Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk Counties, Kansas Part 7

The brook silversides was taken, sometimes abundantly, in all stream systems except the Walnut and Arkansas. At station G-7 on July 8, 41.8 per cent of the fish taken were of this species. _L. sicculus_ was most abundant in large pools where the bottom was predominantly bedrock and gravel. The highest concentrations were in the mainstreams of Big Caney, Grouse, and Elk Rivers. Brook silversides were taken rarely in the smaller tributaries of these streams.

#Percina phoxocephala# (Nelson): Stations C-2, C-3, C-5, G-1 (C-133).

Slenderhead darters were scarce, and were found only over gravel bottoms. Specimens were taken from flowing and quiet water, and from both shallow and deep water.

Larger numbers of _P. phoxocephala_ were taken by the writer in other collections made during 1956 on the Neosho and Verdigris Rivers over bottoms of rubble or gravel. Restriction of this darter to the larger streams follows a pattern observed by Cross (1954a:313) who noted it was absent from smaller riffles in minor tributaries. Elliott (1947), however, took one specimen of _P. phoxocephala_ in Spring Creek, a tributary of Fall River.

#Percina caprodes carbonaria# (Baird and Girard): Stations G-3, G-4, G-7, G-12, C-5, C-6, C-7, C-9, C-12, C-13, C-14 (J&J, C-131, C-133).

The logperch was generally distributed in the Caney, Elk, and Grouse systems. This species usually comprised less than 1 per cent of the fish taken; however, at station G-12 it formed 3.76 per cent of the total.

In many instances the logperch was taken over submerged gravel bars, often along the edges of the larger pools. At 8 of 13 stations where the logperch was taken, the golden redhorse was also found. At every station where logperch were found, _Notropis umbratilis_ was taken and _Pimephales notatus_ also occurred at all but three of these stations.

#Percina copelandi# (Jordan): Stations C-4, C-5, C-6, C-8, G-1 (C-131, C-133, J&J).

Channel darters were collected over bottoms of rubble or gravel, both in flowing streams and in isolated pools. Although _P. copelandi_ was found only in Big Caney River and at the lowermost station on Grouse Creek (G-1) in this survey, this species has been taken previously from Elk River (K. U. 3463 and K. U. 3197) and from Silver Creek. _Notropis camurus_ occurred everywhere that _H. copelandi_ was found. In several instances the two species were taken in the same seine-haul.

#Etheostoma spectabile pulch.e.l.lum# (Girard): Stations W-4, G-1, G-4, G-5, C-6, C-9, C-11, C-12, C-13, C-14, C-15, C-16, C-17, C-18, E-1, E-5.

Evermann and Fordice as _Etheostoma coeruleum_ (C-131, C-132).

The habitat preferences of the orangethroat darter seemed similar to those of _Campostoma anomalum_. There were sixteen stations at which both species were taken, seven where only _E. spectabile pulch.e.l.lum_ was taken and six where only _C. anomalum_ was taken. The largest relative numbers of both species were found in the same small, clear upland tributaries of Big Caney River. On May 31, collections from riffles at station C-15 (upper Otter Creek) consisted almost entirely of these two species. On September 1 at this station the stream was intermittent, but even the tiniest pools abounded with young darters and stonerollers.

Gravid females and males in breeding condition were taken in riffles in Cedar Creek on April 2. During June numerous young and adult orangethroat darters were taken in Cedar Creek, in partly decayed leaves which lined the banks. On June 15 in Otter Creek young darters were abundant in streamside detritus and in clear, shallow, rubble riffles.

At station C-11 a few darters were taken on rubble riffles; however, large numbers were found inhabiting thick mats of _Potamogeton foliosus_ Raf., which grew in shallow water. Many darters (_Etheostoma spectabile pulch.e.l.lum_ and _Percina phoxocephala_) were taken in September along gravelly banks at stations C-2 and C-3 by disturbing small rocks and leaf-litter along the sh.o.r.es. Young orangethroat darters seemed to seek out sheltered areas and in some cases were found in sluggish, even foul, water (Stations W-4, B-1 and G-12). Moore and Buck (1953:26) note that the orangethroat darter is able to thrive in Oklahoma in rather sluggish and even intermittent waters which reach quite high summer temperatures.

