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Home , Amiiformes, Atheriniformes, Bluespotted sunfish, Chain pickerel, Dollar sunfish, Elassoma evergladei

at Archbold Biological Station (ABS)

• 26 are known, including 24 native and 2 exotic species*. • are found in Lake (Gambusia holbrooki) Annie and in borrow pits. They also occur in seasonal ponds and ditches during the wet season. Golden topminnow ( chrysotus) • Fish range in size from less than inch to over 2 feet long. • Most common species are mosquitofish, LthLargemouth bass ( salmoides) , , and 3 species of topminnows. • EtiExotic speci es i ildnclude brown hoplo (armored Bluegill ( macrochirus) from South Eva Hohausova America) and walking catfish (from Africa).

Compiled by Eva Hohausova, March 2003. For html version and further info on ichthyological research at ABS check www.archbold-station.org Brown hoplo* (Hoplosternum littorale) Fish habitats at Archbold Natural habitats permanent waters seasonal ponds Lake Annie

Tract 7, pond 63 Sinkhole pond

Tract 30, pond 6 Tract 6, pond 32

Artificial habitats borrow pits (standing water) ditches (running standing water)

the Reserve, borrow pit

Tract 18, railroad ditch

Tract 6, railroad ditch

Tract 18, Water hole

Photos by Eva Hohausova 2002; photo of Lake Annie - Custom Aerial Photos, Lake Placid © Archbold Biological Station, 1997. I. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station

Order: : FilLiFamily: Lepisosteid ae - : - suckers

Eva Hohausova Eva Hohausova

Florida ( platyrhincus) Lake chubsucker ( sucetta)

Order: Family: - Family: Cyprinidae - carps &

Mark Binkley Eva Hohausova jonahsaquarium.com

Bowfin (Amia calva) Coastal shiner (Notropis petersoni)

Noel M. Burkhead Order: Salmoniformes Family: - pikes

Chain pickerel ( niger) (Notemigonus crysoleucas) I. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station

Order: Semionotiformes Family: Lepisosteidae - gars Gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus) Max. length 52 in. (132 cm), lives in standing or slow flowing waters, hunts for other fish and , body covered with hard scales, uses swim-bladder for additional breathing. Found in Lake Annie.

Order: Amiiformes Family: Amiidae - bowfin Bowfin ( calva) Max. length 43 in. (109 cm), nocturnal predator in standing, vegetated waters; large mouth, tubular nostrils. Currently the only species of this family and order in the world. Occurs in Lake Annie and visits adjacent ditches and seasonal ponds.

Order: Family: Esocidae - pikes Chihainpikickerel (Esox niger) Max. length 39 in. (99 cm), long snout; lives and hunts for other fish in vegetated lakes and other standing waters, as well as in small to medium rivers. Found in Lake Annie.

Order: Cypriniformes

Family: Catostomidae - suckers Lake chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta) Max. length 16 in. (41 cm), inhabits lakes, swamps and similar habitats. With its sucking mouth feeds on bottom-living . Found in Lake Annie and surrounding ditches.

Family: Cyprinidae - carps & minnows Coastal shiner (Notropis petersoni) Max. length 3¼ in. (7.8 cm), lives over sand in pools and backwaters of creeks and rivers and in lakes. With its downturned mouth it searches for small aquatic invertebrates. Occurs in Lake Annie and visits effluent ditches.

Golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) Max. length 12 in. (30 cm), prefers vegetated places in lakes or small to medium rivers. Its mouth is upturned. Found in Lake Annie. II. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station

Order: Siluriformes

FilItlidFamily: - bullh ead s & catfish es

Eva Hohausova Mark Binkley jonahsaquarium.com

Brown bullhead (Ictalurus [Ameiurus] nebulosus) Tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus)

Yellow bullhead (Ictalurus [Ameiurus] natalis)

Family: Clariidae - labyrinth

Ian Baird

Walking catfish* ( batrachus)

Eva Hohausova Family: Callichthydae - armored catfishes

* non-native species Brown Hoplo* (Hoplosternum littorale) II. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station

Order: Siluriformes Most catfish are nocturnal consumers of mollusks, , leeches, and , worms, algae, plant material, and fish. They are able to breathe air to enhance their oxygen supply by coming up to the surface for a breath and then pushing the air through their body to the gut. Gut tissue is adapted to absorb oxygen from the air bubble.

Family: Ictaluridae - bullheads & catfishes

Yellow bullhead (Ictalurus [Ameiurus] natalis) Max. length 18 ¼ in. (47 cm), inhabits pools and sluggish runs over soft substrates in creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes. At Archbold, rarely occurs in seasonal ponds. (Ictalurus [Ameiurus] nebulosus) Max. length 21 in. (50 cm), prefers same type of habitat as Yellow bullhead. Both species differ by coloration of barbels on lower jaw (yellow in yellow bullhead, dark in brown bullhead). At Archbold, common in Lake Annie and ditches. Tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus) Max. length 5 in. (13 cm), smallest catfish of those found in Archbold waters, likes rock-, mud-, or -bottomed pools and lakes. Fairly common in Lake Annie.

