
WENDELL BEVER, DIRECTOR, OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION GEORGE L. CROSS, PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA • BUFORD L. TATUM, CHIEF, FISHERIES DIVISION, OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CARL D. RIGGS, DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA BIOLOGICAL SURVEY, AND DIRECTOR OF ORGANIZED RESEARCH, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA LELAND ROBERTS, ASSISTANT CHIEF OF FISHERIES - RESEARCH, OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CONTENTS
• • ABSTRACT ......
I NTRODUCTION ......
MATERIALS AND METHODS ...... 2
PHOTOGRAPHY ...... 4
ARRANGEMENT OF BIBLIOGRAPHY ...... 4
TERMINOLOGY OF YOUNG FISHES ...... 4
I DENTIFICATION ...5
SCOPE OF THE KEYS ...... 5
PRESERVATION ...... 6
USE OF KEY ...... 6
ANATOMY AND DEVELOPMENT OF LARVAL FISHES ...... 7
BODY SHAPE ...... 7
DEVELOPMENT OF THE GUT ...... 7
DEVELOPMENT OF PIGMENT ...... 7
DEVELOPMENT OF FINS ...... 8
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ...... 8
PRELIMINARY KEY TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE LARVAL FISHES
OF OKLAHOMA, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO CANTON RESERVOIR ...... 9
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME COMMON OKLAHOMA LARVAL FISHES ...... 19
LITERATURE CITED ...... 22
A PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LARVAL FRESH WATER FISHES
WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO OKLAHOMA FAMILIES ...... 23
APPENDIX (FIGURES 1-58) ...... 33 ABSTRACT
AN ILLUSTRATED KEY USEFUL FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAL FRESH-WATER FISHES FROM
CANTON RESERVOIR, OKLAHOMA, IS PRESENTED. OTHER OKLAHOMA SPECIES WERE ALSO CONSIDERED IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KEY TO INCREASE ITS USEFULNESS IN OTHER AREAS AND ITS VALUE AS A
BASIS FOR FUTURE STUDIES.
MORE PRECISE TERMINOLOGY HAS BEEN DEFINED FOR THE EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES BASED
ON PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF YOLK AND DEGREE OF FIN DEVELOPMENT.
PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED AND METHODS USED IN THIS STUDY ARE DISCUSSED. A BRIEF SUMMARY
OF DEVELOPMENT OF LARVAL FISHES IS ALSO INCLUDED.
A PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY USEFUL FOR IDENTIFICATION AND STUDY OF LARVAL FISHES HAS
BEEN COMPILED. A PRELIMINARY KEY TO THE IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAL FISHES OF OKLAHOMA,
WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO CANTON RESERVOIR,
I NCLUDING A SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
BY
EDWIN B. MAY AND CHARLES R. GASAWAY
I NTRODUCTION
ALTHOUGH IT IS OFTEN IMPORTANT THAT INVESTIGATORS BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE YOUNG
STAGES OF FISHES TO SOLVE MANY BIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS, FEW COMPREHENSIVE SOURCES OF
I NFORMATION ON THIS SUBJECT ARE AVAILABLE. THE PROBLEMS INVOLVED AND THE FACILITIES
NEEDED TO REAR OR COLLECT FISHES TO USE FOR COMPARISON OFTEN MAKE THESE METHODS
I MPRACTICAL. SELDOM ARE GOOD SERIES AVAILABLE TO MOST BIOLOGISTS.
I NFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAL AND JUVENILE FRESH-WATER
FISHES IS, FOR THE MOST PART, SCATTERED THROUGHOUT LIFE HISTORY STUDIES. A FEW
TAXONOMIC STUDIES HAVE BEEN MADE, HOWEVER, AND THESE ALONG WITH OTHER PUBLICATIONS USEFUL
FOR IDENTIFICATION CAN BE FOUND IN THE LIST OF SELECTED REFERENCES.
THIS WORK IS PRIMARILY INTENDED AS A TOOL FOR ECOLOGICAL STUDIES AND NOT TO
CONTRIBUTE DETAILED INFORMATION ON THE EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES OF FISHES. As SUCH, IT
DESCRIBES ONLY THOSE CHARACTERISTICS BY WHICH IDENTIFICATION CAN BE ACHIEVED AS RAPIDLY
AS POSSIBLE.
ALTHOUGH DESIRABLE, DETAILED ALLOMETRIC AND MERISTIC INFORMATION WERE NOT INCLUDED
I N THE KEY. THE USE OF THESE TEDIOUS AND PERHAPS MORE PRECISE CHARACTERISTICS MUST
AWAIT MUCH MORE DETAILED STUDIES OF THE EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES. SUCH INFORMATION IS
AVAILABLE IN THE LITERATURE FOR SEVERAL SPECIES AND IT SHOULD BE USED FREELY TO SUPPLE-
MENT THE ABSENCE OF DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FISHES INCLUDED IN THIS PAPER. THE
MOST INCLUSIVE PAPER ON FRESHWATER FISHES IS BY FISH (1932).
ALTHOUGH THE INFORMATION PRESENTED HERE WAS COMPILED PRIMARILY FOR USE IN OUR
I NVESTIGATIONS OF CANTON RESERVOIR FISHES, WE HOPE THAT IT MAY BE USEFUL TO OTHERS. I TS
PRELIMINARY NATURE WILL NECESSITATE REVISION AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
THE NEED FOR COMPARATIVE STUDIES IS APPARENT. HOWEVER, IF THE PRESENTATION OF A USEFUL
METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING YOUNG FISHES WERE POSTPONED UNTIL A COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF ALL
FORMS THAT NOW INHABIT OUR WATERS IS OBTAINED, THOSE PRESENTLY INTERESTED IN THE ECOLOGICAL RELATIONSHIPS OF EARLY STAGES OF FISHES WOULD BE DEPRIVED OF THE USE OF AN IMPORTANT TOOL.
WE HOPE THAT THIS INFORMATION WILL SERVE AS A GUIDE FOR FURTHER AND MORE DETAILED STUDY,
AND IT IS PRESENTED IN SUCH A MANNER THAT NEW INFORMATION CAN BE READILY ADDED.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
DURING THE PAST TWO YEARS AN INTENSIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE FISHERIES OF CANTON
RESERVOIR, OKLAHOMA, HAS BEEN MADE. As PART OF THIS STUDY, PERIODIC METER-NET HAULS WERE
MADE FROM EARLY MARCH THROUGH AUGUST IN 1 965 AND 1 966. MOST OF THE SPECIMENS STUDIED WERE
COLLECTED FROM CANTON RESERVOIR USING A I /32-INCH SQUARE-MESH METER NET TOWED BY A 24-FOOT
OUTBOARD BOAT. ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS WERE OBTAINED FROM OTHER SOURCES. A LIST OF THE
SPECIES EXAMINED AND THE SOURCES OF THE SPECIMENS USED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KEY MAY
BE FOUND IN TABLE I.
THE LIMITED FISH FAUNA OF CANTON RESERVOIR MADE IT AN IDEAL BODY OF WATER FOR A
STUDY OF THIS KIND. THE LAKE CONTAINS APPROXIMATELY 28 SPECIES IN 1 2 FAMILIES. I NCLUDED
ARE 2 SPECIES OF CATOSTOMIDS, 7 CENTRARCHIDS AND 7 CYPRINIDS (CARP EXCLUDED), ONLY 5 OF
WHICH ARE COMMON. THESE REPRESENT THE MOST DIFFICULT GROUPS OF FISHES TO IDENTIFY.
NOMENCLATURE IS AFTER AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY COMMITTEE ON NAMES OF FISHES, 1 960.
TABLE I. SOURCES OF PRESERVED FISHES USED IN THIS STUDY
SHOVELNOSE STURGEON, SCAPHIRHYNCHUS PLATORYNCHUS - OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY
PADDLEFISH, POLYODON SPATHULA - SOUTH CENTRAL RESERVOIR INVESTIGATIONS, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS
SPOTTED GAR, LEPISOSTEUS OCULATUS - LAKE TEXOMA, OKLAHOMA
LONGNOSE GAR, L. OSSEUS - LAKE TEXOMA
SHORTNOSE GAR, L. PLATOSTOMUS - LAKE TEXOMA
ALLIGATOR GAR, L. SPATULA - LAKE TEXOMA
BOWFIN, AMIA CALVA - OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY AND NEAR PUXICO, MISSOURI
GIZZARD SHAD, DOROSOMA CEPEDIANUM - CANTON RESERVOIR, OKLAHOMA
THREADFIN SHAD, D. PETENENSE - LAKE TEXOMA
RAINBOW TROUT, SALMO GAIRDNERI - OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY
GRASS PICKEREL, Esox AMER ICANUS VERMICULATUS - MC CURTAIN CO., OKLAHOMA
2 NORTHERN PIKE, E. LUCIUS - BYRON HATCHERY, OKLAHOMA
STONEROLLER, CAMPOSTOMA ANOMALUM - CANTON RESERVOIR AND SOUTH CENTRAL RESERVOIR INVESTIGATIONS
GOLDFISH, CARASSIUS AURATUS - SOUTH CENTRAL RESERVOIR INVESTIGATIONS
CARP, CYPRINUS CARPIO - CANTON RESERVOIR AND LAKE TEXOMA
MINNOW, HYBOGNATHUS SP. - OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY
CHUB, HYBOPSIS SP. - OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY
RED SHINER, NOTROPIS LUTRENSIS - CANTON RESERVOIR AND LAKE TEXOMA
PLAINS SHINER, N. PERCOBROMIS - CANTON RESERVOIR
SHINER, NOTROPIS SPP. ( PROBABLY 3 SPECIES) - CANTON RESERVOIR
RIVER CARPSUCKER, CARP IODES CARPIO - CANTON RESERVOIR AND UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA MUSEUM OF ZOOLOGY
HIGHFIN CARPSUCKER, CARPIODES VELIFER - SOUTH CENTRAL RESERVOIR I NVESTIGATIONS
GOLDEN REDHORSE, MOXOSTOMA ERYTHRURUM - SOUTH CENTRAL RESERVOIR I NVESTIGATIONS
RIVER REDHORSE, MOXOSTOMA CARINATUM - SOUTH CENTRAL RESERVOIR I NVESTIGATIONS
BLACK BULLHEAD, I CTALURUS MELAS - CANTON RESERVOIR
CHANNEL CATFISH, I. PUNCTATUS - CANTON RESERVOIR
FLATHEAD CATFISH, PYLODICTIS OLIVARIS - CANTON RESERVOIR AND HOLDENVILLE HATCHERY, OKLAHOMA
WHITE BASS, Roccus CHRYSOPS - CANTON RESERVOIR AND LAKE TEXOMA
STRIPED BASS, R. SAXATILIS - MEDICINE PARK HATCHERY, OKLAHOMA
BLUEGILL, LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS - CANTON RESERVOIR AND TRI-LAKES FISH HATCHERY, ILLINOIS
LONGEAR SUNFISH, L. MEGALOTIS - CANTON RESERVOIR AND LAKE TEXOMA
REDEAR SUNFISH, L. MICROLOPHUS - TRI-LAKES FISH HATCHERY, ILLINOIS
PUMPKINSEED, L. GIBBOSUS - TRI-LAKES FISH HATCHERY, ILLINOIS
SUNFISHES, LEPOMIS SPP. ( POSSIBLY GREEN SUNFISH, L. CYANELLUS, AND/OR ORANGESPOTTED SUNFISH, L. HumiLls) - CANTON RESERVOIR
SMALLMOUTH BASS, MICROPTERUS DOLOMIEUI - SOUTH CENTRAL RESERVOIR I NVESTIGATIONS
SPOTTED BASS, M. PUNCTULATUS - SOUTH CENTRAL RESERVOIR INVESTIGATIONS
LARGEMOUTH BASS, M. SALMO IDES - LAKE TEXOMA
CRAPPIE, Pomoxls SPP. - CANTON RESERVOIR AND SOUTH CENTRAL RESERVOIR I NVESTIGATIONS
LOG PERCH, PERCINA CAPRODES - CANTON RESERVOIR, SOUTH CENTRAL RESER- VOIR INVESTIGATIONS, AND LAKE TEXOMA WALLEYE, STIZOSTEDION VITREUM VITREUM - CANTON RESERVOIR, AND TAHLEQUAH AND BYRON HATCHERIES, OKLAHOMA
DRUM, APLODINOTUS GRUNNIENS - CANTON RESERVOIR AND LAKE TEXOMA
BROOK SILVERSIDE, LABIDESTHES SICCULUS - CANTON RESERVOIR AND TENKILLER FERRY RESERVOIR, OKLAHOMA
MISSISSIPPI SILVERSIDE, MENIDIA AUDENS - LAKE TEXOMA
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THESE AND OTHER SPECIES WAS OBTAINED FROM THE LITERATURE.
PHOTOGRAPHY. PHOTOGRAPHS WERE TAKEN WITH A 35-mm PENTAX CAMERA AND A BAUSCH AND LOMB
ZOOM-TYPE DISSECTING SCOPE USING AN ADAPTER DESCRIBED BY CALDWELL AND CARLIN (1962).
ARRANGEMENT OF BIBLIOGRAPHY. THE BIBLIOGRAPHY INCLUDED IN THIS STUDY IS A PARTIAL LIST
OF REFERENCES USEFUL FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF YOUNG FISHES, MOST OF WHICH CONTAIN
I LLUSTRATIONS. ONLY PUBLICATIONS PERTAINING TO OKLAHOMA FAMILIES WERE CONSIDERED. THE
REFERENCES ARE LISTED BY FAMILY AND DO NOT NECESSARILY PERTAIN TO OKLAHOMA SPECIES. FOR
A COMPLETE LIST OF OKLAHOMA FISHES, SEE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION, 1965.
No DOUBT OTHER USEFUL REFERENCES HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED.
TERMINOLOGY OF YOUNG FISHES. WHILE IT WAS UNDESIRABLE TO ATTEMPT TO RE-DEFINE TERMS
APPLYING TO LIFE HISTORY STAGES, PREVIOUS TERMINOLOGY BY HUBBS (1943), WINN AND MILLER
(1954) AND OTHERS WAS NOT ENTIRELY SATISFACTORY FOR USE IN THIS KEY. DRAWING HEAVILY
FROM THESE PREVIOUS DEFINITIONS, THE FOLLOWING ARE APPLICABLE FOR OUR PRESENT USE.
