Pylodictis olivaris (Rafinesque)
Flat-headed Catfish
The flathead is the largest sport-fish occurring in Kansas. Several weighing more than 40 pounds are caught from streams each year, and the species reportedly attains sizes in excess of one hundred pounds. Several aspects of the biology of the flathead in Kansas have been discussed by Minckley and Deacon (1959).
The abundance of flathead declined slightly from 1957 through 1959, counting fish of all sizes. This trend is attributable to a large hatch in 1957; the 1957 year-class strongly dominated the population throughout my study. Natural mortality in that year-class was compensated by increased average size of the individuals (to six inches in autumn, 1958, and 11 inches in autumn, 1959).
The numbers of flathead caught at the upper stations on the Neosho and Marais des Cygnes rivers differed from the general trend in that the species was rare in 1957 and increased slightly by 1959. Flathead are most numerous in large streams, and in the drought they probably were almost extirpated from the headwaters. After 1957, continuous flow and increased volume of flow were accompanied by a gradual increase in numbers of flathead in the upstream parts of the two rivers. The species was most abundant at the middle and lower Neosho stations, where 10.5 per cent of all fish shocked in 1957 and 1958 were P. olivaris.
The habitat of the flathead varied with size of the individuals. Young-of-the-year inhabited swift riffles having rubble bottom; individuals four to 12 inches in total length were distributed throughout the stream; those more than 12 inches in total length were most commonly in pools in association with cover (rocks, or drifts of fallen timber).
Male flathead mature at 15 to 18 inches total length, females at 18 to 20 inches. The spawning season in 1959 probably began in early June and extended to mid-July. I attempted to find spawning fish on 19 June and for one month thereafter. On 19 June nine holes were dug into a 75-yard section of a clay bank adjacent to a long, shallow, rubble riffle. A flathead was first found in one of these holes on 22 June, and others were frequently found in this and one other hole until mid-July. Although channel catfish were often found in nearby holes, that species was never present in the two holes used by flatheads. The holes occupied by flathead (as well as those used by channel catfish) characteristically had silt-free gravel bottoms and a ridge of clean gravel across the entrance.
A nest containing a flathead and eggs was located on 11 July. In checking the hole I first put my foot into the entrance, then slowly advanced my hand into the hole, feeling along the bottom with my fingers until they entered the open mouth of a large catfish. I backed off slowly and then felt beneath the fish. The fish was directly above the egg-mass, seemingly touching the eggs with its belly. As I touched the front of the egg-mass the fish struck viciously, taking my entire fist into its mouth. It continued striking until I removed my hand from the hole after obtaining a small sample of eggs, which proved to be in an early stage of development (no vascularization evident).
When the nest was checked again on 13 July the eggs and fish were gone. As in the case of channel catfish, I suspect that disturbance of a flathead in the early stages of guarding the nest results in destruction of the nest either by the guardian fish or by predation resulting from its absence.
The hole occupied by the above fish was one that I had dug seven to nine inches in diameter and extending two and one-half to three feet into the bank. At the time this fish occupied the hole its depth was approximately the same as originally, but the entrance had been enlarged to 14 inches in diameter, and the chamber widened to 32 inches. The holes were checked later in the summer and all were heavily silted or had been undercut by action of the current.
The number of flathead of catchable size was not reduced as severely during my study as was the number of large channel catfish. Flathead have a longer life-span than channel catfish; therefore, it is not surprising that, of flathead and channel catfish that survived the drought, a higher proportion of flathead persisted throughout the next three years, in which my study was made. In drought, when fish were concentrated in residual pools, the piscivorous (fish eating) habit of flatheads may have favored their survival.
The growth rate of flathead taken from the Neosho River in 1957 and 1958 was reported by Minckley and Deacon (1959:351-352). Individuals hatched in 1955 and 1956 and collected in 1957 had attained average sizes of 9.5 inches and 4.8 inches, respectively, by the end of the 1956 growing-season.
