STATE OF ILLINOIS HENRY HORNER, Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION DIVISION OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY THEODORE H. PRISON, Chief Vol. XX BULLETIN Article V Annotated List of the Fishes of Illinois D. JOHN O'DONNELL PRINTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS URBANA, ILLINOIS AUGUST 1935 STATE OF ILLINOIS Henry Horner, Governor DEPARTMENT OF REGISTRATION AND EDUCATION Honorable John J. Hallihan, Director BOARD OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION Honorable John J. Hallihan, Chairman William Trelease, D.Sc, LL.D., Biology William A. Noyes, Ph.D., LL.D., Chem.D. D.Sc, Chemistry Henry C. Cowles, Ph.D., D.Sc, Forestry John W. Alvord, C.E., Engineering Edson C. Bastin, Ph.D., Geology Arthur Cutts Willard, D.Eng., LL.D., President of the University of Illinois NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY DIVISION URBANA, ILLINOIS Scientific and Technical Staff Theodore H. Prison, Ph.D., Chief SECTION OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY SECTION OF AQUATIC BIOLOGY W. P. Flint, B.S., Chief Entomologist David H. Thompson, Ph.D., Zoologist C. C. CoMPTON, M.S., Associate Entomologist F. D. Hunt, Field Naturalist M. D. Farrar, Ph. D., Research Entomologist D. F. Hansen, A.M., Assistant Zoologist S. C. Chandler, B.S., Southern Field Ento- D. J. O'Donnell, M.S., Assistant Zoologist mologist B.S., Cetitral Field Entomolo- J. H. Bigger, SECTION OF INSECT SURVEY gist L. H. Shropshire, M.S., Northern Field En- H. H. Ross, Ph.D., Systematic Entomologist tomologist Carl O. Mohr, Ph.D., Associate Entomolo- E. R. McGovRAN, Ph.D., Research Felloiv in gist, Artist Entomology L. H. TowNSEND, Ph.D., Assistant Entomol- W. E. McCauley, B. S., Assistant Entomolo- ogist gist F. Alsterlund, M.S., Research Felloiv in J. SECTION OF GAME RESEARCH AND Entomology MANAGEMENT SECTION OF APPLIED BOTANY AND R. E. Yeatter, Ph.D., Game Specialist PLANT PATHOLOGY L. R. Tehon, Ph.D., Botanist SECTION OF FORESTRY J. C. Carter, Ph.D., Assistant Botanist G. H. Boewe, B.S., Field Botanist L. E. S.AWYER, B.S.F., Extension Forester PUBLICATIONS Carroll Chouinard, M.A., Editor This paper is a contribution from the Section of Aquatic Biology CONTENTS Page Introduction 473 Classified List of Illinois Fishes 475 Bibliography 491 Appendix 492 Hybridization and racial differentiation among Illinois fishes.—Index to families, genera and species. < < > < < w > fc-H O H '4; O X < < < O PQ > o < oa; n < > > CO ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY BULLETIN VOLUME XX ARTICLE V Annotated List of the Fishes of lUinois D. JOHN O'DONNELL SINCE 1876, specimens and data re- Jordan Nomenclature garding the appearance and distri- Because of its general usage, the man- bution of fishes in this state have ual of Jordan (1929), which changed the been collected by zoologists of the Illinois generic names associated with 70 species State Natural History Survey and the and the specific names of 31 species of organizations which were its predecessors. fishes given in Forbes & Richardson, has In 1909 Stephen Alfred Forbes and Rob- furnished the nomenclature for this list. ert Earl Richardson published a report Names in the list by Jordan, Evermann entitled "The Fishes of Illinois," which and Clark (1930), as well as the o'.d was partly revised for a second edition names of Forbes & Richardson (1920), printed in 1920^ Many scientific names are used in synonymy. of Illinois fishes have been changed in the Names of Hybrids twenty-six years that have passed since There are a few exceptions to this rule. the original report was issued, so that to- One, of course, is the case of certain hy- day there is need for a list which will brids, which Jordan did not recognize but place the state fauna in accord with pres- which have nevertheless been classified and ent general classifications. used separately, either by Forbes and Present Fauna Richardson in 1909 or subsequently in Jordan, Evermann & Clark (1930). In recording the many changes that Aponiotis (Leponiis) ischyrus, A. (Lepo- have been made by taxonomists, this list tnis) euryorus and Notropis pllsbryi are presents 172 species names, distributed in this group. Likewise Carpiodes thomp- among 31 families and 117 genera. In so/ii, not recognized by Jordan and now addition there are several dozen hybrid probably best treated as a variety of C. forms in the fish fauna of Illinois. cyprinus, is included in this list because Ten species have been added to the it has been established in the literature Richardson in forms know^n to Forbes and of the Illinois fauna (Forbes & Richard- are names of Amer- 1909, some of which son 1920), in addition to its placement species that have become ican and foreign as a distinct species in Jordan, Evermann established in Illinois, and some native & Clark (1930). Alvordius (Hadrop- species previously undiscovered. terus) everriKuini was included in Forbes & Richardson on the basis of a single ^See bibliogTaphy, p. 491. [473] 474 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY BULLETIN XX:V Fig. 1.