Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk Counties, Kansas Part 5

Highest concentrations of the bluntface s.h.i.+ner were found close to the mouths of two tributaries of Big Caney River: Rock Creek and Otter Creek. On Rock Creek (Station C-4) this s.h.i.+ner was abundant in a shallow pool below a riffle where water was flowing rapidly. Many large males in breeding condition were taken (June 3). The species formed 20.2 per cent of the fish taken.

On Otter Creek (Station C-13) the species was common in shallow bedrock pools below riffles. It formed 12.1 per cent of the fish taken.

At station C-5, _N. camurus_ was characteristically found in an area of shallow pools and riffles. At station C-10 it was found in clear flowing water over rubble bottom and in small coves over mud bottom. At C-11 (July 26) _N. camurus_ was taken only in one small pool with rapidly flowing water below a riffle. In this pool _N. camurus_ was the dominant fish. At station C-12, on April 2, _N. camurus_ was abundant in the stream, which was then clear and flowing. On August 24, it was not taken from the same pool, which was then turbid and drying.

The frequent occurrence of this species in clear, flowing water seems significant. Cross (1954a:309) notes that the bluntface s.h.i.+ner prefers moderately fast, clear water. Hall (1952:57) found _N. camurus_ only in upland tributaries east of Grand River and not in lowland tributaries west of the river. Moore and Buck (1953:22) took this species in the Chikaskia River, which was at that time a clear, flowing stream. They noted that in Oklahoma it seems to be found only in relatively clear water.

_N. camurus_ did not seem to ascend the smaller tributaries of Big Caney River as did _N. rubellus_ and _N. boops_ even when these tributaries were flowing.

#Notropis deliciosus missuriensis# (Cope): Stations A-1, A-2, A-3, W-1, W-2, W-3 (C-136).

Sand s.h.i.+ners seemed to be abundant in the Arkansas River, rare in the Walnut River and absent from other streams surveyed. This s.h.i.+ner was most abundant in shallow, flowing water in the Arkansas River; in backwaters, where _Gambusia affinis_ prevailed, _N. deliciosus_ formed only a small percentage of the fish population.

#Notropis girardi# Hubbs and Ortenburger: Stations A-2 and A-3.

At station A-2 the Arkansas River s.h.i.+ner made up 14.6 per cent of all fish taken. At A-2, it was found only in rapidly-flowing water over clean sand in the main channels. It was absent from the shallow, slowly-flowing water where _N. deliciosus missuriensis_ was abundant. At A-3 _N. girardi_ made up 22 per cent of the total catch, and again preferred the deeper, faster water over clean-swept sand. Failure to find _N. girardi_ at station A-1 is not understood.

Females were gravid in both collections (August 25 and 27). In neither collection were young-of-the-year taken. Moore (1944:210) has suggested that _N. girardi_ requires periods of high water and turbidity to sp.a.w.n.

Additional collecting was done at station A-3 on December 22, 1957. A few adults were taken in flowing water but no young were found.

In this area, _N. girardi_ showed no tendency to ascend tributaries of the Arkansas River. Not far to the west, however, this pattern changes as shown by Hubbs and Ortenburger (1929a:32) who took this fish at seven of ten stations on the Cimarron, Canadian, and Salt Fork of the Arkansas. _N. girardi_ was taken only in the lowermost stations on both Stillwater Creek (Cross, 1950:136) and the Chikaskia River (Moore and Buck, 1953:22). In the next major stream west of the Chikaskia, the Medicine River, _N. girardi_ seems to occur farther upstream than in the Chikaskia. (Collection C-5-51 by Dr. A. B. Leonard and Dr. Frank B.

Cross on Elm Creek near Medicine Lodge on July 20, 1951.)

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

The red s.h.i.+ner was taken in every stream surveyed. The relative abundance seemed to be greatest in two types of habitat which were separated geographically. The first habitat was in large rivers such as the Arkansas and Walnut. In the Arkansas River the red s.h.i.+ner consistently made up 20 per cent to 25 per cent of the catch. On the Walnut River percentages ranged from 10 per cent (station W-3) to 45 per cent (station W-2).

The second habitat in which numbers of _N. lutrensis_ reached high proportions was in the upper parts of the most intermittent tributaries.

At the uppermost station in Silver Creek this species formed 30 per cent of the fish taken. In Crab Creek the following percentages were taken in six collections from mouth to source: 20.6%, 26.1%, 25%, 85%, 14.6%, and 1%. In the mainstream of Grouse Creek the highest percentage taken was 19.27 near the mouth at station G-1. In middle sections of Grouse Creek this species was either absent or made up less than 2 per cent of the fish taken.