I. YOUNG ( Y). FROM HATCHING UNTIL SEXUAL MATURITY.
2. LARVA (L). THE YOUNG STAGES OF FISHES FROM HATCHING UNTIL ACQUISITION OF A FULL
COMPLEMENT OF JUVENILE CHARACTERS.
(A) PROLARVA (P). LARVA STILL BEARING YOLK, REGARDLESS OF THE DEGREE OF DEVELOP-
MENT OF OTHER CHARACTERS.
(B) POSTLARVA (PL).
( I) EARLY POSTLARVA (EP). LARVA AFTER THE TIME OF ABSORPTION OF YOLK TO
A STAGE WHEN ALL THE SOFT RAYS IN THE VERTICAL FINS HAVE DEVELOPED.
( 2) LATE POSTLARVA ( LP). FISHES WHOSE SOFT VERTICAL FIN RAYS HAVE DEVELOPED
TO A POINT WHERE THEY ARE IDENTICAL IN COUNT WITH THOSE OF THE ADULT,
AND WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME GENERAL BODY SHAPE OF THE ADULT,
AND WITH ANY COMBINATION OR DEGREE OF DEVELOPMENT OF JUVENILE OR LARVAL
CHARACTERS AND EXTENDING UNTIL THE TIME THAT ALL RAYS ARE DEVELOPED AND
THE SPINES, OR IN SOME CASES RAYS, ARE OSSIFIED.
4 3. JUVENILE ( J). FISHES WITH ALL FINS DEVELOPED AND ALL SPINES AND/OR RAYS OSSIFIED AND
I DENTICAL IN COUNT WITH THOSE OF THE ADULT. THIS STAGE ENDS WITH ATTAINMENT OF SEXUAL
MATURITY.
I DENTIFICATION. FISHES WERE IDENTIFIED BY FOLLOWING THE SEQUENCES OF DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
FROM THE EARLIEST TO THOSE SHOWING THE DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS OF THE ADULT, BY COMPARISON
WITH YOUNG FISHES THAT HAD BEEN RAISED IN THE LABORATORY, BY ELIMINATION, BY USE OF ADULT
CHARACTERS, AND BY COMPARISON WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE LITERATURE. CONFIDENCE IN THE
ACCURACY OF THE IDENTIFICATION WAS ASSURED BY THE NUMBER OF REARED FISHES AVAILABLE FOR
COMPARISON, BY THE COMPLETENESS OF THE SERIES ACQUIRED ( I /2-MM INTERVALS FOR SOME SPECIES),
AND BY INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE SPECIES AND THEIR RELATIVE ABUNDANCES IN THE WATERS
STUDIED.
I T IS WELL KNOWN THAT ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS SUCH AS LIGHT, TEMPERATURE, AND DISSOLVED
SUBSTANCES MAY GREATLY INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF MERISTIC CHARACTERS AS WELL AS PIGMEN-
TATION (BROWN, 1957; LAGLER ET AL., 1962; GARSIDE, 1966). ONE OF THE MAJOR COMPLICATIONS
OF THIS STUDY HAS BEEN THE VARIATION OF CHARACTERS AMONG MEMBERS OF THE SAME SPECIES, I . E.
BODY PROPORTIONS, PIGMENTATION, ETC. I T WAS OBSERVED THAT SOME SPECIMENS OF THE SAME
SPECIES COLLECTED FROM DIFFERENT SOURCES WERE STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT IN APPEARANCE, ESPECIALLY
I N COMPARING FISHES COLLECTED FROM A NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND OTHERS WHICH WERE RAISED IN AN
ARTIFICIAL ENVIRONMENT. THE APPEARANCE OF LIVING LARVAE MAY BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM MORE
OPAQUE PRESERVED SPECIMENS.
SCOPE OF THE KEYS. BECAUSE OF THE PRELIMINARY NATURE OF THIS STUDY, AS MUCH INFORMATION ON
ALL OKLAHOMA SPECIES WAS PRESENTED AS WAS AVAILABLE TO US AT THIS TIME. OBVIOUSLY, A GREAT
NUMBER OF OKLAHOMA SPECIES WERE NOT EXAMINED. SINCE COMPLETE INFORMATION ON ALL SPECIES
WAS NOT AVAILABLE, AND BECAUSE STRIKING SIMILARITIES EXIST AMONG SPECIES, IT WAS OCCASION-
ALLY IMPOSSIBLE OR IMPRACTICAL TO BE SPECIFIC WITHIN EVERY FAMILY. SOME SPECIES GROUPS
AMONG MINNOWS, SUNFISHES AND SUCKERS WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE EVEN WHEN MORE
COMPLETE MATERIALS BECOME AVAILABLE. WHERE SPECIES SEPARATION WAS IMPOSSIBLE OR THE POSSI-
BILITY EXISTED THAT OTHER FISHES, NOT EXAMINED, HAD SIMILAR CHARACTERS, DISTINCTIONS WERE
MADE BETWEEN HIGHER TAXA. No ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO SHOW PHYLOGENETIC OR TAXONOMIC RELATION-
SHIPS, AND WHENEVER POSSIBLE, SPECIES WERE TREATED SEPARATELY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE
KEY.
FOR THE MAJORITY OF SPECIES, PROLARVAE WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE KEY. I N MOST FISHES,
THE YOLK IS SMALL AND THE YOLK-BEARING STAGES ARE SHORT IN COMPARISON WITH POSTLARVAL AND
JUVENILE STAGES. BECAUSE FEW PROLARVAE OF THESE SPECIES WERE COLLECTED DURING THIS STUDY
5 AND THEIR IDENTIFICATION WAS UNCERTAIN, WE FELT THAT EXCLUSION OF REFERENCES TO THEM WOULD
FACILITATE THE USEFULNESS OF THE KEY. OTHER SPECIES WITH A VERY LARGE YOLK RETAINED FOR A
GREATER TIME WERE INCLUDED IN THE KEY.
FOR MANY SPECIES, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FROM THE LITERATURE ON THE
NUMBERS OF ANAL AND DORSAL RAYS SINCE THESE CHARACTERS ARE OFTEN NOT USEFUL IN KEYS TO ADULT
FISH. I NFORMATION USED IN THE KEY WAS OBTAINED FROM THE FOLLOWING SOURCES: MOORE, 1954;
TRAUTMAN, 1957; MOORE, 1957; HUBBS AND LAGLER, 1958; MILLER, 1963; AND SUTTKUS, 1963.
SCALE COUNTS FOR JUVENILES WERE OMITTED FROM THE KEY. I N MOST INSTANCES, ONLY THOSE
CHARACTERISTICS, USEFUL FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF FISHES LACKING ALL ADULT CHARACTERS, ARE
PRESENTED.
SOME FISHES MAY KEY OUT IN THE WRONG COUPLETS, BUT ATTENTION IS CALLED TO ALTERNATE
POSSIBILITIES.
PRESERVATION. SPECIMENS SHOULD BE FIXED AND PERMANATELY STORED IN A BUFFERED FORMALIN
SOLUTION ( 2-5%). TRANSFER TO ALCOHOL IS NOT NECESSARY AND DEHYDRATION PROBLEMS CAN BE
LESSENED BY LEAVING THE SPECIMENS IN FORMALIN. MOST FISHES TEND TO FADE OR CHANGE COLOR
WHEN PRESERVED, AND LOSS OF PIGMENTATION IS AN UNAVOIDABLE PROGRESSIVE OCCURRENCE. Loss OF
PIGMENT IS SLOWER IF FISHES ARE KEPT IN THE DARK. EXTREME CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN IN HANDLING
AND PRESERVING THE SPECIMENS TO AVOID DAMAGE AND TO REDUCE FADING.
USE OF KEY. TERMS SUCH AS LONG, SHORT, AND LARGE WERE SOMETIMES USED TO DEFINE MORPHOLOGI-
CAL RELATIONSHIPS BECAUSE OF DIFFICULTY INVOLVED IN MEASURING VERY SMALL SPECIMENS AND THE
I MPOSSIBLE TASK OF ESTABLISHING MEASUREMENTS THAT WERE USEFUL AT ALL STAGES OF MORPHO-
GENESIS. MOST OF THESE RELATIVE TERMS ARE DEFINED BY REFERENCE TO APPROPRIATE FIGURES.
FOR MOST SPECIES OR GROUPS OF SIMILAR SPECIES, PHOTOGRAPHS AND A BRIEF DESCRIPTION ARE
PRESENTED. EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE EXERCISED BEFORE ANY CONCLUSIONS ARE MADE. AFTER A
FISH HAS KEYED TO A CERTAIN SPECIES, GENUS, ETC., THE SPECIMEN SHOULD BE COMPARED WITH THE
APPROPRIATE PLATE AND OTHER DESCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE IN THE LITERATURE. THE IDENTIFICATION
SHOULD REMAIN TENTATIVE UNTIL A LARGE SERIES OF THE SAME SPECIES HAS BEEN ACCUMULATED AND
EXAMINED. I F A CAUTIOUS APPROACH IS NOT EMPLOYED, SHORTCOMINGS IN THE KEY MAY BE REPEATED-
LY OVERLOOKED OR A CONSISTENT ERROR ON THE PART OF THE USER CAN VERY EASILY PLACE A LARGE
NUMBER OF SPECIMENS IN THE WRONG SPECIES OR EVEN ORDER:
THE KEY IS OF DICHOTOMOUS CONSTRUCTION AND AT EACH COUPLET BOTH ALTERNATIVES SHOULD
BE READ WHILE EXAMINING THE UNKNOWN SPECIMEN, THE CHARACTERS OF WHICH SHOULD FIT ONE OR
THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE.
6 SINCE VARIABILITY IS COMMON TO FISHES IN GENERAL, A KEY FOR IDENTIFICATION OF THE
CHANGING, VARYING EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES CANNOT BE EXPECTED TO WORK WITH ABSOLUTE
ACCURACY. I F THE KEY SEEMS TO BE INADEQUATE, THE READER SHOULD KEEP IN MIND THESE
POSSIBILITIES: (I) THE SPECIMEN OR DEVELOPMENTAL STAGE AT HAND WAS NOT EXAMINED AND ITS
CHARACTERS DO NOT CONFORM WITH THOSE GIVEN IN THE KEY, (2) THE SPECIMEN MAY BE ABERRANT IN
RELATION TO OTHERS OF THAT SPECIES FROM WHICH THE CHARACTERS WERE DERIVED, OR ( 3) THE
SPECIES AT HAND WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE KEY.
THE FOLLOWING ABBREVIATIONS ARE USED IN THE KEY: P PECTORAL FIN; D., DORSAL FIN; I
C I , SPINOUS DORSAL FIN; D2, SOFT-RAYED DORSAL FIN; A., ANAL FIN; C., CAUDAL FIN; 38, swim
BLADDER; (P), PROLARVA; (EP), EARLY POSTLARVA; (LP), LATE POSTLARVA; (J), JUVENILE.
ANATOMY AND DEVELOPMENT OF LARVAL FISHES
AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE GENERAL PROCESSES OF MORPHOGENESIS OF YOUNG FISHES MAY AID
I N THE USE OF THIS KEY. DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS OF THE NORMAL STAGES ARE AVAILABLE FOR
SEVERAL SPECIES. I N ADDITION, ATTENTION IS CALLED TO LAGLER (1956: 112-119). THE FOLLOW-
I NG IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF DEVELOPMENT AS IT APPLIES TO FISHES IN GENERAL.
BODY SHAPE. BEFORE VERTICAL FINS HAVE DEVELOPED, THE BODY SHAPE OF LARVAL FISHES IS
USUALLY VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE JUVENILE OR ADULT FORM. BODY SHAPES RANGE FROM FILIFORM
TO SOMEWHAT FUSIFORM. I N MOST FISHES, BY THE TIME VERTICAL FINS HAVE DEVELOPED, BODY
SHAPE APPROACHES THAT OF THE ADULT. HOWEVER, A FEW FISHES, SUCH AS CATFISHES, RESEMBLE
ADULTS EVEN BEFORE THE YOLK IS REDUCED. OTHER FISHES, SUCH AS SHAD, MAY NOT ATTAIN THE
BODY SHAPE OF THE ADULT UNTIL SOME TIME AFTER FINS HAVE DEVELOPED. THE NUMBERS OF MYOMERES
CHANGE WITH AGE AND ARE SOMETIMES USEFUL FOR IDENTIFICATION OR DEFINITION OF NORMAL STAGES
OF A PARTICULAR SPECIES (FISH, 1 932; LAGLER, 1956).
DEVELOPMENT OF THE GUT. THE LENGTH, SHAPE AND APPEARANCE OF THE GUT IS PERHAPS ONE OF THE
BEST CHARACTERS FOR IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAL FISHES. I N MOST LARVAL FISHES THE GUT IS
EASILY SEEN AND SEEMS TO BE LOOSELY ATTACHED TO THE BODY. I N A FEW FISHES THE GUT IS MORE
OBSCURE AND IS STRONGLY INCORPORATED IN THE BODY SO THAT IT CANNOT BE SEEN ALONG ITS ENTIRE
LENGTH. AFTER THE YOLK HAS BEEN ABSORBED, THE GUT IS USUALLY A CONSPICUOUS, STRAIGHT,
RELATIVELY LONG STRUCTURE. BY THE TIME ALL THE FINS HAVE DEVELOPED, THE GUT IS USUALLY
ABOUT LIKE IT IS IN ADULTS.
DEVELOPMENT OF PIGMENT. To OUR KNOWLEDGE, THE BODIES OF MOST FISHES HAVE LITTLE OR NO
PIGMENT AT HATCHING TIME AND IT REQUIRES SEVERAL DAYS TO DEVELOP. SOME FISHES ARE VERY
HEAVILY PIGMENTED IN THE PROLARVAL STAGE AND OTHERS LACK STRONG BODY PIGMENT THROUGHOUT
7 THEIR LARVAL PERIOD. I N MANY PRESERVED FISHES, PIGMENT FADES RAPIDLY AND THE APPEARANCE
OF LIVE AND PRESERVED SPECIMENS MAY BE STRIKINGLY DIFFERENT. I N SOME FISHES, THE CHROMATO-
PHORES, PARTICULARLY MELANOPHORES, ARE RESISTANT TO FADING AND MAY PERSIST FOR A LONG TIME.
THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT AVAILABLE CAN GREATLY AFFECT BOTH DENSITY AND FORM OF PIGMENTATION
SO THAT FISHES FROM DIFFERENT HABITATS MAY APPEAR VERY DIFFERENT.
DEVELOPMENT OF FINS. OF ALL EXTERNAL STRUCTURES OF THE LARVAL FISHES EXAMINED, THE SEQUENCE
AND MANNER OF FIN DEVELOPMENT WERE PROBABLY THE MOST CONSISTENT CHARACTERISTICS. THE
PECTORAL AND CAUDAL FINS USUALLY DEVELOPED FIRST. FIN RAYS FIRST DEVELOPED IN THE CAUDAL
FIN BELOW THE DISTAL PART OF THE VERTEBRAL COLUMN, AND THE NUMBER INCREASED WITH AGE. THE
PECTORAL FINS WERE USUALLY REPRESENTED VERY EARLY BY FLESHY PADDLE-LIKE STRUCTURES WHICH
LATER CONTAINED THE FIN RAYS. THE PELVICS WERE THE LAST FINS TO DEVELOP. FOR OUR USE, THE
ANAL AND DORSAL FINS WERE MOST IMPORTANT. I N FISHES WITH A SINGLE DORSAL AND NO SPINES, THE
ANAL AND DORSAL RAYS DEVELOPED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AND RATE. I N FISHES WITH A SPINOUS
OR A DOUBLE DORSAL, THE SOFT RAYS OF THE ANAL AND DORSAL FINS DEVELOPED AT ABOUT THE SAME
TIME AND RATE. EVEN BEFORE THE RAYS COULD BE SEEN OR ACCURATELY COUNTED, THE BASE OF
ALMOST ALL OF THE FIN RAYS OFTEN COULD BE SEEN. GENERALLY SPEAKING, THE BASE OF MOST OF THE
VERTICAL FIN RAYS APPEARED AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, EXCEPT IN FISHES WITH A VERY LONG DORSAL.
I F SPINES WERE TO DEVELOP IN THE SOFT-RAYED PORTION OF A FIN, THEIR BASES COULD USUALLY BE
SEEN AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THOSE OF THE SOFT RAYS. THE SPINOUS PORTION OF THE DORSAL
FIN WAS THE LAST TO APPEAR, AND DID SO IN MUCH THE SAME MANNER AS THE SOFT RAYS. SPINES AND
RAYS USUALLY COULD BE RECOGNIZED AS SUCH VERY SOON AFTER THEY DEVELOPED, EXCEPT IN FISHES
WHOSE SOFT RAYS OSSIFIED TO FORM SPINES.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
WE ARE INDEBTED TO OTHER PERSONNEL AT THE OKLAHOMA FISHERY RESEARCH LABORATORY WHO
PROVIDED INVALUABLE ASSISTANCE AND ENCOURAGEMENT, AND TO LOUIS E. VOGELE OF SOUTH CENTRAL
RESERVOIR INVESTIGATIONS, U. S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE, FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS, WHO
PROVIDED NUMEROUS MATERIALS AND SUGGESTIONS; TO DR. ROBERT G. WERNER OF SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY
AND DR. ARTHUR WITT, JR., OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI FOR MAKING AVAILABLE SEVERAL
SPECIMENS AND LITERATURE REFERENCES; TO ANTHONY A. ECHELLE AND JAMES B. MENSE, WHO PROVIDED
SPECIMENS FROM LAKE TEXOMA; AND TO DR. GEORGE A. MOORE FOR HIS REVIEW OF THE MANUSCRIPT
AND CRITICAL SUGGESTIONS.
WE WISH TO EXPRESS SPECIAL APPRECIATION TO MR. CHARLES A. TABER FOR AIDING IN THE
I DENTIFICATION OF SOME OF OUR FISHES IN THE EARLY PART OF THIS STUDY AND WITHOUT WHOSE
ASSISTANCE MUCH OF THIS WORK WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE.
8 PRELIMINARY KEY To THE IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAL FISHES OF OKLAHOMA,
WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE To CANTON RESERVOIR
I. YOLK PRESENT ...... 2
YOLK ABSENT ...... 3
2. YOLK SAC LARGE, RETAINED AT SIZES OF 8-15 MM OR MORE ...... 1 7 1
YOLK RARELY PRESENT AT SIZES OVER 6-7 MM ( USUALLY ABSORBED AT ABOUT 4-6 mm) 2
3. SOFT VERTICAL FIN RAYS DEVELOPED ...... 4
SOFT VERTICAL FIN RAYS NOT DEVELOPED ...... 31
4. D. OR SOFT-RAYED PORTION OF D. BASE APPROXIMATELY OVER AND ABOUT SAME
LENGTH AS A. BASE ...... 5
D. OR SOFT-RAYED PORTION OF D. BASE NOT AS ABOVE ...... 9
5. D. WITH 8-23 RAYS, AND USUALLY HEAVILY OR VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED, OR WITH
LARGE STELLATE CHROMATOPHORES ( FIG. 2) ...... 22
D. WITH 16 OR FEWER RAYS, AND USUALLY NOT HEAVILY PIGMENTED OR PIGMENT ABSENT,
LARGE STELLATE CHROMATOPHORES USUALLY ABSENT BUT MAY BE PRESENT IN SOME 3 SPECIMENS ...... 6
6. PREANAL DISTANCE USUALLY ABOUT EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN POSTANAL DISTANCE
( FIG. I). I F DEVELOPED, A. WITH 2 OR 3 SPINES ...... 7
PREANAL DISTANCE LESS THAN POSTANAL DISTANCE. I F DEVELOPED, A. WITH 3 OR
MORE SPINES ...... 8
7. HEAD LENGTH ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH ABOUT 4 1/2 TIMES OR LESS. GREATEST DEPTH
USUALLY ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH ABOUT 5 1/2 TIMES OR LESS. PREOPERCLE
SERRATE. D. FINS NARROWLY SEPARATED. A -ITT, 11-12 ( RARELY 1 0-13).
I F PRESENT D WITH 9 SPINES. D 1 3 (13-16) ...... 1 2 WHITE BASS, Roccus CHRYSOPS (FIG. 32). R. SAXATILIS ( FIG. 34), RECENTLY I NTRODUCED AND NOT KNOWN TO HAVE SPAWNED IN OKLAHOMA, HAS II- 1 2 RAYS IN D FADED SPECIMENS OF MICROPTERUS, WHICH DO NOT HAVE A SERRATED2 PREOPERCLE, MAY ALSO KEY HERE.
THE RAINBOW TROUT, SALMO GAIRDNERI, THOUGH NOT INCLUDED WOULD KEY HERE. THIS SPECIES IS A RECENTLY AND LIMITEDLY STOCKED EXOTIC AND HAS NOT BEEN, KNOWN TO SPAWN IN THE STATE. HOWEVER, IT MAY BE DISTINGUISHED BY THE PRESENCE OF PARR MARKS ON SIDES IN THE ( P) AND ( PL) STAGES AND AN ADIPOSE FIN MAY BE PRESENT. OTHER SPECIES SUCH AS REDHORSES, MOXOSTOMA, MAY ALSO KEY HERE, BUT ARE NOT INCLUDED.
2MOST ( P) I N STAGES FROM HATCHING UNTIL THEY BECOME ACTIVE SWIMMERS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS KEY. As A RULE, ( P) LESS THAN 7 mm ARE NOT INCLUDED. SOME ( P) WHICH HAVE ABSORBED MOST OF THE YOLK MIGHT POSSIBLY BE KEYED OUT AS ( PL) BY TAKING STEP 3. 3 PIGMENTATION IS OFTEN AN UNRELIABLE CHARACTER. FISHES FROM EXTREMELY CLEAR OR TURBID WATER OR THAT HAVE BEEN PRESERVED FOR SOME TIME, SHOULD BE KEYED BOTH WAYS.
9 HEAD LENGTH ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH ABOUT 5 OR MORE TIMES. GREATEST DEPTH
ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH 6 OR MORE TIMES. PREOPERCLE NOT SERRATE. D 1 AND D WIDELY SEPARATED. A. 11, 9 ( 9-10). I F PRESENT, D. SPINES 2 1 3-16 ( RARELY 1 2). D 1 3 (13-15) ...... 2 LOGPERCH, PERCINA CAPRODES (FIG. 49). PERCA FLAVESCENS, WHICH HAS A SERRATED PREOPERCLE, MAY KEY HERE.
4 8. D. WITH 1 4-16 RAYS. A. WITH 5-7 SPINES AND 17-18 SOFT RAYS. D. SPINES
USUALLY 5-8 ...... CRAPPIES, POMOXIS (FIG. 46)
D. WITH LESS THAN 1 3 RAYS. A. WITH 3 SPINES AND 7-12 SOFT RAYS. D.
SPINES 9-11 ...... SUNFISHES, LEPOMIS ( FIGS. 37, 42)
9. CONSPICUOUS LONG BARBELS AT ANGLE OF JAW ...... 1 8
LONG BARBELS ABSENT FROM ANGLE OF JAW ...... 1 0
5 10. D. WITH 1 6-48 RAYS ...... 11 6 D. WITH 1 3 OR FEWER RAYS ...... 1 4
11. D. WITH 32 RAYS OR FEWER (SOMETIMES MORE) ...... 1 2
D. WITH 48 RAYS ...... BOWFIN, AMIA CALVA
12. D. WITH 1 6-22 ( USUALLY 1 8-22) RAYS. A SERRATED SPINOUS RAY MAY BE
PRESENT AT ORIGIN OF D. AND A. (OFTEN OBSCURE) ......
CARP, CYPRINUS CARPIO (FIG. 1 7) AND GOLDFISH, CARASSIUS AURATUS.
D. WITH 22-32 RAYS. SERRATED SPINOUS RAYS NEVER PRESENT ...... 1 3
13. PREANAL DISTANCE GREATER THAN POSTANAL DISTANCE. SPINES NEVER PRESENT
I N FINS ...... SUCKERS, CATOSTOMIDAE5 (FIG. 26)
PREANAL DISTANCE LESS THAN POSTANAL DISTANCE. SPINES MAY BE PRESENT
I N D. AND A...... DRUM, APLODINOTUS GRUNNIENS (FIG. 58)
7 14. A. WITH 1 7 OR MORE RAYS ...... 15
A. WITH FEWER THAN 1 5 RAYS ( D. USUALLY WITH FEWER THAN 1 0 RAYS) ......
MINNOWS, CYPRINIDAE ( FIG. 23). HI000NTIDS6 AND SOME POSTLARVAL CATOSTOMIDS MAY ALSO KEY HERE. SOME POSTLARVAL MINNOWS AND SUCKERS ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE WITH CERTAINTY. HOWEVER, DISCRIMINATION MIGHT SOMETIMES BE MADE BY THE FACT THAT SUCKERS PROBABLY ONLY RARELY SPAWN IN LAKES IF ACCESS TO HEADWATERS IS AVAILABLE.
4 AMBLOPLITES RUPESTRIS, WHICH HAS 5-7 ANAL SPINES AND 1 0-13 D. SPINES IS NOT INCLUDED.
5CATOSTOMIDS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS KEY MAY HAVE 1 0-370. RAYS AND 7-9 A. RAYS; MOXOSTOMA HAS 10-15 RAYS IN D.; CYCLEPTUS ELONGATUS HAS 30-37. 6, nIODONTIDS WHICH ARE FAIRLY RARE AND WERE NOT ENCOUNTERED IN THIS STUDY HAVE A SHORT D. ( 9-15 RAYS) WHICH MAY BE OVER A. A. WITH 1 7-29 RAYS. 7A mLOSA CHRYSOCHLORIS, NOT INCLUDED, IS FOUND IN SOME STREAMS AND MAY HAVE AS FEW AS 1 7 A. RAYS.
10 1 5. POSTANAL DISTANCE ENTERS PREANAL DISTANCE MORE THAN 2 TIMES. . .SHADS, DOROSOMA. . 16
POSTANAL DISTANCE ENTERS PREANAL DISTANCE ABOUT ONE OR LESS THAN
ONE TIME ...... SILVERSIDES, LABIDESTHES S , CCULUS AND MENIDIA AUDENS (FIG. 55)
1 6. ( LP, ,J) A. 25-36 ( USUALLY 29-34). A. AVERAGE ABOUT 31. D. 1 2 (10-13).
ONE OF THE MOST ABUNDANT AND WIDELY DISTRIBUTED SPECIES IN OKLA-
HOMA LAKES AND LARGER STREAMS. MAY BE VERY ABUNDANT IN METER-NET
SAMPLES ...... GIZZARD SHAD, D. CEPEDIANUM (FIG. 9, 11)
( LP, ,J) A. 1 7-27 ( USUALLY 20-25). D. 11-15 ( AVERAGE ABOUT 1 2-13).
CURRENTLY VERY ABUNDANT IN LAKE TEXOMA ...... THREADFIN SHAD, D. PETENENSE
1 7. CONSPICUOUS LONG BARBELS PRESENT AT ANGLE OF JAW ...... 18
LONG BARBELS ABSENT FROM ANGLE OF JAW ...... 21
1 8. TAIL FORKED, HEAD CONICAL ...... 1 9
TAIL NOT FORKED, HEAD FLATTER ...... 20
8 19. A. 30-36 ...... BLUE CATFISH, I CTALURUS FURCATUS
A. 24-29 ...... CHANNEL CATFISH, I. PUNCTATUS (FIG. 27)
20. A. 1 4-17 ( EXTREMES 1 2-18). ( UPPER C. WHITE IN MANY SPECIMENS) ......
...... FLATHEAD CATFISH, PYLODICTIS OLIVARIS (FIG. 28, 29)
A. 1 7-27 ( HIGHLY VARIABLE) ...... BULLHEADS
(1) A. 1 7-21 ( EXTREMES 1 6-22) ...... BLACK BULLHEAD, I. MELAS
(2) A. 22-23 ( EXTREMES 21-24) ...... BROWN BULLHEAD, I. NEBULOSUS
(3) A. 24-26 ( EXTREMES 23-28) ...... YELLOW BULLHEAD, I. NATALIS
21. ADHESIVE ORGAN CONSPICUOUS ON ANTERIOR SNOUT OF FISH LESS THAN ABOUT
1 4 mm ( FIG. 4). I F PRESENT, RUDIMENTARY VERTICAL FINS MAY BE
VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED ...... 30
ADHESIVE ORGAN ON ANTERIOR SNOUT NOT CONSPICUOUS OR ABSENT. I F PRESENT,
RUDIMENTARY VERTICAL FINS NOT VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED ...... 28
22. POSTANAL DISTANCE ENTERS PREANAL DISTANCE ABOUT ONE TIME (USUALLY A
LITTLE MORE). D. AND A. WITH SPINES (MAY NOT BE DEVELOPED) ...... 24
POSTANAL DISTANCE ENTERS PREANAL DISTANCE ABOUT I 1 /2 TIMES OR MORE.