Flatheads of the 1956 and 1957 year-classes attained average sizes of 8.7 and 3.2 inches, respectively, by the end of the 1957 growing season. These data indicate that growth was retarded in the summer of 1957. Many species, including P. olivaris, had an exceptionally large hatch in 1957, associated with increased water levels in that year. Despite the great increase in amount of water, I suppose that young-of-the-year and yearlings were subjected to crowding resulting from exceptional hatches. This caused reduction in growth of young flathead, and probably in several other species.
Food of flatheads 4.0 inches and shorter was nearly all insect larvae; that of fish 4.1 to 10 inches was insect larvae, fishes and crayfish; and that of larger flatheads was mostly fish and crayfish. The specific kind of food eaten was correlated with abundance of the food item in the stream (Minckley and Deacon, 1959:350-351).
Noturus flavus Rafinesque
Stonecat
The stonecat was not taken at the upper Marais des Cygnes station, and was less abundant at the middle Marais des Cygnes station than at other stations. The abundance of the stonecat was greatest at the lower Marais des Cygnes station in 1957 and at the upper Neosho station in 1959. The species increased in abundance from 1957 to 1959 in the Neosho River, where the principal habitat was riffles over rubble bottom.
Thirty-three stonecats were marked at the upper Neosho station in 1959. Five of these were recaptured three hours after release, all near the point of release. One individual was taken from a riffle, fin-clipped, and released at the foot of the next riffle downstream. When recaptured four days later, this fish was still in the area of release. Young-of-the-year were taken on July 1, 1959, at the lower Neosho station.
Noturus gyrinus (Mitchill)
Tadpole Madtom
Trautman (1957:444-445) describes the habitat of the tadpole madtom as "low-gradient lowland streams, springs, marshes, oxbows, pothole lakes, and protected harbors and bays of Lake Erie, where conditions were relatively stable, the water was usually clear, the bottom was of soft muck which generally contained varying amounts of twigs, logs, and leaves, and where there usually was an abundance of such rooted aquatics as pondweeds and hornwort. The species seemed to be highly intolerant to much turbidity and rapid silting,..." The tadpole madtom was obtained only at the middle Marais des Cygnes station in a small, deep, mud-bottomed pool in 1957 after water levels, and probably turbidity, had been low for five years. The occurrence provides the westernmost record station in Kansas. Cross and Minckley (1958:106) reported the species from the lower part of the Marais des Cygnes in Kansas.
Noturus nocturnus Jordan and Gilbert
Freckled Madtom
The freckled madtom was taken only at the middle Neosho station on 19 April, 1958. This species occurs most frequently in small streams, and individuals living in the mainstream of the Neosho probably are "strays" from nearby tributaries. This species may have utilized the mainstream as a refugium in the drought of 1952-'56.
Noturus exilis Nelson
Slender Madtom
The slender madtom was taken only at the middle Marais des Cygnes station in the fall of 1957. This species prefers permanent riffles of clear streams (Deacon and Metcalf, 1961:317). My specimen possibly strayed from a nearby tributary; or, it was a relict from a population living in the mainstream during drought.
Noturus sp.
Neosho Madtom
A description of this species, which is endemic to Neosho River, has been prepared but not yet published by Dr. W. Ralph Taylor. I found the Neosho madtom only at the middle station in 1958 and 1959, and at the lower station in 1959, where the species was common in shallow water having moderate current over clean gravel bottom. Specimens were most effectively collected by digging into the gravel above the seine and allowing the gravel to wash into the seine. In 1952, Cross (1954:311) found this species in abundance in riffles at the confluence of the South Fork and Cottonwood River, and at several other localities in the Neosho mainstream (personal communication). The Neosho madtom is nearly restricted to gravel riffles having moderate flow; therefore, it may be drastically reduced by intermittency of flow. I found none in 1957 and few in 1958. By 1959, the third summer of continuous flow, the Neosho madtom was again common.
