Fishes of West Virginia

The state of West Virginia has a wide variety of freshwater fish species in its rivers, lakes, and streams. 20% of these species are sportfish, and the remaining 80% are nongame species.

Order Acipenseriformes (sturgeons and paddlefish)

Family Acipenseridae (sturgeons)

(Extirpated) Acipenser fulvescens (lake sturgeon)

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  Juvenile
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• 
  Adult, illustration
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Scaphirhynchus platorynchus (shovelnose sturgeon)

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  Juveniles
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  Adult, illustration

Family Polyodontidae (paddlefishes)

Polyodon spathula (American paddlefish)

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  Eggs, as caviar
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  Larva
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  Juvenile
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  Adult
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  Adult, illustration

Order Amiiformes (bowfin)

Family Amiidae (bowfin)

Amia calva (bowfin)

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Order Anguilliformes (eels)

Family Anguillidae (freshwater eels)

Anguilla rostrata (American eel)

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• 

Order Atheriniformes (silversides)

Family Atherinopsidae (neotropical silversides)

Labidesthes sicculus (brook silverside)

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Order Clupeiformes (herrings and relatives)

Family Clupeidae (herrings, shads, and relatives)

Alosa chrysochloris (skipjack shad)

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  Illustration

Alosa pseudoharengus (alewife)

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Dorosoma cepedianum (American gizzard shad)

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  Illustration

Dorosoma petenense (threadfin shad)

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  Illustration

Order Cypriniformes (carps, minnows, and relatives)

Family Cyprinidae (carps, true minnows, and relatives)

Campostoma anomalum (central stoneroller)

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• 
  Illustration

(Introduced) Carassius auratus (goldfish)

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  Eggs
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Clinostomus elongatus (redside dace)

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  Illustration

Clinostomus funduloides (rosyside dace)

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Cyprinella analostana (satinfin shiner)

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Cyprinella galactura (whitetail shiner)

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Cyprinella whipplei (steelcolor shiner)

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  Illustration

(Introduced) Cyprinus carpio (common carp)

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(Introduced) Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp)

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  Juvenile
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Erimystax dissimilis (streamline chub)

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Exoglossum laurae (tonguetied minnow)

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Exoglossum maxillingua (cutlips minnow)

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• 
  Illustration

Hybognathus regius (eastern silvery minnow)

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  Illustration

Hybopsis amblops (bigeye chub)

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Luxilus chrysocephalus (striped shiner)

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Luxilus cornutus (common shiner)

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• 
  Illustration

Lythrurus ardens (rosefin shiner)

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Lythrurus umbratilis (redfin shiner)

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Macrhybopsis hyostoma (Shoal chub)

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Margariscus margarita (Allegheny pearl dace)

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(Extirpated) Nocomis biguttatus (hornyhead chub)

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Nocomis leptocephalus (bluehead chub)

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Nocomis micropogon (river chub)

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Notemigonus crysoleucas (golden shiner)

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Notropis amoenus (comely shiner)

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Notropis ariommus (popeye shiner)

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Notropis atherinoides (emerald shiner)

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  Illustration

Notropis boops (bigeye shiner)

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  Juvenile
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(Extirpated) Notropis dorsalis (bigmouth shiner)

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Notropis hudsonius (spottail shiner)

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• 
  Illustration

Notropis stramineus (sand shiner)

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  Illustration

Notropis photogenis (Silver shiner)

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Notropis procne (swallowtail shiner)

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  Illustration

Notropis rubellus (rosyface shiner)

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  Illustration

Notropis telescopus (telescope shiner)

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  Illustration

Notropis volucellus (mimic shiner)

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  Illustration

Ericymba buccata (silverjaw minnow)

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  Illustration

Phenacobius mirabilis (suckermouth minnow)

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Chrosomus erythrogaster (southern redbelly dace)

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Pimephales notatus (bluntnose minnow)

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  Illustration

Pimephales promelas (fathead minnow)

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  Illustration

Pimephales vigilax (bullhead minnow)

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Rhinichthys atratulus (eastern blacknose dace)

