FISH KEY ALL FAMILIES FISH KEY ALL FAMILIES TABLE OF CONTENTS Fish Key: To Get to Family ......................................................................................................................... 3 Family Anguillidae .................................................................................................................. 4-6 Family Catostomidae ............................................................................................................... 7-9 Family Centrarchidae ........................................................................................................... 10-23 Family Cottidae .................................................................................................................... 24-26 Family Clupeidae ................................................................................................................. 27-29 Family Cyprinidae ............................................................................................................... 30-46 Family Cyprinodontidae ...................................................................................................... 47-51 Family Esocidae ................................................................................................................... 52-56 Family Ictaluridae ................................................................................................................ 57-59 Family Percichthyidae ......................................................................................................... 60-62 Family Percidae ................................................................................................................... 63-68 Family Salmonidae .............................................................................................................. 69-75 Family Umbridae ................................................................................................................. 76-77 Sources Cited ............................................................................................................................... 78 FISH KEY ALL FAMILIES TO GET TO FAMILY SPINES IN OR NEAR THE FINS NO SPINES IN OR NEAR THE FINS Stout spines at the base of the fins Snakelike Body Whiskers Jaws FAMILY ICTALURIDAE Small mouth FAMILY ANGUILLIDAE Relatively small body Long, thin body Huge head Large mouth FAMILY COTTIDAE FAMILY ESOCIDAE Torpedo body Mostly laterally compressed, Adipose (fleshy fin) on back near tail FAMILY SALMONIDAE i.e., in cross section (except in black bass) FAMILY CENTRARCHIDAE Sucker mouth Fleshy lips OR FAMILY CATOSTOMIDAE FAMILY PERCIDAE Deep body Laterally compressed Silvery OR Keel (sharp scales) on the belly FAMILY CLUPEIDAE FAMILY PERCICHTHYIDAE Small, silvery fish (Scales may have black edge) FAMILY CYPRINIDAE Small, non-silvery fish Protrusible mouth FAMILY CYPRINODONTIDAE Small, non-silvery fish Non-protrusible mouth FAMILY UMBRIDAE FISH KEY FAMILY ANGUILLIDAE Massachusetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Northeast NPS Freshwater Fish Inventory Fish Key Family Anguillidae Species from Inventory: American eel Family Identifying Characteristics: Snake-like body, presence of jaws and paired fins; single, slit-like gill openings covered by a bony opercle. FISH KEY FAMILY ANGUILLIDAE Family Name: Anguillidae Common Name: American Eel Scientific Name: Anguilla rostrata Other Names: Freshwater eel, common eel, eel. Park: Weir Farm NHS, Roosevelt Vanderbilt NHS, Minuteman NHP, Cape Cod NS. Resource Name: Weir Pond (WEFA); Meriches Kill (ROVA), Crum Elbow Creek (ROVA); Elm Brook (MIMA); Gull Pond (CACO), Higgins Pond (CACO), Williams Pond (CACO), Herring Pond (CACO), Spectacle Pond (CACO), Horseleech Pond (CACO). Identifying Characteristics: General: snake-like body, has jaws Specific: single gill slits, no pelvic fins, dorsal fin begins well behind pectoral fins and is contiguous with caudal and anal fins. Similar Species: American brook lampreys and sea lampreys have similar snake-like body shape, however, the lampreys lack true jaws and pectoral fins. Habitat: Preferred freshwater habitats are typically lakes and slow-moving streams; our team found them in small lakes, low-flow impoundments, lower gradient streams, moderate gradient streams, and higher gradient streams. Ecology: The American eel is a voracious, nocturnal omnivore that actively hunts for its prey. Females may reach a maximum length of 6 feet, but generally grow to about 2 to 3 ½ feet. Males grow to about 1 ½ to 2 feet. Become sexually mature between 5 and 10 years. Life History: As a catadromous species, eel begin their spawning journey to the Sargasso Sea in the fall and reach their destination by mid-winter. Juveniles are carried by currents back to coastal waters. While males remain in the brackish waters, females continue into freshwaters and may travel great distances through many obstacles. FISH KEY FAMILY ANGUILLIDAE References: American eel image. Texas Parks and Wildlife. Texas Freshwater Fishing. www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fish/infish/species/eel/eel.htm Scarola, John F. Freshwater Fishes of New Hampshire. