I want to share with you a native fish and minnow that we have covered here before. These fish just seem to be a fan favorite and always amaze me whenever I find them! Today’s fish is the Central Stoneroller (Campostoma analomalum). For more detailed information on this fish, make sure to check out the previous article "The Original Rolling Stone"! Pictured here is a male Central Stoneroller with breeding colors and tubercles along his head, Paul DeRolf, from the Zumbro River, Rochester, MN during the NANFA convention. A huge thank you to everyone that helped me with collecting and photograph ..read more

A male Spotfin Shiner from the Root River in Whalan, MN with breeding colors and tubercles on his head I want to share with you a native fish that is often subtle in appearance until the males get their spawning colors in the late spring and early summer. This week is the Spotfin Shiner (Cyprinella spiloptera). Etymology: Cyprinella from Latin cyprinus = carp; spiloptera from spilos = spot, and pteron = wing or fin, referring to the black spots at the rear of their dorsal fin. They occur in a variety of habitats from large rivers to medium streams, even in lakes and reservoirs. They typically ..read more

For today’s Macroinvertebrate post I present to you the Feathermouth Caddisfly (Ptilostomis sp.), from the Giant Casemaker (Phyrganeidae) family. There are at least four described species of Ptilostomis. Ptilostomis means “feathermouth,” referring to the fine filaments in their mouth as larvae. Ptilostomis in its long case made of shredded leaves and grasses The larvae of these species use various organic material to construct their large case(s). They are most often found in wetlands, swamps, lakes, and slack/slow-water areas of rivers and streams. Ptilostomis profile view showing the large ..read more

Happy Macroinvertebrate Monday from the American Salmonfly/Giant Black Stonefly (Pteronarcys dorsata)! These are the largest species of stonefly in the eastern and midwestern United States. They reside in moderate- to high-gradient streams. These streams are primarily cold-water, some often cool-water, with high levels of dissolved oxygen. During months with warmer water temps, P. dorsata nymphs have been found living in mats of aquatic vegetation when present. Dorsal view highlighting the large, armor-like plates on their pronotum and thorax P. dorsata are a popular species to imitate with n ..read more

Happy Fish Friday everyone! This one was a fun surprise and not easy to get a picture of. Shown here is a Northern Logperch x Blackside Darter (Percina semifasciata x maculata). Between quick flows, a non-stop darting darter, and dodging kayakers above me, I was able to snap a handful of images, with this one being the best. Northern Logperch x Blackside Darter hybrid holding position in quick flows of Pigeon Creek Behavior-wise, this individual acted similar to a Logperch staying in the rocky (and corbicula-riddled) substrate. It would dig into the interstitial spaces (openings between rocks ..read more

The Northern Brook Lamprey (Ichthyomyzon fossor) is a native, non-parasitic lamprey species that occupies small to medium sized streams. They have a small mouth, with poorly developed teeth. Their dorsal fin is unnotched and continuous with their caudal and anal fins. Adults of this species grow to roughly 5.6” and the larvae (ammocoetes) can grow up to 6.5”. Adult Northern Brook Lamprey occupy small to medium-sized streams and clear brooks. They prefer riffles with swift current over clean sand and gravel substrates. The ammocoetes live in larger streams where they burrow into soft substrate ..read more

The Variegate Darter (Etheostoma variatum) was described in 1838 by the famed Buckeye Naturalist, J. P. Kirtland. Etheostoma means "strained mouth," possibly referring to the size and position of the mouths for this group of fishes. The name variatum roughly translates to "a variance," describing how different and unique this fish looks compared to its cousins. Kirtland described these fish as "gaudy," while Milton Trautman compared them to something from a children's coloring book. Variegate Darters are members of the Perch Family, which contains roughly 250 species of darters! Comparison of ..read more

The Streamline Chub (Erimystax dissimilis) was described in 1840 by Ohio naturalist Jared Potter Kirtland. The name Erimystax means "a lot of mustache," referring to the thick stripe that wraps around their snout. dissimilis means "dissimilar," most likely describing the spots on their sides. These fish fall into the Family of minnows and shiners, which for North America has roughly 320 unique species! Fortunately, the subject for our article is not just some "shiny thing," but have unique characteristics that set them apart from their cousins. Streamline Chubs are identified by their long, sl ..read more

Happy Fish Friday, everyone! This week I wanted to showcase a more common but still beautiful fish. Now, everyone that fishes or works with fishes have most likely come across this species at least once, if not thousands of times. I present to you the Green Sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus). Their defining characteristics are the following: elongated body, laterally compressed and heavy, large head and mouth, with a smooth tongue (lacks tooth patch), and 3-5 wavy blue lines on their face. They are often olive-green on their backs and yellowish-white on their stomachs. They have lines of iridescent b ..read more

The Brindled Madtom (Noturus miurus) was described in 1877 by famed ichthyologist David Starr Jordan. The name Noturus means "back tail," coming from their connected adipose and caudal (tail) fins; miurus means curtailed, most likely from the short appearance of these fish. Based on the looks of this species, one can assume it's related to the larger and more famous Channel or Flathead Catfish. The main characters that distinguishes them from their big cousins are the rounded tail fin and connected adipose fin (see pictures). The Brindled Madtom also only reaches a maximum length of roughly 5 ..read more