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  Male in breeding colors
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  Illustration

Pararhinichthys bowersi (Cheat minnow)

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Rhinichthys cataractae (longnose dace)

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  Illustration

Scardinius erythrophthalmus (common rudd)

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Semotilus atromaculatus (creek chub)

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  Two females (background) and a male, about to spawn
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  Illustration

Semotilus corporalis (fallfish)

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  Illustration

Family Catostomidae (suckers)

Carpiodes carpio (river carpsucker)

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Carpiodes cyprinus (quillback)

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(Extirpated) Catostomus catostomus (longnose sucker)

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• 
  Illustration

Catostomus commersonii (white sucker)

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  Illustration

Cycleptus elongatus (blue sucker)

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• 
  Illustration

Erimyzon oblongus (creek chubsucker)

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  Illustration

Hypentelium nigricans (northern hogsucker)

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  Illustration

Ictiobus bubalus (smallmouth buffalo)

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  Juvenile with an infection of the tail fin
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  Illustration

Ictiobus cyprinellus (bigmouth buffalo)

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  Illustration

Ictiobus niger (black buffalo)

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  Illustration

Minytrema melanops (spotted sucker)

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  Illustration

Moxostoma anisurum (silver redhorse)

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  Illustration

Moxostoma duquesnei (black redhorse)

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Moxostoma erythrurum (Golden redhorse)

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  Illustration

Moxostoma macrolepidotum (shorthead redhorse)

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  Illustration

Thoburnia rhothoeca (torrent sucker)

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Order Cyprinodontiformes (toothcarps)

Family Fundulidae (topminnows)

Fundulus catenatus (northern studfish)

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Fundulus diaphanus (banded killifish)

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  Female, illustration
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  Male, illustration

Fundulus heteroclitus (mummichog)

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  Female (middle), and two males

Family Category:Poeciliidae (livebearers)

Gambusia affinis (mosquitofish)

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  Egg, illustration
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  Fry, illustration
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  Female
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  Female, illustration
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  Male
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  Male, illustration

Order Esociformes (pikes and mudminnows)

Family Esocidae (pikes)

Esox americanus (American pickerel)

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  Esox americanus americanus (redfin pickerel), juvenile
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  E. a. americanus, illustration

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  Esox americanus vermiculatus, juvenile
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  E. a. vermiculatus, illustration

Esox lucius (northern pike)

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  Illustrations

Esox masquinongy (muskellunge)

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  Illustration

Esox niger (chain pickerel)

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  Illustration

Family Umbridae (mudminnows)

Umbra limi (central mudminnow)

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  Illustration

Order Gasterosteiformes (sticklebacks)

Family Gasterosteidae (sticklebacks)

Culaea inconstans (brook stickleback)

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• 
  Illustration

Order Hiodontiformes (mooneyes)

Family Hiodontidae (mooneyes)

Hiodon alosoides (goldeye)

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Hiodon tergisus (mooneye)

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  Illustration

Order Lepisosteiformes (gars)

Family Lepisosteidae (gars)

Lepisosteus osseus (longnose gar)

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• 
  Illustration

Order Perciformes (sunfishes and perches)

Family Moronidae (temperate basses)

Morone americana (white perch)

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  Illustration

Morone chrysops (white bass)

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  Illustration

Morone saxatilis (striped bass)

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  Juvenile
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  Illustration

Family Centrarchidae (sunfishes)

Ambloplites rupestris (rock bass)

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  Illustration

Lepomis auritus (redbreast sunfish)

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  Illustration

Lepomis cyanellus (green sunfish)

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  Juvenile
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  Illustration

Lepomis gibbosus (pumpkinseed)

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  Illustration

Lepomis gulosus (warmouth)

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  Illustration

Lepomis humilis (orangespotted sunfish)

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Lepomis macrochirus (bluegill)

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  Juvenile
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  Illustration
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Lepomis megalotis (longear sunfish)

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  Adult male
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  Illustration

Lepomis microlophus (redear sunfish)

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  Juvenile
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  Illustration

Micropterus dolomieu (smallmouth bass)

