Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk Counties, Kansas Part 10

_Arkansas River Fauna_

This fauna contained _Notropis girardi_, _Notropis blennius_, _Hybopsis aestivalis tetranemus_, and _Fundulus kansae_ which, in this area, did not seem to wander far from the sandy main stream of the Arkansas.

Minnows abounded; _Notropis lutrensis_ and _N. deliciosus missuriensis_ predominated; and _Notropis girardi_, _N. percobromus_, and _Hybognathus placita_ were common. In quiet backwaters, coves, and shallow pools _Gambusia affinis_ occurred in great numbers. _Lepisosteus osseus_ seemed to be the most important predator.

_Lower Walnut River Fauna_

The Walnut River in Cowley County supported large populations of deep-bodied suckers, carp, and gar. _Notropis lutrensis_ and _N.

percobromus_ were characteristic minnows. _Lepomis_ _humilis_ abounded at some stations. The fauna of the main stream of the Walnut River was somewhat intermediate between that of the Arkansas River and that of the three streams considered below. Fifteen of the species common to the Big Caney, Elk, and Grouse systems were also taken in the Walnut River main stream. Thirteen species were common to the Walnut and Arkansas rivers.

Seven species were common to all these streams.

_Caney-Elk-Grouse Main Stream Fauna_

This fauna includes fishes living not only in the main streams but also in the lower parts of the larger tributaries of these streams. The fauna was comparatively rich: in the main stream of Big Caney River 39 species were taken, in Grouse Creek 35 species, in the Walnut River main stream 21 species, and in the Arkansas River 19 species. It has been pointed out that large rivers such as the Walnut and Arkansas have been subjected to greater direct and indirect modification by man, possibly resulting in a less diverse fauna than would otherwise occur in these streams. At present, there is a paucity of ecological niches in the upland tributaries and large rivers, as compared with streams of intermediate size. Fishes typical of the Caney-Elk-Grouse a.s.sociation were _Notropis umbratilis_, _Lepomis megalotis_, _Lepomis humilis_, _Labidesthes sicculus_, _Fundulus notatus_, and the two species of _Micropterus (Micropterus punctulatus_ was not taken in Grouse Creek).

_Upland Tributary Fauna_

Tributary faunas were divisible into two categories: (1) Those of the Walnut River and Grouse Creek (intermittency was severe, species were few, with _Ictalurus melas_ and _Lepomis cyanellus_ predominating); (2) those of Big Caney River (stream-flow was more stable, and eastern fishes, some of which have Ozarkian affinities, occurred in greater abundance than in any other part of the area surveyed). In the latter streams _Campostoma anomalum_ and _Etheostoma spectabile_ usually were dominant. _Pimephales notatus_, _Notropis volucellus_, _N. camurus_, _N.

boops_, and _N. rubellus_ characteristically occurred. _Notropis lutrensis_ was spa.r.s.ely represented in flowing tributaries. _Notropis umbratilis_, which seems to prefer habitats intermediate between those of _Notropis lutrensis_ and Ozarkian shiners, was usually represented.

Deep-bodied suckers and carp were not taken in upland tributaries but _Moxostoma erythrurum_ was common and _Minytrema melanops_ was taken.

The kinds and numbers of shiners (_Notropis_) taken at different points along Grouse Creek seem significant. _N. lutrensis_ and _N. umbratilis_ occurred throughout the stream but were rare in sluggish areas where populations of _Gambusia affinis_, _Fundulus notatus_, and _Labidesthes sicculus_ flourished. At the lowermost station _Notropis percobromus_ and _N. buchanani_ were taken; these were not present in other collections. In the uppermost stations where water remained plentiful, _N. boops_ and _N. volucellus_ were taken, and _N. rubellus_ has been recorded.

In the broader distributional sense those fishes that seemed most tolerant of intermittency (_Lepomis cyanellus_, _Lepomis humilis_, _Ictalurus melas_, _Notropis lutrensis_) are widely distributed in the Arkansas River Basin, and are common in the western part of the Arkansas River Basin. Species less tolerant of intermittency are _Notropis boops_, _Notropis camurus_, _Notropis rubellus_, _Notropis volucellus_, and _Pimephales tenellus_; they have not been taken far west of the area studied, and become more common east of it.

LITERATURE CITED

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BREUKELMAN, J.

1940. A collection of fishes in the State University Museum. Trans.

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FLORA, S. D.

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FOLEY, F. C., SMRHA, R. V., and METZLER, D. F.