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VIMS Articles
1953
The fishes of the tidewater section of the amunkP ey River, Virginia
Edward C. Raney
William H. Massman Virginia Fisheries Laboratory
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Recommended Citation Raney, Edward C. and Massman, William H., "The fishes of the tidewater section of the Pamunkey River, Virginia" (1953). VIMS Articles. 1767. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/vimsarticles/1767
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in VIMS Articles by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Reprinted from JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Volume 43, No. 12, December, 1953 Printed in U.S.A.
ICHTHYOLOGY.-The fishes of the tidewater section of the Pamunkey River, Virginia. EDWARD C. RANEY and WILLIAM II. MASSMANN, Cornell University and Virginia Fisheries Laboratory.1 The distribution of the fish fauna of the A minnow seine, 20 feet long and 4 feet in tidewater section of most of the rivers that depth, was used in all but six collections flow into Chesapeake Bay is poorly known. when a net 75 by 6 feet was employed. All Indeed, this is true for practically all the seines had a bar mesh size of ~ inch. The great rivers tributary to the Atlantic from collections included 113 samples taken by the Hudson southward to the Savannah. minnow seine, 15 by surface trawl, 6 by The few investigations usually have con rotenone, 4 by bottom trawl, and a series centrated on commercial species and our of plankton net collections which often understanding of distribution has been contained small fishes. Continuous observa inferred from the knowledge of nearby tions were made on the commercial and sport Coastal Plain streams reported in such fisheries. Many of the collections were sent studies as those by Hildebrand and Schroe to the senior author, who is responsible for der (1928), Fowler (1945), Raney (1950), the identification 'of all but the clupeid and Massmann, Ladd, McCutcheon (1952). fishes. A total of 59 species were taken in In 1949 the junior author began a study the Coastal Plain region of the Pamunkey of the spawning and early life history of River and its tributaries; 52 were limited to shad in the Pamunkey and other nearby the tidewater section. Virginia rivers and collected witli seines at numerous locations in the tidal area. After DESCRIPTION OF THE LOWER exploratory seining, many of the stations PAMUNKEY RIVER were visited at almost weekly intervals The Pamunkey River (Fig. 1) originates during the period June 28 to September 29, on the Piedmont plateau at the confluence 1949. Since that time additional collections of the North and South Anna Rivers, 5 miles have been made at established stations on northeast of Ashland, Va., and empties into the Pamunkey indicated on the map (Fig. 1). the York River at West Point. The tidal region extends about 42 nautical miles up stream to the vicinity of Bassett Bar. At 1 Contribution from the . Virginia .Fisheries Laboratory. }lo. 48. West Point, salinities ranging from O to DECEMBER 1953 RANEY AND MASSMANN: PAMUNKEY IUVER FISHES 425
12.6 parts per thousand have been recorded; beaches are present in this section. Area II· the river generally becomes fresh between is centered near Lester Manor. Here the West Point and Romancoke at a point 8 river generally is wider, and is fed by many miles upstream. 'fhe precise boundary be marsh creeks. Shoal areas, less than 5 feet tween fresh and brackish water varies with in depth, are extensive, and numerous coves river runoff, wind, arid tide, as does the are present. The shoreline is mostly wooded. head of the tide itself. The tidal range About a dozen sand and/or gravel beaches averages about 3 feet; Turbidities, as meas suitable for seining are present. Area III ured with a Secchi disk, range from 27 to has an average depth of 12 feet, and few 61 cm; the upper sections of the river are shoal areas, which are located in the mouths generally clearer than the lower reaches. of