D. AND A. WITHOUT SPINES ...... 23
8, UOUNTING OF FIN RAYS MAY BE FACILITATED BY STAINING AND CLEARING. REFERENCES TO TECHNIQUES CAN BE FOUND IN THE BIBLIOGRAPHY. 23. D. ORIGIN IN FRONT OF A. ORIGIN. NOTOCHORDAL FILAMENT INCONSPICUOUS OR
ABSENT, AND IF PRESENT, NOT GREATLY ELONGATED AND JOINED ALONG ITS
ENTIRE LENGTH TO LOWER C. BY A MEMBRANE. D. 11-19, A. 11-17 53
ORIGIN OF D. SLIGHTLY BEHIND A. ORIGIN. NOTOCHORDAL FILAMENT LONG AND
DISTINCT FROM LOWER C. AT ABOUT 19-21 mm. D. AND A. WITH 1 0 OR
FEWER RAYS (USUALLY 8-9) ...... GARS, LEPISOST.EUS (FIGS. 5, 8) ...... 50
SERRATE. GREATEST DEPTH OF HEAD 24. D 1 7-23. A. It, 12-13. PREOPERCLE 2 ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH 5 OR MORE TIMES. D. SPINES 1 2-13 (10-14),
D AND D WELL SEPARATED ...... WALLEYE & SAUGER, STIZOSTEDION ...... 25 1 2 D. SOFT RAYS 11-15. A. -ITT, 9-12. ( SELDOM TAKEN IN METER-NET SAMPLES.)
PREOPERCLE NOT SERRATE. GREATEST DEPTH OF HEAD ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH
LESS THAN 5 TIMES. D. SPINES 1 0 ( 9-11), D. SINGLE AND EMARGINATE ......
BLACK BASSES, MICROPTERUS. LATE POSTLARVAE DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE. OTHER HEAVILY PIGMENTED CENTRARCH I DS MAY ALSO KEY HERE 26
25. 19-23, USUALLY MORE THAN 1 9, COMMONLY 22. RECENTLY STOCKED, ESTAB- 02 LISHED I N SOME OKLAHOMA RESERVOIRS ...... WALLEYE, S. VITREUM VITREUM (FIG. 52)
D 1 7-21, USUALLY FEWER THAN 20. NATIVE IN SOME LARGE OKLAHOMA 2 STREAMS ...... SAUGER, S. CANADENSE
26. ( J) TAIL BICOLORED, WITHOUT WHITE TIP. LATERAL BAND SHARPLY DEFINED ON
CAUDAL PEDUNCLE. D. SOFT RAYS 1 2-13 (11-14). A. 11 (10-12)
LARGEMOUTH BASS, M. SALMOIDES
( J) TAIL TRICOLORED, WITH WHITE TIP ...... 27
27. BOLD CAUDAL SPOT ABSENT. D. SOFT RAYS 1 3-15. P 1 6-18. A. II 1
( 1 0-12) ...... SMALLMOUTH BASS, M. DoLomlEui
BOLD CAUDAL SPOT PRESENT. D. SOFT RAYS 1 2 (11-14). P 1 5 ( OFTEN 1 6). I A. 1 0 ( 9-11) ...... SPOTTED BASS, M. PUNCTULATUS
28. PREANAL DISTANCE GREATER THAN POSTANAL DISTANCE (ABOUT 1 1/2 TIMES OR MORE). . . . 30
PREANAL DISTANCE LESS THAN, EQUAL TO, OR ONLY SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN
POSTANAL DISTANCE ...... 29
29. BODY OR YOLK SAC MAY BE HEAVILY OR VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED AT SIZES GREATER
THAN ABOUT 7 mm ( FIG. 2). ( P1GmENT LIGHT OR ABSENT IN NEWLY HATCHED
LARVAE. YOLK SAC OF LATER ( P) BLACK. BODY OF (EP) BLACK OR GREY.
SELDOM TAKEN IN METER-NET SAMPLES.) ......
BLACK BASSES, MICROPTERUS (FIGS. 43, 44). PIGMENT DIFFERENCES, KNOWN TO EXIST, MAY SEPARATE THESE SPECIES IN SOME AREAS.
1 2 BODY OR YOLK SAC NOT AS HEAVILY PIGMENTED OR PIGMENT ABSENT. ( PIGMENT
• OFTEN PRESENT ON LIPS OF LIGHTLY PIGMENTED ( EP)) ......
WALLEYE AND SAUGER, STIZOSTEDION (FIGS. 50, 51). UNPIGMENTED SPECIMENS OF BLACK BASSES MAY ALSO KEY HERE.
30. CONSPICUOUS, VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED, FLESHY, RUDIMENTARY VERTICAL FIN
ALWAYS PRESENT AND COMPLETELY ENCLOSED IN FINFOLD ON POSTERIOR
DORSAL AND VENTRAL BODY ...... GARS, LEPISOSTEUS (FIGS. 6, 7) ...... 50
HEAVILY PIGMENTED RUDIMENTARY VERTICAL FINS ABSENT ...... 51
31. BODY HEAVILY OR VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED (FIG. 2) ...... 38
BODY NOT HEAVILY OR VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED ...... 32
9 32. GUT LONG, STRAIGHT, THIN AND EXTENDING WELL BEHIND SB OR AREA OF SB
FORMATION (GUT MAY BE SLIGHTLY DECURVED I N AREA OF SB ( FIG. 3A)).
GUT USUALLY AS LONG OR LONGER THAN POSTANAL DISTANCE AND ALWAYS
EASILY DISTINGUISHABLE ALONG ITS ENTIRE LENGTH. HEAD LENGTH
ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH MORE THAN 4 TIMES AND OFTEN MORE THAN 5 TIMES ...... 33
GUT SHORTER, THICKER OR CURVED, SELDOM EXTENDING MUCH MORE THAN
1 1/2 TIMES SB LENGTH BEHIND SB. GUT USUALLY NOT AS LONG AS
POSTANAL DISTANCE (EXCEPT IN LEPISOSTEUS AND ESOX) AND MAY BE
LOOPED OR NOT DISTINGUISHABLE ALONG ITS ENTIRE LENGTH. HEAD
LENGTH MAY ENTER TOTAL LENGTH LESS THAN 4 TIMES AND ALMOST
NEVER MUCH MORE THAN 5 TIMES EXCEPT IN INDIVIDUALS WITH A VERY
SHORT OR A THICK, "GRANULAR" GUT ...... 38
33. GUT EXTREMELY LONG, REACHING ALMOST TO C. BASE OR AREA OF C. FORMATION
OR A., IF PRESENT, REPLACES POSTERIOR GUT AND EXTENDS ALMOST TO
C. BASE (FIG. 9). GUT OFTEN WITH NUMEROUS CLOSELY SPACED VERTICAL
BANDS. BODY EXTREMELY LONG AND SLENDER, GREATEST DEPTH 10 OR
MORE TIMES IN TOTAL LENGTH. (ONE OF THE MOST ABUNDANT AND WIDELY
DISTRIBUTED FISHES IN OKLAHOMA LAKES AND LARGER STREAMS. MAY BE
VERY ABUNDANT IN METER-NET SAMPLES) ......
SHADS, DOROSOMA (FIGS. 10, 11). OTHER LARVAL CLUPEIDS MAY KEY OUT HERE. ( PL) VERY DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE.
9 1 T IS POSSIBLE THAT SOME FISHES NOT EXAMINED HAVE A SHORTER AND/OR THICKER GUT. FISHES WITH A COILED GUT ALSO KEY HERE, I. E., SOME OLDER (EP) CAMPOSTOMA AND HYBOGNATHUS.
13 GUT NOT EXTREMELY LONG, NOT REACHING TO C. BASE OR AREA OF C. FORMATION
AND A., IF PRESENT, NEVER EXTENDS TO C. BASE. I F PRESENT IN GUT,
VERTICAL BANDS NEVER AS WELL DEFINED. BODY NEVER EXTREMELY LONG
AND SLENDER BUT MAY BE QUITE LONG OR SHORTER, GREATEST DEPTH LESS
THAN 1 0 TIMES IN TOTAL LENGTH ...... 34
34. GUT VERY THIN, AND AS LONG AS HEAD AND POSTANAL DISTANCE COMBINED.
BODY USUALLY WITH LITTLE PIGMENT. BODY SLENDER ...... 36
GUT THICKER AND/OR SHORTER, OR IF AS LONG AS HEAD AND POSTANAL DISTANCE
THE BODY IS MORE HEAVILY PIGMENTED. BODY SHAPE VARIABLE ...... 35
35. GUT USUALLY THIN AND MAY BE DECURVED I N AREA OF SB. LIGHTLY TO HEAVILY
PIGMENTED, CONCENTRATED ESPECIALLY ON DORSAL GUT, SB AND ON TOP OF
HEAD. SB USUALLY EVIDENT ...... 36
GUT RATHER THICK, ALMOST NEVER DECURVED AND MAY HAVE A "GRANULAR"
APPEARANCE (FIG. 47). PIGMENT USUALLY ABSENT. SB NOT EVIDENT
I N MOST ( EP) ...... LOGPERCH, PERCINA CAPRODES (FIG. 48)
36. PIGMENT REPRESENTED BY NUMEROUS, SMALL, CROWDED CHROMATOPHORES AND/OR
LARGER UNCROWDED ONES, AND MAY FORM BRANCHED PATTERN IN OPERCULAR
REGION. GILL ARCHES MAY BE HEAVILY PIGMENTED ...... 37
PIGMENT USUALLY CONSISTING OF UNCROWDED CHROMATOPHORES OR PIGMENT
ABSENT. SOME SPECIMENS WITH SMALL, CROWDED CHROMATOPHORES BUT
USUALLY NOT FORMING BRANCHED PATTERN IN OPERCULAR REGION. GILL
ARCHES NOT HEAVILY PIGMENTED ......
MINNOWS, CYPRINIDAE ( Fics. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23()). SOME HIODONTIDS AND ( PL) CATOSTOMIDS MAY ALSO KEY HERE.' ( PL) MINNOWS AND SUCKERS ARE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO SEPARATE WITH CERTAINTY. HOWEVER, DISCRIMINATION MIGHT SOMETIMES BE MADE BY THE FACT THAT SUCKERS PROBABLY ONLY RARELY SPAWN IN LAKES IF ACCESS TO HEADWATERS IS AVAILABLE.
37. I N SPECIMENS LESS THAN 1 0 MM, A DARK STREAK ORIGINATES CAUDALLY BELOW
THE MIDLINE AND EXTENDS TO OPERCULAR REGION WHERE IT BRANCHES TO
FORM A "Y", ONE BRANCH EXTENDS TO POSTERIOR RIM OR ORBIT, THE
OTHER SUBBRANCHIAL ( MAY BE PRESENT AT A GREATER LENGTH). (LP)
MOUTH LARGE AND SOMEWHAT OBLIQUE. MODERATELY ABUNDANT IN METER—
NET SAMPLES FROM CANTON RESERVOIR ...... CARP, CYPRINUS CARPIO (FIGS. 1 5, 16)
1 0 A mT THIS TIME NO MEASUREMENTS ARE AVAILABLE WHICH WILL SEPARATE ALL THE ( PL) MINNOWS AND SUCKERS. HIODONTIDS ARE NOT KNOWN TO BE ABUNDANT IN OKLAHOMA RESERVOIRS OR STREAMS.
1 4 PIGMENT USUALLY DOES NOT FORM DEFINITE BRANCH (GILL ARCHES MAY BE
HEAVILY PIGMENTED). (LP) MOUTH SMALLER AND USUALLY VENTRAL.
ONLY RARELY TAKEN IN METER-NET SAMPLES FROM CANTON RESERVOIR ......
SUCKERS'', un ATOSTOMIDAE ( FIGS. 24, 25). SPECIES MAY BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE.
38. USUALLY HEAVILY OR VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED (FIG. 2). GUT MAY NOT BE
EASILY DISTINGUISHABLE ALONG I TS ENTIRE LENGTH. SPIRAL VALVE 1 2 I N I NTESTINE PRESENT OR ABSENT 39
USUALLY NOT HEAVILY PIGMENTED OR PIGMENT ABSENT. GUT ALMOST ALWAYS
EASILY DISTINGUISHABLE ALONG I TS ENTIRE LENGTH. SPIRAL VALVE
NEVER PRESENT ...... 43
39. PREANAL DISTANCE GREATER THAN POSTANAL DISTANCE ( ABOUT 1 1 /3 TIMES
OR MORE) 41
PREANAL DISTANCE LESS THAN, EQUAL TO, OR ONLY SLIGHTLY GREATER THAN
POSTANAL DISTANCE ...... 40
40. GREATEST DEPTH USUALLY ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH LESS THAN 5 TIMES. BODY OR
YOLK SAC MAY BE HEAVILY OR VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED AT SIZES GREATER
THAN ABOUT 7 mm. ( BODY OF ( EP) BLACK OR GREY. SELDOM TAKEN I N
METER-NET SAMPLES) ..BLACK. BASSES, MICROPTERUS ( FIGS. 43, 44)
GREATEST DEPTH USUALLY ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH MORE THAN 5 TIMES. BODY
OR YOLK SAC NOT AS HEAVILY PIGMENTED. (PIGMENT OFTEN PRESENT
ON LIPS OF LIGHTLY PIGMENTED (EP)) ......
WALLEYE AND SAUGER, STIZOSTEDION ( FIGS. 50, 51). OTHER PERCIDS MAY SOMETIMES KEY HERE.
41. POSTANAL DISTANCE ENTERS PREANAL DISTANCE I 1 /2 TIMES OR MORE ...... 42
POSTANAL DISTANCE ENTERS PREANAL DISTANCE LESS THAN I 1 /2 TIMES ......