Unlike other darters taken in this survey, the orangethroat darter was common to abundant at several stations and was found at a great many more stations than any other darter. The comparatively great tolerance of this species to varying habitats, suggested by this survey, is also reflected by its widespread distribution in Kansas.

#Micropterus salmoides salmoides# (Lacepede): Stations B-1, G-4, G-5, G-7, G-12, C-1, C-3, E-1, E-2, E-3.

Most of the largemouth ba.s.s taken were young-of-the-year. In Big Caney River this species seemed rare, being found at only two downstream stations compared with eight stations at which _M. punctulatus_ was taken.

Many ponds in the Flint Hills have been stocked with largemouth ba.s.s. At present largemouth ba.s.s are frequently caught by hook and line in Crab Creek (Station G-12); however, Mr. A. C. Metcalf, who has fished this stream for approximately 45 years, states that he took no ba.s.s in the creek prior to the building and stocking of large ponds on nearby ranches.

#Micropterus punctulatus# (Rafinesque): Stations C-4, C-5, C-6, C-7, C-8, C-10, C-14, C-15, E-2, E-5 (C-133).

The spotted ba.s.s was taken only in tributaries of the Verdigris River, where it seemed more numerous than the preceding species. It has been reported from other Verdigris tributaries such as Fall River (Elliott, 1947) and is common eastward from the Verdigris Basin. A spotted ba.s.s (K. U. 3467) was taken by Cross on the Little Walnut River in Butler County on April 5, 1955. This seems to be the only record of this species from the Walnut River Basin at the present time.

#Pomoxis annularis# (Rafinesque): Stations W-3, W-5, G-1, G-2, G-5, G-10, G-11, G-12, C-1, C-2, C-4, C-5, C-6, M-1, E-1, E-2, E-4, E-5 (C-136).

White c.r.a.ppie were found in almost all habitats and were taken in all rivers except the Arkansas. The relative abundance of this species was greater at downstream than at upstream stations on Grouse Creek, Big Caney, and Elk River. Schools of young c.r.a.ppie were frequently found and the factor of chance in taking or failing to take a school of c.r.a.ppie prevented confident appraisal of abundance. White c.r.a.ppie usually sought quiet waters. Often they were found in backwaters and many times schools were taken over bottoms where mud and detritus had been deposited. It was not uncommon to take _Pomoxis annularis_ and _Ictalurus melas_ in the same seine-haul in such areas.

#Pomoxis nigromaculatus# (LeSueur): Station C-1.

Black c.r.a.ppie were taken in Otter Creek on May 29 and September 3.

Several ponds in eastern Cowley County are stocked with black c.r.a.ppie, but none was taken from streams into which these ponds drain.

#Lepomis cyanellus# (Rafinesque): Stations W-3, W-4, W-5, B-1, B-2, B-3, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, G-5, G-8, G-9, G-10, G-12, G-13, G-14, G-15, G-16, G-17, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5, C-6, C-7, C-8, C-9, C-10, C-11, C-12, C-13, C-14, C-16, C-17, C-18, E-1, E-4, E-5, E-6, E-7, M-2 (C-131, C-132, C-133, C-136, E&F).

The green sunfish was taken at 45 of 60 stations, which is the greatest number recorded for one species. The only stream from which it was not obtained was the Arkansas River. Green sunfish const.i.tuted a minor but consistent part of the fauna in Big Caney River except for some intermittent pools on small tributaries, where it was high in relative abundance. It usually comprised approximately 4 per cent of the fish taken at stations on Grouse Creek. In some intermittent tributaries of Grouse Creek and Elk River percentages also were high.

Funk and Campbell (1953:74) observed that _L. cyanellus_ held a definite but minor place in all collections made on the Black River in Missouri.