At no station on Big Caney River was the red s.h.i.+ner abundant. The smallest relative numbers were found at upstream stations, in contrast to collections made on tributaries of Grouse Creek. This distributional pattern possibly may be explained by the severe conditions under which fish have been forced to live in the upper tributaries of Grouse Creek.

Water was more turbid, and pools were smaller than in Big Caney. These factors possibly decimate numbers of the less hardy species permitting expansion by more adaptable species, among which seems to be _N.

lutrensis_. In the upper tributaries of Big Caney River conditions have not been so severe due to greater flow from springs and less cultivation of the watershed in most places. Under such conditions _N. lutrensis_ seems to remain a minor faunal const.i.tuent.

#Notropis percobromus# (Cope): Stations A-1, A-2, W-1, W-2, W-3, G-1.

At station W-1 the plains s.h.i.+ner const.i.tuted 20 per cent of the fish taken. The river was flowing rapidly with large volume at the time of this collection, and all specimens were taken near the bank in comparatively quiet water over gravel bottom. At station W-3, below Tunnel Mill Dam at Winfield, _N. percobromus_ comprised 18.7 per cent of the fish taken, second only to _Lepomis humilis_ in relative abundance.

Immediately below the west end of the dam, plains s.h.i.+ners were so concentrated that fifty or more were taken in one haul of a four-foot nylon net. The amount of water overflowing the dam at this point was slight. Water was shallow (8-12 inches) and the bottom consisted of the pitted ap.r.o.n or of fine gravel. At the east end of the dam where water was deeper (1-3 feet) and the flow over the dam greater, large numbers of _Lepomis humilis_ were taken while _N. percobromus_ was rare.

In the Arkansas River smaller relative numbers of this s.h.i.+ner were obtained. At station A-2, it formed 4.68 per cent of the total. At this station _N. percobromus_ was taken with _N. lutrensis_ in water about 18 inches deep next to a bank where the current was sluggish and tangled roots and detritus offered some shelter.

At station G-1 on Grouse Creek the plains s.h.i.+ner made up 7.68 per cent of the fish taken. The habitat consisted of intermittent pools with rubble bottoms at this station, which was four miles upstream from the mouth of the creek. The plains s.h.i.+ner seems rarely to ascend the upland streams of the area.

#Notropis rubellus# (Aga.s.siz): Stations C-3, C-5, C-6, C-7, C-8, C-10, C-11, C-12, C-13, C-14 (J&J).

No fish in these collections showed a more persistent preference than _Notropis rubellus_ for clear, cool streams. All collections of the rosyface s.h.i.+ner were in the Big Caney River system, but at only four stations in this system was it common. At station C-11 the highest relative numbers (10.6 per cent) were obtained. This site possessed the most limpid water of any station on the mainstream of Big Caney. Aquatic plants (_Myriophyllum heterophyllum_ and _Potamogeton nodosus_) were common. Other fishes that flourished at this station were _N. boops_, _N. camurus_, _Campostoma anomalum_, and _Etheostoma spectabile_. The water temperature was 86 at surface and 80 at bottom whereas air temperature was 97.

_N. rubellus_ was common at all stations in Otter Creek, the clear, upland character of which has been discussed. In May and June only adults were found. On September 1, examination of several pools in upper Otter Creek revealed numerous young-of-the-year in small spring-fed pools.

Literature is scarce concerning this s.h.i.+ner in Kansas. Cross (1954a:308) stated that it was abundant in the South Fork of the Cottonwood River and was one of those fishes primarily a.s.sociated with the Ozarkian fauna, rather than with the fauna of the plains. Elliott (1947) found _N. rubellus_ in Spring Creek, a tributary of Fall River which seems similar to Otter Creek in physical features. Between the Fall River and Big Caney River systems is the Elk River, from which there is no record of the rosyface s.h.i.+ner. Perhaps its absence is related to the intermittent condition of this stream at present. The Elk River is poor in spring-fed tributaries, which seem to be favorite environs of the rosyface s.h.i.+ner.

_N. rubellus_ was taken by Minna Jewell and Frank Jobes in Silver Creek on June 30, 1925 (UMMZ 67818). The s.h.i.+ner was not found in any stream west of the Big Caney system in my collections.

