Pennsylvania Fishes IDENTIFICATION GUIDE Editor’s Note: During 2018, Pennsylvania Angler & the status of fishes in or introduced into Pennsylvania’s Boater magazine will feature select common fishes of major watersheds. Pennsylvania in each issue, providing scientific names and The table below denotes any known occurrence. WATERSHEDS SPECIES STATUS E O G P S D Freshwater Eels (Family Anguillidae) American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) N N N N Species Status Herrings (Family Clupeidae) EN = Endangered Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis) N TH = Threatened Skipjack Herring (Alosa chrysochloris) DL N Hickory Shad (Alosa mediocris) EN N C = Candidate Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) I N N American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) N N EX = Believed extirpated Atlantic Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) N DL = Delisted (removed from the Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) N N N N endangered, threatened or candidate species list due to significant Suckers (Family Catostomidae) expansion of range and abundance) River Carpsucker (Carpiodes carpio) N Quillback (Carpiodes cyprinus) N N N N Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes velifer) EX N Watersheds Longnose Sucker (Catostomus catostomus) EN N N White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii) N N N N N N E = Lake Erie Blue Sucker (Cycleptus elongatus) EX N O = Ohio River Eastern Creek Chubsucker (Erimyzon oblongus) N N N Lake Chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta) EX N G = Genesee River Northern Hogsucker (Hypentelium nigricans) N N N N N X Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus) DL N N P = Potomac River Bigmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) EN N N S = Susquehanna River Black Buffalo (Ictiobus niger) N Spotted Sucker (Minytrema melanops) TH N N D = Delaware River Silver Redhorse (Moxostoma anisurum) N N Smallmouth Redhorse (Moxostoma breviceps) N River Redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum) DL N Watershed Status Black Redhorse (Moxostoma duquesnei) N N I = Introduced Golden Redhorse (Moxostoma erythrurum) N N X Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) N N N N = Native Pikes and Mudminnows (Family Esocidae) X = Present in drainage Redfin Pickerel (Esox americanus americanus) N N Grass Pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus) N N Northern Pike (Esox lucius) N N I X I Tiger Muskellunge (Esox lucius x Esox masquinongy) I I I Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) N N I I I = icons indicate family Chain Pickerel (Esox niger) I N N N Amur Pike (Esox reichertii) I is included Central Mudminnow (Umbra limi) C N N Eastern Mudminnow (Umbra pygmaea) C N * =Aquatic Invasive Species www.fishandboat.com Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • September/October 2018 9 Freshwater Eels (Family Anguillidae) American Eel (Anguilla rostrata) Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) Herrings (Family Clupeidae) American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) Blueback Herring (Alosa aestivalis) Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) ENDANGERED Not pictured: Skipjack Herring (Alosa chrysochloris) (Delisted) Hickory Shad (Alosa mediocris) Atlantic Menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus) Suckers (Family Catostomidae) Northern Hogsucker (Hypentelium nigricans) Quillback (Carpiodes cyprinus) White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii) River Redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum) (Delisted) 10 Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • September/October 2018 www.gonefishingpa.com Suckers (Family Catostomidae) (continued) Pikes and Mudminnows (Family Esocidae) Shorthead Redhorse (Moxostoma macrolepidotum) Redfin Pickerel (Esox americanus americanus) Not pictured: River Carpsucker (Carpiodes carpio) Highfin Carpsucker (Carpiodes velifer) (Extirpated) Longnose Sucker (Catostomus catostomus) (Endangered) Blue Sucker (Cycleptus elongatus) (Extirpated) Grass Pickerel (Esox americanus vermiculatus) Eastern Creek Chubsucker (Erimyzon oblongus) Lake Chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta) (Extirpated) Smallmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus bubalus) (Delisted) Bigmouth Buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus) (Endangered) Black Buffalo (Ictiobus niger) Spotted Sucker (Minytrema melanops) (Threatened) Silver Redhorse (Moxostoma anisurum) Smallmouth Redhorse (Moxostoma breviceps) Northern Pike (Esox lucius) Black Redhorse (Moxostoma duquesnei) Golden Redhorse (Moxostoma erythrurum) Pike Species Identification Color Patterns Tiger Muskellunge (Esox lucius x Esox masquinongy) Northern Pike has yellow bean-shaped spots on yellow-green to gray-green body. Muskellunge has light vertical bars or spots. Tiger Muskellunge has dark gray-green bars. Scales Muskellunge has no scales on lower half of cheek and gill cover. Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) Northern Pike has fully scaled cheek with half of the gill cover scaled. Chain Pickerel (Esox niger) Tiger Muskellunge has scales covering 2/3 of the Not pictured: cheek and gill cover area, intermediate between Amur Pike (Esox reichertii) the Muskellunge and Central Mudminnow (Umbra limi) (Candidate) Northern Pike. Eastern Mudminnow (Umbra pygmaea) (Candidate) www.fishandboat.com Pennsylvania Angler & Boater • September/October 2018 11 Get the complete story and read what you’ve been missing! Do you like what you’re reading? Do you find Pennsylvania Angler & Boater online articles a valuable resource? If so, why not become a regular subscriber to Pennsylvania Angler & Boater and receive the entire magazine delivered to your doorstep. 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