BOWFIN, AMIA CALVA
42. CONSPICUOUS, VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED, FLESHY, RUDIMENTARY VERTICAL FINS
ALWAYS PRESENT AND COMPLETELY ENCLOSED IN FINFOLD ON POSTERIOR
DORSAL AND VENTRAL BODY . . . . GARS, LEPISOSTEUS ( FIGS. 6, 7, 8) ...... 50
VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED, FLESHY, RUDIMENTARY VERTICAL FINS ABSENT ...... 51
CAMPOSTOMA AND POSSIBLY OTHER MINNOWS MAY KEY HERE.
I2 ROLY000N AND SCAPHIRHYNCHUS MAY KEY HERE; THEY MAY BE DISTINGUISHED AT SOME STAGES BY THE PRESENCE OF I OR 2 PAIRS OF BARBELS ON SNOUT. BARBELS PRESENT ON PADDLEFISH AT ABOUT 1 0- 1 2 mm AND SPIRAL VALVE IN INTESTINE MAY BE VISIBLE.
1 5 43. GUT EXTREMELY SHORT, SB AND VENT EXTREMELY ANTERIOR AND NEVER REACHING
MID TOTAL-LENGTH (GUT LONGER WHEN VERTICAL FINS ARE PRESENT).
PIGMENT ALMOST ALWAYS PRESENT ON SB AND ONE OR MORE MELANOPHORES
PRESENT ON MIDVENTRAL GUT (USUALLY 1-6). A. BASE ABOUT 2 TIMES
D BASE . . .SILVERSIDES, LABIDESTHES SICCULUS AND MENIDIA AUDENS (FIGS. 53, 54) 2 GUT NOT EXTREMELY SHORT, SB AND VENT NOT EXTREMELY ANTERIOR. PIGMENT
ON SB VARIABLE. SEVEN OR MORE MELANOPHORES MAY BE PRESENT ON
MIDVENTRAL GUT IF GUT EXTENDS TO MID TOTAL-LENGTH OR BEYOND. A.
BASE SHORTER, NEVER 2 TIMES D BASE ...... 44 2 44. HEAD AND ABDOMINAL REGION SMALL, OR IF LARGE, MOUTH SMALLER AND/OR BODY
USUALLY MODERATELY OR HEAVILY PIGMENTED. GREATEST DEPTH USUALLY
MORE THAN 5 TIMES IN TOTAL LENGTH EXCEPT IN SOME CENTRARCHIDS LESS
THAN 9 MM. PIGMENT VARIABLE. LARGE OIL GLOBULE(S) PRESENT OR
ABSENT. D. WITH FEWER THAN 17 SOFT RAYS ...... 45
HEAD AND ABDOMINAL REGION VERY LARGE, ESPECIALLY DORSOVENTRALLY.
GREATEST DEPTH USUALLY 5 OR LESS TIMES IN TOTAL LENGTH. MOUTH
VERY LARGE AND OBLIQUE; GULAR REGION BROAD, FLAT AND OBLIQUE.
( WHEN PRESERVED, MOUTH FREQUENTLY OPEN AND BRANCHIAL REGION
EXPANDED.) VERY LITTLE PIGMENT OR PIGMENT ABSENT. ONE OR MORE
LARGE OIL GLOBULES OFTEN PRESENT. D. LONG AND WITH 24-32 SOFT
RAYS (SOMETIMES MORE) ...... DRUM, APLODINOTUS GRUNNIENS (FIGS. 56, 57)
45. SB EXTENDS BEHIND VENT OR GUT BARELY EXTENDS BEYOND SB ......
CRAPPIE, POMOXIS (FIG. 45). NOT ALL SPECIMENS KEY HERE. SEE ALSO NUMBER 47.
GUT EXTENDS WELL BEHIND SB OR SB NOT EVIDENT AND GUT LONG ...... 46
46. GUT STRAIGHT, RATHER THICK AND OF ABOUT EQUAL THICKNESS ALONG ITS
ENTIRE LENGTH AND OFTEN WITH A "GRANULAR" APPEARANCE (FIG. 47).
SB FREQUENTLY NOT EVIDENT. GUT ALMOST NEVER DECURVED AND NEVER
LOOPED. HEAD LENGTH ENTERS GUT 2 OR MORE THAN 2 TIMES. USUALLY
VERY LITTLE, IF ANY, PIGMENT ......
LOGPERCH, PERCINA CAPRODES (FIG. 48). SOME OTHER ( PL) PERCIDS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE VERY LARGE PECTORALS, MAY KEY HERE. HIODONTIDS, I N SOME OF WHICH THE HEAD ENTERS GUT LESS THAN 2 TIMES, MAY KEY HERE.
16 GUT STRAIGHT OR CURVED, VARIABLE IN THICKNESS AND USUALLY NOT WITH VERY
PRONOUNCED "GRANULATION". SB EVIDENT. GUT MAY BE DECURVED OR
LOOPED. HEAD LENGTH ENTERS GUT LESS THAN 2 TIMES OR IF 2 OR MORE
TIMES, GUT IS OF UNEVEN THICKNESS AND/OR CURVED. PIGMENT VARIABLE ...... 47
47. GUT S-SHAPED WHEN VIEWED LATERALLY WITH UNAIDED EYE AND/OR HEAD LENGTH
MAY ENTER GUT 1 1/2 TIMES OR MORE. USUALLY VERY LITTLE OR NO PIG-
MENT PRESENT, OR WITH A LINE OF ABOUT 7-8 OR MORE MELANOPHORES ON
VENTRAL GUT ...... 48
GUT STRAIGHT OR ALMOST STRAIGHT WHEN VIEWED WITH UNAIDED EYE. HEAD
LENGTH ALWAYS LESS THAN 1 1/2 TIMES IN GUT. USUALLY LIGHTLY TO
HEAVILY PIGMENTED OR PIGMENT ABSENT. (NOT UNCOMMON, BUT TAKEN
I NFREQUENTLY IN METER-NET SAMPLES) ......
SUNFISHES, LEPOMIS (FIGS. 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41). SPECIES VERY DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE. Pomoxis AND LIGHTLY PIGMENTED MICROPTERUS AND STIZOSTEDION MAY ALSO KEY HERE.
48. GUT THIN, FAIRLY SMOOTH, AND STRONGLY S-SHAPED VIEWED WITH UNAIDED EYE.
HEAD LENGTH ENTERS GUT LESS THAN 1 1/2 TIMES. PREANAL DISTANCE
LESS THAN POSTANAL DISTANCE ......
BLUEGILL, LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS ( FIG. 36). NOT ALL SPECIMENS KEY HERE, AND I T I S POSSIBLE THAT OTHER SUNFISHES WHICH ARE NOT COMMONLY TAKEN WILL KEY HERE. ALSO SEE NUMBER 47.
GUT THICKER, NOT AS STRONGLY S-SHAPED AND SOMETIMES LIGHTLY BANDED
VERTICALLY OR WITH SLIGHT "GRANULAR" APPEARANCE. HEAD LENGTH
ENTERS GUT 1 1 /2 TIMES OR MORE. PREANAL DISTANCE EQUAL TO OR
GREATER THAN POSTANAL DISTANCE . BASSES, Roccus 49
49. LINE OR 7-8 OR MORE MELANOPHORES ON VENTRAL GUT. RECENTLY I NTRODUCED,
NOT KNOWN TO HAVE SPAWNED I N OKLAHOMA..STRIPED BASS, R. SAXATILIS ( Fics. 33, 34)
MELANOPHORES ON VENTRAL GUT USUALLY ABSENT. NATIVE, VERY ABUNDANT.
( COMMON I N METER-NET SAMPLES) . WHITE. BASS, R. CHRYSOPS ( FIGS. 30, 31)
50. BODY PIGMENT BLACK AND WHITE I N LIVE AND FRESHLY PRESERVED FISHES.
NARROW, WHITE MIDDORSAL STRIPE PRESENT I N ( LP) AND EARLY (u).
NOT COMMON IN OKLAHOMA ...... ALLIGATOR GAR, L. SPATULA
COLOR BROWN AND WHITE. WHITE MIDDORSAL STRIPE ABSENT. VERY ABUNDANT
BUT SELDOM TAKEN IN OPEN WATER METER-NET SAMPLES ......
SPOTTED GAR, L. OCULATUS, SHORTNOSE GAR, L. PLATOSTOMUS, AND LONGNOSE GAR, L. OSSEUS. COLOR DIFFERENCES ARE THOUGHT TO EXIST IN THE (PL) AND EARLY (J) STAGES WHICH MAY SEPARATE THESE SPECIES. PRELIMINARY STUDY SHOWS SPOTTED GARS MAY HAVE FEWER MYOMERES THAN LONGNOSE AND SHORTNOSE GARS AT THE SAME STAGE.
1 7 51. POSTANAL DISTANCE ENTERS PREANAL DISTANCE MORE THAN 1 1/2 TIMES.
CONSPICUOUS ADHESIVE ORGAN NEVER PRESENT ...... 52
POSTANAL DISTANCE ENTERS PREANAL DISTANCE LESS THAN 1 1/2 TIMES.
ADHESIVE ORGAN PRESENT ON SNOUT AT LENGTHS LESS THAN 14 mm. . BOWFIN, AMIA CALVA I 3
52. HEAD LENGTH USUALLY ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH 5 OR MORE TIMES. LINE OF
CHROMATOPHORES ON SIDES IN AREA OF HORIZONTAL SEPTUM ......
STONEROLLER, CAMPOSTOMA ANOMALUM (FIG. 1 8) 1 4
HEAD LENGTH USUALLY ENTERS TOTAL LENGTH LESS THAN 5 TIMES. LINE
OF CHROMATOPHORES ABSENT ...... PIKE, Esox ...... 53
53. OORSUM WITH MORE PIGMENT, CONSISTING OF DENSE, USUALLY EVENLY SPACED
CHROMATOPHORES. AT LENGTHS GREATER THAN ABOUT 20 MM, SIDES OF
BODY UNIFORMLY PIGMENTED (SOMETIMES NOTICEABLE AT A SMALLER SIZE).
RECENTLY INTRODUCED, NOT KNOWN TO HAVE SPAWNED IN OKLAHOMA ......
NORTHERN PIKE, E. LUCIUS
OORSUM WITH LESS PIGMENT, CONSISTING OF FEWER, LESS DENSE CHROMATO-
PHORES. AT LENGTHS GREATER THAN ABOUT 20 MM, SIDES OF BODY
WITH LARGE PIGMENT-FREE AREAS (SOMETIMES NOTICEABLE AT A
SMALLER SIZE). I NDIGENOUS ONLY IN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA ......
GRASS PICKEREL, E. AMER ICANUS VERMICULATUS (FIGS. 12, 13, 14)
1 3 OTHER SPECIES WITH A LARGE YOLK, BUT LACKING AN ADHESIVE ORGAN, SUCH AS GOLDEYE, HIODON ALOSOIDES, MAY KEY HERE.
OTHER MINNOWS AND SUCKERS MAY KEY HERE.
1 8 BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME COMMON OKLAHOMA LARVAL FISHES
LEPISOSTEIDAE
PROLARVAE VERY LARGE. A CONSPICUOUS ADHESIVE ORGAN PRESENT ON SNOUT OF LARVAE LESS THAN
ABOUT 14 MM. VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED RUDIMENTARY VERTICAL FINS ALWAYS PRESENT IN FINFOLD
OF PRO- AND POSTLARVAE. HEAVY PIGMENT LINE ON SIDES EXTENDING THROUGH EYE OF POSTLARVAE
AND JUVENILES. DORSAL FIN BASE ABOUT OVER ANAL FIN BASE. RESEMBLE ADULTS EVEN BEFORE
ALL FIN RAYS DEVELOP.
CLUPEIDAE
DOROSOMA. BODY FILIFORM. VERY LONG VERTICALLY-BANDED GUT REACHES ALMOST TO BASE OF
CAUDAL FIN. I F PRESENT, ANAL FIN VERY LONG. BODY MORE SLENDER AND GUT PROPORTIONATELY
LONGER THAN THAT OF ANY OTHER FISHES EXAMINED. Do NOT RESEMBLE ADULTS UNTIL AFTER FIN
RAYS DEVELOP. MAY BY VERY ABUNDANT IN RESERVOIR METER-NET SAMPLES.
ESOCIDAE
SIMILAR TO LEPISOSTEUS BUT LACKING CONSPICUOUS ADHESIVE ORGAN AND VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED
RUDIMENTARY VERTICAL FINS.
CYPRINIDAE
MINNOWS, EXCEPT CARP. LONG, STRAIGHT AND THIN GUT EXTENDS WELL PAST MIDTOTAL LENGTH.
BODY SLENDER. BODY SHAPE OF POSTLARVAE SIMILAR TO ADULTS. VERY SIMILAR TO CATOSTOMIDS.
DORSAL FIN USUALLY WITH 1 0 OR FEWER RAYS. CAUDAL FIN WITH 1 7 BRANCHED RAYS.
CYPRINUS CARPIO. OFTEN DISTINGUISHABLE FROM OTHER MINNOWS BY A DARK STREAK ORIGINATING
CAUDALLY BELOW MIDLINE EXTENDING TO OPERCULAR REGION WHERE IT BRANCHES TO FORM A "Y".
LATE POSTLARVAE AND EARLY JUVENILES VERY SIMILAR TO CATOSTOMIDS WITH A LONG DORSAL FIN.
CATOSTOMIDAE
VERY DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE FROM CYPRINIDS, BUT LARVAE PROBABLY NOT AS COMMON IN RESERVOIRS.
GILL ARCHES OF SOME SPECIES MAY BE HEAVILY PIGMENTED. DORSAL FIN USUALLY WITH 1 0 OR MORE
RAYS. BRANCHED CAUDAL RAYS 16. SOME LATE POSTLARVAE AND JUVENILES WITH LONG DORSAL FINS
SIMILAR TO CARP AND GOLDFISH.
1 9 I CTALURIDAE
VERY LARGE PROLARVAE. BARBELS AND FIN RAYS VERY CONSPICUOUS EVEN AS PROLARVAE. RESEMBLE
ADULTS EVEN AS PROLARVAE.
