Wikipedia

List of fishes of Kansas

There are roughly 135 recorded species of fish in the U.S. State of Kansas.[1] This list is an amalgamation of the works Cross & Collins books Handbook of Fishes of Kansas (1967) and Fishes in Kansas (1995) as well as Current Status of Native Fish Species in Kansas (2005) by multiple authors and the Pocket Guide of Kansas Stream Fishes by Jessica Mounts (2017). The following tags note species in each of those categories:

A map showing the location of the U.S. State of Kansas.
The location of the State of Kansas in the United States of America.
A labelled map of the major rivers in Kansas

Background

edit

Kansas is located in the Great Plains region which is characterized by mostly slow-running rivers and a near total absence of large naturally occurring lakes excluding oxbows and a few shallow salt marshes and sloughs. Since the European settlement of the area, many rivers and creeks have been dammed creating large reservoirs, largely by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. The biggest of these reservoirs is Milford Lake at 15,709 acres (6,357 ha). Kansas is home to 12 rivers basins, all of which drain into the Gulf of Mexico approximatley 507 mi (816 km) south.

Order Petromyzontiformes (Lampreys)

edit

Family Petromyzontidae (Northern lampreys)

Order Acipenseriformes (Sturgeons & paddlefish)

edit
 
The Shovelnose sturgeon is the only sturgeon that has been recorded in Kansas since 1998

Family Acipenseridae (Sturgeons)

Family Polyodontidae (Paddlefish)

Order Lepisosteiformes (Gars)

edit
 
Longnose gar is the largest and most widespread predatory fish in Kansas[1]

Family Lepisosteidae (Gars)

Order Hiodontiformes (Mooneyes)

edit

Family Hiodontidae (Mooneyes)

Order Anguilliformes (Eels)

edit
 
Formerly ranging statewide, the last recorded capture of an American eel was in 1987 from the Kansas River[2]

Family Anguillidae (Freshwater eels)

Order Clupeiformes (Herrings & relatives)

edit

Family Alosidae (Shads & sardines)

Order Cypriniformes (Carps, minnows, and relatives)

edit
 
The Northern hogsucker and the Black redhorse are restricted to Shoal Creek in Cherokee County due to a decline in ideal habitat[1][2]
 
Golden Redhorse is found throughout Southeast Kansas

Family Catostomidae (Suckers)

Family Cyprinidae (cyprinids)

 
Silver carp have been found in the Kansas, Missouri, and Nemaha River systems[3]

Family Leuciscidae (True minnows)

 
Central stoneroller can be found in small streams and the channelized portions of rivers.[1]
 
the Topeka shiner is named after Topeka, Kansas
 
the Red shiner can be found in most waterways in Kansas
 
Bigeye shiner is found in the Verdigris, Caney, and Spring Rivers in Southeast Kansas[1]

Order Siluriformes (Catfishes)

edit

Family Ictaluridae (North American freshwater catfishes)

 
Channel catfish is the state fish of Kansas

Order Esociformes (Pikes and mudminnows)

edit
 
Northern pike is present in most large reservoirs in Kansas

Family Esocidae (Pikes)

Order Gadiformes (Cods)

edit

Family Lotidae (Lingcods)

Order Cyprinodontiformes (Toothcarps)

edit
 
The Plains killifish is among the most dominant fish in western Kansas, being able to handle more salinity than most other fish[1]

Family Fundulidae (Topminnows & Killifish)

Family Poeciliidae (Livebearers)

Family Atherinidae (Silversides)

Order Scorpaeniformes (Sculpins)

edit

Family Cottidae (Sculpins)

Order Perciformes (Perch-liked fish)

edit

Family Moronidae (Temperate basses)

Family Centrarchidae (Sunfishes)

 
Green sunfish is the most abundant sunfish in Kansas
 
Largemouth bass is a highly prized gamefish through Kansas

Family Percidae (Perches)

 
The Arkansas Darter is endemic to the Arkansas River System, and was first discovered near Garden City in 1885[1]
 
Logperch is found throughout tributaries in eastern Kansas

Family Sciaenidae (Drums)

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Cross, Frank B.; Collins, Joseph T. (1995). Fishes in Kansas (PDF) (2nd Revised ed.). University of Kansas. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  2. ^ a b Haslouer, Stephen G.; Eberle, Mark E.; Edds, David R.; Gido, Keith B.; Mammoliti, Chris S.; Triplett, James R.; Collins, Joseph T.; Distler, Donald A.; Huggins, Donald G.; Stark, William J.; Knight, G. Layne. "Current Status of Native Fish in Kansas". Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  3. ^ Mounts, Jessica (2017). A POCKET GUIDE TO Kansas Stream Fishes (PDF). Retrieved 17 July 2024.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_fishes_of_Kansas&oldid=1235007125"