Michigan Fishes II

6 November 2012

Non-native species26 total in Michigan!• Petromyzontidae: Petromyzon marinus – sea lamprey• Anguillidae: Anguilla rostrata – American eel• Clupeidae: Alosa pseudoharengus - alewife• Osmeridae: Osmerus mordax – rainbow smelt• Gobiidae: Neogobius melanostomus – round goby

• Cyprinidae: Cyprinus carpio – common carp• Salmonidae: Oncorhynchus mykiss – rainbow trout• Salmonidae: Salmo trutta – brown trout• Centrarchidae: Lepomis microlophus – redear sunfish

Threatened species

~35 threatened, endangered, or extirpated in Michigan• Acipenseridae: Acipenser fulvescens – lake sturgeon (T)• Hiodontidae: Hiodon tergisus – mooneye (T)

• Lepisosteus oculatus – spotted gar (SC)• Noturus stigmosus – northern madtom (EN)• Noturus miurus – brindled madtom (SC)

Source: http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/data/specialanimals.cfm

Commercially important fishes• Esocidae: Esox masquinongy – muskellunge• Salmonidae: Coregonus clupeaformis – lake whitefish• Percidae: Stizostedion vitreum – walleye

• Centrarchidae – Ambloplites rupestris – rock bass– Lepomis macrochirus – bluegill – Lepomis gibbosus – pumpkinseed – Micropterus spp. – smallmouth and largemouth bass

Misc.

• Lepisosteidae: Lepisosteus osseus – longnose gar

PetromyzontidaeLampreys: family characteristics• Body eel-like• Mouth is a sucking disc• No jaws, no paired fins, no scales• Single median nostril• Seven external gill openings on each side

Petromyzon marinus – sea lamprey• Separate dorsal fins• Teeth in radiating rows• Adults parasitic – disc as wide as body• Big – commonly 30-60 cm or more• Native to Finger Lakes of New York, introduced to Great Lakes in mid-1800s, decimated local fish

populations in 1930s and 40s• Control efforts, including electric current, chemical lampricides, and barriers, vary in success

AnguillidaeFreshwater eels: family characteristics• Body anguilliform• Pectoral fins present, pelvic fins absent• Terminal mouth, jaws well toothed• Small, embedded, linear scales• Median fins (dorsal, caudal, anal) continuous

Anguilla rostrata – American eel• Sharp pointed head, jaws present• Only eel species in Michigan • Catadromous• Leptocephalus larval stage• Introduced to Great Lakes in 1800s – stocked in rivers in Illinois, thrown overboard from ships

carrying them as rations• Impacts in Michigan unknown, but in Texas and S. Carolina have brought Asian nematode

ClupeidaeShads and herrings: family characteristics• Compressed body• Thin cycloid scales• Head naked• Midline of belly with spiny scutes• No lateral line• Gill rakers numerous and long

Alosa pseudoharengus – alewife• Body more elongate and streamlined than Dorosoma cepedianum • Upper margin of mandible forms strong shoulder• Invaded Lake Ontario in late 1800s, successful due to overfishing of large Salmonid predators• Distributed to Great Lakes in mid-1900s• Impact: restructures food web• May be responsible for decline of native salmonids (e.g., lake herring, arctic grayling)• Periodic large-scale die-offs in 1960s annoying and a health hazard!

OsmeridaeSmelts: family characteristics• Body slender and compressed• Single soft-rayed dorsal fin• Adipose fin• Head naked, body scales cycloid, mod. size• Large mouth with strong teeth• Tongue with fangs!

Osmerus mordax – rainbow smelt• Only Osmerid in Michigan • Long slender body• Closely resembles Salmonids (both families in Order Salmoniformes)• Like many salmon species, spawn in streams (in this species, in early spring)• Rainbow smelt eggs were stocked in 1912 in Crystal Lake which drains into Lake Michigan• Now commercial fishery • May have contributed to loss of blue pike from Great Lakes, compete with juvenile lake trout

GobiidaeGobies: family characteristics• Large head, sharp teeth, usually terminal mouth• Two dorsal fins• Flexible spine at beginning of anal fin and 2nd dorsal fin • Pelvic fins fused to form disc-like cup• Family extremely speciose

Neogobius melanostomus– round goby• No opercular spines – distinguish from?• Black spot at posterior of first dorsal fin• Native to Eurasia• Compete with native species for food• Feed on eggs and fry of sculpin and darters

Non-native review species• Cyprinidae: Cyprinus carpio – common carp

– Native to Eurasia– Records in all states but Alaska– Deteriorates habitat by eating vegetation, increasing turbidity

• Salmonidae: Salmo trutta (brown trout) and Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout)– Both stocked for fisheries

• Centrarchidae: Lepomis microlophus – redear sunfish– Native to Southeast/lower Midwest– Intentionally stocked for sportfishing– Molluscivorous, so may compete with L. gibbosus

AcipenseridaeSturgeons: family characteristics• Body with five rows of bony plates• Caudal fin heterocercal• Mouth ventral and protrusible• Conical snout with two pairs of elongate

barbels• Partly cartilaginous skeleton

Acipenser fulvescens – lake sturgeon• Juveniles with long, pointed nose and large bony plates• Barbels (usually 4) surround mouth• Threatened due to:

– Overharvesting– Pollution– Closing of migratory channels

HiodontidaeMooneyes: family characteristics• Body compressed and herring-like• Midline of belly keeled but without spiny scutes• Large eye, no adipose fin, single short dorsal fin

Hiodon tergisus – mooneye• Silvery body• Lateral line distinct• Moth strongly toothed, including toothed

plate on tongue• One of only two Osteoglossomorph spp in N America• Impact factors:

– Isolated populations– Intolerant to silt and turbidity– Agriculture and industrialization

Review threatened species• Ictaluridae: Noturus miurus & N. stigmosus

– Intolerant to pollutants– Sensitive to increased turbidity, siltation, and stream flow alterations– Are in decline all across range– N. miurus competes for spawning ground and cover with round goby

• Lepisosteidae: Lepisosteus oculatus– Requires clear vegetated water these habitats in decline across

range– Sensitive to siltation, dredging, and harbor improvements

EsocidaePikes: family characteristics • Body elongate, terete• Single dorsal, opposed to anal, far back on body• Snout duck-like with canine teeth• Caudal fin forked

Esox musquinongy – muskellunge• Scales on only upper half of

cheek and opercle• Dorsal, caudal, and anal fins

with dusky spots• Dark bars on light background

(not always visible in large specimens)

• “Legendary for its size” – record 65” and 70 lb

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

Coregonus clupeaformis – lake whitefish• Mouth subterminal• Snout rounded• Axillary scale present• Two flaps between nostrils• Most important commercial fish in lakes Ontario and Huron

– More than $5mill in catches from these two lakes in 1 yr

• Critical component in Lake Michigan commercial fishery • Popular sport fish in all of the Great Lakes

PercidaePerches: family characteristics• Body usually elongate• Two dorsal fins that may be

contiguous or separate• Anal fin with 1 or 2 spines• Lateral line usually complete

Stizostedion vitreum - walleye• Dusky blotch on webbing between last 3 dorsal

spines (1st dorsal)• Tip of lower lobe of caudal fin and anal fin white• Grow to 25” and 5 lb• In peak years, make up half the value of

Lake Erie fishery

LepisosteidaeGars: family characteristics• Body elongate with ganoid (rhombic) scales• Snout and jaws extended into strong flattened

beak with conical teeth• Caudal fin abbreviate heterocercal

Lepisosteus osseus – longnose gar• Snout beak-like, long and narrow• Head not spotted• Black streak across body• Grows to 72” in length