Fishes at Archbold Biological Station (ABS) • 26 species are known, including 24 native and 2 exotic species*. • Fish are found in Lake Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) Annie and in borrow pits. They also occur in seasonal ponds and ditches during the wet season. Golden topminnow (Fundulus chrysotus) • Fish range in size from less than inch to over 2 feet long. • Most common species are mosquitofish, LthLargemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) bluegill, largemouth bass, and 3 species of topminnows. • EtiExotic spec ies i ildnclude brown hoplo (armored Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) catfish from South Eva Hohausova America) and walking catfish (from Africa). Compiled by Eva Hohausova, March 2003. For html version and further info on ichthyological research at ABS check www.archbold-station.org Brown hoplo* (Hoplosternum littorale) Fish habitats at Archbold Natural habitats permanent waters seasonal ponds Lake Annie Tract 7, pond 63 Sinkhole pond Tract 30, pond 6 Tract 6, pond 32 Artificial habitats borrow pits (standing water) ditches (running or standing water) the Reserve, borrow pit Tract 18, railroad ditch Tract 6, railroad ditch Tract 18, Water hole Photos by Eva Hohausova 2002; photo of Lake Annie - Custom Aerial Photos, Lake Placid © Archbold Biological Station, 1997. I. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station Order: Semionotiformes Order: Cypriniformes FilLiFamily: Lepisosteid ae - gars Family: Catostomidae - suckers Eva Hohausova Eva Hohausova Florida gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus) Lake chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta) Order: Amiiformes Family: Amiidae - bowfin Family: Cyprinidae - carps & minnows Mark Binkley Eva Hohausova jonahsaquarium.com Bowfin (Amia calva) Coastal shiner (Notropis petersoni) Noel M. Burkhead Order: Salmoniformes Family: Esocidae - pikes Chain pickerel (Esox niger) Golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) I. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station Order: Semionotiformes Family: Lepisosteidae - gars Florida Gar (Lepisosteus platyrhincus) Max. length 52 in. (132 cm), lives in standing or slow flowing waters, hunts for other fish and animals, body covered with hard scales, uses swim-bladder for additional breathing. Found in Lake Annie. Order: Amiiformes Family: Amiidae - bowfin Bowfin (Amia calva) Max. length 43 in. (109 cm), nocturnal predator in standing, vegetated waters; large mouth, tubular nostrils. Currently the only species of this family and order in the world. Occurs in Lake Annie and visits adjacent ditches and seasonal ponds. Order: Esociformes Family: Esocidae - pikes Chihainpikickerel (Esox niger) Max. length 39 in. (99 cm), long snout; lives and hunts for other fish in vegetated lakes and other standing waters, as well as in small to medium rivers. Found in Lake Annie. Order: Cypriniformes Family: Catostomidae - suckers Lake chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta) Max. length 16 in. (41 cm), inhabits lakes, swamps and similar habitats. With its sucking mouth feeds on bottom-living invertebrates. Found in Lake Annie and surrounding ditches. Family: Cyprinidae - carps & minnows Coastal shiner (Notropis petersoni) Max. length 3¼ in. (7.8 cm), lives over sand in pools and backwaters of creeks and rivers and in lakes. With its downturned mouth it searches for small aquatic invertebrates. Occurs in Lake Annie and visits effluent ditches. Golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) Max. length 12 in. (30 cm), prefers vegetated places in lakes or small to medium rivers. Its mouth is upturned. Found in Lake Annie. II. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station Order: Siluriformes FilItlidFamily: Ictaluridae - bu llhead s & catfish es Eva Hohausova Mark Binkley jonahsaquarium.com Brown bullhead (Ictalurus [Ameiurus] nebulosus) Tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus) Yellow bullhead (Ictalurus [Ameiurus] natalis) Family: Clariidae - labyrinth catfishes Ian Baird Walking catfish* (Clarias batrachus) Eva Hohausova Family: Callichthydae - armored catfishes * non-native species Brown Hoplo* (Hoplosternum littorale) II. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station Order: Siluriformes Most catfish are nocturnal consumers of mollusks, insects, leeches, crayfish and plankton, worms, algae, plant material, and fish. They are able to breathe air to enhance their oxygen supply by coming up to the surface for a breath and then pushing the air through their body to the gut. Gut tissue is adapted to absorb oxygen from the air bubble. Family: Ictaluridae - bullheads & catfishes Yellow bullhead (Ictalurus [Ameiurus] natalis) Max. length 18 ¼ in. (47 cm), inhabits pools and sluggish runs over soft substrates in creeks, rivers, ponds and lakes. At Archbold, rarely occurs in seasonal ponds. Brown bullhead (Ictalurus [Ameiurus] nebulosus) Max. length 21 in. (50 cm), prefers same type of