xv Acknowledgments

1 Purpose and Scope

3 Setting the Scene

12 A Historical Perspective of Illinois Fishes

17 Fish Morphology

20 Organization of Illinois Family and Species Accounts

21 Methods for Mapping Species Distributions

26 Key to the Families of Illinois Fishes

41 LAMPREYS (Family Petromyzontidae)

42 Key to the Lampreys

46 Ohio Lamprey, Itchthyomyzon bdellium

47 Chestnut Lamprey, Ichthyomyzon castaneus

48 Northern Brook Lamprey, Ichthyomyzon fossor

49 Silver Lamprey, Ichthyomyzon unicuspis

50 Least Brook Lamprey, Lampetra aepyptera

51 American Brook Lamprey, Lethenteron appendix

52 Sea Lamprey, Petromyzon marinus

53 STURGEONS (Family Acipenseridae)

54 Key to the Sturgeons

56 Lake Sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens

57 Pallid Sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus

58 Shovelnose Sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus

59 PADDLEFISHES (Family Polyodontidae)

60 Paddlefish, Polyodon spathula

61 GARS (Family Lepisosteidae)

62 Key to the Gars

64 Alligator Gar, Atractosteus spatula

65 Spotted Gar, Lepisosteus oculatus

66 Longnose Gar, Lepisosteus osseus

67 Shortnose Gar, Lepisosteus platostomus

68 BOWFINS (Family Amiidae)

69 Bowfin, Amia calva

70 FRESHWATER EELS (Family Anguillidae)

71 American Eel, Anguilla rostrata

72 MOONEYES (Family Hiodontidae)

73 Key to the Mooneyes

74 Goldeye, Hiodon alosoides

75 Mooneye, Hiodon tergisus

76 SHADS AND HERRINGS (Family Clupeidae)

77 Key to the Shad and Herrings

79 Alabama Shad, Alosa alabamae

80 Skip Jack Herring, Alosa chrysochloris

81 Alewife, Alosa pseudoharengus

82 Gizzard Shad, Dorosoma cepedianum

83 Threadfin Shad, Dorosoma petenense

84 SUCKERS (Family Catostomidae)

85 Key to the Suckers

94 River Carpsucker, Carpiodes carpio

95 Quillback, Carpiodes cyprinus

96 Highfin Carpsucker, Carpiodes velifer

97 Longnose Sucker, Catostomus catostomus

98 White Sucker, Catostomus commersonii

99 Blue Sucker, Cycleptus elongatus

100 Western Creek Chubsucker, Erimyzon claviformis

101 Lake Chubsucker, Erimyzon sucetta

102 Northern Hog Sucker, Hypentelium nigricans

103 Smallmouth Buffalo, Ictiobus bubalus

104 Bigmouth Buffalo, Ictiobus cyprinellus

105 Black Buffalo, Ictiobus niger

106 Spotted Sucker, Minytrema melanops

107 Silver Redhorse, Moxostoma anisurum

108 River Redhorse, Moxostoma carinaturm

109 Black Redhorse, Moxostoma duquesnei

110 Golden Redhorse, Moxostoma erythrurum

111 Shorthead Redhorse, Moxostoma macrolepidotum

112 Greater Redhorse, Moxostoma valenciennesi

113 BARBS AND CARPS (Family Cyprinidae)

114 Key to the Barbs and Carps

115 Goldfish, Carassius auratus

116 Common Carp, Cyprinus carpio

117 SHARPBELLIES (Family Xenocyprididae)

118 Key to the Sharpbellies

120 Grass Carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella

121 Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix

122 Bighead Carp, Hypophthalmichthys nobilis

123 Black Carp, Mylopharyngodon piceus

124 MINNOWS (Family Leuciscidae)

125 Key to the Minnows

153 Central Stoneroller, Campostoma anomalum

154 Largescale Stoneroller, Campostoma oligolepis

155 Southern Redbelly Dace, Chrosomus erythrogaster

156 Redside Dace, Clinostomus elongatus

157 Lake Chub, Couesius plumbeus

158 Red Shiner, Cyprinella lutrensis

159 Spotfin Shiner, Cyprinella spiloptera

160 Blacktail Shiner, Cyprinella venusta

161 Steelcolor Shiner, Cyprinella whipplei

162 Silverjaw Minnow, Ericymba buccata

163 Gravel Chub, Erimystax x-punctatus

164 Western Silvery Minnow, Hybognathus argyritis

165 Brassy Minnow, Hybognathus hankinsoni

166 Cypress Minnow, Hybognathus hayi

167 Mississippi Silvery Minnow, Hybognathus nuchalis

168 Plains Minnow, Hybognathus placitus

169 Bigeye Chub, Hybopsis amblops

170 Pallid Shiner, Hybopsis amnis

171 Striped Shiner, Luxilus chrysocephalus

172 Common Shiner, Luxilus cornutus

173 Bleeding Shiner, Luxilus zonatus

174 Scarlet Shiner, Lythrurus fasciolaris

175 Ribbon Shiner, Lythrurus fumeus

176 Redfin Shiner, Lythrurus umbratilis

177 Sturgeon Chub, Macrhybopsis gelida

178 Shoal Chub, Macrhybopsis hyostoma

179 Sicklefin Chub, Macrhybopsis meeki

180 Silver Chub, Macrhybopsis storeriana

181 Hornyhead Chub, Nocomis biguttatus

182 River Chub, Nocomis micropogon

183 Golden Shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas

184 Pugnose Shiner, Notropis anogenus

185 Emerald Shiner, Notropis atherinoides

186 River Shiner, Notropis blennius

187 Bigeye Shiner, Notropis boops

188 Ghost Shiner, Notropis buchanani

189 Ironcolor Shiner, Notropis chalybaeus

190 Bigmouth Shiner, Notropis dorsalis