tributary creeks. The muddy banks are Submergent vegetation, of which the pre rather steep and only about six small sand dominant form is Nitella, although sparse and/or gravel beaches are suited to seining. in the river, is found in abundance in a few The shoreline is generally forested. protected coves. The tidal portion of the river may be FISHERIES OF THE PAMUNKEY RIVER divided into three rather homogeneous The American shad and catfishes (Icta physiographic areas each approximately lurus) are the major species of commercial 15 miles in length. Area I (Fig. 1) is char importance on the Pamunkey River. Shad acterized by a wide channel which is from are caught during the spawning run in 20 to 60 feet deep and rather steep mud spring, mainly with drift gill nets, although banks. It is surrounded by extensive tidal a few set or stake gill nets are fished at marshes. Eight small gravel and/or sand West Point. In depth the drift nets may be
PAMUNKEV RIVER
Nautical Miles , , , , 1 0 I Z 5 AREA ill
AREA II / / / / AREA I
Frn.1.-The tidewater section of the Pamunkey River between its mouth at West Point and Bassett Bar a point approximately 42 nautical miles upstream, showing localities mentioned in text 426 JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. L13, NO. 12
as much as 25 feet, depending on the water TABLE 1.-Phylogenetically arranged liat of the Coastal Plain fishes of the Pamunkey River system. Areas I, II, and III depths being fished; in length they vary are from the tidewater section of the lower Pamunkey River from one-quarter to one-half the width of as shown in Fig. I. Area IV represents collections from the channel. In area I, striped bass are. often tributaries to the tidewater section and the upstream Pa munkey River from Dassctt Bar to the Fall Line. Species taken in shad nets. The alewife, glut herring, marked by an asterisk were also. collected in the Piedmont and hickory shad are also captured but region of the Pamunkey River system. Type of record: . X-collected, 0-obsBrved, R-reliably reported by fisher generally, because of their smaller size, these men. fishes escape through the meshes of shad nets. A few small hoop fyke nets are fished Area Species in area I and their catch includes white I II III IV perch, glut herring, alewife, and catfishes. In the vicinity of Lester Manor, a single haul J>etrornyzon marinu.s ...... •. R Acivenser oxyrhynchus ...... 0 seine operates and takes white perch, carr,, Lepisosteu.s o. osseus ...... : ...... X X striped bass, gizzard shad, and redhorse .1luiia calva ...... X X Al
...... ,.~,. DECEMBETI 1953 HANEY AND MASSMANN: PAMUNKEY RIVEU FISHES 427
LEPISOSTEIDAE Alosa pseudoharengus. (Wilson): Alewife Lepisosteus osseus osseus (Linnaeus): Eastern Longnose Gar The main spawning run generally precedes that of the American shad by several weeks. Numerous in areas I 11ml II. On one boat trip Spawning often takes place in tributaries, but large numbers of adults: were observed near the also in tidal waters. Young have been taken from surface between West Point and White House. all sections of the river. 17. One shad fishing reach near Lester Manor is sel dom used because the gar, which damage shad Alosa sapidissima (Wilson): American Shad nets, is so abundant in the area. Only three The main spawning run arrives in April al young gar were taken by minnow seine. 4. though a few adult shad have been observed iri the commercial catch from November to July. AIIIIIDAE Spawning takes place in the freshwater tidal sec Amia calva Linnaeus: Bowfin tion of tlie river but is most concentrated in area Several were observed on the beach at the II, as reported by Massma.nn (1952). Young shad Pamunkey Indian Reservation where they had were taken at most stations in fresh tidal waters. been discarded from gill net catches, and two Greater numbers of young shad have been col were col:ected near Bassett Bar. Fishermen re lected in the Pamunkey than in the Mattaponi ported an increase in abundance in recent years. or Rappahannock rivers. 57.