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. 1973. Smith, Lavett C. Inland Fishes of New York State. New York Department of Environmental Conservation. 1980. Werner, Robert G. Freshwater Fishes of New York State: a field guide. Syracuse University Press. 1980. FISH KEY FAMILY CATOSTOMIDAE Massachussetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Northeast NPS Freshwater Fish Inventory Fish Key Family Catostomidae Species from Inventory: White sucker Family Identifying Characteristics: Downward facing mouth adapted for sucking with thick fleshy lips having either papillae or pleats; scaleless head; 10 or more dorsal fin rays. FISH KEY FAMILY CATOSTOMIDAE Family Name: Catostomidae Common Name: White Sucker Scientific Name: Catostomus commersoni Other Names: Common sucker, sucker, barbel. Park: Morristown NHP, Roosevelt Vanderbilt NHS, Saratoga NHP, Saint Gaudens NHS, Cape Cod NS. Resource Name: Indian Grave Brook (MORR), Passaic River (MORR), Primrose Brook (MORR); Upper Valkill Pond (ROVA), Meriches Kill (ROVA); Kroma Kill (SARA), Old Champlain Canal- section 1(SARA), Mill Creek- Main and Middle branch (SARA); Blow-me- down Brook (SAGA), Blow-me-down Pond (SAGA); Gull Pond (CACO), Higgins Pond (CACO), Horseleech Pond (CACO). Identifying Characteristics: Field Identification: soft-rayed fins; inferior sucking mouth; fleshy lips; short, blunt snout. General: soft-rayed fins; lateral line complete, but may be inconspicuous in juveniles; > 55 and < 80 scales in lateral line; about 25 scale rows crossing the midline in front of the dorsal fin; < 18 dorsal rays; two-chambered swim bladder. Specific: inferior sucking mouth; fleshy lips; short, blunt snout; head convex; no definite saddle-shaped crossbands; slightly concave, square dorsal fin; pectoral pelvic and anal fins with a yellow coloration. Note: many fish have sucker-like mouths but only the sucker has fleshy lips Habitat: Can be found in almost any habitat type but will usually avoid deeper waters. Our team found them to be present in all habitat types sampled. These habitat types are small lakes; low-flow and high-flow impoundments; and lower, moderate and higher gradient streams. Ecology: Adults are bottom-feeders eating a variety of invertebrates, algal matter, and detritus while juveniles feed on mid-water plankton for a short time before becoming bottom-feeders. Adults generally attain a size of 10-18 inches. FISH KEY FAMILY CATOSTOMIDAE Life History: Spawning migrations to shallow, gravelly, fast-flowing upstream locations begin in early spring and usually occur at night. Adults return to downstream locations of lakes by daylight. References: Scarola, John F. Freshwater Fishes of New Hampshire. New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. 1973. Smith, Lavett C. Inland Fishes of New York State. New York Department of Environmental Conservation. 1980. Werner, Robert G. Freshwater Fishes of New York State: a field guide. Syracuse University Press. 1980. White sucker image. Wisconsin Sea Grant. Fish of the Great Lakes. Fish Profiles. http://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/greatlakesfish/becker.html FISH KEY FAMILY CENTRARCHIDAE Massachussetts Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Northeast NPS Freshwater Fish Inventory Fish Key Family Centrarchidae Species from Inventory: Bluegill Redbreast Sunfish Green sunfish Rock bass Largemouth bass Smallmouth bass Pumpkinseed Family Identifying Characteristics: Spiny fins; laterally compressed body; pseudobranchiae absent or poorly developed; opercle without a spine; 3 or more spines in anal fin. To Distinguish Species, look at: Body shape Mouth size Coloration Spot Pectoral fin length and shape FISH KEY FAMILY CENTRARCHIDAE Family Name: Centrarchidae Common Name: Bluegill Scientific Name: Lepomis macrochirus Other Names: Bluegill sunfish, kibbee, kivver, flatside, bream. Park: Morristown NHP, Roosevelt Vanderbilt NHS, Saratoga NHP, Minuteman NHP. Resource Name: Indian Grave Brook (MORR); Upper Valkill Pond (ROVA); Old Champlain Canal- section 1(SARA); Un-named Pond (MIMA). Identifying Characteristics: Field Identification: laterally compressed; small mouth; dark bars on top of body; black spot on soft dorsal fin; no red or orange; long, pointed pectoral fin. General: gill rakers long, reaching past the second or third gill raker below; 20 gill rakers; opercular flap black to its margin. Specific: black spot on soft dorsal fin; long, pointed pectoral fin extending past lateral