SERRANIDAE
Roccus CHRYSOPS AND R. SAXATILIS. SIMILAR TO SOME PERCIDS AND CENTRARCHIDS. I N OLDER
POSTLARVAE, GUT THICK AND MAY BE S—SHAPED WHEN VIEWED LATERALLY, REACHING MIDTOTAL LENGTH
OR BEYOND. GUT LONGER AND THICKER THAN MOST CENTRARCHIDS. CANINE—LIKE TEETH SOMETIMES
EVIDENT IN POSTLARVAE. SOFT—RAYED DORSAL FIN BASE ABOUT OVER ANAL FIN BASE.
CENTRARCHIDAE
SOME SPECIES SIMILAR TO SERRANIDS EXCEPT GUT USUALLY THINNER AND SHORTER; MORE FREQUENTLY
NOT EXTENDING TO MIDTOTAL LENGTH. BODY SHAPE SLENDER TO VERY DEEP. OLDER POSTLARVAE
DEEP BODIED.
MICROPTERUS. PROLARVAE LARGE. USUALLY HEAVILY PIGMENTED AND VERY DEEP BODIED. ANUS AT
ABOUT MIDTOTAL LENGTH.
LEPOMIS. GUT OF EARLY POSTLARVAE SLIGHTLY LONGER THAN IN MOST POMOXIS. MOST PROLARVAE
SMALLER THAN MICROPTERUS.
POMOXIS. HAS SHORTEST GUT OF ANY CENTRARCHID EXAMINED. I N MANY EARLY POSTLARVAE, SWIM
BLADDER EXTENDS BEYOND ANUS, OR GUT BARELY EXTENDS BEYOND SWIM BLADDER.
PERCIDAE
PERCINA CAPRODES. GUT LONG AND STRAIGHT AND THICKER THAN OTHER FISHES WITH A LONG,
STRAIGHT GUT. SIMILAR TO Roccus EXCEPT SWIMBLADDER FREQUENTLY NOT EVIDENT IN MANY POST—
LARVAE. BODY SLENDERER. LARVAE MAY BE SURPRISINGLY ABUNDANT IN RESERVOIR METER—NET
SAMPLES.
STIZOSTEDION VITREUM VITREUM. SIMILAR TO CENTRARCHIDS AND OCCASIONALLY DIFFICULT TO
DISTINGUISH FROM PERCINA CAPRO DES. CAN TEETH EVIDENT AS POSTLARVAE. A BULB—SHAPED
"RECTUM" PRESENT IN SOME SPECIMENS.
20 ATHERINIDAE
LABIDESTHES SICCULUS AND MENIDIA AUDENS. SPECIES VERY SIMILAR. YOUNGER POSTLARVAE WITH
SHORTEST GUT OF ANY FISHES EXAMINED. ANUS MIGRATES POSTERIORLY WITH AGE. ANAL FIN BASE
ABOUT 2 TIMES DORSAL FIN BASE. VERY DISTINCTIVE.
SCIAENIDAE
APLODINOTUS GRUNNIENS. SIMILAR TO CENTRARCHIDS. HEAD AND ABDOMINAL REGION APPEAR PROPOR-
TIONATELY LARGER THAN MOST OTHER FISHES. EXTREMELY LONG DORSAL FIN. MAY BE VERY ABUNDANT
I N RESERVOIR METER-NET SAMPLES.
21 LITERATURE CITED
AMERICAN FISHERIES SOCIETY COMMITTEE ON NAMES OF FISHES. 1960. A LIST OF COMMON AND SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF FISHES FROM THE UNITED STATES AND CANADA. AMER. FISH. SOC. SPEC. PUB. No. 2. 102 P.
BROWN, MARGARET E. 1957. THE PHYSIOLOGY OF FISHES. ACADEMIC PRESS INC., N. Y. 2 VOL.
CALDWELL, DAVID K. AND CHARLES R. CARL IN. 1962. A PHOTOMICROGRAPHIC ADAPTER FOR STEREO- MICROSCOPES USEFUL IN PHOTOGRAPHING FISH LARVAE. COPEIA 1962(2): 445-446.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EARLY LIFE HISTORIES OF SIXTY-TWO SPECIES OF FISHES FROM LAKE ERIE AND ITS TRIBUTARY WATERS. BULL. U. S. BUR. FISH. 47(I0): 293-398.
GARSIDE, E. T. 1966. DEVELOPMENTAL RATE AND VERTEBRAL NUMBER IN SALMONIDS. J. FISH. RES. BD. CANADA 23(10): 1537-1551.
HUBBS, CARL L. 1943. TERMINOLOGY OF EARLY STAGES OF FISHES. COPEIA 1943(4): 260.
HUBBS, CARL L. AND KARL F. LAGLER. 1958. FISHES OF THE GREAT LAKES REGION. REV. ED. CRANBROOK I NST. OF SCI. BULL. 26. 213 P.
LAGLER, KARL F. 1956. FRESHWATER FISHERY BIOLOGY. 2ND ED. WM. C. BROWN CO., DUBUQUE, IOWA. 421 P.
LAGLER, KARL F., JOHN E. BARDACH AND ROBERT R. MILLER. 1962. ICHTHYOLOGY. JOHN WILEY AND SONS INC., N. Y. 545 P.
MILLER, ROBERT RUSH. 1963. GENUS DOROSOMA RAFINESQUE 1820. GIZZARD SHADS, THREADFIN SHAD. FISHES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. MEM. SEARS FOUND. FOR MARINE RES. 1( 3): 443-451.
MOORE, GEORGE A. 1954. OKLAHOMA FISHES WITH DISTRIBUTIONAL NOTES AND KEYS. OKLAHOMA AGR. & MECH. COLL., STILLWATER. 67 P. ( MIMEO.).
MOORE, GEORGE A. 1957. FISHES IN BLAIR, W. FRANK, ALBERT P. BLAIR, PIERCE BRODKORB, FRED R. CAGLE, GEORGE A. MOORE, VERTEBRATES OF THE UNITED STATES. MCGRAW-HILL BOOK CO. INC., N. Y. 819 P.
OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION. 1965. KNOW YOUR OKLAHOMA FISHES. REV. ED. EDUCATIONAL PAMP. No. 2. 48 P.
SUTTKUS, ROYAL D. 1963. ORDER LEPISOSTEI. FISHES OF THE WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC. MEM. SEARS FOUND. MARINE RES. 1( 3): 61-88.
TRAUTMAN, MILTON B. 1957. THE FISHES OF OHIO. OHIO STATE UNIV. PRESS, COLUMBUS. 683 P.
WINN, HOWARD ELLIOTT AND ROBERT RUSH MILLER. 1954. NATIVE POSTLARVAL FISHES OF THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER BASIN, WITH A KEY TO THEIR IDENTIFICATION. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 40(3): 273-285.
22 A PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LARVAL FRESH WATER
FISHES WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE To OKLAHOMA FAMILIES
SELECTED REFERENCES CONTAINING ILLUSTRATIONS OF EARLY LIFE HISTORY STAGES OF FISHES, RESEARCH METHODS, MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES
23 SELECTED REFERENCES TO RESEARCH METHODS, MATERIALS AND TECHNIQUES
AHLSTROM, ELBERT H. 1965. KINDS AND ABUNDANCE OF FISHES IN THE CALIFORNIA CURRENT REGION BASED ON EGG AND LARVAL SURVEYS. CALIFORNIA COOP. OCEANIC FISH. INVEST. REPORTS 10: 31-52.
BATTLE, HELEN I. 1944. THE EMBRYOLOGY OF THE ATLANTIC SALMON ( SALMO SALAR LINNAEUS). CAN. J. RES. 22(D, 5): 105-125.
BREDER, C. M., JR. 1960. DESIGN FOR A FRY TRAP. ZOOLOGICA 45: 155-159.
CALDWELL, DAVID K..AND CHARLES R. CARL IN. 1962. A PHOTOMICROGRAPHIC ADAPTER FOR STEREO- MICROSCOPES USEFUL IN PHOTOGRAPHING FISH LARVAE. COPEIA 1962(2): 445-446.
COUNTS, ROBERT C. 1961. A DEVICE FOR MEASURING LARVAL AND JUVENILE FISHES. COPEIA 1 961(2): 224-226.
DUNN, DIANA ROWAN. 1954. THE FEEDING HABITS OF SOME OF THE FISHES AND SOME MEMBERS OF THE BOTTOM FAUNA OF LLYN TEGID ( BALA LAKE), MERIONETHSHIRE. J. ANIMAL ECOL. 23(2): 224-233.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1929. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EARLY LIFE HISTORIES OF LAKE ERIE FISHES. BUFFALO SOC. NAT. SCI. BULL. 14(3): 136-187.
GRAY, PETER. 1952. HANDBOOK OF BASIC MICROTECHNIQUE. THE BLAKISTON CO., N. Y. 141 P.
GUYER, MICHAEL F. 1953. ANIMAL MICROLOGY. UNIV. CHICAGO PRESS, CHICAGO. 327 P.
HILDEBRAND, SAMUEL F. AND LOUELLA E. CABLE. 1930. DEVELOPMENT AND LIFE HISTORY OF FOUR- TEEN TELEOSTEAN FISHES AT BEAUFORT, N. C. BULL. U. S. BUR. FISH. 46(1093): 383-488.
HOESE, H. D. 1965. SPAWNING OF MARINE FISHES IN THE PORT ARANSAS, TEXAS AREA AS DETER- MINED BY THE DISTRIBUTION OF YOUNG AND LARVAE. PH.D. DISSERTATION, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, AUSTIN. 123 P.
JACKSON, C. F. 1962. USE OF PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY IN IDENTIFYING MEAT OF GAME ANIMALS. NEW HAMPSHIRE FISH AND GAME DEPT. TECH. CIR. 19. 15 P.
LAGLEP, KARL F., JOHN E. BARDACH AND ROBERT R. MILLER. 1962. I CHTHYOLOGY. JOHN WILEY AND SONS INC., N. Y. 545 P.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. A PARTIAL BIBLIOGRAPHY OF FISH EGGS, LARVAE AND JUVENILES, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO MIGRATORY AND ESTUARINE SPECIES OF THE ATLANTIC COAST AND SUPPLEMENTED BY A CHECK LIST AND REFERENCES TO THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE FISHES AND FISH-LIKE CHORDATES OF MARYLAND WATERS. MARYLAND DEPT. RES. AND EDUC., CHESAPEAKE BIOL. LAB., SOLOMONS, MD. 55 P. ( MIMEO.).
MANSUETI, ROMEO J. 1954. AID TO THE STUDY OF FISH EGGS AND YOUNG COMPLETED. MARYLAND TIDEWATER NEWS 11(7): I, 4.
ORTON, GRACE L. 1953. THE SYSTEMATICS OF VERTEBRATE LARVAE. SYST. ZOOL. 2(2): 63-75.
RIDENHOUR, RICHARD L. 1960. DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM TO SAMPLE YOUNG FISH IN A LAKE. TRANS. AMER. FISH. Soc. 89(2): 185-192.
24 RYDER, JOHN A. 1886. ON THE ORIGIN OF HETEROCERCY AND THE EVOLUTION OF THE FINS AND FIN- RAYS OF FISHES. REPORT U. S. Comm. FISH AND FISH. 1884: 979-1107.
SCHUMANN, GEORGE O. 1965. SOME ASPECTS OF BEHAVIOR IN CLUPEID LARVAE. CALIFORNIA COOP. OCEANIC FISH. INVEST. REP. 10: 71-78.
WILLIAMS, T. WALLEY, J. 1940. THE USE OF SODIUM ALIZARIN MONOSULPHONATE AND TOLUIDIN BLUE FOR THE DIFFERENTIAL STAINING OF BONE AND CARTILAGE IN TOTO. ANAT. REC. 76 ( SUPPL. 2): 96.
SELECTED REFERENCES TO OKLAHOMA FAMILIES
STURGEON - ACIPENSERIDAE
HARKNESS, W. J. K. AND J. R. DYMOND. 1961. THE LAKE STURGEON, THE HISTORY OF ITS FISHERY AND PROBLEMS OF CONSERVATION. ONTARIO DEPT. OF LANDS AND FORESTS. 121 P.
IGNATYEVA, G. M. 1957. MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS OF THE "HATCHING" GLAND IN STURGEON AT DIFFERENT INCUBATION TEMPERATURES. DOKLADY, BIOL. SCI. SECT. (DOKLADY AKAD. NAUK SSSR) 113: 501-504. ( TRANSLATED BY A. I. B. S., WASHINGTON, D. C.).
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. ( CITATIONS 466, 707, 1119).
NIKOLISKII, G. V. 1961. SPECIAL ICHTHYOLOGY. ( TRANSL. FROM RUSSIAN). OFFICE OF TECH. SERVICES, U. S. DEPT. OF COM., WASHINGTON 25, D. C. 538 P.
TRAUTMAN, MILTON B. 1957. THE FISHES OF OHIO. OHIO STATE UNIV. PRESS, COLUMBUS. 683 P
PADDLEFISH - POLYODONTIDAE
BALLARD, W. W. AND R. G. NEEDHAM. 1964. NORMAL EMBRYONIC STAGES OF POLYODON SPATHULA ( WALBAum). J. MORPH. 114(3): 465-478.
BARBOUR, THOMAS. 1911. THE SMALLEST POLYODON. BIOL. BULL. 21: 207-208.
NIKOLISKII, G. V. 1961. OP. CIT.
PURKETT, CHARLES A., JR. 1961. REPRODUCTION AND EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE PADDLE- FISH. TRANS. AMER. FISH. Soc. 90(2): 125-129.
THOMPSON, DAVID H. 1933. THE FINDING OF VERY YOUNG POLYODON. COPEIA 1933(1): 31-33.
25 GAR - LEPISOSTEIDAE
BALFOUR, F. M. AND W. PARKER. 1881. ON THE STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT OF LEPIDOSTEUS. PROC. Roy. Soc. 23(217): 112-119.
BEARD, J. 1889. ON THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF LEPIDOSTEUS OSSEUS. PRELIMINARY NOTICE. PROC. Roy. Soc. 46: 108-118.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EARLY LIFE HISTORIES OF SIXTY- TWO SPECIES OF FISHES FROM LAKE ERIE AND ITS TRIBUTARY WATERS. BULL. U. S. BUR. FISH. 47(10): 293-398.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. ( CITATIONS 450, 707, 827, 1104).
