Identification of Nongame Fishes Workshop

Michigan AFSLake Superior State University

March 3-4, 2008

Presented by Kevin WehrlyInstitute for Fisheries Research

Michigan Department of Natural Resources andUniversity of Michigan

Acknowledgement

All photographs were taken by John Lyons and accessed from www.WiscFish.com

Percidae Darters

Percid characteristics

• Two dorsal fins separated (except in ruffe), first spiny, second soft rayed

• Anal fin with 1-2 spines

• Spine on opercle

• Preopercle serrate

Most common species

• Johnny darter

• Iowa darter

• Logperch

Johnny darter

• Snout blunt

• Black W’s X’s and Y’s on body

Iowa darter

• Snout sharp

• Red and brown blotches on side

• Strong teardrop under eye

Logperch

• Conical snout

• 14 to 18 vertical bars on side

• Caudal spot

Other fairly common species

• Blackside darter

• Fantail darter

• Rainbow darter

• Least darter

• Greenside darter

Blackside darter

• Mouth sharp with broad frenum

• 6 to 9 black ovals on side

• Caudal spot

Fantail darter

• Mouth sharp

• Short dorsal spines

• Tail rounded with cross bands

2 subspecies• Barred fantail—has vertical bars, found in southern MI• Striped fantail—has horizontal stripes, found in upper peninsula

Rainbow darter

• Mouth sharp, frenum present

• 6 to 7 dark vertical bars on side• Nearly encircle caudal peduncle

• Most of lower peninsula

Least darter

• Mouth sharp

• Lateral line absent

• Males with enlarged pelvic fins

A small darter found across most of the state—could be mistaken for johnny darter or iowa darter

Greenside darter

• Snout blunt; frenum absent

• Green V’s on body

• Locally abundant in the southeastern lower peninsula

Darters with restricted distributions

• Orangethroat darter—similar to rainbow

• Banded darter—similar to greenside

• Channel darter—similar to blackside

• River darter—similar to blackside

• Sand darter

Orangethroat darter

Very similar to rainbow darter• Mouth sharp

• 4 to 5 dark vertical bars on side• Do not encircle caudal peduncle

• A few locations in southeast MI

Banded darter

Similar to greenside darter but ranges are very different• Snout blunt; frenum present

• 8 to 13 green bands on body

• Green Bay drainage in Menominee County

Channel darter

• Snout blunt; no frenum

• Dark blotches on side

• Dark band a base and edge of spiny dorsal

• Endangered—Found in tribs and coastal areas of eastern lower peninsula

River darter

• Snout blunt; frenum present

• Dark blotches near front and back of spiny dorsal

• Male with large anal fin

• Endangered—Found in tribs and coastal areas of eastern lower peninsula

Sand darter• Body elongate and translucent

• Belly scaleless and bodyimperfectly scaled

2 speciesWestern sand darter—has spine on opercle, found in Green Bay Drainage UPEastern sand darter—no spine on opercle, threatened, found in SE Michigan