Michigan Fishes

23 October 2012

Michigan Fishes• Michigan dominates Great Lakes watershed• Shoreline = 3,288 miles (2nd to Alaska)• Over 35,000 inland lakes and 36,350 miles of rivers• Of 172 Great Lakes species, 153 found in Michigan

Species ListIctaluridae: Ictalurus punctatus – channel catfish

Salmonidae: Salvelinus fontinalis – brook trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss – rainbow trout

Salmo trutta – brown trout

Sciaenidae: Aplodinotus grunniens – freshwater drum

Gasterosteidae: Culaea inconstans – brook stickleback

Amiidae: Amia calva – bowfin

Clupeidae: Dorosoma cepedianum – gizzard shad

Percopsidae: Percopsis omiscomaycus – trout-perch

Aphredoderidae: Aphredoderus sayanus – pirate perch

Lotidae: Lota lota – burbot

Moronidae: Morone chrysops – white bass

Atherinopsidae: Labidesthes sicculus – brook silverside

IctaluridaeCatfishes: family characteristics• Four pairs of barbels• No scales• Adipose fin present• Stout spines in dorsal and

pectoral fins

Ictalurus punctatus – channel catfish• Deeply forked tail• Tail usually with dark margin• Usually dark spots on sides

35 lb CO state record

SalmonidaeTrouts: family characteristics• Body terete to moderately compressed• Single soft-rayed dorsal fin, adipose fin present• Cycloid scales on body, head naked• 18 total Michigan species

Salvelinus fontinalis: brook trout• Head, back, and dorsal fin

vermiculated• Side with light spots (often blue

and red in life)• Leading edge of lower fins white with black inner edge• Caudal fin truncate or shallowly forked

SalmonidaeTrouts: family characteristics• Body terete to moderately compressed• Single soft-rayed dorsal fin, adipose fin

present• Cycloid scales on body, head naked• 18 total Michigan species

Oncorhynchus mykiss: rainbow trout• Oncorhynchus = hooked nose• Back, top of head, dorsal and caudal fins

with many small black spots• Usually pink stripe along side• Adipose usually spotted with black margin

SalmonidaeTrouts: family characteristics• Body terete to moderately

compressed• Single soft-rayed dorsal fin, adipose

fin present• Cycloid scales on body, head naked• 18 total Michigan species

Salmo trutta: brown trout• Lightish brown background color• Side with many orange and red

spots• Adipose orange without black

margin

SciaenidaeDrums: family characteristics• Body compressed and deep• Highly arched lateral line that extends to end of rounded caudal• Two dorsal fins, pelvic fins with one spine, anal fin with two• Ctenoid scales• Snout blunt with almost

horizontal mouth

Aplodinotus grunniens: freshwater drum

• Only species in Michigan• Strongly nocturnal • Large grooved otoliths used to estimate age and migrations

GasterosteidaeSticklebacks: family characteristics• Series of free dorsal spines• Body elongate and compressed• Caudal peduncle slender, naked or with bony plates• Anal fin with single strong spine

Culaea inconstans: brook stickleback• Dorsal spines 5 or 6• Caudal peduncle deeper than

wide, without keel

AmiidaeBowfins: family characteristics• Bony (gular) plate between lower jaw bones• Single long dorsal fin• Cycloid scales• Caudal fin abbreviate

heterocercal

Amia calva: bowfin• A.k.a. dogfish, grinnel• Black spot at caudal fin base• Mottled coloration• Similar to burbot, mudminnow• Only species in this family• Gulp air when oxygen is low

ClupeidaeHerrings and shads: family characteristics• Body compressed• Single dorsal fin, no adipose fin• Thin cycloid scales, head naked

(scaleless)• Spiny scutes on midline of belly• No lateral line

Dorosoma cepedianum: gizzard shad• Posterior ray of dorsal fin elongated• Dorsal fin starts behind pelvic fin

insertion• Snout rounded, mouth subterminal• Dark spot behind operculum

PercopsidaeTrout-perches: family characteristics• Body slender with mod. sized ctenoid scales• Jaws with villiform teeth• Head naked, nostrils narrowly separated• Adipose fin present, caudal deeply forked

Percopsis omiscomaycus: trout-perch• Small silvery fish• Dark spots down lateral line• Dorsal and anal fin each with spine• One of only two species in genus

AphredoderidaePirate perches: family characteristics• Body oblong, heavy forward• Villiform teeth• Caudal fin truncate• Genital aperture and anus migrates

forward to throat in adult

Aphredoderus sayanus: pirate perch• Only species in Michigan• Body dark slate color• Distinct dark caudal bar• Often dark teardrop• 3 dorsal and 2 anal fin spines

LotidaeHakes and burbots: family characteristics• One to three dorsal fins• Chin barbel• Caudal fin rounded

Lota lota: burbot• Dorsal, caudal, anal fins separate• Pelvic fins jugular• Mottled coloration all over body• Similar to American eel• Only species in genus

MoronidaeTemperate basses: family characteristics• Two separate or narrowly joined

dorsal fins• Shallowly forked caudal• 3 spines in anal fin• Opercular spine (separates from

Centrarchidae)

Morone chrysops: white bass• Anal spines graduated in length

(1st shortest, 3rd longest)• Distinct stripes on body

AtherinopsidaeSilversides: family characteristics• Body elongate, terete• Superior mouth• Many small scales• Silver lateral stripe• 2 dorsal fins

Labidesthes sicculus: brook silverside• Mouth formed into short beak• 1st dorsal fin very small• Long anal fin