SCHWARTZ, FRANK. ( NO DATE). THE BEAKED FISHES OF MARYLAND. MARYLAND EDUC. SERIES 54. 4 P.
BOWFIN - AMIIDAE
ALLis, E. P. 1889. ANATOMY AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE LATERAL LINE SYSTEM IN AMIA CALVA. J. MORPH. 2(3): 463-568.
DEAN, B. 1896. "ON THE LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF AMIA CALVA." ZOOL. JAHRB. (SYST.- ABTH.) 9: 639-672.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. ( CITATIONS 388, 709).
HERRING - CLUPEIDAE
BODOLA, ANTHONY. 1964. LIFE HISTORY OF THE GIZZARD SHAD, DOROSOMA CEPEDIANUM ( LE SUEUR), I N WESTERN LAKE ERIE. FISH. BULL. 65(2): 391-425.
BREDER, C. M., U. AND Louis A. KRUMHOLZ. 1943. ON THE LOCOMOTOR AND FEEDING BEHAVIOR OF CERTAIN POSTLARVAL CLUPEOIDEA. ZOOLOGICA 28(10): 61-67.
MANSUETI, ROMEO J. 1954. OP. CIT. (CITATIONS 233, 238, 362, 611, 612).
MANSUETI, ROMEO J. 1956. HICKORY SHAD EGGS AND LARVAE REARED SUCCESSFULLY IN LABORATORY. MARYLAND TIDEWATER NEWS 1 3(1): I, 3.
MANSUETI, ROMEO J. 1962. EGGS, LARVAE, AND YOUNG OF THE HICKORY SHAD, ALOSA MEDIOCRIS, WITH COMMENTS ON ITS ECOLOGY IN THE ESTUARY. CHESAPEAKE SCIENCE 3(3): 173-205.
MILLER, ROBERT RUSH. 1960. SYSTEMATICS AND BIOLOGY OF THE GIZZARD SHAD ( DOROSOMA CEPEDIANUM) AND RELATED FISHES. U. S. FISH WILDL. SERV., FISH. BULL. 60(173): 371-392.
NICHOLS, PAUL R. 1966. COMPARATIVE STUDY OF JUVENILE AMERICAN SHAD POPULATIONS BY FIN RAY AND SCUTE COUNTS. U. S. FISH AND WILDL. SERV., SPEC. SCI. REP.-FISH. 525. 10 P.
RYDER, J. A. 1887. ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF OSSEOUS FISHES, INCLUDING MARINE AND FRESH WATER FORMS. REPT. U. S. Comm. FISH AND FISH. 13: 489-604.
SALMON - SALMONIDAE
BACON, EDWARD H. 1954. FIELD CHARACTERS OF PROLARVAE AND ALEVINS OF BROOK, BROWN, AND RAINBOW TROUT IN MICHIGAN. COPEIA 1954(3): 232.
DUMAS, RICHARD F. 1966. OBSERVATIONS ON YOLK SAC CONSTRICTION IN LANDLOCKED ATLANTIC SALMON FRY. FROG. FISH-CULT. 28(2): 73-75.
26 FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1 932. OP. CIT.
FOERSTER, R. E. AND A. L. PRITCHARD. 1 935. THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE YOUNG OF THE FIVE SPECIES OF PACIFIC SALMON, WITH NOTES ON THE FRESHWATER PHASE OF THEIR LIFE-HISTORY. BRIT. COL. COMM. FISH., REPT. 1934, PP. K106 016.
GARSIDE, E. T. 1966. EFFECTS OF OXYGEN IN RELATION TO TEMPERATURE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF EMBRYOS OF BROOK TROUT AND RAINBOW TROUT. J. FISH. RES. BD. CANADA 23(8): 1121-1134.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1 954. OP. CIT. ( CITATIONS 63, 326, 341, 450, 611, 631, 874).
MAZURANICH, JOHN J. AND WALTER E. NIELSON. 1959. WHITESPOT DISEASE OF SALMON FRY. FROG. FISH-CULT. 21(4): 172-176.
NIKOLISKII, G. V. 1961. OP. CIT.
RANEY, EDWARD C. 1 959. SOME YOUNG FRESHWATER FISHES OF NEW YORK. NEW YORK CONSERVATIONIST, AUGUSTSEPTEMBER, 1959, PP. 22.-28.
MOONEYE H1000NTIDAE
BATTLE, HELEN I. AND WILLIAM M. SPRULES. 1 960. A DESCRIPTION OF THE SEMI- BOUYANT EGGS AND EARLY DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES OF THE GOLDEYE, HIODON ALOSOIDES ( RAFINESQUE). J. FISH. RES. BD. CANADA 1 7(2): 245-266.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. OP. CIT.
MUD MINNOW - UMBR1DAE
BREDER, C. M., JR. 1 933. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UROSTYLE IN UMBRA PYGMAEA ( DE KAY). AMER. MUS. NOVITATES 610: 1 -5.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1 932. OP. CIT.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1 954. OP. CIT. ( CITATION 60.
PIKE - ESOCIDAE
CROSSMAN, E. J. 1 966. A TAXONOMIC STUDY OF ESOX AMERICANUS AND ITS SUBSPECIES I N EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. COPEIA 1966(1): 1 -20.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1 932. OP. CIT.
FRANKLIN, DONALD R. AND LLOYD L. SMITH, JR. 1 960A. NOTE ON DEVELOPMENT OF SCALE PATTERNS IN THE NORTHERN PIKE, ESOX LUCIUS L. TRANS. AMER. FISH. SOC. 89(1): 83.
FRANKLIN, DONALD R. AND LLOYD L. SMITH, JR. 1 960B. NOTES ON THE EARLY GROWTH AND ALLOMETRY OF THE NORTHERN PIKE, ESOX LUCIUS L. COPEIA 1 960(2): 1 43-144.
FRANKLIN, DONALD R. AND LLOYD L. SMITH, JR. 1 963. EARLY LIFE HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN PIKE, ESOX LUCIUS L., WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE FACTORS I NFLUENC- I NG THE NUMERICAL STRENGTH OF YEAR CLASSES. TRANS. AMER. FISH. Soc. 92(2): 91-110.
KLEINERT, STANTON J. AND DONALD MRAZ. 1 966. LIFE HISTORY OF THE GRASS PICKEREL ( ESOX AMERICANUS VERMICULATUS) IN SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN. WISCONSIN CONSERV. DEPT., TECH. BULL. 37. 40 P.
PIRLOT, PAUL. 1 961. ETUDE PRELIMINAIRE DES FORMES\ TERATOLOGIQUES DU MASKINONGE. CONTRIBUTION DE LA STATION PISCICOLE DE LACHINE AL' ETUDE DU MASKINONGE. SUPPLEMENT TRIMESTRIEL AU "JOURNAL DE BORD" DE LIOFFICE DE BIOLOGIE. 1, P. 51.
27 RANEY, EDWARD C. 1959. OP. CIT.
RYDER, J. A. 1887. OP. CIT.
UNDERHILL, A. H. 1949. STUDIES OF THE DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH AND MATURITY OF THE CHAIN PICKEREL, Esox NIGER (LE SUEUR). J. WILDL. MGMT. 13(4): 377-391.
WICH, KENNETH. 1958. A COMPENDIUM OF THE LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY OF THE CHAIN PICKEREL Esox NIGER (LE SUEUR). MASSACHUSETTS Div. OF FISH AND GAME, FISH. BULL. 22. 27 P.
CHARACIN - CHARACIDAE
MYERS, GEORGE S. 1928. "THE UROSTYLE I N LARVAL CHARACIN FISHES." COPEIA 1928 (167): 36-37.
MINNOW AND CARP - CYPRINIDAE
CARP
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. OP. CIT.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. ( CITATIONS 223, 964).
SKAZINSKI, ANDRZEJ. 1966. RozwoJ I WZROST NARYBKU KARPIA W PRZESADKACH GOLYSKICH. ACTA HYDROBIOLOGICA 8(1): 41-54.
WOYNAROVICH, ELEK. 1962. HATCHING OF CARP-EGGS IN "ZU.GER" GLASSES AND BREEDING OF CARP LARVAE UNTIL AN AGE OF 10 DAYS. BAMIDGEH 14(2): 38-46.
GOLDFISH
BATTLE, HELEN I. 1940. THE EMBRYOLOGY AND LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE GOLDFISH ( CARASSIUS AURATUS L.) FROM LAKE ERIE. OHIO J. Sol. 40(2): 82-93.
KHAN, M. HAMID. 1929. EARLY STAGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GOLDFISH, ( CARASSIUS AURATUS). J. BOMBAY NAT. HIST. Soc. 33: 614-617.
MANSUET1, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. ( CITATION 20).
RYDER, J. A. 1887. OP. cir.
MINNOW
BAL1NSKY, B. I. 1948. ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPECIFIC CHARACTERS IN CYPRINID FISHES. PROC. ZOOL. Soc. LOND. 118: 335-344.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. OP. CIT.
HARRINGTON, ROBERT W., JR. 1947. THE EARLY LIFE-HISTORY OF THE BRIDLED SHINER, NOTROPIS BIFRENATUS (COPE). COPEIA 1947(2): 97-102.
KRAATZ, WALTER C. 1924. THE INTESTINE OF THE MINNOW, CAMPOSTOMA ANOMALUM (RAFINESQUE), WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ITS CIRCLING. OHIO J. Sol. 24(6): 265-298.
MARSHALL, NELSON. 1946. STUDIES ON THE LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY OF NOTROPIS CHALYBAEUS ( COPE). J. FLORIDA ACAD. SCI. 9(3-4): 163-188.
MOORE, GEORGE A. 1944. NOTES ON THE EARLY LIFE HISTORY OF NOTROPIS GIRARDI. COPEIA 1944(4): 209-214.
PFEIFFER, ROMAN A. 1955. STUDIES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE ROSYFACE SHINER, NOTROPIS RUBELLUS. COPEIA 1955(2): 95-104.
28 REED, ROGER J. 1958. THE EARLY LIFE HISTORY OF TWO CYPRINIDS, NOTROPIS RUBELLUS AND CAMPOSTOMA ANOMALUM PULLUM. COPEIA 1958(4): 325-327.
SAKSENA, VISHNU P. 1962. THE POST-HATCHING STAGES OF THE RED SHINER, NOTROPIS LUTRENSIS. COPEIA 1962(3): 539-544.
VAN DUZER, EVELYN M. 1939. OBSERVATIONS ON THE BREEDING HABITS OF THE CUP-LIPS MINNOW EXOGLOSSUM MAX1LLINGUA. COPEIA 1939(2): 65-75.
WEISEL, GEORGE F. AND H. WILLIAM NEWMAN. 1951. BREEDING HABITS, DEVELOPMENT AND EARLY LIFE HISTORY OF RICHARDSONIUS BALTEATUS, A NORTHWESTERN MINNOW. COPEIA 1951(3): 187-194.
WINN, HOWARD ELLIOTT AND ROBERT RUSH MILLER. 1954. NATIVE POSTLARVAL FISHES OF THE LOWER COLORADO RIVER BASIN, WITH A KEY TO THEIR IDENTIFICATION. CALIFORNIA FISH AND GAME 40(3): 273-285.
SUCKER - CATOSTOMIDAE
BOWMAN, MILTON LEE. 1959. THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE BLACK REDHORSE, MOXOSTOMA DUQUES- NI (LE SUEUR) I N MISSOURI. PH.D. THESIS. UNIV. OF MISSOURI, COLUMBIA. 1 44 P.
CRAWFORD, D. R. 1923. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF FOOD SUPPLY IN THE LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF FISHES. ECOLOGY 4(2): 147-153.
DAVIS, H. S. 1923. A NEW BACTERIAL DISEASE OF FRESH-WATER FISHES. BULL. U. S. BUR. FISH. 38: 261-280.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. OP. CIT.
JOHNSON, R. P. 1963. STUDIES ON THE LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY OF THE BIGMOUTH BUFFALO, I CTIOBUS CYPRINELLUS (VALENCIENNES). J. FISH. RES. BD. CANADA 20(6): 1397-1429.
MACPHEE, CRAIG. 1960. POSTLARVAL DEVELOPMENT AND DIET OF THE LARGESCALE SUCKER, CATOSTOMUS MACROCHEILUS, IN IDAHO. COPEIA 1960(2): 119-125.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. ( CITATION 631).
WINN, HOWARD ELLIOTT AND ROBERT RUSH MILLER. 1954. OP. CIT.
CATFISH - ICTALURIDAE
ARMSTRONG, P. B. 1962. STAGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF I CTALURUS NEBULOSUS. SYRACUSE UNIV. PRESS, SYRACUSE, N. Y. 8 P.
BREDER, C. M., JR. 1935. THE REPRODUCTIVE HABITS OF THE COMMON CATFISH, AMEIURUS NEBULOSUS (LE SUEUR), WITH A DISCUSSION OF THEIR SIGNIFICANCE IN ONTOGENY AND PHYLOGENY. ZOOLOGICA 19(4): 143-179.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. OP. CIT.
FORNEY, J. L. 1955. LIFE HISTORY OF THE BLACK BULLHEAD, AMEIURUS MELAS R., OF CLEAR LAKE, IOWA. I OWA STATE COLL. J. SCI. 30(1): 145-162.
SAKSENA, VISHNU P., KIICHIRO YAMAMOTO AND CARL D. RIGGS. 1961. EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHANNEL CATFISH. FROG. FISH-CULT. 23(4): 156-161.
KILLIFISH - CYPRINODONTIDAE
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. OP. CIT.
KOPEC, JOHN A. 1949. ECOLOGY, BREEDING HABITS AND YOUNG STAGES OF CRENICHTHYS BAILEY!, A CYPRINODONT FISH OF NEVADA. COPEIA 1949(1): 56-61.
29 KOSTER, WILLIAM J. 1948. NOTES ON THE SPAWNING ACTIVITIES OF PLANCTERUS KANSAE ( GARMAN). COPEIA 1948(1): 25-•33.
KUNTZ, ALBERT. 1916. NOTES ON THE EMBRYOLOGY AND LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF FIVE SPECIES OF TELEOSTEAN FISHES. BULL. U. S. BUR. FISH. 34(1914): 409-430.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. (CITATIONS I, 167, 227).
OPPENHEIMER, JANE M. 1937. THE NORMAL STAGES OF FUNDULUS HETEROCLITUS. ANAT. RECORD 68(1): 1-15.
