FishesofIdaho

Mr.WalkerVertebrateZoology

(Clupeidae)HerringsFamily

AmericanShad(Alosasapidissima)• MostpopularspeciesinIdaho:

– AmericanShad(Alosasapidissima)

• Location:TheywerestockedintheBearRiver, Idaho

• UniqueCharacteristic:Shadsandherringsaresoft-rayedfisheswithlarge,silveryscalesandunusuallyasaw-toothedbelly.Usedasfoodfishesforfisheries.

FamilySalmonidaeTrouts,salmons,whitefishes,

andgraylings18SpeciesinIdaho:• Mostpopularspecies:

– Rainbowtrout(Oncorhynchusmykiss)

– Cutthroattrout(Oncorhynchus clarkii)

– BrownTrout(Salmo trutta)– Steelhead(Oncorhynchus

mykiss)– Brooktrout(Salvelinus

fontinalis)

OtherSalmonids

• Location:TheyarefoundthroughoutIdaho.SuchastheSnakeRiver.

• UniqueCharacteristic:thepresenceofanadiposefinandapelvicappendage.Threeupturnedcaudalvertebraeformthebaseofthecaudel fin.

WhitefishandGraylings

(Cichlidae)Tilapia

3SpeciesinIdaho• Popularspecies:

– Convictcichlid(Archocentrusnigrofasciatus)

– Mozambiquetilapia(Tilapiamossambica)

– Redbelly tilapia(Tilapiazilli)• Location:LittleLostCreek,Barney

HotSprings,Idaho• UniqueCharacteristic:asingle

nostrilopeningoneachsideofthehead(vs.twoopeningsincentrarchids)andthepresenceofadiscontinuousortwo-partlateralline.

(Poecilliidae)Guppys andMosquitofish

4SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– EasternMosquitofish(Gambusia holbrooki)

– Guppy(Poecilia reticulata)

• Locations:SnakeRiverbelowShoshoneFalls

• UniqueCharacteristics:asmall,live-bearingfish,isdullgreyorbrownincolorwithnobarsofbandsonthesides,andhasaroundedtail.

(Ictaluridae)Catfishes

6SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– ChannelCatfish(Ictaluruspunctatus)

– Blackbullhead(Ameiurusmelas)

• Location:AmericanFallsReservoir,BrownleeReservoir,CJStrikeReservoir,CascadeReservoir,CoeurD'AleneLake,CraneCreekReservoir,HaydenLake,HellsCanyonReservoir,LakeLowell,LakePendOreille,MannLake,MudLake,PaddockValleyReservoir,PriestLake,SalmonFallsCreekReservoirandSpiritLake.

• UniqueCharacteristics:Whisker-likebarbels ontheirheads.

(Gadidae)Codfishes

1SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– LingBurbot (Lota lota)• Location:InIdaho,Burbot are

nativeonlytotheKootenaiRiver,wherethepopulationhasdeclinedsincetheconstructionofLibbyDam.

• UniqueCharacteristics: eel-likeappearance,roundtail,andasinglebarbel (whisker)protrudingfromtheirlowerjaw.

(Petromyzonidae)Lampreys

1SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:Pacific

Lamprey(Lampetra tridentata)• Location:StreamsandRivers

thatreturntothePacificOcean.

• UniqueCharacteristic:apredaciousparasitethatfeedsoffoflivefish.Lampreyshaveacircularsuction-cupmouththatislinedwithhook-liketeeth.

(Cyprinidae)Minnows

17SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– CommonCarp(Cyprinus carpio)– UtahChub(Gilaatraria)

• Locations:Locatedinlakesandstreamsthroughoutthestate.MudLakehastheUtahChub.

• UniqueCharacteristics:cycloidscalesandsoftfinrays.Thepelvicfinsaresituatedbehindthepectorals.Havepharyngealteeth.

(Percidae)Perches

2SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– Walleye(Sandervitreus)– YellowPerch(Perca

flavescens)• Locations:Reservoirs

throughoutthestate.RirieReservoirhasYellowPerch.

• UniqueCharacteristics:Spinyrayedfishhavingctenoid scales.Pelvicfinsforwardonthebody.

(Esocidae)Pikes

3SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– Muskellunge(Esox masquinongy)– NorthernPike(Esox lucius)

• Locations: CoeurD'AleneLake,LakePendOreille,DworshakReservoir,CrookedRiver,CascadeReservoir,CJStrikeReservoir,AmericanFallsReservoir,BearLake,LakeWalcottandPriestLake

• UniqueCharacteristics:Elongatesnout(Likeaduck).Elongatedbodyanddorsalfinsituatedfarbackonthebody.

(Cottidae)Sculpins

9SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– Mottledsculpin (Cottus bairdii)– BearLakesculpin (Cottus extensus)– NEWCedarSculpin (Cottus

schitsu’umsh)• Locations: itisfoundintheSnake

RiverandtributariesaboveShoshoneFalls,theBearRiverbasin,andtheClearwaterandSalmonRiversandsomeoftheirtributaries.

• UniqueCharacteristic:Spinyrayedfisheswithasuborbital“Stay”intheskull,aposteriorextensionofthethirdsuborbitalbone.Coldwaterriffledwellers!

(Acipenseridae)Sturgeons

1SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– Whitesturgeon(Acipensertransmontanus)

• Location:intheSnakeandKootenairivers.

• UniqueCharacteristics:Sturgeonshavecartilaginousskeletonswithapersistentnotochord,aprotractiletube-likemouth,andsensorybarbels ontheundersideofthesnout.Whitesturgeonsarelargefisheswith11to14dorsal,36to48lateral,and9to12ventralscutes (bonyplates).

(Catostomidae)Suckers

6SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– Utahsucker(Catostomousardens)

– Bluehead sucker(Catostomusdiscobolus)

• Locations:StatewidelocationsincludingtheSnakeRiver.

• UniqueCharacteristics:bottom-dwellingfishwithaninferiormouthwhichenablesthemtofeedfromthesubstrate.

(Centrarchidae)Sunfishes

7SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– LargemouthBass(Micropterussalmoides)

– Bluegill(Lepomis macrochirus)– BlackCrappie(Pomoxis

nigromaculatus)• Locations:Statewidein

reservoirs.SmallmouthBasscanbefoundinRirie Reservoir.

• UniqueCharacteristics:Spinyrayedfisheswithadorsalfinmadeofaspinyandsoftportion.

(Percopsidae)Troutperches

1SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– Sandroller(Percopsistransmontana)

• Location:theClearwaterRiver

• UniqueCharacteristics: TheyaretheIdahospeciesoffishwithaadiposefinlikeatroutandroughscaleslikeaperch.

(Cobitidae)Weatherfish

1SpeciesinIdaho• PopularSpecies:

– Orientalweatherfish (Misgumusanguillicaudatus)

• Location:thelowerBoiseandPayetteriversandassociatedirrigationditches.

• UniqueCharacteristics:Thesefishcansurviveoverthewinterinde-wateredditchesbyburyingintothemud,andemergingagainthefollowingspringafterthewateristurnedbackon. Theoriginofthenameweatherfish isduetotheirhabitofrespondingtochangesinbarometricpressurebybecomingveryactiveandswimminginrapidcirclesjustbeforemajorweatherchanges.