Family: Clariidae - labyrinth catfishes Walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) Max. lthlength 24 in. (61 cm), itintro duced from Afri ca. First record at AhbldArchbold in 1980. Currently (2002-3) found in ditches. "Walks" by mean of hard first fin rays of pectoral fins.

Family: Callichthydae - armored catfishes Brown hoplo (Hoplosternum littorale) Max. length 8½ in. (22 cm), introduced from South America, establishing itself in Florida. Body covered with large bony plates (not scales) making two lines at each side of the body. At Archbold, occurs in borrow pits and seasonal ponds in the Reserve.

Information sources: webhbldb pages: www.archbold-sta tion.org, fis h speci es li st b y J ames N . L ayne D ecemb er 1999 ( www.archb old -sttitation.org/ / abs/data/lists/fishlist.htm), www.fishbase.com, www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/fish/, http://floridafisheries.com/, http://jonahsaquarium.com literature sources: Page M, Burr B.M., 1991: Freshwater Fishes. Peterson guides. Gilbert C.R., Williams J.D., 2002: Field Guide to Fishes. National Audubon Society. Wolfe, J. L. 1988. Key to the fishes of Lake Annie. MS. 5 pp. Layne, J. N. 1979. Natural features of the Lake Annie Tract, Highlands County, Florida. Archbold Biological Station. 64 pp. III. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station

Order: Family: Cyprinodontidae - killifishes

Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki)

Golden topminnow (Fundulus chrysotus) Order: Family: Atherinidae - silversides

William Roston

Banded topminnow (Fundulus cingulatus) Eva Hohausova

Brook silverside ( sicculus)

Order:

Lined topminnow (Fundulus lineolatus) Family: Percidae - perches

Family: Poecilidae - livebearers

Eva Hohausova

Least killifish ( formosa) (Etheostoma fusiforme) III. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station

Order: Cyprinodontiformes Family: Cyprinodontidae - killifishes Golden topminnow (Fundulus chrysotus) Max. length about 3 in. (8.2 cm), gold flecks on sides. Prefers vegetated areas in standing waters. At Archbold, occurs in Lake Annie, ditches and seasonal ponds. Banded topminnow (Fundulus cingulatus) Max. length about 3 in. (9.5 cm), males usually with rows of small reddish spots on side, clear to red- fins; females of colors grow bigger than males. Lives close to vegetation in standing waters. Occurs in Lake Annie, ditches & seasonal ponds. (Fundulus lineolatus) Max. length 3 in. (7.5 cm), black bars and/or thin black stripes on silvery sides. Favors vegetated areas in standing waters. Found in Lake Annie, ditches and seasonal ponds.

Family: Poecilidae - livebearers Least killifish () Max. length 1½ in. (3.6 cm), adults are the smallest fish in ; lives in heavily vegetated standing to slow-flowing fresh and . Common in Lake Annie and occurs in ditches at Archbold and the Reserve. Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) - Max. length 2½ in. (6.5 cm), females grow bigger than males, males show two different colorations - pale body or black spotted. Females give birth to fully developed young and breed several times within a season. Where introduced (for mosquito control), contributes to elimination of local rare species with similar ecological requirements! Most common fish at Archbold.

Order: Atheriniformes Family: Atherinidae - silversides Brook ssesdeilverside (Labid esthes siccuuulus) Max. length 5 in. (13 cm), silver slender body; swims often in shoals in open waters, near surface of lakes, ponds and quiet pools of running waters. Found in Lake Annie.

Order: Perciformes Family: Percidae - perches Swamp darter (Etheostoma fusiforme) Max. length 2¼ in. (5.9 cm), prefers standing or slow-flowing water over mud, sometimes sand, often with vegetation. Camouflage coloration makes it hard to see the fish in its home environment. Occurs in Lake Annie. IV. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station

Order: Perciformes (cont'd) FilCtFamily: Centrarchid ae - sunfis hes

Redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)

Bluespotted sunfish ( gloriosus)

Eva Hohausova

Bluegill (LiLepomis macrochi rus) Mark Binkley jonahsaquarium.com

Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus) Eva Hohausova

Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) Eva Hohausova Family: Elassomatidae -

Dollar sunfish (Lepomis marginatus) Everglades pygmy sunfish () VI. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station

Order: Perciformes cont'd Family: Elassomatidae - Pygmy sunfishes Everglades pygmy sunfish (Elassoma evergladei) Max. length 1¼ in. (3.4 cm), female and male differ in coloration. Occurs in swamps and heavily vegetated sloughs and small sluggish streams. At Archbold, found in Sinkhole pond (a permanent pond; Tract 30, pond 6), seasonal ponds and ditches.