CLUPEIDAE Brevoortla tyrannus (Latrobe): Menhaden Alosa mediocris (Mitchill): Although the menhaden is primarily a marine Hickory Shad species, young are often found in fresh water. It migrates into the Pamunkey in spring to From area I, postlarval menhaden 20 to 30 mm. spawn and females in various stages of ripeness, in length were collected in plankton nets during and spent specimens were frequently seen al April, 1950. In the summer young menhaden though Hildebrand and Schroeder (1928, p. 3,1) were seined at stations in areas I and II. Collec reported to the contrary. This species was ob tions from the Rappahannock River indicate served in commercial catches from West Point that large numbers of young may be found m to White House. Although only three juveniles fresh-water during the summer months. 5. were collected while seining, 91 young were taken Dorosoma cepedianum (LeSueur): Gizzard Shad in two 15-minute hauls with a surface trawl in area I. 2. Observed at Lester Manor, where a few were taken in shad nets. Juveniles were collected in. Alosa aestlvalis (Mitchill): the mouth of a tidal creek, one mile south of Glut Herring Sweet Hall Landing. Fishermen reported that The most abundant of the river herrings. It this species has become scarce in the past ten generally spawns in tidal waters, but sometimes years. also in the tributaries. The main spawning migra ENGRAULIDIDAE tion follows that of the American shad, and usu Anchoa mitchilli mitchilli (Valenciennes): ally occupies about three weeks. During this Anchovy short but heavy run, canneries are often supplied with more herring than they can utilize, hence Although typically marine, all stages of this the common name, glut herring. However, this anchovy from post-larvae to adult, may be pres herring generally is not taken commercially on ent in large numbers in the rivers. The occurrence the Pamunkey since almost the entire fishing of postlarval specimens in fresh water suggests effort is directed toward the more valuable Amer that it may spawn in or near the Pamunkey. It ican shad. Juveniles are present in large num was co'.lected from areas I and II. 16. bers during the summer months and probably 0ATOSTOMIDAE constitute one of the most important forage Moxostoma macrolepidotum (LeSueur): fishes. Young glut herring were collected at most Eastern Redhorse Sucker stations from brackish waters to the head of tide water. 35. This is the common sucker of the region. It 428 JOURNAL OF THE WASIIINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. 113, NO. 12
was found in all parts of the river. Youn'.' and A!.IEIUIUDAE juveniles were taken in sein;s, and arlult~u were Ictalurus catus Linnaeus: White Catfish noted in summer gill ~et catches. 20. An important commercial species and common CYPllINIDAE in·most of the river. It was seined about as fre Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus): Carp quently as the channel catfish. Fishermen re ported that the white catfish will not enter cat Occasionally taken in the haul seine operated fish pots as readily as the channel catfish, and from Lester .Manor. Not common in the Pa~un often used underwater fyke nets in areas where key but the carp is fished commercially in both the former is more abundant. 12. the Chiclrnhominy and James rivers. Ictalurus punctatus punctatus (Rafincsque): Semotilus corpornlis (Mitchill): Fallfish Channel Catfish Two juveniles were taken from area I and four This introduced species is of about equal im teen adults were caught in one-half hour of an portance commercially as the native white cat gling. at Bassett Bar. However, the favori1 ; fish. The catfish fishery on the Chickahominy habitat of this form is upstream from the Fall River was described by Menzel (19-13). 10. Line. 2. /,111eiurus natalis erebennus Jordan: Southern Yellow Bullhead Notemigonus crysoleucas crysoleucas (Mitchill): Eastern Golden Shiner Adults and young, taken in only three collec A sluggish water form which was taken more tions, were found in areas I and II. This species frequently in coves than from the river channel. is common in the Chickahominy River. Collected at many locations between brackish Ameiurus nebulosus nebulosus (LcSueur): water and the head of tidewater. 6. Northern Brown Bullhead
Notropis amoenus (Abbott): Attractive Shiner Collected only once in the Pamunkey at Sweet Hall Landing. It is common in some of the ponds A single juvenile was taken in area III. Typi near the tidewater section and was taken fre cally found upstream in pools usually near mov quently in collections from the Rappahannock ing water. 1. River. Fishermen reported that it occasionally Notropis hudsonius saludanus (Jordan and was taken on the mud flats by set gill nets. Brayton): Southern Spottail Shiner Schilbeodes mollis (Hermann): Tadpole Madtom This gregarious shiner, one of the most com Adults and young were taken from all three mon fishes in the shore zone, was taken in all areas and it was more abundant it coves than sections of the river. It is probably an important in the river proper. 6. forage fish. 63. Schilbeodes marginatus marginatus (Baird): Notropis analostanus (Girard): Satinfin Shiner Common Eastern Madtorn This shiner was slightly more abundant than One adult was taken in a plankton net at the spottail shiner in collections made during Lester Manor. The species is typically found in 1949, 1950, and 1951. In 1952 the· spottail shiner riffies at or above the Fall Line where it is fairly appeared in approximately the same abundance common. It is probably to be considered a strag- · as in previous years, but the satinfin shiner was gler in the lower river. scarce. It is an excellent bait minnow. 