Michigan Fishes II

1. Michigan Fishes II 6 November 2012

2. Non-native species 26 total in Michigan! • Petromyzontidae: Petromyzonmarinus– sea lamprey • Anguillidae: Anguilla rostrata – American eel • Clupeidae: Alosapseudoharengus- alewife • Osmeridae: Osmerusmordax – rainbow smelt • Gobiidae:Neogobiusmelanostomus – round goby • Cyprinidae:Cyprinuscarpio– common carp • Salmonidae: Oncorhynchusmykiss – rainbow trout • Salmonidae: Salmotrutta– brown trout • Centrarchidae:Lepomismicrolophus– redear sunfish

3. Threatened species ~35 threatened, endangered, or extirpated in Michigan • Acipenseridae:Acipenserfulvescens – lake sturgeon (T) • Hiodontidae: Hiodontergisus– mooneye (T) • Lepisosteusoculatus– spotted gar (SC) • Noturusstigmosus – northern madtom (EN) • Noturusmiurus– brindled madtom (SC) Source: http://web4.msue.msu.edu/mnfi/data/specialanimals.cfm

4. Commercially important fishes • Esocidae: Esoxmasquinongy– muskellunge • Salmonidae: Coregonusclupeaformis– lake whitefish • Percidae: Stizostedionvitreum– walleye • Centrarchidae • Ambloplitesrupestris – rock bass • Lepomismacrochirus – bluegill • Lepomisgibbosus – pumpkinseed • Micropterus spp. – smallmouth and largemouth bass

5. Misc. • Lepisosteidae: Lepisosteusosseus– longnose gar

6. Petromyzontidae Lampreys: 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 Petromyzonmarinus– 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

7. Anguillidae Freshwater 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

8. Clupeidae Shads 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 Alosapseudoharengus– alewife • Body more elongate and streamlined than Dorosomacepedianum • 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!

9. Osmeridae Smelts: 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! Osmerusmordax – 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

10. Gobiidae Gobies: 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 Neogobiusmelanostomus– 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

11. Non-native review species • Cyprinidae:Cyprinuscarpio– common carp • Native to Eurasia • Records in all states but Alaska • Deteriorates habitat by eating vegetation, increasing turbidity • Salmonidae:Salmotrutta(brown trout) and Oncorhynchusmykiss(rainbow trout) • Both stocked for fisheries • Centrarchidae:Lepomismicrolophus– redearsunfish • Native to Southeast/lower Midwest • Intentionally stocked for sportfishing • Molluscivorous, so may compete with L. gibbosus

12. Acipenseridae Sturgeons: 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 Acipenserfulvescens– 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

13. Hiodontidae Mooneyes: family characteristics • Body compressed and herring-like • Midline of belly keeled but without spiny scutes • Large eye, no adipose fin, single short dorsal fin Hiodontergisus– mooneye • Silvery body • Lateral line distinct • Moth strongly toothed, including toothed plate on tongue • One of only two Osteoglossomorphspp in N America • Impact factors: • Isolated populations • Intolerant to silt and turbidity • Agriculture and industrialization

14. Review threatened species • Ictaluridae: Noturusmiurus& N. stigmosus • Intolerant to pollutants • Sensitive to increased turbidity, siltation, and stream flow alterations • Are in decline all across range • N. miuruscompetes for spawning ground and cover with round goby • Lepisosteidae: Lepisosteusoculatus • Requires clear vegetated water  these habitats in decline across range • Sensitive to siltation, dredging, and harbor improvements

15. Esocidae Pikes: family characteristics • Body elongate, terete • Single dorsal, opposed to anal, far back on body • Snout duck-like with canine teeth • Caudal fin forked Esoxmusquinongy– 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

16. Salmonidae Trouts: family characteristics • Body terete to moderately compressed • Single soft-rayed dorsal fin, adipose fin present • Cycloid scales on body, head naked Coregonusclupeaformis– 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

17. Percidae Perches: 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 Stizostedionvitreum- 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

18. Lepisosteidae Gars: family characteristics • Body elongate with ganoid (rhombic) scales • Snout and jaws extended into strong flattened beak with conical teeth • Caudal fin abbreviate heterocercal Lepisosteusosseus– longnose gar • Snout beak-like, long and narrow • Head not spotted • Black streak across body • Grows to 72” in length