Fundulus notatus (Rafinesque)
Black-striped Topminnow
The black-striped topminnow was rare in the mainstream at the lower Marais des Cygnes and the middle and lower Neosho stations, where it was found in quiet water near shore.
Near the middle Neosho station, a large population was present in an oxbow lake that is frequently flooded by the river.
Labidesthes sicculus (Cope)
Brook Silversides
The brook silversides occurred rarely at the lower Marais des Cygnes and at the middle and lower Neosho stations.
Micropterus dolomieui Lacépède
Small-mouthed Bass
One individual was taken at the lower Neosho station in 1957.
Micropterus punctulatus punctulatus (Rafinesque)
Spotted Bass
The spotted bass occurs in Kansas only in the southeastern part of the state—in southern tributaries of the Osage system, in Spring River drainage, and in relatively clear streams of the Flint Hills. At my stations on the Neosho River, this fish was more abundant in 1957 than in 1958 or 1959.
Spotted bass were taken most frequently over rubble bottom or near boulders in moderate current. Collections made in the evening or early morning more often contained spotted bass than collections made at other times of day (Table 9). Data from a few specimens that were marked, released, and recaptured indicated that the species is relatively sedentary; therefore, the greater abundance in the morning and evening collections probably indicates increased activity during these periods, possibly in connection with feeding. The spawning season in 1957 may have continued as late as 10 July when a ripe female 11.3 inches T. L. was taken. Young-of-the-year were taken on 24 June in moderate current over gravel bottom and in quiet water over mud bottom.
Spotted bass normally form a small part of the game-fish fauna in the lower Neosho River. The species attains greater abundance in smaller, clear streams of the Arkansas River Basin in Kansas (Cross, 1954, and unpublished data of State Biological Survey of Kansas). During the drought, the lower Neosho probably assumed many characteristics of a smaller stream in normal times. Flow was reduced or entirely interrupted and turbidity was lessened. These conditions resulted in faunal changes in which spotted bass were more prominent than in years of normal flow. During this period of reduced flow, some fishermen turned from catfishing to bass-fishing; I think this constitutes evidence for an increase in numbers of bass, accompanied by a decrease in numbers of channel catfish. With the return of continuous flow and a consequent rise in turbidity, bass declined in abundance in the mainstream.
Micropteras salmoides salmoides (Lacépède)
Large-mouthed Bass
The large-mouth was rare at all stations. It prefers quiet water near cover; to become abundant, the large-mouth probably requires clearer water than is afforded by most Kansas streams. This species, like spotted bass, declined in abundance during the period of study. Nevertheless, young-of-the-year were taken in 1957 and 1958 (earliest date of capture, 7 June in 1958).
Lepomis cyanellus Rafinesque
Green Sunfish
Green sunfish were taken at all stations, but most abundantly at the upper Neosho station where the number captured increased slightly from 1957 to 1959. Young-of-the-year and adults were most common in shallow backwater. At the upper Neosho station green sunfish inhabit quiet pools, where recaptures of marked fish indicated that the species is notably sedentary in habit. Hasler and Wisby (1958) have shown that green sunfish exhibit a homing reaction.
This fish provides some sport for fishermen, especially in the smaller streams, but I found few green sunfish that were larger than six inches T. L. at any station.
Lepomis megalotis (Rafinesque)
Long-eared Sunfish
Long-eared sunfish were taken at all stations but were notably more abundant in the Neosho River, where the largest population occurred at the upper station. In all three years of the study, large samples were obtained by means of rotenone in the same pool at the upper Neosho station. There were fewer long-eared sunfish present each year, and average size increased slightly. Collections in other pools at this station indicated that long-eared sunfish maintained a high level of abundance throughout my study.
Long-eared sunfish occurred in pools having bottoms of gravel or bedrock at the upper Neosho station, or near shore over rubble or gravel in slow to moderate current at the middle Neosho station.
Lepomis humilis (Girard)
Orange-spotted Sunfish
The orange-spotted sunfish occurred at all stations; it was most abundant in the Neosho River, especially at the uppermost station. This fish was taken in a variety of habitats, but was most common in areas where the current was slack, often over mud or silt bottom.
Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque
Bluegill
Bluegill were taken at all stations but were rare. This species occurred exclusively in pools, usually near cover (brush or trees in the water). Bluegill are predominately pond-fish in Kansas, and populations in rivers may consist partly of individuals that escaped from ponds in time of overflow. I know of no stream in Kansas that has a population large enough to contribute significantly to the sport fishery.
Pomoxis nigromaculatus (LeSueur)
Black Crappie
This species was represented by only one specimen, taken at the lower Neosho station in 1957.
Pomoxis annularis Rafinesque
White Crappie
White crappie were taken at all stations, but were common only at the upper and middle stations on the Marais des Cygnes and the upper Neosho station. At the last station, this fish was abundant in a single large pool that contained much more water during drought than any other area at this station. There was little dispersal into several smaller pools, below the large pool, which were sampled in 1957, 1958 and 1959. White crappie were not taken in the lower pools until 1959, and then were rare. Most crappie were taken in quiet water near cover or near shore.
Young-of-the-year were found in 1957, 1958 and 1959, but never abundantly. At the lower Neosho station in 1959, ripe individuals were collected on 19 June, a spent female on 24 June, and young-of-the-year on 1 July. The young were present in quiet, shallow water over mud bottom at the lower end of a gravel bar. Large white crappie (10-14 inches T. L.) were common at the middle and lower Neosho stations in 1957 and in April, 1958. Large fish were almost entirely absent from later collections. Average size, maximum size and abundance declined during the period of study.
Percina phoxocephala (Nelson)
Slender-headed Darter
The slender-headed darter was taken at all stations but was more abundant in the Neosho than in the Marais des Cygnes. The lower Marais des Cygnes, however, was the only station with a relatively large population in 1957. Slender-headed darters were rare in the Neosho River in 1957 and did not become common until 1959.
The largest population was found at the upper Neosho station in 1959. This darter occurs most frequently in swift water over gravel bottom, but was taken in various habitats, including an intermittent pool at the upper Neosho station on 7 September, 1957.
At the middle and lower Neosho stations, considerably greater numbers were taken in June, July, and early August than in May or late August. The abundance in my collections diminished from a peak in early July, to scarcity in late August.
Young-of-the-year were taken at the lower Neosho station on 1 July, 1959 (and subsequently), in moderately fast water over gravel. On 21 August, 1958, a ripe female (eggs stripped easily) was the only slender-headed darter present in a collection from riffles at the middle Neosho station.
Percina caprodes (Rafinesque)
Logperch
Logperch were not taken in the Marais des Cygnes. They were rare in the Neosho, where they were taken most frequently at the upper station in water two to three feet deep, over gravel bottom, in moderate to slight current. This species was present in intermittent pools at the upper Neosho station in 1957.
Percina copelandi (Jordan)
Channel Darter
One specimen was taken at the lower Neosho station in 1959. Because no others ever have been found in the mainstream of the Neosho River, I suspect that my specimen is a "stray" from one of the smaller tributaries, where channel darters are locally common.
Etheostoma flabellare Rafinesque
Fan-tailed Darter
The fan-tailed darter is represented in my collections by one specimen, obtained in the mainstream of the Neosho River at the lower station in 1957. Records of this species in Kansas are almost confined to the smallest, clear, permanent streams of the southeastern part of the state. My specimen may represent a small population that retreated to the mainstream of the Neosho during drought.
Etheostoma spectabile (Agassiz)
Orange-throated Darter
Orange-throated darters were common at the upper Marais des Cygnes and upper Neosho stations in 1959, rare at the middle and lower Neosho stations, and absent from the middle and lower Marais des Cygnes stations. The species was found almost exclusively on upstream riffles over gravel-rubble bottom. The population in the upper Neosho was decimated by drought, and the fish did not become common until the summer of 1959, the third year after resumption of normal stream-flow.
