Fishes of Berrien County, Michigan

Historically known as Pisces, the ray-finned fishes are now grouped together in the Class Actinopterygii. Based on specimen records and distribution maps, 101 species representing 17 orders, 24 families, and 58 genera of ray-finned fishes are known from the lakes, rivers, and streams Berrien County or immediately adjacent waters of Lake Michigan. In the list below, an asterisk (*) denotes existence of a voucher specimen (Michigan DNR nd), a plus sign (+) denotes an accepted field identification not supported by voucher specimen (ibid.), a hat (^) denotes reported presence in Berrien County portion of the St. Joseph River and its tributaries based on distribution maps (MDNR 1999a, 1999b, and 1999c [all .pdf]), an [I] denotes a species established through direct or indirect intervention of humans, and an {SF} denotes a species for which annual sportfish regulations are established:

ORDER ACIPENSIFORMES (Sturgeons and Paddlefish)

Family Acipenseridae (Sturgeons):

Acipenser fulvescens, Lake Sturgeon+^ {SF}

Family Polyodontidae (Paddlefishes):

Polyodon spathula, Paddlefish+

ORDER SEMIONOTIFORMES (Gars)

Family Lepisosteidae (Gars):

Lepisosteus oculeatus, Spotted Gar+^

Lepisosteus osseus, Longnose Gar+^

ORDER AMIIFORMES (Bowfins)

Family Amiidae (Bowfins):

Amia calva, Bowfin*^

ORDER ANGUILLIDAE (Freshwater Eels)

Family Anguillidae (Freshwater Eels):

Anguilla rostrata, American Eel^ [I]

ORDER CLUPEIFORMES (Herrings)

Family Clupeidae (Herrings):

Alosa pseudoharengus, Alewife+^ [I]

Dorosoma cepedianum, Gizzard Shad*^

ORDER CYPRINIFORMES (Carps and Minnows)

Family Cyprinidae (Carps and Minnows):

Camposotoma anomalum, Central Stoneroller*^

Carassius auratus, Goldfish+^ [I]

Couesius plumbeus, Lake Chub*

Cyprinella spiloptera, Spotfin Shiner*^

Cyprinus carpio, Common Carp+^ [I]

Hybognathus hankinsoni, Brassy Minnow^

Luxilus chrysocephalus, Striped Shiner*

Luxilus cornutus, Common Shiner*^

Nocomis biguttatus, Hornyhead Chub*^

Nocomis micropogon, River Chub^

Notemigonus crysoleucos, Golden Shiner*^

Notropis atherinoides, Emerald Shiner*^

Notropis heterodon, Blackchin Shiner+^

Notropis heterolepis, Blacknose Shiner*^

Notropis hudsonius, Spottail Shiner+^

Notropis rubellus, Rosyface Shiner*^

Notropis stramineus, Sand Shiner*^

Notropis volucellus, Mimic Shiner*^

Pimephales notatus, Bluntnose Minnow*^

Pimephales promelas, Fathead Minnow+

Rhinichthys cataractae, Longnose Dace+^

Rhinichthys obtusus, Western Blacknose Dace*

Semotilus atromaculatus, Creek Chub*^

ORDER CYPRINIFORMES (Suckers)

Family Catostomidae (Suckers):

Carpiodes cyprinus, Quillback*^

Catostomus catostomus, Longnose Sucker*^

Catostomus commersonii, White Sucker*^

Erimyzon sucetta, Lake Chubsucker^

Nypentelium nigricans, Northern Hog Sucker*^

Ictiobus niger, Black Buffalo^ [I]

Minytrema melanops, Spotted Sucker+^

Moxostoma anisurum, Silver Redhorse*^

Moxostoma carinatum, River Redhorse+^

Moxostoma duquesnei, Black Redhorse+^

Moxostoma erythrurum, Golden Redhorse*

Mosostoma macrolepidotum, Shorthead Redhorse*^

Moxostoma valenciennesi, Greater Redhorse+

ORDER SILURIFORMES (Catfishes)

Family Ictaluridae (Bullhead Catfishes):

