r DESCRIPTIONS OF LARVAL PERCIDAE INHABITING THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASIN (OSTEICHTIIYES: ETHEOSTOMATINI) A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of University. of Wisconsin·· ;.,; La Crosse LaCrosse,Wisconsin 54601 by Thomas P. Simon In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Biology May 1~85 • v\)-\ . \ () () UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN ... LA CROSSE La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601 COLLEGE OF ARTS, LETTERS, AND SCIENCES Candidate: Thomas P. Simon We recommend acceptance of this thesis to the College of Arts,. Letters, and Science in partial fulfillment of this candidate's requirements for thedegre~.}fElli3t~:r. ()~ .. SC!E!n.ce .in Biology. The candidate .has completed his oral defense of the thesis. Thesis approved: ~p2?;/J75~· Date qq?C~Tq8? D e 9-:f--~zc4f:s ~ L ~e~ f2~' ~ ?t:~J'J Thesis Committee Member /Dat Ii$<' Dea~: ~~A~~ers. ~:±tJ:jl!!~.C snd-Seienees . _ n •••• ~ulIJ\J ~ .its- rv~ 3<J, /tf~)--- Dean, Office of Graduate Studies Date 86,-00531 l1li ABSTRACT Eggs, larvae, and juveniles of six species of darters inhabiting the Upper Mississippi River are described. Attention to meristic, morphometric, pigment, and morphological apparent were employed for identification. Species of the genus Etheostoma possess well.developed pectoral fins, D1~:xillary, mandible,fewerthari 18 preanal myome:res, and have greater body depth tharacteristics/TL than does the subgenus Percina. The subgenus Catonotus (E. kennicotti, E.flabellare lineolatum, arid E. sguamiceps) has large, robust, spherical yolk sacs when compared to eithe~.. the Microperca, Percina, or Imostoma subgenera. The Microperca subgenus (E. microperca) has 15 preanal and 19 postanal myomeres and hatches at smaller lengths than other Etheostoma. The genusPercina is characterized by slender bodies, smaller body depth characteristics/TL than Etheostoma, undeveloped, maxillary and mandible at hatching, preanal myomeres equal to or greater than 18, and weakly developed-pectorals. caprodes semifasciata possesses fewer postanal myomeres than P. shumardi, while the two species each have differential pigmentation patterns especially apparent in the postanal hypaxial musculature• .... ii ,. 'Ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I am forever indebted for the support, affection, understari.diri.g, and encouragement of my wife, Beth Simon,and·my·family especially my mother and father, whose gentle prodding and guidance helped me to complete this project. I am grateful to Karl F. Lagler, David Jude , 'JohriDorrIII;LeecFuimafi and Paul Simon Sr. for stimulating my interest and providing the foundation of my understanding in the discipline of ichthyology •. a.ncl larval fish biology. To Rodney. Mowbray and Leslie Holland, my major professors, John Held, and Thomas Claflin for the cultivation of .that knowledge, and educational stimulation into other areas offisheries and aquatic biology. I sincerely "appreciate the help and encouragement of Larry M.Page, Illinois Natural Hist()J:'y.SuJ:'yey.for his prQvision of specimeiisana ifisight and wisdom on the phylogenetic relationships among the tribe Etheostomatini. I appreciate the aid of the following individuals during field collections and for their contributionsJ;Qcc.I1lY~_l'~cl:1.E:!~~h. Field assistance was PI'~Y!~~.~. by Bill Kowalski, Nancy Garcia, Tom Coon, Barry Burnell, Mike Troll; Mark Huston, Tim Babros, and Rick Jacobson. Additional gratitude is due to Bill Kowalski for enduring . many conversations and problem solving sessions; Dan Faber, National Museums of Canada for advise on description format; and Darrel E~Sfiyder,LarvalFish Laboratory, Colorado State University, for stimulating suggestions and 41' additional research ideas. Special thanks to Greg Seegert, EA Science and Technology, Richard ,,,. -"~-~-'~-"'----- " -,._. -::., ~~~...._.."". Speiler, Milwaukee Public Museum, Robert R. Miller, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, and Lynn Parenti, Field Museum.ofNaturalHistory for providing laboratory space and equipment. Drawings of figures were completed by Beth Simon. iii ~ TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE LIST OF TABLES • ... .. LIST OF FIGURES. .. .. .. .... .. .. vii INTRODUCTION ••• ... .. 1 MATERIALS AND METHODS .. ........... SPECIES ACCOUNTS Northern Logperch, Percina caprodes.... semifasciata (Rafinesque). 9 River darter, Percina shumardi (Girard) .• ••• ••• • •• . .25 Striped fantail darter, Etheostoma flabellare lineolatum • •• 39 Stripetail darter, Etheostoma kennicotti (Putnam)··. •• . 54 ....? Least darter, Etheostoma microperca Jordan and Gilbert 67 Spottail darter, Etheostomasguamiceps··Jordan DISCUSSION • . .. 93 CONCLUSIONS: .... ..... .. 105 LITERATURE CITED • i ••• 141> iv r- LIST OF TABLES .TABLE .lli]. 