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  Juvenile
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  Illustration

Micropterus punctulatus (spotted bass)

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Micropterus salmoides (largemouth bass)

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  Juveniles
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  Illustration
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Pomoxis annularis (white crappie)

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  Juvenile
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  Illustration

Pomoxis nigromaculatus (black crappie)

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  Illustration

Family Percidae (perches, darters, and relatives)

Ammocrypta pellucida (eastern sand darter)

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Ammocrypta clara (western sand darter)

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  Illustration

Crystallaria cincotta (diamond darter)

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Etheostoma blennioides (greenside darter)

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  Illustration

Etheostoma caeruleum (rainbow darter)

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  Female
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  Male

Etheostoma camurum (bluebreast darter)

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  Illustration

Etheostoma flabellare (fantail darter)

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  Illustration

Etheostoma nigrum (Johnny darter)

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  Illustration

Etheostoma olmstedi (tessellated darter)

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  Illustration of eggs
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  Illustration

Etheostoma osburni (candy darter)

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Etheostoma simoterum (snubnose darter)

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  Illustration

Etheostoma variatum (variegate darter)

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Etheostoma zonale (banded darter)

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  Illustration

Perca flavescens (yellow perch)

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  Eggs
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  Juvenile
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  Illustration
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Percina caprodes (common logperch)

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  Illustration

Percina copelandi (channel darter)

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  Illustration

Percina evides (gilt darter)

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  Illustration

Percina maculata (blackside darter)

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  Illustration

Percina peltata (shield darter)

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Percina roanoka (Roanoke darter)

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Percina sciera (dusky darter)

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Percina shumardi (river darter)

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  Illustration

Sander canadensis (sauger)

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  Illustration

Sander vitreus (walleye)

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  larva
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  Juveniles
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  Illustration

Family Sciaenidae (drums)

Aplodinotus grunniens (freshwater drum)

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• 
  Illustration

Order Percopsiformes (trout-perch)

Family Percopsidae (trout-perch)

Percopsis omiscomaycus (trout-perch)

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  Illustration

Order Petromyzontiformes (lampreys)

Family Petromyzontidae (northern lampreys)

Ichthyomyzon fossor (northern brook lamprey)

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Ichthyomyzon greeleyi (mountain brook lamprey)

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  Illustration

Ichthyomyzon unicuspis (silver lamprey)

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  Illustration

Lampetra aepyptera (least brook lamprey)

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Lethenteron appendix (American brook lamprey)

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Order Salmoniformes (trout)

Family Salmonidae (trout)

(Introduced) Oncorhynchus clarkii (cutthroat trout)

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• 
  Illustration

(Introduced) Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout)

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  Eggs
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  Juvenile
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  Illustration

(Introduced) Salmo trutta (brown trout)

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• 
  Illustration

Salvelinus fontinalis (brook trout)

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  Female
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  Male
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  Illustration

Order Scorpaeniformes (mail-cheeked fishes)

Family Cottidae (sculpins)

Cottus bairdii (mottled sculpin)

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  Illustration

Cottus caeruleomentum (Blue Ridge sculpin)

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Cottus cognatus (slimy sculpin)

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  Illustration

Cottus girardi (Potomac sculpin)

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Order Siluriformes (catfishes)

Family Ictaluridae (ictalurid catfishes)

Ameiurus catus (Ameiurus catus white bullhead)

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  Fry, illustration in multiple views
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  Illustration

Ameiurus melas (black bullhead)

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  Fry, schooling
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  Illustration

Ameiurus natalis (yellow bullhead)

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• 
  Illustration

Ameiurus nebulosus (brown bullhead)

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  Eggs
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• 
  Illustration

Ictalurus furcatus (blue catfish)

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• 
  Illustration

Ictalurus punctatus (channel catfish)

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  Juvenile
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• 
  Illustration
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Noturus flavus (stonecat)

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• 
  Illustration

Noturus insignis (margined madtom)

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  Illustration

Noturus miurus (brindled madtom)

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Pylodictis olivaris (flathead catfish)

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• 
  Illustration