Ameiurus melus, Black Bullhead*^

Ameiurus natalis, Yellow Bullhead*^

Ameiurus nebulosus, Brown Bullhead^

Ictalurus punctatus, Channel Catfish+^ {SF}

Noturus flavus, Stonecat+^

Noturus gyrinus, Tadpole Madtom+^

Pylodictis olivaris, Flathead Catfish+^ {SF}

ORDER ESOCIFORMES (Mudminnows and Pikes)

Family Esocidae (Pickerels and Pikes):

Esox americanus, Grass Pickerel*^

Esox lucius, Northern Pike+^ {SF}

Family Umbridae (Mudminnows):

Umbra limi, Central Mudminnow*^

ORDER OSMERIFORMES (Smelts)

Family Osmeridae (Smelts):

Osmerus mordax, Rainbow Smelt* [I]

ORDER SALMONIFORMES (Salmons)

Family Salmonidae (Trouts and Salmons):

Corregonus artedi, Lake Herring+ {SF}

Corregonus clupeaformis, Lake Whitefish+^ {SF}

Corregonus hoyi, Bloater+

Corregonus reighardi, Shortnose Cisco+

Corregonus zenithicus, Shortjaw Cisco+

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, Pink Salmon^ [I] {SF}

Oncorhynchus kisutch, Coho Salmon+^ [I] {SF}

Oncorhynchus mykiss, Rainbow Trout*^ [I] {SF}

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, Chinook Salmon+^ [I] {SF}

Prosopium cylindraceum, Round Whitefish+^

Salmo salar, Atlantic Salmon^ [I] {SF}

Salmo trutta, Brown Trout*^ [I] {SF}

Salvelinus fontinalis, Brook Trout*^ {SF}

Salvelinus namaycush, Lake Trout+^ {SF}

ORDER PERCOPSIFORMES (Trout-Perches)

Family Aphredoderidae (Pirate Perches):

Aphredoderus sayanus, Pirate Perch+^

ORDER GADIFORMES (Cods)

Family Gadidae (Cods):

Lota lota, Burbot*^

ORDER CYPRINODONTIFORMES (Killifishes)

Family Fundulidae (Topminnows):

Fundulus dispar, Starhead Topminnow*

Fundulus notatus, Blackstripe Topminnow*^

ORDER ATHERINIFORMES (Silversides)

Family Atherinidae (Silversides):
Labidesthes sicculus, Brook Silverside*^

ORDER GASTEROSTEIFORMES (Sticklebacks)

Family Gasterosteidae (Sticklebacks):

Cluaea inconstans, Brook Stickleback^

Gasterosteus aculeatus, Threespine Stickleback+ [I]

Pungitius pungitius, Ninespine Stickleback+

ORDER SCORPAENIFORMES (Sculpins)

Family Cottidae (Sculpins):

Cottus bairdii, Mottled Sculpin*^

Cottus cognatus, Slimy Sculpin+^

ORDER PERCIFORMES (Perch-like Fishes)

Family Moronidae (Striped Basses):

Morone americana, White Perch+ [I]

Morone chrysops, White Bass+ {SF}

Family Centrarchidae (Sunfishes):

Ambloplites rupestris, Rock Bass*^ {SF}

Lepomis cyanellus, Green Sunfish*^ {SF}

Lepomis gibbosus, Pumpkinseed*^ {SF}

Lepomis gulosus, Warmouth+^ {SF}

Lepomis macrochirus, Bluegill*^ {SF}

Lepomis microlophus, Redear Sunfish+ {SF}

Lepomis peltastes, Northern Longear Sunfish+^ {SF}

Micropterus dolomieu, Smallmouth Bass+^ {SF}

Micropterus salmoides, Largemouth Bass*^ {SF}

Pomoxis annularis, White Crappie+^ {SF}

Pomoxis nigromaculatus, Black Crappie*^ {SF}

Family Percidae (True Perches):

Etheostoma blennioides, Greenside Darter^

Etheostoma caeruleum, Rainbow Darter*^

Ehteostoma nigrum, Johnny Darter*^

Perca flavescens, Yellow Perch+^ {SF}

Percina caprodes, Logperch*^

Percina maculata, Blackside Darter*^

Sander vitreus, Walleye+^ [I] {SF}

Family Sciaenidae (Drums):

Aplodinotus grunniens, Freshwater Drum+^

Family Gobiidae (Gobies):

Neogobius melanostomus, Round Goby+ [I]