191 Blackchin Shiner, Notropis heterodon

192 Blacknose Shiner, Notropis heterolepis

193 Spottail Shiner, Notropis hudsonius

194 Taillight Shiner, Notropis maculatus

195 Ozark Minnow, Notropis nubilus

196 Carmine Shiner, Notropis percobromus

197 Silver Shiner, Notropis photogenis

198 Rosyface Shiner, Notropis rubellus

199 Silverband Shiner, Notropis shumardi

200 Sand Shiner, Notropis stramineus

201 Weed Shiner, Notropis texanus

202 Mimic Shiner, Notropis volucellus

203 Channel Shiner, Notropis wickliffi

204 Pugnose Minnow, Opsopoeodus emiliae

205 Suckermouth Minnow, Phenacobius mirabilis

206 Bluntnose Minnow, Pimephales notatus

207 Fathead Minnow, Pimephales promelas

208 Bullhead Minnow, Pimephales vigilax

209 Flathead Chub, Platygobio gracilis

210 Bluehead Shiner, Pteronotropis hubbsi

211 Longnose Dace, Rhinichthys cataractae

212 Western Blacknose Dace, Rhinichthys obtusus

213 Creek Chub, Semotilus atromoculatus

214 SPINED LOACHES (Family Cobitidae)

215 Oriental Weatherfish, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus

216 NORTH AMERICAN CATFISHES (Family Ictaluridae)

217 Key to the North American Catfishes

224 White Catfish, Ameiurus catus

225 Black Bullhead, Ameiurus melas

226 Yellow Bullhead, Ameiurus natalis

227 Brown Bullhead, Ameiurus nebulosus

228 Blue Catfish, Ictalurus furcatus

229 Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus

230 Mountain Madtom, Noturus eleutherus

231 Slender Madtom, Noturus exilis

232 Stonecat, Noturus flavus

233 Tadpole Madtom, Noturus gyrinus

234 Brindled Madtom, Noturus miurus

235 Freckled Madtom, Noturus nocturnus

236 Northern Madtom, Noturus stigmosus

237 Flathead Catfish, Pylodictis olivaris

238 PIKES AND MUDMINNOWS (Family Esocidae)

239 Key to the Pikes and Mudminnows

241 Grass Pickerel, Esox americanus

242 Northern Pike, Esox lucius

243 Muskellunge, Esox masquinongy

244 Central Mudminnow, Umbra limi

245 TROUTS, SALMONS, AND WHITEFISHES (Family Salmonidae)

246 Key to the Trouts, Salmon, and Whitefishes

251 Cisco, Coregonus artedi

252 Lake Whitefish, Coregonus clupeaformis

253 Bloater, Coregonus hoyi

254 Blackfin Cisco, Coregonus nigripinnis

255 Coho Salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch

256 Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

257 Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

258 Round Whitefish, Prosopium cylindraceum

259 Brown Trout, Salmo trutta

260 Brook Trout, Salvelinus fontinalis

261 Lake Trout, Salvelinus namaycush

262 SMELTS (Family Osmeridae)

263 Rainbow Smelt, Osmerus mordax

264 TROUT-PERCHES (Family Percopsidae)

265 Trout-perch, Percopsis omiscomaycus

266 PIRATE PERCHES (Family Aphredoderidae)

267 Pirate Perch, Aphredoderus sayanus

268 CAVEFISHES (Family Amblyopsidae)

269 Shawnee Hills Cavefish, Forbesichthys papilliferus

270 CUSKFISHES (Family Lotidae)

271 Burbot, Lota lota

272 GOBIES (Family Gobiidae)

273 Round Goby, Neogobius melanostomus

274 NEW WORLD SILVERSIDES (Family Atherinopsidae)

275 Key to the New World Silversides

276 Brook Silverside, Labidesthes sicculus

277 Inland Silverside, Menidia beryllina

278 TOPMINNOWS (Family Fundulidae)

279 Key to the Topminnows

281 Northern Studfish, Fundulus catenatus

282 Banded Killifish, Fundulus diaphanus

283 Starhead Topminnow, Fundulus dispar

284 Blackstripe Topminnow, Fundulus notatus

285 Blackspotted Topminnow, Fundulus olivaceus

286 LIVEBEARERS (Family Poeciliidae)

287 Western Mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis

288 MULLETS (Family Mugilidae)

289 Striped Mullet, Mugil cephalus

290 SUNFISHES (Family Centrarchidae)

291 Key to the Sunfishes

301 Rock Bass, Ambloplites rupestris

302 Flier, Centrarchus macropterus

303 Green Sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus

304 Pumpkinseed, Lepomis gibbosus

305 Warmouth, Lepomis gulosus

306 Orangespotted Sunfish, Lepomis humilis

307 Bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus

308 Longear Sunfish, Lepomis megalotis

309 Redear Sunfish, Lepomis microlophus

310 Northern Sunfish, Lepomis peltastes

311 Spotted Sunfish, Lepomis punctatus

312 Bantam Sunfish, Lepomis symmetricus

313 Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu

314 Spotted Bass, Micropterus punctulatus

315 Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides

316 White Crappie, Pomoxis annularis

317 Black Crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus

318 PYGMY SUNFISHES (Family Elassomatidae)

319 Banded Pygmy Sunfish, Elassoma zonatum

320 WHITE BASSES (Family Moronidae)

321 Key to the White...