60. EsocrnAE Hybognathus nuchalis regius (Girard): Esox nlger (LcSueur): Chain Pickerel Eastern Silvery Minnow Adults were taken from a cove at Sweet Hall This common min'low, taken from all three Landing.and a creek mouth at Bassett Bar. This river areas was generally more abundant in the species seems to avoid tidal waters where local river proper than in coves. 20 fishermen also reported it as rare. It is fairly DECEMBER 1953 RANEY AND MASSMANN: P AMUNKEY RIVER FISHES 429 common in the tributaries and upstream froin three river areas. Tresselt (1952) found striped the Fall Line. bass eggs only in a1:ea I. Adults, often taken in the spring by shad fishermen, occur most fre Esox americanus Gmelin: Bulldog Pickerel quently downriver from Lester Manor. However, Like the chain pickerel this species is seldom anglers have taken striped bass in June ten miles seen in the tidal section of the river. Several above Bassett Bar. The species appears to be were collected at the mouth of a tidal creek near more abundant in both the Mattaponi and Rap Bassett Bar. pahannock rivers than in the Pamunkey. 35. ANGUILLIDAE Morone americana (Gmelin): White Perch Anguilla rostrata (Le Sueur): American Eel A common and widely distributed species col This eel was collected at almost every locality lected in more than half of the seine hauls be on the Pamunkey River. Many elvers were taken tween brackish water and the head of the tide. in plankton nets during the spring. 17. Although frequently seined it does not appear to be as abundant in the Pamunkey as in the James CYl'RINODONTIDAE or Rappannock rivers. In the past it was taken Fundulus heterociitus macrolepidotus in set gill nets fished near Lester Manor in Janu (W alba um) : Mummichog ary or February but this fishery has been dis continued. Most of the white perch now taken A more typically marine killifish which was are captured in hoop fyke nets located in area taken most frequently near saltwater, but was I. 54. found throughout the tidewater section. 7. PERCIDAE Fundulus diaphanus diaphanus (Le Sueur): Perea flavescens (Mitchill): Yellow Perch Eastern Banded Killifish Collected mostly in coves and creek mouths Slightly more than one-half of the seine col from all three river areas. 12. lections contained this killifish. It was common in hauls from stations near br~ckish water to the Etheostoma nigrum olmstedi (Storer): Tessellated Johnny Darter head of the tide. 55.
POECILUDAE Common and widespread, this species was taken in more than one-half the seine collections Gambusia affinis holbrooki (Girard): Eastern Mosquitofish in all areas of the river. 53. A typical quiet water Coastal Plain form, 0ENTRARCH1DAE which more frequently appeared in hauls made Mlcropterus salmoldes salmoldes (Lac~pede): in coves and backwaters. It was taken in each of Northern Largemouth Bass the three river areas. 18. Taken in collections from all three areas, but BELONIDAE appears to prefer creeks and coves to the river Strongylura marina (Walbaum): proper. 7. Atlantic Needlefish Lepomls gibbosus (Linnaeus): Pumpkinseed This marine species was collected only in areas Sunfish II and III, but undoubtedly occasionally oc Captured in samples from all areas and was curred in area I. One specimen 23 mm. in length taken about one-half as often as the bluegill. 16. was taken by dip net at Lester Manor in April. This species and other members of the Belonidae Lepomls macrochlrus macrochlrus Rafinesque: Common Bluegill are well known for their habit of entering fresh waters and are sometimes found far from the A widespread and common species which ap sea. 2. parently exceeds the other sunfishes in abun SERRANIDAE dance. 36. Roccus saxatills (Walbaum): Striped Bass Lepomls aurltus (Linnaeus): Yellowbelly Sunfic;h . Young were taken in seine collections from all Found throughout the river. It appears to be
.· ... ,,;.;;;..:,, 430 JOUHNAL OF TUE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. ·13, NO. 12
more typically a river fish than are the other cei: Leiostomus xanthurus Lac6pcdc: Spot trarchids for it was more abundant in collections Young spot 20 to 40 mm. in length were taken from· the' main stream ~han in coves. However in plankton nets while juveniles were collected it also is widespread in {ts upstream distribution by seine and surface trawl in area I. Spot was and is often common in small tributaries. 22. taken in both fresh and brackish waters. In the Pomoxis nigromaculatus (LeSueur): Rappahannock River it was collected 23 miles Black Crappie above brackish water and young have also been taken in the freshwaters of Mattaponi River. 3. Occurred in scattered collections from all three river areas. 10. Micropogon undulatus Linnaeus: Atlantic Croaker Enneacanthus gloriosus (Holbrook): Young. 20 to 30 mm. in length were collected Bluespot Sunfish in plankton nets in area I and small specimens ere taken in plankton nets set at Lester Manor Taken in collections from brackish waters to (al" ·t II) in March, 1949. Both croaker and spot the head of the tide. It was more abundant in ha, 0 been recorded previously from freshwater coves than in the river proper. 11. by Gunter (1042). Their occurrence in fresh Enneacanthus obesus (Girard): Banded Sunfish water at such a small size is unusual, for both species are believed to spawn in the ocean out Taken only once in the mouth of a creek at side of Chesapeake Bay. Young of both species Sweet Hall Landing. have also been taken in plankton nets in fresh
ATIIERINIDAE waters of the Mattaponi River.
