Fish Identification - Texas Commission on Environmental ...

1 Fish IdentificationReferences Hubbs, C., Edwards, and Garrett. 2008. An annotatedchecklist of the freshwater fishes of Texas , with keys to Identification of species. Texas Academy of Science. Available from: Page, and Burr. 2011. Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes, second edition. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade and Reference Publishers. Pflieger, 1997. The Fishes of Missouri. Missouri Department of Conservation. Thomas, C., Bonner, and Whiteside. 2007. Freshwater Fishes of Texas . Texas A&M University Press, College Station, Texas . Robison, and Buchanan. 1988. Fishes of Arkansas. The University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, Ganoid scales Beaklike snoutAlligator Gar: Teeth on upper jaw in two rowsGarsSpotted Gar: One row of teeth on upper jaw, Snout shortLongnose Gar: One row of teeth on upper jaw, Snout long and narrowHerrings Lateral line absent Keel along bellyGizzard Shad: Subterminalmouth, blunt snout, large spotThreadfin Shad: Terminal mouth, pointed snout, small spotMinnowsCampostoma Cartilaginous ridge on lower jaw Intestine long, wound around air bladderChad ThomasCyprinella Typically deep-bodied minnows Dorsal fin with pigment between raysRed Shiner.

2 Dark shoulder patch, chin barBlacktail Shiner: Distinct caudal spotCyprinellaNotemigonusGolden Shiner: Lateral line greatly decurvedMacrhybopsisChubs: Maxillary barbelspresent, most with specklingDifferentiate by locationChad ThomasDiondaRoundnoseMinnows: Black band through eye and around snout, Caudal spot, long coiled intestinesDifferentiate by locationChad ThomasPimephalesBullhead Minnow: Crowded predorsalscales, caudal spotDorsal fin pigmentPimephalesNotropisSmalleyeShinerI roncolor ShinerChihuahua ShinerSabine ShinerSilverbandShinerWeed ShinerTaillight Shiner Typically slender-bodied, silver minnowsPhotos: Chad ThomasElevated scales Ghost Shiner and Mimic ShinerChad ThomasCyprinusCommon Carp: Upper jaw with barbels, long dorsal fin with serrated spineSuckers Mouth adapted for sucking Pharyngeal teeth comblike, more than 7 IctiobusSmallmouth Buffalo: Deep-bodied, long dorsal fin, subopercleroundedCarpiodesRiver Carpsucker: Deep-bodied, long dorsal fin, subopercletraingularMoxostomaGray Redhorse: Elongate body, Short Dorsal finBullhead CatfishesBlack Bullhead: Dark chin barbelsYellow Bullhead.

3 Light chin barbels Caudal fin emarginate, adipose fin freeFlathead Catfish Caudal fin emarginate, adipose fin free Head depressed dorsallyBlue Catfish: Forked tail, straight anal fish with 30-36 raysChannel Catfish: Forked tail, rounded anal fish with 24-29 raysMadtoms Rounded caudal fin, adipose fin connectedTadpole Madtom: Jaws equalFreckled Madtom: Lower jaw underslungChad ThomasSuckermouth Catfishes Armored scales dorsally, unscaled ventrally Dorsal fin ray count differentiates genusLivebearers Males with modified anal fin, GonopodiumGambusia: Dorsal fin behind anal fin, rounded caudal finMales smaller and with gonopodiumKillifishesBlackstripeTopminno w: Spots lighter than stripeBlackspot Topminnow: Spots as dark/darker than stripeSunfishes, Black BassesLargemouth Bass: Dorsal fin with deep notchMouth extends beyond eye in adultsNo tooth patch on tongueGuadalupe, Spotted Bass: Dorsal fin with shallow notchMouth doesn t extend beyond eye in adultsTooth patch on tongueDifferentiate based on location, habitatCrappieWhite crappie : 6 dorsal fin spinesBlack crappie : Checkerboard pattern, 7-8 dorsal fin spines Dorsal fin with 6-8 spinesWarmouth.

4 Large mouth (Bass-like), tooth patch on tongueLong gill rakersRedearSunfish: Small mouth, Long pectoral finOperclestiffBluegillLongearSunfishRed breast SunfishGreen SunfishOrangespottedSunfishRedearSunfish Photos: Chad ThomasRedspottedSunfish: Rows of red spots on adultsShort pectoral fins, Operclestiff, Med gill rakersTemperate Basses Operclewith a spine Two dorsal finsWhite Bass: Dorsal fins separateTeeth in single patch on tongueStripes continuousStriped Bass: Dorsal fins separateTeeth in two patches on tongueStripes continuousCichlidsRio Grande Cichlid: Anal fin spines 5-6 Two dark spots: one mid-body, one caudalTilapia: Anal fin spines less than 5 Gill rakersand teeth differentiate speciesPerches Two dorsal fins, Elongated bodiesPercinaPercinadarters: With dark rectangular/round lateral blotchesLogperch: Conical snout, very elongateBody with alternating dark, light stripesEtheostomaDarters: Typically smaller than PercinaBars or mottled patternBreeding colors in malesDrumFreshwater Drum: Deep-bodied, long dorsal finLittle pigment, mouth inferior