This pattern was also observed by the writer in collections made on the Neosho and Spring Rivers in southeastern Kansas. This seems to indicate that the Big Caney River populations (exclusive of the upstream stations in intermittent streams) follow a pattern commonly found in southeastern Kansas and probably in the Ozark region.

#Lepomis humilis# (Girard): Stations A-3, W-2, W-3, W-4, W-5, G-1, G-2, G-3, G-4, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-9, G-10, G-11, G-12, G-14, G-15, C-1, C-2, C-3, C-4, C-5, C-6, C-7, C-8, C-9, C-10, C-11, C-12, C-13, C-16, C-17, B-2, B-3, E-1, E-2, E-4, E-5, E-6, E-7, M-1. (C-131, C-132, C-133, C-136, J&J, E&F.)

The orangespotted sunfish was found in every stream surveyed, although only one specimen was taken from the Arkansas River.

The largest relative number of this species (44.6) was taken at station G-1. Percentages at other stations on Grouse Creek and its tributaries progressively declined in an upstream direction.

In Big Caney River representation of _L. humilis_ in collections varied from 1.56 per cent at station C-1 to 23.47 per cent at station C-7. This sunfish was usually the dominant species in collections made from the Elk River, where the relative abundance ranged from 10 to 30 per cent.

The orangespotted sunfish is widespread in Kansas and seems to be a diagnostic const.i.tuent of the Plains Fauna. Moore and Buck (1953:26) found it "very common" in the Chikaskia River in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Cross (1950:140) noted that in Stillwater Creek it seemed to be the most tolerant and consequently the most abundant of the stream's cent rarchids. Moore and Paden (1950:91) note that _L. humilis_ is most common in muddy waters and found in overflow pools, backwaters, and oxbow lakes. This species is frequently found in farm ponds in the area surveyed, which further suggests a wide range of habitat tolerance.

#Lepomis megalotis breviceps# (Baird and Girard): Stations W-3, W-4, W-5, B-1, B-2, G-1, G-4, G-5, G-7, G-8, G-9, G-10, G-11, G-12, G-13 (all Big Caney River stations except C-18), E-1, E-2, E-3, E-4, E-5, E-6, M-1, M-2 (C-131, C-132, C-133, J&J, E&F).

In Big Caney River the longear sunfish shared dominance with the redfin shiner (_Notropis umbratilis_) at almost every station. The average of its relative abundance at all stations in the Big Caney system was 16.5 per cent. It was also abundant at several stations on Grouse Creek and made up 43.25 per cent of all fish taken at station G-4.

Cross (1950:140) observed that _L. megalotis breviceps_ increased in Stillwater Creek probably as a result of clearer water and stabilized water level.

In collections made west of the area treated here (Moore and Buck, 1953:26; Elliott, 1947) the longear sunfish is less abundant than in Big Caney River and Grouse Creek.

#Lepomis macrochirus# (Rafinesque): Stations W-3, G-3, G-4, G-5, C-3, C-5, E-1, E-2 (C-131, C-132, C-133).

The bluegill was, in all cases, a minor const.i.tuent in the fish fauna.

No clear pattern of habitat preference can be deduced. In the Verdigris River at Independence (collection AM-53, August 22, 1956) bluegills were common in quiet pools and coves below a low-water dam. Moore and Paden (1950:91) note that _L. macrochirus_ prefers quiet waters and Hubbs and Lagler (1947:94) state that it is "generally restricted to the quieter pools."

The bluegill is widely-stocked in impoundments of the area treated here.

#Aplodinotus grunniens# (Rafinesque): Stations C-4, E-2.

The dearth of stations from which the freshwater drum is reported may indicate difficulty in taking this species with seines, rather than scarcity. Both collections were at downstream stations. At station C-4 three half-grown drum were taken. Fishermen take "drum" at least as far upstream as station C-5 on Big Caney River. In the Elk River one specimen was taken in a 20-foot seine below a dam at Elk Falls.