Menidia beryllina (Cope): Glassy Silverside GOBIIDAE Collections from all areas of the river included Gobiosoma bosci Laccpede: Naked Goby this species and it appears to be more abundant Several specimens were collected in one seine in the tidal freshwaters than in salt water. Al haul five miles above West Point. This species is though abundant in collections from the river commonly taken near oyster beds which are not course, it was seldom taken in coves. 24. found in the Pamunkey River. 1.
Menidia menidia (Linnaeus): Atlantic Silversidc IIIPPOGLOSSIDAE Occurred in areas I and II and is common in Paralichthys dentatus (Linnaeus): Chesapeake Bay. This species occasionally is Summer Flounder foun~l in freshwater. 6. A single specimen of this typically salt-water
STROMATEIDAE species war-, seined 5 miles above West Point. It is commonly caught commercially in the York Peprilus alepidotus (Linnaeus): Harvestfish River below West Point. 1. Several were taken by surface trawl 5 miles upriver from West Point. When collected at high ACIIIRIDAE tide the surface salinity was 8.9 parts per thou Trinectes maculatus (Bloch and Schneider): Hogchoker sand but on the succeeding low tide the water at that location became fresh. Harvest fish have Young were especially common in the tidal been collected from waters of even lower salinity freshwaters. It was taken in many samples from . in the Mattaponi River but have not yet been the mouth of the Pamunkey River to the head found by us in water that was completely fresh. of the tide. 28.
SCIAJ,NIDAE FISHES OF ADJACENT SECTIONS Cynoscion regalis (Bloch and Schneider): Gray Squeteague Scattered collections were made in small streams tributary to the tidewater section Young were taken by surface trawl in the fresh and from the Coastal Plain area of the waters of area I. This species is generally found Pamunkey upstream from the limit of Bas in salt water, but was recorded from freshwater sett Bar (area III). The tributary streams by Gunter (10,12). were typically clear and shallow with sand DECEMBim 1953 RANEY AND MASSMANN: PAMUNKEY HIVER FISHES 431
bottom and slight gradient, and all flow 'l'ADLE 2.-Fishes taken in the tidewater section of the Pamunkey River arranged in order by frequency of occurrence in per through wooded areas. Two of the best centage of seine hauls. Some species are included here with stations were located in pools just below full realization that seine collections do not reveal their true mill dams. The stations in the Pamunkey relative abundance. River above area III wery deep with steep ~ ~ banks which made seining difficult. Fishes Os O 8 Species ~5~ ~q taken in the above situations were Erimyzon § ~ ~ Species 5t 5 oblongus oblongus (Mitchill), eastern creek ~u~ &§t chubsucker; Semotilus atromac-ulatus atro ------~ g is.\------~ 0 C. maculatus (Mitchill), northern creek chub; Notropis hudsonius sal- Anchoa m. mi/chilli...... 16 llybopsis leptocephalus (Girard), Carolina udanus ...... : ...... 63 Lepomis gibbosus...... 16 chub; Umbra pygmaea, eastern mudminnow; N otropis analostanus... 60 Ictalurus catus. . . . . 12 Alosa s,pidissima...... 57 Perea jlavescens...... 12 Aphredoderus sayanus sayanus (Gilliams), Pundulus d. diaphanus. 55 Enneacanthus gloriosus.. 11 eastern piratepereh; Centrarchus macrop Marone americana.'...... 54 Ictalvrus r,unctatus...... JO terus (Lacepedc), flier; and Acantharcus Etheostoma nigrum olm- Pomoxi• nigromaculatus. 10 sledi... 53 Pundulus heteroclitus pomotis (Baird), mud sunfish. Lepo n;,is m. rr.acro- macrolcpidotus...... 7 In five collections made in Pamunkey chirus.... 36 Micropterus s. salmoides. 7 River and tributaries above the Fall Line Alosa aestfralis...... 