TAVOGLA, W. M. AND ROBERT RUGH. 1947. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLATYFISH, PLATYPOECILUS MACULATUS. ZOOLOGICA 32(1):
PIRATE PERCH - APHREDODERIDAE
MANSUETI, ALICE JANE. 1963. SOME CHANGES IN MORPHOLOGY DURING ONTOGENY I N THE PIRATEPERCH, APHREDODERUS S. SAYANUS. COPEIA 1963(3): 546-557.
SEA BASS - SERRANIDAE
BIGELOW, HENRY B. AND WILLIAM C. SCHROEDER. 1953. FISHES OF THE GULF OF MAINE. U. S. FISH AND WILDL. SERV., FISH. BULL. 53(74). 577 P.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. OP. CIT.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. ( CITATIONS 322, 520, 631).
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1958. EGGS, LARVAE AND YOUNG OF THE STRIPED BASS, ROCCUS SAXATILIS. CHESAPEAKE BIOL. LAB., MARYLAND DEPT. RES. AND EDUC. CONTRIB. 112. 35 P.
MANSUETI, ROMEO J. 1964. EGGS, LARVAE, AND YOUNG OF THE WHITE PERCH, ROCCUS AMERICANUS, WITH COMMENTS ON ITS ECOLOGY IN THE ESTUARY. CHESAPEAKE SCI. 5 (1-2): 3-45.
MERRIMAN, DANIEL. 1941. STUDIES ON THE STRIPED BASS ( ROCCUS SAXATILIS) OF THE ATLANTIC COAST. U. S. FISH AND WILDL. SERV., FISH. BULL. 50. 77 P.
RATHJEN, WARREN F. AND LEWIS C. MILLER. 1957. ASPECTS OF THE EARLY LIFE HISTORY OF THE STRIPED BASS ( ROCCUS SAXATILIS) IN THE HUDSON RIVER. NEW YORK FISH AND GAME J. 4(1): 43-60.
SUNFISH - CENTRARCHIDAE
BLACK BASS
APPLEGATE, RICHARD L. 1966. PYLORIC CAECA COUNTS AS A METHOD FOR SEPARATING THE ADVANCED FRY AND FINGERLINGS OF LARGEMOUTH AND SPOTTED BASSES. TRANS. AMER. FISH. SOC. 95(2): 226.
CARR, MARJORIE HARRIS. 1942. THE BREEDING HABITS, EMBRYOLOGY AND LARVAL DEVELOP- MENT OF THE LARGEMOUTHED BLACK BASS IN FLORIDA. PROC. NEW ENGLAND ZOOL. CLUB 20: 43-77.
DOAN, KENNETH H. 1939. GROWTH OF BASS FRY. COPEIA 1939(2): 81-87.
REIGHARD, JACOB. 1906. THE BREEDING HABITS, DEVELOPMENT AND PROPAGATION OF THE BLACK BASS ( MICROPTERUS DOLOMIEU LACEPEDE AND MICROPTERUS SALMOIDES LACEPEDE). BULL. MICHIGAN FISH COMM. 7. 73 P.
TRAUTMAN, MILTON B. 1957. THE FISHES OF OHIO. OHIO STATE UNIV. PRESS, COLUMBUS. 683 P.
30 CRAPPIE
MORGAN, GEORGE D. 1954. THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE WHITE CRAPPIE ( POMOXIS ANNULARIS) OF BUCKEYE LAKE, OHIO. J. SCI. LAB., DENISON UNIV. 43(6, 7, 8 ) : 113-144.
SUNFISH (LEPOMIDS)
BALON, EUGENIUSZ. 1959. SPAWNING OF LEPOMIS GIBBOSUS (LINNE 1758) ACCLIMATIZED I N THE BACK WATERS OF THE DANUBE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT DURING THE EMBRYONIC PERIOD. ZEIT. F. FISCHEREI U. D. HILFSWISS. 8: 1-27. (IN GERMAN, ENGLISH SUMMARY); ALSO VEST. CISK. SPOL. ZOOL. 23(1): 1-22. (IN CZECHOSLOVAKIAN; ENGLISH SUMMARY); BIOL. ABSTR. 36(I): ABSTR. No. 1663; AND SPORT FISH. ABSTR. 6(2): ABSTR. No. 4175.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. ( CITATIONS 631, 687).
MORGAN, GEORGE D. 1951. THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE BLUEGILL SUNFISH, LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS, OF BUCKEYE LAKE, OHIO. J. SCI. LAB., DENISON UNIV. 42: 21-59.
PIGMY SUNFISH - ELASSOMATIDAE
BARNEY, R. L. AND B. J. ANSON. 1920. THE LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY OF THE PIGMY SUNFISH, ELASSOMA ZONATUM. ECOLOGY 1(4): 241-256.
PERCH - PERCIDAE
FAHY, WILLIAM E. 1954. THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE NORTHERN GREENSIDE DARTER, ETHEOSTOMA BLENNIOIDES BLENNIOIDES RAFINESQUE. J. ELISHA MITCHELL SCI. SOC. 70(2): 139-205.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. OP. CIT.
MANSUETI, ALICE JANE. 1964. EARLY DEVELOPMENT OF THE YELLOW PERCH, PERCA FLAVESCENS. CHESAPEAKE SCI. 5(1-2): 46-66.
NORDEN, CARROLL R. 1961. THE IDENTIFICATION OF LARVAL YELLOW PERCH, PERCA FLAVESCENS AND WALLEYE, STIZOSTEDION VITREUM. COPEIA 1961(3): 282-288.
OLSON, DONALD E. 1966. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FERTILIZED AND UNFERTILIZED WALLEYE EGGS DURING EARLY STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT. MINNESOTA FISH. INVEST. 4: 31-38.
PYCHA, RICHARD L. AND LLOYD L. SMITH 1 JR. 1954. EARLY LIFE HISTORY OF THE YELLOW PERCH, PERCA FLAVESCENS ( MITCHILL), I N THE RED LAKES, MINNESOTA. TRANS. AMER. FISH. Soc. 84: 249-260.
RANEY, EDWARD C. AND ERNEST A. LACHNER. 1939. OBSERVATIONS ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE SPOTTED DARTER, POECILICHTHYS MACULATUS (KIRTLAND). COPEIA 1939(3): 157-165.
REIGHARD, JACOB. 1890. THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE WALLEYED PIKE, STIZOSTED ION VITREUM. NINTH BIEN. REPT. MICHIGAN STATE BD. FISH COMM. 1888-1890: 95-158.
RYDER, J. A. 1887. Op. CIT.
DRUM - SCIAENIDAE
DAIBER, FRANKLIN CARL. 1953. THE LIFE HISTORY AND ECOLOGY OF THE SHEEPSHEAD, APLODINOTUS GPUNNIENS RAFINESQUE, I N WESTERN LAKE ERIE. ASST. DOCTORAL Diss. 64: 131-136.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. OP. CIT.
31 MULLET - MUGILIDAE
ANDERSON, WILLIAM W. 1957. LARVAL FORMS OF THE FRESH-WATER MULLET ( AGONOSTOMUS MONTICOLA) FROM THE OPEN OCEAN OFF THE BAHAMAS AND SOUTH ATLANTIC COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. U. S. FISH AND WILDL. SERV., FISH. BULL. 57(120): 415-425.
SILVERSIDES - ATHERINIDAE
BIGELOW, HENRY B. AND WILLIAM C. SCHROEDER. 1953. OP. CIT.
FISH, MARIE POLAND. 1932. Op. CIT.
HILDEBRAND, SAMUEL F. 1 924. NOTES ON HABITS AND DEVELOPMENT OF EGGS AND LARVAE OF THE SILVERSIDES MENIDIA MENIDIA AND MENIDIA BERYLLINA. BULL. U. S. BUR. FISH. 38(1921-22): 113-120.
KUNTZ, ALBERT. 1 916. OP. CIT.
KUNTZ, ALBERT AND LEWIS RADCLIFFE. 1 917. NOTES ON THE EMBRYOLOGY AND LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF TWELVE TELEOSTEAN FISHES. BULL. U. S. BUR. FISH. 35(1915-16): 87-134.
MANSUETI, ROMEO. 1954. OP. CIT. (CITATIONS 1, 173).
STEWART, N. H. 1 926. DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH, AND FOOD HABITS OF THE WHITE SUCKER, CATOSTOMUS COMMERSONII LE SUEUR. BULL. U. S. BUR. FISH. 42: 1 47-184.
32 APPEND I X
FIGURES 1-58
33
I
FIGURE I.--HYPOTHETICAL LATE POSTLARVA I LLUSTRATING MEASUREMENTS USED IN THE KEY. A-F, TOTAL LENGTH, TIP OF SNOUT TO TIP OF CAUDAL; A-B, HEAD LENGTH, TIP OF SNOUT TO MARGIN OF OPERCLE; A-C, PRE-ANAL DISTANCE, TIP OF SNOUT TO VENT; B-C, GUT LENGTH, MARGIN OF OPERCLE TO VENT; C-F, POST-ANAL DISTANCE, VENT TO TIP OF CAUDAL; D-E, ANAL FIN BASE; G-H, DORSAL FIN BASE.
A
FIGURE 2.--HYPOTHETICAL LARVAE ILLUSTRATING RELATIVE PIGMENT DENSITY AS USED IN THIS KEY. A - LIGHTLY PIGMENTED; B - MODERATELY PIGMENTED; C - HEAVILY PIGMENTED; D - VERY HEAVILY PIGMENTED.
A •
FIGURE 3.--ILLUSTRATIONS OF LENGTH, SHAPE AND THICKNESS OF GUT I N EARLY POSTLARVAE. ARROWS INDICATE THE RANGE OF THE POSITION OF THE ANUS. A - GUT LONG, STRAIGHT AND THIN; B - GUT THICK; C - GUT SHORT; D - GUT CURVED. FIG. 7. - -11 MM (P) LEPISOSTEUS SP.
FIG. 4.-10 MM (P) LEPISOSTEUS SP. SHOWING CONSPICUOUS ADHESIVE ORGAN ON ANTERIOR SNOUT.
FIG. 8. - -18 mm ( EP) LEPISOSTEUS SP.
tr•At' "
FIG. 5.--18 mm ( EP) LEPISOSTEUS SP. SHOWING BEAK OF POSTLARVA. FIG. 9.--17 MM ( LP) DOROSOMA CEPEDIANUM SHOWING POSITION OF ANUS AND ANAL FIN, AND VERTICAL BANDS IN GUT.
FIG. 6.--9 mm ( P) LEPISOSTEUS SP. FIG. 10.-11 MM ( EP) DOROSOMA CEPEDIANUM. •
FIG. 11.--17 mm (LP) DOROSOMA CEPEDIANUM. FIG. I5.--8 mm (EP) CYPRINUS CARPIO.
FIG. I2.--9 mm (P) Esox AMERICANUS VERMICULATUS. FIG. 16.--I0 mm (EP) CYPRINUS CARPIO.
FIG. 13.--II mm (EP) Esox AMERICANUS VERMICULATUS.
FIG. I7.--22 mm (LP) CYPRINUS CARPIO.
FIG. 14.--I5 mm (LP) Esox AMERICANUS VERMICULATUS. FIG. I8.--9 mm (P) CAMPOSTOMA ANOMALUM. t ■ • ■
FIG. 19.--I0 mm (EP) CAMPOSTOMA ANOMALUM. FIG. 23.--I0 mm (LP) NOTROPIS SP.
FIG. 20.--7 mm (EP) NOTROPIS SP. FIG. 24.--I2 mm (EP) CARPIODES CARPIO.
FIG. 2I.--6 mm (EP) NOTROPIS SP. FIG. 25.--I2 mm (EP) CARPIODES CARPIO.
FIG. 22.--6 mm (EP) NOTROPIS SP. FIG. 26.--I4 mm (LP) CARPIODES CARPIO. FIG. 29.--17 mm (LP) PYLODICTIS OLIVARIS.
FIG. 27.--I2 mm (LP) I CTALURUS PUNCTATUS.
FIG. 30.--8 mm (EP) Roccus CHRYSOPS.
FIG. 28.--I3 mm (P) PYLODICTIS OLIVARIS.
Flo. 3I.--9 mm (EP) Roccus CHRYSOPS. FIG. mm (LP) Roccus CHRYSOPS. FIG. 36.--6 mm (EP) LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS.
FIG. 33.--6 mm (P) Roccus SAXATILIS. FIG. 37.--9 mm (LP) LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS.
FIG. 34.--9 mm (LP) Roccus SAXATILIS. FIG. 38.--5 mm (EP) LEPOMIS MICROLOPHUS.
FIG. 35.--5 mm (EP) LEPOMIS MACROCHIRUS. FIG. 39.--5 mm (EP) LEPOMIS GIBBOSUS. FIG. 40.--8 mm (EP) LEPOMIS SP.
FIG. 44.--9 mm (EP) MICROPTERUS DOLOMIEUI.
FIG. 4I.--7 mm (EP) LEPOMIS SP.
FIG. 45.--8 mm (EP) Pomoxis SP.
FIG. 42.--I4 mm (LP) LEPOMIS SP. FIG. 46.--I5 mm (LP) POMOXIS SP.
FIG. 43.--7 mm (EP) MICROPTERUS SALMOIDES. FIG. 47.--I2 mm (EP) PERCINA CAPRODES SHOWING "GRANULAR" APPEARANCE OF GUT. li II
FIG. 48.--I0 mm ( EP) PERCINA CAPRODES. FIG. 52.-17 MM ( LP) STIZOSTEDION VITREUM VITREUM.
FIG. 49.-16 mm ( LP) PERCINA CAPRODES. FIG. 53.--5 MM ( EP) MENIDIA AUDENS.
FIG. 50.--8 mm (P) STIZOSTEDION VITREUM VITREUM. FIG. 54.--8 mm ( EP) MENIDIA AUDENS.
FIG. 51.-9 MM ( EP) STIZOSTEDION VITREUM VITREUM. FIG. 55.--I5 mm (LP) MENIDIA AUDENS.
• • ia •
FIG. 56.--5 mm (EP) APLODINOTUS GRUNNIENS.
FIG. 57.--7 mm (EP) APLODINOTUS GRUNNIENS.
FIG. 58.-14 mm (LP) APLODINOTUS GRUNNIENS.