Deacon and Metcalf (1961:320) indicated that long periods of intermittency result in depletion or elimination of populations of the orange-throated darter in the Wakarusa River, Kansas. A limited number of orange-throated darters probably survived in the few permanent pools in the upper Neosho and provided the brood-stock necessary to repopulate this section of the stream.
Aplodinotus grunniens Rafinesque
Freshwater Drum
Drum were taken at all stations, but were most abundant at the middle and lower Neosho stations. A high level of abundance also was found in 1957 at the middle Marais des Cygnes station. The abundance of drum declined from 1957 to 1959, but the average size increased because of a dominant 1957 year-class that was moderately reduced by natural mortality in 1958-'59. Although the population was composed largely of young-of-the-year and adults in 1957, it was dominated by yearling individuals in 1958. By 1959 the number had declined considerably and the population consisted mostly of juveniles and adults. Fish of the 1957 year-class reached a length of approximately ten inches by mid-summer of 1959 (Table 8).
Adults were taken in a variety of habitats, but most often in quiet water. On the other hand, yearlings were extremely abundant in 1958 near shore in shallow, moderately fast water over rubble bottom at night. Drum were rare in the same areas in daylight (Table 9). Young-of-the-year occur in shallow, quiet water, usually over mud-bottom.
The freshwater drum matures at about 12 inches T. L. Ripe males were taken as late as 23 June 1959; however, the height of the spawning season probably is in May.
| Total length in inches | Aug. 19 1957 | Aug. 19-26 1958 | July 27-Aug. 4 1959 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | ||
| 3 | 1 | ||
| 4 | 4 | ||
| 5 | 1 | ||
| 6 | 12 | ||
| 7 | 21 | 1 | |
| 8 | 3 | 14 | 2 |
| 9 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 10 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 11 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
| 12 | 2 | ||
| 13 | 2 | ||
| 14 | 1 |
| Species | Morning 5 hours of effort expended 6:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. |
Afternoon 6 hours of effort expended 12:30 p.m. 6:30 p.m. |
Early night 18 hours of effort expended 6:30 p.m. 12:30 a.m. |
Late night 8 hours of effort expended 12:30 a.m. 6:30 a.m. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Long-nosed Gar | 0 | 0.3 (2) | 1.2 (21) | 1.1 (9) |
| Short-nosed Gar | 0.2 (1) | 0 | 0.2 (3) | 0.4 (3) |
| Gizzard Shad | 0.2 (1) | 0.3 (2) | 0.1 (1) | 0.1 (1) |
| Black Buffalo | 0 | 0.2 (1) | 0.1 (1) | 0 |
| Small-mouthed Buffalo | 0.4 (2) | 0.3 (2) | 0.8 (14) | 0.8 (6) |
| River Carpsucker | 3.4 (17) | 3.3 (20) | 5.7 (102) | 4.9 (39) |
| Redhorse | 0 | 0.2 (1) | 0.6 (10) | 0.6 (5) |
| Carp | 1.8 (9) | 0.2 (1) | 0.7 (12) | 0.8 (6) |
| Channel Catfish | 1.6 (8) | 1.0 (6) | 10.2 (183) | 10.5 (84) |
| Flathead | 2.2 (11) | 1.3 (8) | 2.4 (43) | 3.6 (29) |
| Spotted Bass | 0.4 (2) | 0.5 (3) | 0.3 (6) | 0.1 (1) |
| Green Sunfish | 0.2 (1) | 0.2 (1) | 0.2 (3) | 0.1 (1) |
| Long-eared Sunfish | 0 | 0 | 0.1 (2) | 0.4 (3) |
| Orange-spotted Sunfish | 0.2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| White Crappie | 0.2 (1) | 0.2 (1) | 0.2 (5) | 0.4 (3) |