35 Menidia menidia...... 6 Roccus saxatilis...... 35 N otem igon us c. cry,o- in Louisa and Hanover counties, 12 addi Trincctes maculatus. . . . . 28 lcucas...... 6 tional forms not listed in Table 1 were cap ,llcnidia beryllina...... 24 Scl,ilbcodes moll is...... 6 Lcpomis auritus. 22 Brccvoortia tyrannus..... 5 tured. They are as follows: Catostomus c. Jfoxostoma macrolepi- Lepisosteus o. osseus.. . . . 4 commersoni (Lacepede), H ypenteliitm nigri dotum...... 20 Leiostomus xanthurus... . 3 cans (LeSueur), H ybopsis micropogon Il11bognathus nuchalis Stro'lgylura marina...... 2 regius.. 20 Semotilu• corporalis...... 2 (Cope), Exoglossum maxillingua (LeSueur), Gambusia ajJinis hol- ,Uosa mcdiocris...... 2 Chrosomus areas Cope, Clinostomus 'vando brooki... 18 Notropis amocnus...... 1 isulits (Valenciennes), Notropis cornutus Anguilla rostrata... 17 Gobiosoma bosci...... I Alosa pscudoharcngus... 17 l'aralichthys dentatus ..... , cornutus (Mitchill), N otropis procne procne I (Cope), Hadropterus notogrammus Raney TABLE 3.-RElative abundance of the most common Pamunkcy and Hubbs, Haclropterus peltatus peltatus fishes seined in coves and in the river proper. The numbers (StaufTer), Etheostoma nigrurn Hafinesque urcl the ratios between th£ pnccntnge.~ of occurrenc,~ in seine subsp., Etheostoma vitrea (Cope). These hauls at the two habitats. limited data on Piedmont fish distribution Species River proper Coves indicate that in this respect the Pamunkey -·--··-··-·---· ··--·------River is much like the .James River, as .llcnidia bcryllina 4. 7 1.0 reported by Haney (1!)50, p. 18!)). llybognathus nuchalis rcgius. 3. 7 1.0 7~rinccles maculatus .... 3.3 1.0 Lepomis auritus .. : ...... 3.0 1.0 RI<,LA'l'IVE AllUNDANCg Roccus saratilis ...... 2.0 1.0 Moxastoma macrolepidotuni ...... 1.6 1.0 The abundance of fishes is sometimes Anchoa m. mitchilli ...... ,., 1.5 1.0 measured by their frequency of occurrence Notropis ltud~oriiu& saludanus. 1.4 1.0 Pundulus hetcroclitus macrolcpidolus .. 1.3 1.0 in collections made by seine hauls. This EtlleoMorna nigrum olmsfedi., I. I 1.0 method has some limitations especially in "'ll.osa aeslfralis. 1.0 I. I large rivers. Recent investigations on the N otropis analoslanus . . 1.0 I.I le/alums ca/us . 1.0 I. I clupeid fishes reported by Massmann, Ladd, Moronc americana .. 1.0 1.1 and McCutcheon (1952) has indicated that Pomo.tis n(Jromaculatus 1.0 I. I seining is not always a reliable measure of Anguilla rostrala .... 1.0 1.2 Alosa sapidi.ssima 1.0 1.4 abundance. Other groups, such as the cat Pundulus d. diaph~nus .... 1.0 1.4 fishes, are primarily nocturnal, and there Gambusia aj)inis liolbrooki .... 1.0 1.6 .l!icroptcrus s. salmoides .. 1.0 1.7 fore estimations of abundance based on day- Enneacanthus gloriosus ... 1.0 2.5 ,. time seine hauls may be erroneous. Fishes Perea flat'escens ...... 1.0 2.9 such as the hogchoker and eel of ten burrow Lepomis gibbosus ...... 1.0 3.7 I l..epomis m. macrochirus 1.0 4.0 in the mud where they are easily missed by Schilbcocies moll is ...... 1.0 5.0 l minnow seines. The young of several species, Alosa pscudoharengus . .... 1.0 5.5 such as longnose gar, bowfin and carp rarely Notcmigonus c. crysoleucas .. 1.0 13.0 rf i.i l
