Anguillidae (eels)

1
Anguillidae (eels)

• Eel-like body (long, slender)
• Terminal mouth jaws
• Small opercle
• Small scales smooth skin
• Long dorsal fin continuous with caudal, anal
  fins no pelvic fin
• Homocercal caudal fin

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
American eel (Anguilla rostrata))
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Anguillidae

• Catadromous
• Females migrate long distances (15 years in fresh
  water) males remain near coast
• Nocturnal movements (can move over land)
• 3 larval forms (leptocephala, glass eels, elvers)
• Uncommon in Iowa large rivers

American eel (Anguilla rostrata))
3
Clupeidae (herrings, shads)

• Laterally compressed
• Silvery scales
• Saw-tooth margin (pointed scales) on abdomen
  (belly)
• No lateral line
• Fins lack spines
• Caudal fin homocercal, forked

Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum))
4
Clupeidae

• Diets primarily zoo-, phytoplankton gizzard shad
  strain organisms form soft sediments
• Gizzard shad an important food web component in
  lakes and reservoirs with soft bottoms

Ohio Department of Natural Resources
gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum))
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Hiodontidae (mooneyes)

• Laterally compressed
• Silvery color
• Large eye
• Part of belly sharp/knifelike, but no saw-tooth
  margin
• Lateral line present
• Fins lack spines
• Caudal fin homocercal, forked

GLERL/NOAA
mooneye (Hiodon tergisus))
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Hiodontidae

• Diet consists of small animals, including fishes
• Sportfishes where they are common (e.g., western
  Canada)
• Uncommon in Iowa present in large border rivers

University of Alberta Department of Biology
goldeye (Hiodon alosoides))
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Salmonidae (trouts)

• Terminal mouth
• Small scales
• Fins lack spines
• Adipose fin
• Axillary process at base of pelvic fin
• Caudal fin homocercal, squared or forked

brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis))
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Adipose fin
Axillary process
Eddy and Underhill (1978)
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Salmonidae

• Cool/cold waters
• Prey on invertebrates, fishes
• Economically important sport/food fishes
• Brook trout native to northeast IA 2
  nonindigenous species propagated, stocked (some
  natural reproduction)

Virginia Tech virtual aquarium
brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis))
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Umbridae (mudminnows)

• Terminal mouth
• Lateral line absent
• Fins with soft rays
• Dorsal, anal fins toward posterior end of body
• Caudal fin homocercal, rounded

New York State Department of Environmental
Conservation
central mudminnow (Umbra limi))
University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
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Umbridae

• Inhabit swamps, ponds
• Very tolerant of low oxygen concentrations,
  drought
• Bury themselves in mud
• Prey on invertebrates

University of Michigan Museum of Zoology
central mudminnow (Umbra limi)