Fish Populations, Following a Drought, in the Neosho and Marais des Cygnes Rivers of Kansas Part 3

Creek Chub

The creek chub was taken only at the upper stations on both rivers. It increased in abundance at the upper Neosho station from 1957 to 1959, and was not taken in the upper Marais des Cygnes until 1959.

#Hybopsis storeriana# (Kirtland)

Silver Chub

A single specimen from the lower Marais des Cygnes station provides the only record of the species from the Marais des Cygnes system in Kansas, and is the only silver chub that I found in either river in 1957-1959.

The species is taken often in the Kansas and Arkansas rivers.

#Hybopsis x-punctata# Hubbs and Crowe

Gravel Chub

The gravel chub, present only at the lower and middle Neosho stations, occupied moderate currents over clean (free of silt) gravel bottom. The gravel chub was not taken in 1957, was rare at both Neosho stations in 1958, became common at the lower Neosho station in part of 1959, but was never numerous at the middle Neosho station. Dr. F. B. Cross recorded the species as "rare" in 1952 at a collection site near my middle Neosho station, but larger numbers were taken then than in any of my collections at that station. The population was probably reduced by drought, and recovery was comparatively slow following restoration of flow.

Young-of-the-year and adults were common in collections from riffles at the lower Neosho station from 1 July through 8 July, 1959. I obtained only one specimen in intensive collections in the same area on 25, 26, and 27 August. Seemingly the species had moved off shallow riffles into areas not sampled effectively by seining.

#Phenacobius mirabilis# (Girard)

Sucker-mouthed Minnow

The sucker-mouthed minnow was common at the middle Marais des Cygnes station but was not taken at the upper and lower stations until 1959, when it was rare. At the middle and lower Neosho stations this fish increased in abundance from 1957 to 1959; at the upper station, sucker-mouthed minnows were not taken until 1959 when collections were made on the White farm. There, the species was common immediately below a low-head dam, but was not taken in extensive collections on the Bosch Farm in 1959.

The species was most common immediately below riffles, or in other areas having clean gravel bottom in the current. On 5 June, 1959, many individuals were taken at night (11:30 p.m.) on a shallow gravel riffle (four inches in depth) where none had been found in a collection at 5:00 p.m. on the same date.

Young-of-the-year were taken at the lower Neosho station on 24 June, 1959, and commonly thereafter in the summer.

#Notropis rubellus# (Aga.s.siz)

Rosy-faced s.h.i.+ner

In 1958, the rosy-faced s.h.i.+ner was taken rarely at the lower stations on both streams. This species is common in smaller streams tributary to the lower portions of the two rivers, and probably occurs in the mainstream only as "overflow" from tributaries. Possibly, during drought, rosy-faced s.h.i.+ners found suitable habitat in the mainstream of Neosho and Marais des Cygnes rivers, but re-occupied tributary streams as their flow increased with favorable precipitation, leaving diminis.h.i.+ng populations in the mainstream.

#Notropis umbratilis# (Girard)

Red-finned s.h.i.+ner

The red-finned s.h.i.+ner, most abundant at the upper Neosho station, occurred at all stations except the upper Marais des Cygnes. This fish seems to prefer small streams, not highly turbid, having clean, hard bottoms. It is a pool-dwelling, pelagic species.

#Notropis camurus# (Jordan and Meek)

Blunt-faced s.h.i.+ner

The blunt-faced s.h.i.+ner was taken only in 1957, at the middle Neosho station, where it was rare. This species, abundant in clear streams tributary to the Neosho River (field data, State Biological Survey) may have used the mainstream as a refugium during drought. The few specimens obtained in 1957 possibly represent a relict population that remained in the mainstream after flow in tributaries was restored by increased rainfall.

#Notropis lutrensis# (Baird and Girard)

Red s.h.i.+ner

The red s.h.i.+ner, abundant in 1952 (early stage of drought), was consistently the most abundant fish in my collections in the Marais des Cygnes and at the lower and middle Neosho stations. However, the abundance declined from 1957 to 1959 at the two Neosho stations. At the upper Neosho station the species was fourth in abundance in 1957, and third in 1958 and 1959 (Table 12).

The red s.h.i.+ner is pelagic in habit and occurs primarily in pools, though it frequently inhabits adjacent riffles. Collections by seining along a gravel bar at the lower station showed this fish to be most abundant in shallow, quiet water over mud bottom, or at the head of a gravel bar in relatively quiet water. At the lower end of the gravel bar in water one to four feet deep, with a shallow layer of silt over gravel bottom and a slight eddy-current, red s.h.i.+ners were replaced by ghost s.h.i.+ners or river carpsucker young-of-the-year as the dominant fish.

Fifty-nine dyed individuals were released in an eddy at the lower end of a gravel bar at the middle Neosho station on 5 June, 1959. Some of these fish still were present in this area when a collection was made 30 hours later. No colored fish were taken in collections from quiet water at the upper end of the gravel bar. A swift riffle intervening between the latter area and the area of release may have impeded their movement.

Forty-six individuals, released at the head of the same gravel bar on 10 June, 1959, immediately swam slowly upstream through quiet water and were soon joined by other minnows. These fish did not form a well-organized school, but moved about independently, with individuals or groups variously dropping out or rejoining the aggregation until all colored fish disappeared about 50 feet upstream from the point of release.

Evidence of insh.o.r.e movement at night was obtained on 8 June, 1959, in a shallow backwater, having gravel bottom, at the head of a gravel bar at the middle Neosho station. A collection made in the afternoon contained no red s.h.i.+ners, but they were abundant in the same area after dark.

In Kansas, red s.h.i.+ners breed in May, June, and July. Minckley (1959:421-422) described behavior that apparently was a.s.sociated with sp.a.w.ning. Because of its abundance, the red s.h.i.+ner is one of the most important forage fishes in Kansas streams, and frequently is used as a bait minnow.

#Notropis volucellus# (Cope)

Mimic s.h.i.+ner

The mimic s.h.i.+ner was taken only rarely at the two lower Neosho stations.

This species, like _N. camurus_, is normally more common in clear tributaries than in the Neosho River, and probably frequents the mainstream only during drought.

#Notropis buchanani# Meek

Ghost s.h.i.+ner

Field records of the State Biological Survey indicate that the ghost s.h.i.+ner was common in the mainstream of the lower Neosho River during drought. In 1957, the species was abundant at the lower and middle stations on the Neosho River and at the lower Marais des Cygnes station.

Collections at all stations show that the species has a definite preference for eddies--relatively quiet water, but adjacent to the strong current of the mainstream rather than in backwater remote from the channel. The bottom-type over which the ghost s.h.i.+ner was found varied from mud to gravel or rubble.

#Notropis stramineus# (Cope)

Sand s.h.i.+ner

The sand s.h.i.+ner was taken rarely in the Neosho and commonly in the Marais des Cygnes in 1952. In my study the species occurred at all stations, but not until 1959 at the upper and lower Neosho stations.

Sand s.h.i.+ners were found with equal frequency in pools and riffles.

Sp.a.w.ning takes place in June and July.

#Pimephales tenellus tenellus# (Girard)

Mountain Minnow