| Freshwater Drum | 1.0 (5) | 0.8 (5) | 5.6 (101) | 5.3 (42) |
| Number captured per hour | 13.4 | 9.3 | 29.5 | 33.8 |
| Species | Marais des Cygnes River | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper | Middle | Lower | ||||||||
| 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1957 | 1958 | |||
| Gar | .7 | 1.3 | 1.2 | .6 | 2.7 | ... | 2.2 | 9.4 | ||
| Gizzard Shad | .9 | .2 | ... | 9.9 | 2.5 | ... | ... | .5 | ||
| Buffalo | 2.0 | 3.7 | .6 | .8 | 2.0 | ... | 5.7 | 6.4 | ||
| River Carpsucker | 4.0 | 4.9 | .6 | 6.5 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 1.8 | 3.9 | ||
| Shortheaded Redhorse | 3.3 | .9 | .6 | .8 | .2 | ... | ... | ... | ||
| Carp | 10.6 | 6.4 | 2.4 | 8.6 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 6.0 | 10.4 | ||
| Black Bullhead | ... | ... | ... | 3.9 | 17.2 | ... | ... | ... | ||
| Channel Catfish | .5 | .9 | ... | 4.7 | 2.5 | ... | 1.8 | .7 | ||
| Flathead | .2 | ... | 2.4 | .5 | ... | ... | 1.8 | .5 | ||
| Largemouth | 1.0 | ... | ... | .3 | .2 | ... | ... | ... | ||
| White Crappie | 1.7 | 5.1 | .6 | 1.3 | .7 | ... | ... | .2 | ||
| Freshwater Drum | .9 | 1.6 | .6 | 24.5 | 2.2 | ... | .7 | .2 | ||
| Hours shocked | 4½ | 4½ | 1⅔ | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2⅚ | 4½ | ||
| Neosho River | ||||||||||
| Middle | Lower | |||||||||
| 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | |||||
| Gar | 3.2 | 4.2 | 3.8 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 8.4 | ||||
| Gizzard Shad | .5 | .2 | .4 | 1.9 | 1.0 | .4 | ||||
| Buffalo | 2.9 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 6.2 | .9 | 1.5 | ||||
| River Carpsucker | 5.5 | 7.4 | 2.9 | 7.5 | 13.3 | 6.3 | ||||
| Shortheaded Redhorse | 1.9 | .6 | 1.6 | .7 | ... | 1.6 | ||||
| Carp | 2.1 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 3.4 | 1.2 | 1.1 | ||||
| Channel Catfish | 2.6 | 8.8 | .9 | 107.0 | .5 | .7 | ||||
| Flathead | 7.6 | 3.7 | 2.7 | 10.8 | .2 | 1.2 | ||||
| Bass | 1.6 | .4 | .1 | .2 | .2 | .1 | ||||
| White Crappie | ... | .9 | .2 | 1.8 | .7 | .1 | ||||
| Freshwater Drum | 3.9 | 3.3 | .8 | 15.9 | 2.8 | .7 | ||||
| Hours shocked | 5⅔ | 55⅚ | 48½ | 4⅙ | 4 | 16⅚ | ||||
| Species | Marais des Cygnes stations | Neosho | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upper | Middle | Lower | Lower station | |||||
| 1957 | 1959 | 1957 | 1959 | 1957 | 1959 | 1957 | 1959 | |
| Golden Shiner | ... | ... | — | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Creek Chub | ... | — | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Silver Chub | ... | ... | ... | ... | — | ... | ... | ... |
| Gravel Chub | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 3.0 2.3 |
| Sucker-mouthed Minnow | — | 6 | ... | 3 1 | ... | 1 | 2 | 10.0 43.0 |
| Red-finned Shiner | ... | ... | ... | 1 | 2.5 5.0 | 2 | ... | 4.7 2.3 |
| Blunt-faced Shiner | ... | ... | — | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Red Shiner | 21 6 | 15 | 8 4 | 19 22 | 16.0 69.0 | 15 22 | 27 1119 | 20.0 102.0 |
| Mimic Shiner | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | — | ... |
| Ghost Shiner | 7.5 | 1 | ... | 1 | 9.5 96.5 | 2 | 17 54 | 11.7 76 |
| Sand Shiner | — | 7 | ... | 8 2 | 1.5 | 3 | ... | 1 .3 |
| Mountain Minnow | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 12 25 | 9.3 13.6 |