432 JOURNAL OF THE WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF SCIENCES VOL. ,13, NO. 12 are taken in minnow seines, in Virginia collected more frequently in the river while rivers, even though adults may be numerous. golden shiner, alewife, tadpole madtom, Densely schooling fishes such as the glut bluegill sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, yeJloW herring and menhaden may be far more perch and bluespot sunfish occurred _more abundant than their percentage of occur often in coves. The other species were 1~1t_er rence in seine hauls would indicate merely mediate. With the exception of the alewife, because these schools may be met infre those fishes favoring the cove habitat are quently while fishes of more uniform dis generally found in sluggish water or ponds " tribution would ordinarily be taken more throughout their range, while those comm~n ·' often. Anadromous species, which make up to the river may or may not be found lll a considerable part of the fish fauna in tidal still water in other parts of their range. rivers, may be present for only part of the It seems evident that the species of fishes year in any given ontogenetic stage, an,l obtained by sampling rivers was determined sampling therefore is representative only of in part by the type of habitat samPl?d. the season when collecting occurred. Therefore, care must be exercised in selectmg The percentage of seine collections in various lorntions that are adequately reprr which the various species occurred is given sentative of all conditions. This is a difficu t in Table 2. The spottail shiner was taken problem in rivers where sampling locations, most frequently followed by satinfin shiner, especially by seine, are limited by water American shad, banded killifish, white perch, depth and bottom type. and johnny darter, all of which appeared in more than one-half of the seine hauls. Next LITERATURE CITED in order of frequency of capture are the FowLER HENRY W. A study of the fishes of thde bluegill sunfish, glut herring, striped bass, southern' Piedmont and Coastal Plain.· Aca · hogchoker, glassy silverside and yellowbelly Nat. Sci. Philadelphia Monogr. 7: 1-408 ' sunfish. The remaining fishes occurred m 313 figs. 1945. . nd GUNTER GonDoN. A list of fishes of the ma.inla 20 per cent or fewer seine haulii. of North and 1lliddle America recordetl f,:~;i both freshwater and sea water. Amer. Mi · DISTRIBUTION Nat. 28(2): 305-326. 1942. TI . d R The habitat in which sampling is done is of r ILDisBRAND, s AMUEL. F., an. sCIIUOEDE , wn,s cons~deriible importance in determining the LIAM C. Fishes of Chesapeake Bay. Bull. U. · Bur. Fish. 43 (1927, pt. 1): 1-366, 211 figs. 1928, species that are taken. Even in a tidal river MASSMANN, WILLIAM H. Characteristics of s1~awn) where the various habitats tend to be unified · ing areas of shad, Alosa sapidissima (W1ls.0 f1 by the influence of a mass of water of rather in some Virginia streams. Trans. Amer. Fis • uniform physical and chemical character Soc. 81: 78-93, 3 figs·. 1952. d MASSMANN, WILLIAM H., LADD, ERNES'l' C. afn istics (excluding the brackish waters), there 0 McCu·rcnEON, HENRY N. A surface trawl ~ are some differences in the environmental sampling fishes in tidal rivers. Trans. Nort preferences of fishes. Amer. Wildlife Conf. 17: 386-392, 3 figs. 19.52 · A distinct contrast is evident between MENZEL, IL WINSTON. The catfish industry of V 7i; c?ves, where the water is not affected by ginia. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 73: 36-1-3 ' 1 fig. 1945. ' tidal currents, and the river proper where TRESSELT, ERNEST F. Spawning grounds of tl~e the effect of such currents is pronounced. stripetl bass, Roccus saxatilis (Walbaum), ;r The. occurrence of fishes at cove and river . Virginia. Bull. Bingham Oceanogr. Co · . 14(1): 98-110. 1952. , ,, s~atio~s is summarized in Table 3. Glassy 1 silverside, silvery minnow, hogchoker, yel RANEY, EDWARD C. Freshwater fishes. [In] 1 ~ James River Basin, past, presrnt and futu1;h· lowbelly sunfish, and striped bass were 151-194. Virginia Academy of Sciences, 19 ·