In Oklahoma, Hall (1952:57) found _N. rubellus_ in upland tributaries on the east side of Grand River and not in the lowland tributaries on the west side. Martin and Campbell (1953:51) characterize _N. rubellus_ as preferring riffle channels in moderate to fast current in the Black River, Missouri. It is the only species so characterized by them which was taken in my collections. Moore and Paden (1950:84) state "_Notropis rubellus_ is one of the most abundant fishes of the Illinois River, being found in all habitats but showing a distinct preference for fast water...."

#Notropis topeka# (Gilbert): Two specimens (formerly Indiana University 4605) of the Topeka s.h.i.+ner labeled "Winfield, Kansas" are now at the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. Collector and other data are not given. Evermann and Fordice (1886:185) noted that two specimens of _N. topeka_ were taken from Sand Creek near Newton in Harvey County, but do not list it from Cowley County near Winfield. They deposited their fish in the museum of Indiana University.

#Notropis umbratilis# (Girard): Stations G-1, G-3, G-4, G-7, G-8, G-9, G-12, G-14, B-2, B-3, 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-15, C-16, E-1, E-2, E-4, E-5, M-1, M-2 (J&J, C-131, C-132).

The redfin s.h.i.+ner flourished in all the streams surveyed except the Arkansas and Walnut Rivers. _N. umbratilis_ has been found in upland tributaries of the Walnut River, some of which originate in terrain similar to that in which Elk River, Big Caney River, and Grouse Creek originate. (Collection C-26-51 by Cross on Durechon Creek, October 7, 1951.) This suggests downstream reduction in relative numbers of this species, a tendency which also seemed to exist on both Big Caney River and Grouse Creek. _N. umbratilis_ was the most abundant species in Big Caney River except at the lowermost stations where it was surpa.s.sed in relative abundance by _N. lutrensis_ and _Gambusia affinis_.

_N. umbratilis_ was a pool-dweller, becoming more concentrated in the deeper pools as summer advanced. In May and early June, large concentrations of adult _N. umbratilis_ were common in the shallow ends of pools together with _N. rubellus_, _N. boops_, _Pimephales notatus_, and _Pimephales tenellus_. By July and August, only young of the year were taken in shallow water, and adults were scarcely in evidence.

#Notropis volucellus# (Cope): Stations G-5, G-8, C-3, C-5, C-7, C-8, C-9, C-10, M-1, E-4, E-5.

The mimic s.h.i.+ner was a minor element in the fauna, 2.02 per cent at station C-5 being the largest percentage taken. In the Big Caney River system _N. volucellus_ was taken only in the main stream. In the Grouse Creek drainage it was found at two stations in the upper part of the watershed, where water is clearer, gradient greater, and pools well-shaded and cool.

In the Elk River the mimic s.h.i.+ner was taken only in the upper part of the main stream. The dominant s.h.i.+ner in situations where _N. volucellus_ was taken was, in all cases, _N. umbratilis_. Elliott (1947) found _N.

volucellus_ in Spring Creek, a tributary of Fall River. Farther north in the Flint Hills region, _N. volucellus_ was reported by Cross (1954a:310).

#Notemigonus crysoleucas# (Mitch.e.l.l): Station W-5.

This isolated record for the golden s.h.i.+ner consisted of nine specimens collected on June 6 in Timber Creek, a tributary of the Walnut River.

Most of the creek was dry. _N. crysoleucas_ was taken in one pool with dimensions of 8 feet by 4 feet with an average depth of 4 inches. This creek is sluggish and silt-laden, even under conditions of favorable precipitation. Hubbs and Ortenburger (1929b:89) observed that the golden s.h.i.+ner prefers sluggish water. Hall (1952:58) took the golden s.h.i.+ner only in the lowland tributaries west of Grand River and not east of the river in upland tributaries.

#Phenacobius mirabilis# Girard: Stations W-3, C-3.

In no case was the suckermouth minnow common; it never comprised more than 1 per cent of the fish population.

#Pimephales notatus# (Rafinesque): Stations W-4, G-5, G-7, G-9, G-12, G-13, B-3, 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-15, C-16, C-17, C-18, M-1, M-2, E-1, E-2, E-4, E-5, E-7 (J&J, C-131, C-132, C-133).

This was much the most abundant of the four species of _Pimephales_ in this area. It was taken at 33 stations as compared with 10 for _P.

tenellus_, 8 for _P. promelas_, and 3 for _P. vigilax_.

The bluntnose minnow was taken almost everywhere except in the main stream of the Arkansas and Walnut rivers and in lower Grouse Creek. _P.

notatus_ seemed to prefer clearer streams of the Flint Hills part of my area. There was a marked increase in percentages taken in the upland tributaries of both Caney River and Grouse Creek. In the Elk River, too, higher concentrations were found upstream.