| Blunt-nosed Minnow | — | 2 | ... | 8 | 1.0 .5 | 1 | 6 4 | 14.0 7.6 |
| Parrot Minnow | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 12 6 | 19.0 28.6 |
| Fat-headed Minnow | 10.5 1.5 | 4 | 5 2 | 7 1 | ... | ... | ... | 8.3 3.0 |
| Stoneroller | — | 6 | — | ... | ... | ... | — | 2.3 1.0 |
| Black Bullhead | ... | ... | ... | ... | .5 | ... | ... | ... |
| Channel Catfish | 4.5 1.5 | 2 | 1 1 | 13 7 | 5.0 1.0 | 10 6 | 12 5 | 6.3 41.6 |
| Flathead | — | 1 | — | — | 1.0 | ... | — | .3 |
| Stonecat | ... | ... | — | ... | 6.0 .5 | ... | — | 1.0 |
| Neosho Madtom | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 3.3 2.0 |
| Brook Silversides | ... | ... | ... | ... | .5 1.0 | ... | ... | 1.7 |
| Black-striped Topminnow | ... | ... | ... | ... | 1.0 1.0 | 2 | ... | 1.0 .7 |
| Spotted Bass | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 2 | 3.7 .3 |
| Largemouth | ... | ... | 1 1 | 3 1 | ... | ... | 1 2 | ... |
| Green Sunfish | 9 7.5 | 8 | 9 3 | 17 3 | 11.0 12.0 | 3 1 | 7 2 | 10.0 3.6 |
| Long-eared Sunfish | ... | ... | ... | ... | .5 | ... | 6 | 4.3 .7 |
| Orange-spotted Sunfish | 4.5 6 | — | 2 4 | 3 | 2.5 | ... | 12 5 | 12.0 5.0 |
| Bluegill | 1.5 | 1 | ... | 6 1 | 3.5 | 1 | 1 | .3 .3 |
| White Crappie | ... | ... | 4 7 | 4 | ... | ... | ... | ... |
| Logperch | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | 1 | .3 .7 |
| Slender-headed Darter | — | 13 | ... | 2 | 6.5 15.0 | 3 1 | 1 | 8.3 3.0 |
| Orange-throated Darter | — | 7 | ... | ... | ... | ... | 1 | — |
| Seining units | ⅔ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Collections at the upper Neosho station were more intensive than at any other station, especially in 1959. Rotenone was used in the summers of 1957, 1958 and 1959, to obtain large samples of the population in one section of the stream. In September, 1959, the shocker was used in other sections in order to estimate populations in particular pools and riffles, to measure variability in the fauna between areas having slightly different habitat, and to record movement of marked individuals in a short section of the stream.
Two sections of the stream, each about one-half mile long (See p. 366), were studied. Additional description of particular areas is presented below. Area 1 and the pools in which rotenone was used are on the Bosch Farm approximately two miles upstream from the White Farm where Areas 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are situated.
Area 1 has a length of 210 feet, an average width of four feet, and a maximum depth of two feet. The upper half is a swift, rubble riffle four inches in average depth; the lower half is one and one-half feet in average depth and has a slow current (Pl. 29, Fig. 1).
Area 3 has a length of 186 feet, an average width of 34 feet, and a maximum depth of two and one-half feet. This area includes a shallow riffle at both upstream and downstream ends of a pool 73 feet long and approximately one foot in average depth (Pl. 29, Fig. 2).
Area 5 has a length of 250 feet, an average width of 50 feet, and a maximum depth of two and one-half feet. This is a shallow, quiet pool over rubble and bedrock bottom except for a small area of mud bottom (backwater) above the point where a short riffle drains into this pool from Area 6 (Pl. 30, Fig. 1).
