FORS2355 Vertebrate Natural History: Fish Identification Descriptions
Southern Brook Lamprey -- Petromyzontidae Cyclostomata Petromyzontoidea Vertebrata
Long, wormlike, dark brown; has a suckermouth and a long dorsal fin.
Paddlefish -- Polyodontidae Actinopterygii Acipenseriformes Vertebrata
Nose looks like a paddle; hard anterior; soft exterior
Pirate Perch -- Aphredoderidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Dark brown, long, truncate tail, large dorsal fin, medium-sized; tiny black dots on gills, mouth, and belly. Looks like an old fish.
Brook Silverside -- Atherinopsidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Larger than darters, streamlines with black line; yellow-brown large black eye, short, forked tail, black spots on top of head.
Alligator Gar -- Lepisosteidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Alligator-like scales on back of head; sharp teeth (2 rows on the top jaw); skull is dark in color; bigger than spotted gar and smaller than longnose gar.
Longnose Gar -- Lepisosteidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Very long jaw (largest of the gars); many rows of teeth like sharks; skull is light in color.
Spotted Gar -- Lepisosteidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Obvious spots (dark spots) on head and jaw; smaller than Alligator and Longnose.
Blacktail Redhorse -- Catostomidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Suckers on bottom of the mouth; dark black and red above line; yellow and red on belly; ctenoid scales; yellow fins, black horizontal stripe on bottom tail; forked tail; head is yellow below and dark above (face almost even resembles a horse)
Bullhead Minnow -- Cyprinidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Rounded head, forked tail, dark head, orange-brown above and below the lateral line; tiny black dot on tail, yellow below; base of dorsal.
Blackspot Shiner -- Cyprinidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Streamlined like darter and brook silverside; black spot on base of tail; dark head on top; black stripe below pectoral fins; forked tail; stripe connects at the nose.
Blacktail Shiner -- Cyprinidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Black sot on the base of the tail; bumpy head; white eyes with black pupils; Ganoid scales; forked tail
Creek Chub -- Cyprinidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Orange (light on belly and darker above); small back dorsal fin; yellow tail, anal fin, large nostrils on nose, dark lateral line.
Red Shiner -- Cyprinidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Males have bumps on the head while females are smooth; light brown color with dark brown stripe separating the head from body; ctenoid scales. Dark gill color with no dark spots.
Ribbon Shiner -- Cyprinidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Very small; similar to mosquitofish; small dorsal fin; dark lateral line; yellow-tannish color; forked tail; Iarge dark eye, small clear fins.
Weed Shiner -- Cyprinidae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Light, almost white-yellow on top and bottom; straight almost black lateral line; black spot at the base of the tail, darker below pectoral fin.
Yellow Bullhead -- Ictaluridae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Looks like a small yellow catfish; barbels are a brownish red color; very light tan below; rounded tail; dark on the top of its head; black eyes.
Black Bullhead -- Ictaluridae Actinopterygii Neopterygii Vertebrata
Large, black in color with grey fins (catfish-like); barbels, large mouth, lighter below; long an