habitat as Yellow bullhead. Both species differ by coloration of barbels on lower jaw (yellow in yellow bullhead, dark in brown bullhead). At Archbold, common in Lake Annie and ditches. Tadpole madtom (Noturus gyrinus) Max. length 5 in. (13 cm), smallest catfish of those found in Archbold waters, likes rock-, mud-, or detritus-bottomed pools and lakes. Fairly common in Lake Annie. Family: Clariidae - labyrinth catfishes Walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) Max. lthlength 24 in. (61 cm), itintro duce dfrom Afr ica. Firs t record at AhbldArchbold in 1980. Currently (2002-3) found in ditches. "Walks" by mean of hard first fin rays of pectoral fins. Family: Callichthydae - armored catfishes Brown hoplo (Hoplosternum littorale) Max. length 8½ in. (22 cm), introduced from South America, establishing itself in Florida. Body covered with large bony plates (not scales) making two lines at each side of the body. At Archbold, occurs in borrow pits and seasonal ponds in the Reserve. Information sources: webhbldb pages: www.archbold-sta tion.org, fis h spec ies li st b y J ames N . L ayne D ecemb er 1999 ( www.archb old -sttitation.org/ / abs/data/lists/fishlist.htm), www.fishbase.com, www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/fish/, http://floridafisheries.com/, http://jonahsaquarium.com literature sources: Page M, Burr B.M., 1991: Freshwater Fishes. Peterson field guides. Gilbert C.R., Williams J.D., 2002: Field Guide to Fishes. National Audubon Society. Wolfe, J. L. 1988. Key to the fishes of Lake Annie. MS. 5 pp. Layne, J. N. 1979. Natural features of the Lake Annie Tract, Highlands County, Florida. Archbold Biological Station. 64 pp. III. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station Order: Cyprinodontiformes Family: Cyprinodontidae - killifishes Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) Golden topminnow (Fundulus chrysotus) Order: Atheriniformes Family: Atherinidae - silversides William Roston Banded topminnow (Fundulus cingulatus) Eva Hohausova Brook silverside (Labidesthes sicculus) Order: Perciformes Lined topminnow (Fundulus lineolatus) Family: Percidae - perches Family: Poecilidae - livebearers Eva Hohausova Least killifish (Heterandria formosa) Swamp darter (Etheostoma fusiforme) III. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station Order: Cyprinodontiformes Family: Cyprinodontidae - killifishes Golden topminnow (Fundulus chrysotus) Max. length about 3 in. (8.2 cm), gold flecks on sides. Prefers vegetated areas in standing waters. At Archbold, occurs in Lake Annie, ditches and seasonal ponds. Banded topminnow (Fundulus cingulatus) Max. length about 3 in. (9.5 cm), males usually with rows of small reddish spots on side, clear to red-orange fins; females of pale colors grow bigger than males. Lives close to vegetation in standing waters. Occurs in Lake Annie, ditches & seasonal ponds. Lined topminnow (Fundulus lineolatus) Max. length 3 in. (7.5 cm), black bars and/or thin black stripes on silvery sides. Favors vegetated areas in standing waters. Found in Lake Annie, ditches and seasonal ponds. Family: Poecilidae - livebearers Least killifish (Heterandria formosa) Max. length 1½ in. (3.6 cm), adults are the smallest fish in North America; lives in heavily vegetated standing to slow-flowing fresh and brackish water. Common in Lake Annie and occurs in ditches at Archbold and the Reserve. Mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki) - Max. length 2½ in. (6.5 cm), females grow bigger than males, males show two different colorations - pale body or black spotted. Females give birth to fully developed young and breed several times within a season. Where introduced (for mosquito control), contributes to elimination of local rare species with similar ecological requirements! Most common fish at Archbold. Order: Atheriniformes Family: Atherinidae - silversides Brook ssesdeilverside (Labid esthes siccuuulus) Max. length 5 in. (13 cm), silver slender body; swims often in shoals in open waters, near surface of lakes, ponds and quiet pools of running waters. Found in Lake Annie. Order: Perciformes Family: Percidae - perches Swamp darter (Etheostoma fusiforme) Max. length 2¼ in. (5.9 cm), prefers standing or slow-flowing water over mud, sometimes sand, often with vegetation. Camouflage coloration makes it hard to see the fish in its home environment. Occurs in Lake Annie. IV. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station Order: Perciformes (cont'd) FilCtFamily: Centrarchid ae - sunfis hes Redear sunfish (Lepomis microlophus) Bluespotted sunfish (Enneacanthus gloriosus) Eva Hohausova Bluegill (LiLepomis macrochi rus) Mark Binkley jonahsaquarium.com Warmouth (Lepomis gulosus) Eva Hohausova Black crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus) Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) Eva Hohausova Family: Elassomatidae - pygmy sunfish Dollar sunfish (Lepomis marginatus) Everglades pygmy sunfish (Elassoma evergladei) VI. Fishes at Archbold Biological Station