Family: - sunfishes and basses

Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) Max. length 19¼ in. (49 cm), inhabits quiet, clear streams and lakes, usually found among vegetation over mud or sand, does not like turbid water. Feeds on plankton and fishes. Feeds all day, and most active in evening. Rare records from Lake Annie.

Bluespotted sunfish (Enneacanthus gloriosus) Max. length 3¾ in. (7.8 cm), shiny blue spots on sides; occurs in vegetated lakes, ponds and pools of creeks or rivers. Rare records from Archbold.

Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus) Max. length 12 in. (31 cm), large mouth compared to other sunfish. Lives in vegetated lakes, ponds, swamps and quiet water areas of streams. Feeds on zooplankton and small fish. At Archbold, common in Lake Annie, less common in seasonal ditches.

Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) Max. length 16¼ in. (41 cm), one of the most common species at Archbold with a typical large black spot at rear of . Feeds mainly on zooplankton. Occurs in vegetated areas of Lake Annie and ditches.

Redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) Max.length 10 in. (25 cm), prefers a diet of mollusks, inhabits standing water with vegetation, usually over muddy or sandy bottoms. Rare records from Archbold.

Dollar sunfish (Lepomis marginatus) Max. length 4¾ in. (12 cm), favors sandy and muddy bottoms of, usually brushy, pools in creeks and rivers, and swamps; At Archbold, common in Lake Annie. Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) Max. length 38 in. (97 cm), large mouth, black stripe along body. Lives in clear, vegetated lakes and pools of rivers. Very common species at Archbold, lives in Lake Annie, appears in ditches and seasonal ponds. List of fish species at Archbold Biological Station

Order Semionotiformes Order Atheriniformes Family Lepisosteidae - gars Family Atherinidae - silversides • Lepisosteus platyrhincus • Labidesthes sicculus Order Amiiformes Order Perciformes Family Amiidae - bowfin Family Elassomatidae - pygmy sunfishes • Bowfin Amia calva • Everglades pygmy sunfish Elassoma evergladei Order Esociformes Family Centrarchidae - sunfishes Family Esocidae - pikes • Esox niger • Bluespotted sunfish Enneacanthus gloriosus OdOrder Cy Cpr iifiniformes • Warmouth Lepomis gulosus Family Catastomidae - suckers • Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus • Lake chubsucker Erimyzon sucetta • Dollar sunfish Lepomis marginatus Family Cyprinidae - carps and minnows • Redear sunfish Lepomis microlophus • Coastal shiner Notropis petersoni • Largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides • GldGolden s hiner NiNotemigonus cryso leucas • Black crappi e PiiPomoxis nigromacul atus Order Siluriformes Family Percidae - perches Family Callichthydae - armored catfishes • Swamp darter Etheostoma fusiforme • Brown hoplo Hoplosternum littorale Family Clariidae - labyrinth catfishes • Walking catfish Clarias batrachus Family Ictaluridae - bullheads and catfishes • Yellow bullhead Ictalurus [Ameiurus] natalis • Brown bullhead Ictalurus [Ameiurus] nebulosus • Tadpole madtom Noturus gyrinus Order Cyprinodontiformes Family Cyprinodontidae - killifishes • Golden topminnow Fundulus chrysotus • Banded topminnow Fundulus cingulatus • Lined topminnow Fundulus lineolatus Fam ily P oec iliidae - liveb earers • Mosquitofish Gambusia holbrooki • Least killifish Heterandria formosa Compare fish lengths Least killifi shFloodagarida gar species relative length max. length

Everglades pygmy sunfish 1¼ in., 3.4 cm Least killifish 1½ in., 3.6 cm Swamp darter 2¼ in., 5.9 cm Mosquitofish 2½ in., 6.5 cm Lined topminnow 3 in., 7.5 cm Golden topminnow 3 in., 8.2 cm Banded topminnow 3 in., 9.5 cm Coastal shiner 3¼ in., 7.8 cm Bluespotted sunfish 3¾ in., 7.8 cm Dollar sunfish 4¾ in., 12 cm Brook silverside 5 in., 13 cm Tadpole madtom 5 in., 13 cm Brown Hoplo 8½ in., 22 cm Redear sunfish 10 in., 25 cm Golden shiner 12 in., 30 cm Warmouth 12 in., 31 cm Lake chubsucker 16 in., 41 cm 16 ¼ in., 41 cm Bluegill 18¼ in., 47 cm Yellow bullhead 19¼ in., 49 cm Black crappie 21 in., 50 cm Brown bullhead 24 in., 61 cm Walking catfish 38 in., 97 cm Largemouth bass 39 in., 99 cm Chain pickerel 43 in., 109 cm Bowfin 52 in., 132 cm Florida Gar