Area 6 has a length of 200 feet, an average width of 50 feet, and a maximum depth of one and one-half feet. This is a shallow, quiet pool over bedrock bottom, except for a small area of mud bottom at one side of the upper end of the pool. A short, steep, rubble-riffle is included in this area at the upstream end (Pl. 30, Fig. 2).
Areas 2, 4, and 7 resemble at least one of the areas described above but were sampled less intensively. Data from areas 2, 4, and 7 are included in discussion of the total fauna of the upper Neosho river but are excluded from the discussion of representative parts of that fauna.
Rotenone was applied to an intermittent pool in 1957. In 1958 and 1959 rotenone was applied to the upper end of a pool and mixed by agitating the water. The concentration in the pool was maintained by slowly introducing part of the rotenone into the riffle at the head of the pool. This was the most effective means of obtaining a large sample of fish from the deeper, slowly flowing water of the upper Neosho. Pools in which rotenone was used had areas of as much as one-half acre and depths in excess of six feet.
In 1959 the shocker was used extensively in several areas of the upper Neosho. Because of the small size of the stream, "tennis-racket" electrodes were used effectively by two men—one carrying the electrodes and one picking up fish and placing them in a live-box. In fast water, many fish floated into a seine placed across the lower end of the area. A large segment of the population was collected in this manner. Areas in which fish were collected by means of the shocker included riffles, and pools having flowing water no more than three feet in maximum depth. The bottom-type was usually gravel, rubble or bedrock, but a small amount of mud bottom was present in many pools.
Because of the necessity of wading, we could not use the shocker effectively in water more than three feet deep. In addition, turbidity of the water prevented effective collection of stunned fish in the deeper pools. Therefore, rotenone was more effective in deep water than was the shocker. In shallow, swift riffles and pools, the shocker yielded more reliable samples than did rotenone, because of difficulty in maintaining adequate concentrations of rotenone where flow was swift.
The relative abundance of each species in the upper Neosho was calculated from cumulative results obtained by use of the shocker in seven areas in 1959. Population estimates were made by collecting fish with the shocker, marking them by clipping fins or staining them in Bismark Brown Y at a concentration of 1:20,000 (Deacon, 1961), returning them to the stream, and making a second collection three hours (Areas 1 and 3) or 24 hours (Area 6) later. The same area was shocked again within two to eight days. Collections throughout the one-half-mile section yielded information on movement.
The following discussion is based principally on collections made with rotenone in 1957, 1958 and 1959 (Table 12). Other supplementary data aid in understanding the changes that occurred after the resumption of normal flow at the upper Neosho station.
The population in 1957 was strongly dominated by black bullhead and young-of-the-year channel catfish. Other common species were long-eared sunfish, red shiner, yellow bullhead, orange-spotted sunfish and green sunfish. This fauna, with the exception of young-of-the-year individuals, was a fauna produced during the years of drought. Deacon and Metcalf (1961:318-321) found a similar fauna in streams of the Wakarusa River Basin that had been seriously affected by drought.
The black bullheads taken in 1957 were predominately yearlings. It is likely that by 1956 the total fish population in the upper Neosho had been decimated by drought. The ponded conditions prevalent in that year were conducive to production and survival of young black bullheads. Fig. 3 shows that this dominant 1956 year-class reached an average length of approximately 6.5 inches by August, 1959.
Reproduction by black bullheads was limited in 1957, 1958, and 1959, and slight reduction in relative abundance occurred from 1957 to 1958. The relative abundance in 1959 remained nearly stable. If stream-flow remains essentially continuous for the next few years, the number of black bullheads probably will decline as individuals of the 1956 year-class reach the end of their life-span.
Reference has been made to the large hatch of channel catfish in 1957, in a discussion of that species. Conditions for survival of young channel catfish at the upper Neosho station in 1957 were good because there was continuous flow over many gravel-rubble riffles, which were largely unoccupied by other fish, in the spring and summer of 1957.