—Interior of Survey laboratory boat Anax, looking forward. specimen taken in the Illinois. Possibly Illinois fishes have resulted entirely from a suspicion of its hybrid nature, as stated the formalities of fish taxonomy and not by Hubbs (1926), accounts for its omis- from correction of any mistakes in segre- sion from Jordan (1929). It recurs as gation or identifications as used in 1903-06 valid, however, in Jordan, Evermann & by Forbes and Richardson. Neither have Clark, on the strength of specimens from they resulted from any evolution of our Indiana. The last exception is in the species, nor from any refinement in the case of the red horses, whose names of method of describing them. The descrip- Forbes & Richardson are retained. The tions which were written for "The Fishes descriptions of red horses given in Jordan of Illinois" were, in almost every case, (1929) and in Jordan, Evermann & based on the detailed examination and Clark (1930), do not approximate our measurement of large numbers of Illinois Illinois red horses closely enough to make specimens. their identity probable. Common Names in Illinois Forbes & Richardson Accurate Lack of agreement among ichthyolo- It has never been adequately empha- gists in regard to common names of fishes sized that changes in the nomenclature of has forced the adoption in this list of those O'DONNELL: ANNOTATED LIST OF ILLINOIS FISHES 475 common names which are now in most formation and assistance have been con- general use in Illinois. These common tributed by present staff members, among names and the recorded distributions have them Dr. T. H. Prison, chief; Dr. David H. Thompson, zoologist; and IMr. F. D. been included as far as known ; it is hoped of that this effort will stimulate others in- Hunt, field naturalist, to all whom the writer tenders thanks. An indebted- terested in the fish life of the state to fill ness is also acknowledged to Dr. Harley the obvious gaps in many of the records. Jones Van Cleave, professor of zoology in Acknowledgments the University of Illinois, for his sugges- This report is based upon field records tion of the problem while expressing a kept b\ Survey zoologists and their fore- need among ichthyologists and less tech- runners, since 1876. A great deal of in- nical students for such a list. CLASSIFIED LIST OF ILLINOIS FISHES I'KTKOMYZOMl>AE Mississippi, Ohio, Wabash, Illinois river Ichthyomyzon Girard to Henry, Rock river to Sterling, Kas- 9' kaskia river to Evansville. Everywhere I. concolor (Kirtland) J JEC FR less abundant than formerly. Almost ab- Lamper, lamper eel, lamprey.—All sent from the upper Mississippi following Illinois streams with a drainage area ex- construction of Keokuk dam. ceeding 1000 square miles. Parasitic in winter on larger fishes such as carp, buf- falo, catfishes and spoonbill. Three or ACU'ENSKKIDAK more lampers may occasionally be found on one host fish. Acipenser Linnaeus A. fulvescens Rafinesque J JEC Lethenteron Greaser & Huljbs Acipenser ritb'icundus Le Sueur FR 24- L. appendix (De Kay) J JEC Rock sturgeon, lake sturgeon.— Lampetra ivildcri Gage FR 11 Taken occasionally in the Mississippi, Brook lamprey, small black lam- Ohio, Wabash and Rock rivers. Com- prey.—Very rare; Lake Michigan 1903, mon in the Illinois river before 1900; now small creek near Danville winter of 1931. rare, Numbers observed spawning on rocky Scaphirhynchus Heckel riffles of Wild Cat creek near Dayton S. platorhynchus (Rafinesque) J JEC (Tippecanoe county), Ind., in early FR 27 spring of 1910, 1916. Shovel-nosed sturgeon, hackle- back.—Common in the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. Occasionally taken in the POLYODONTIDAE lower Illinois. Polyodon Lacepede Parascaphirhynchus Forbes & P. spathula (Walbaum) J JEC FR 16 Richardson cat, paddlefish, boneless Spoonbill P. albus Forbes & Richardson J JEC CAT.—Large rivers; recently found in the FR 28 White sturgeon, long-nosed stur- V indicates tho prosont accepted name as given ,/A'f.' indicates the name given I)V Jordan (1920) ; only from the Mis- and JU, geon.—Rare; known by .Jordan. EviTmann & ("lark (1930) ; the with a numlier. indicates tlie page on which sissippi river at Grafton and Alton, species is given in Forbes i Kichardson (litiO). BULLETIN XX:V 476 ILLINOIS NATURAL HISTORY SURVEY Fig. 2.—Principal streams of Illinois. O'DONNELL: ANNOTATED LIST OF ILLINOIS FISHES 477 LEPISOSTKIDAE to Beloit, Illinois river to Henry, Kas- Lepisosteus Lacepede kaskia and Wabash rivers. Very abun- L. osseus (Linnaeus) J JEC FR 31 dant in the Mississippi and Ohio. Long-nosed gar, billy gar.—Lakes. Found in all streams with drainage area CLUPEIDAE exceeding 500 square miles. Pomolobus Rafinesque Cylindrosteus Rafinesque P. chrysochlorus Rafinesque J JEC FR C. platostomus (Rafinesque) J JEC A8 Lepisosteus platostomus Rafinesque FR 34 Skipjack, golden shad, blue her- Short-nosed gar.—Most abundant ring.—Not common in Illinois, a few gar in rivers with drainage area of more having been taken from the lower Rock than 5000 square miles.