1. Material examined of Percina caprodes.semifasciata larvae and early juveniles grouped by Imm interval of total length (N = sample size) ••••••••••••••••• •• 11 2. Morphometry of Percina caprodes semifasciata larvae and early juveniles grouped by 1mm intervEJ,J.softot,EJ,J.length (N = sample size). Mean lengths followed by range in parentheses ... .................... .. 15 3. Selected meristic valuesand.size (mmtotal length) at theflPPE!:r~Ilt.onf3..et of development. for Percina caprodes semifasciata. Mean values are underscored. Rare or ques­ tionable extremes are in parentheses. The number of secondary rays.. of thellledian fins are in lowercase ROIIJ.a,D ,numerals ... '.-. ..... .. ....... .. 17 4. Material examined of Percina shumardi larvae and early juveniles grouped by 1mm intervals of total length (N = sample size) ••••• .' •. .• .• •••• .. .. 27 5. Morphometry of Percina shumardi larvae and early juveniles­ grouped by 1mm intervals of total length (N = sample size). Mean lengths followed by range in parentheses •• •• 29 6. Selected meristic values and size (mmtotal length) at the apparent onset of development for Percina shumardi. Mean values are underscored. Rare or questionableextremes--are in parentheses. The number. of secondary rays of the median finsare1nlowerJ;afieRQma.n numerals. ••• ••••• •• •• 31 7. Material examined of Etheostoma flabellare lineolatum larvae and early juveniJ.es grouped by 1mm intervals of total length (N = sample size) •••••• •• •• •.• •• •• 41 8. Morphometry of Etheostoma flabellare lineolatum larvae and early. juveniles grouped by Imm intervals of tot.a.lTengffi­ (N = sample size). _Mean lengths followed by range in parentheses .................. ., .... .. 44 $> 9. Selected meristic values and size (mm total length) at the apparent onset of development for Etheostoma flabellare lineolatum. Mean values are underscored. Rare Or ques­ tionable extremes are in parenth~§es. The number of secondary rays of the median fins are·· iii-lowercase Roman numerals •••••••••••••••••••• 46 10. Material examined of Etheostoma kennicotti larvae and early juveniles grouped by 1mm intervals of total length (N = sample size) •••••••••••••••••••• •• 55 v TABLE PAGE 11. Morphometry of Etheostoma kennicottilarvae and early juveniles grouped by 1mm intervals of total length (N = sample size). Mean l.engths followed by range in parentheses •.•..•••••••.•..•• ••• •• •. 58 12. Sf:!l.f:!(;'t:f:!d)lleristicvalues and size (lllJll't:o't:a.1.l.eng't:h)a't:. the apparent onset of development for Etheostoma kennicotti. Mean values are underscored. Rare or questionable extremes are in. parentheses. The numberofsecoridaryraysc>f the median fins are in lowercase Roman numerals. ••••• • • •• 60 13. Ml:l't:f:!l:"ta.l.. f:!JCa.mined of Etheostoma· •• microperca •. larvae ..and early juveniles grouped by 1mm intervals of total length (N =·sample si~e) ••.•••• •••••• • •••• . 69 14. Morphometry of Etheostoma microperca larvae and early juveniles grouped by 1mm intervals of total length (N = sample size). Mean lengths followed by range in paren:th~§~~tt:",.~.. .••••••••. • •• .••• •• .. 71 15. Selected metistic values and size (mm total length) at the apparent onset of development for Etheostomamicroperca. Me.an values are underscored. Rareor •... questionable~cextremes are in parentheses. The number of secondary rays of the median fins are in lowercase Roman numerals ••••••• •• 73 16. Material examined of Etheostoma sQuamiceps larvae and early juveniles grouped by 1mm intervals of . total length (N='samplesize) 81 17 •. Morphometry of Etheostoma sguamiceps larvae and early j\1Venilesgrouped,by 1 mm intervals of tQtal length (N = sample size) .. .. .. ....... .. ....... .. 84 18. Selected meristic values and size (mm total length) at the apparent onset of development for Etheostomasguamiceps. Mean values are underscored. Rare or questionable f:!xtremes are in parentheses. The number of secondary raYcs_~QftlJ.e median fins are in lowercase Roman numerals ••••.• •• •• 86 19. Egg characteristics of Upper Mississippi River percids • . .. 94 tdi' 20. Total length (mm) at hatching, yolk absorption, and first apearance of fin ray formation in Upper Mississippi River percids .. ... .. ... 96 vi ,.. I" I LIST OF FIGURES jl!, FIGURE 1. Diagrammatic representation of morphometric character- istics .................... .. 7 2. Percina •• caprodes semifasciata, northern logperch (newly hatched larva) 5.4 mm TL, Upper Mississippi River, Pool 3. Minnesota a. dorsal b. lateral c • ventral.... •• . .. 19 3. Percina caprodes semifasciata, northernlogperch larva, Upper Mississippi River, Pool 7 a. 7.5 mm TL b. 9.2 mm -u,----- .---,----.--------.-------.----.-------.--,-.--.-. -e----- ••---.------.--:. • • •• -e. e--a.-__ •• ••• __-.-e ••• _.. 20 4. Pertina· caprodes· ·semifasciata, northern logperch, a.