ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY Bulletin Volume 28, Article 2 Printed by .guthority of March, 1963 the State of Illinois The Fishes of Champaign County, Illinois, as Affected by 60 Years of Stream Changes R. E I, D ON I, A RIMORE P H I I, I P W. S NI I T H STATE OF ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION Urbana, Illinois CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................................................. 299 METHODS AND EQUIPMENT ................................................................................................................ 300 Forbes & Richardson Procedure .............................................................................................. 300 Thompson & Hunt Procedure ..................................................................................................... 300 1959 Survey Procedure .................................................................................................................. 301 Selection of Site ...................................................................................................................... 302 Sampling Technique ............................................................................................................. 302 Preservation and Sorting of Collections .......................................................................... 304 Habitat Data Recorded at Site ......................................................................................... 304 Tabulations ............................................................................................................................. 304 Supplemental Distribution Records ................................................................................... 304 Sources of Additional Information ................................................................................ 306 DESCRIPTION OF COUNTY ...................................................................................................................... 306 Soils ................................................................................................................................................... 306 Weather ............................................................................................................................................ 307 Agricultural Practices .................................................................................................................. 307 Population, Urban, and Industrial Developments ............................................................... 308 Stream Drainages and Courses .................................................................................................. 308 Water Discharge .................................................................................................................. 308 Draining and Dredging ......................................................................................................... 310 STREAM HABITATS ................................................................................................................................. 311 General Ecological Characteristics ........................................................................................... 311 Habitat Types ............................................................................................................................... 313 Rivulets and Small Creeks .................................................................................................. 314 Large Creeks ........................................................................................................................ 315 Small Rivers ........................................................................................................................... 315 Other Aquatic Habitats ....................................................................................................... 317 Changes in Stream Habitats ....................................................................................................... 317 ANNOTATED LIST OF FISHES ................................................................................................................ 320 Amiidae ............................................................................................................................. 321 Lepisosteidae ..................................................................................................................... 321 H iodontidae ....................................................................................................................... 321 Clupeidae ........................................................................................................................... 321 Esocidae ............................................................................................................................. 321 Catostomidae ..................................................................................................................... 321 Cyprinidae ......................................................................................................................... 322 Ictaluridae ......................................................................................................................... 324 Anguillidae ....................................................................................................................... 325 Cyprinodontidae ............................................................................................................... 325 Poeciliidae ......................................................................................................................... 325 Atherinidae ....................................................................................................................... 325 Aphredoderidae ................................................................................................................. 325 Serranidae ......................................................................................................................... 325 Centrarchidae ................................................................................................................... 325 Percidae ............................................................................................................................. 326 Sciaenidae ......................................................................................................................... 327 ANALYSIS OF DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS ......................................................................................... 327 CHANGES IN DISTRIBUTION ................................................................................................................ 328 Forbes & Richardson Records .................................................................................................. 328 Thompson & Hunt Records ....................................................................................................... 329 Investigations Between 1929 and 1959 ......................................................................... 330 Recent Survey Records .................................................................................................................. 330 Summary of Changes Over 60-Year Period .......................................................................... 331 ECOLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONS .................................................................................................................. 335 Species Associated With Various Stream Habitats .......................................................... 335 Species of Rivulets and Small Creeks ............................................................................ 335 Species of Large Creeks .................................................................................................... 335 Species of Small Rivers ....................................................................................................... 336 Species Associated With Various Ecological Factors ........................................................ 336 Species Associated With Other Species ................................................................................... 337 Notropis dorsalis—Ericymba buccata .............................................................................. 337 Notropis chrysocephalus—Erimyzon oblongus .............................................................. 338 Catostomus commersoni—Phenacobius mirabilis ......................................................... 338 Miscellaneous Associations ................................................................................................ 338 GENERAL ABUNDANCE AND OCCURRENCE ....................................................................................... 339 Average Number of Species Per Station .............................................................................. 339 Average Number of Fish Per 100 Square Yards ................................................................. 340 Average Weight of Fish Per 100 Square Yards ................................................................. 340 DISTRIBUTION AND STREAM SIZE ..................................................................................................... 340 Relationships With Stream Size .............................................................................................