FISHES OF MINNESOTA
Distribution in 8 Major Drainage Basins
Prepared by
Jay T. Hatch, Associate Curator of Ichthyology
James Ford Bell Museum of Natural History
University of Minnesota
and
Konrad Schmidt, Nongame Fish Biologist
Division of Ecological Services
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources


Updated 21 January 2004

At present we recognize 159 species (139 native) as historically occurring in Minnesota waters with an additional 2 species in waters contiguous to Minnesota (Apeltes quadracus, introduced to Lake Superior in Ontario, and Fundulus dispar, a native in Lower Mississippi of Wisconsin). The latest arrival is the bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis). There are 82 genera (69 native) plus 1 introduced in contiguous waters and 27 families (25 native). We have not included failed intentional or inadvertant introductions.

i = introduced to the drainage, L = below Taylor's Falls, U = above Taylor's Falls, X = native to and present today in drainage, # = present prior to 1975, R = native and reintroduced, IA = Iowa portion of drainage, ND = North Dakota portion of drainage, OT = Ontario portion of drainage, SD = South Dakota portion of drainage, WI = Wisconsin portion of drainage, ? following any letter or symbol indicates we are investigating questionable records; Totals at bottom of table do not count questionable recor

Conservation status symbols (ETS species): en = state endangered, th = state threatened, sc = state special concern; E = federally endangered

 
Taxon Common name R
e
d

R		 R
a
i
n
y

R		 U

M
i
s
s

R		 S
u
p
e
r
i
o
r		 St

C
r
o
i
x		 M
i
n
n

R		 M
o

R
i
v
e
r		 L

M
i
s
s

R

C
o
n
s
e
r

S
t
a
t

Petromyzontiformes
Petromyzontidae
Ichthyomyzon castaneus chesnut lamprey X       X     X  
Ichthyomyzon fossor northern brook lamprey   X   X WI     X sc
Ichthyomyzon gagei southern brook lamprey         X       sc
Ichthyomyzon unicuspis silver lamprey X X   X X X   X  
Lampetra appendix American brook lamprey         L X   X  
Petromyzon marinus sea lamprey       i          
Acipenseriformes
Acipenseridae
Acipenser fulvescens lake sturgeon R X   X X X   X sc
Scaphirhynchus platorynchus shovelnose sturgeon         L X   X  
Polyodontidae
Polyodon spathula paddlefish         L X IA,SD X th
Semionotiformes
Lepisosteidae
Lepisosteus osseus longnose gar #       L X IA,SD X  
Lepisosteus platostomus shortnose gar     X   L X   X  
Amiiformes
Amiidae
Amia calva bowfin X   X   X X   X  
Osteoglossiformes
Hiodontidae
Hiodon alosoides goldeye X #     L# X IA,SD X  
Hiodon tergisus mooneye X X     L#     X  
Anguilliformes
Anguillidae
Anguilla rostrata American eel     X X L X SD X  
Clupeiformes
Clupeidae
Alosa chrysochloris skipjack herring         L# #

 

 X sc
Alosa pseudoharengus alewife       i          
Dorosoma cepedianum gizzard shad     X   L X IA,SD X  
Cypriniformes
Cyprinidae
Campostoma anomalum central stoneroller X   X   X X X X  
Campostoma oligolepis largescale stoneroller ND       U X   X  
Carassius auratus goldfish     i i i  
Clinostomus elongatus redside dace               X  
Couesius plumbeus lake chub   ONT   X          
Ctenopharyngodon idella grass carp             IAi i  
Cyprinella lutrensis red shiner             X IA  
Cyprinella spiloptera spotfin shiner X X X   X X IA X  
Cyprinus carpio carp i i i i i i i  
Erimystax x-punctatus gravel chub               X sc
Hybognathus hankinsoni brassy minnow X X X X X X X X  
Hybognathus nuchalis Mississippi silvery minnow               X  
Hybopsis amnis pallid shiner         #     X sc
Hypophthalmichthys nobilis bighead carp               i  
Luxilus cornutus common shiner X X X X X X X X  
Lythrurus umbratilis redfin shiner               X  
Macrhybopsis (Hybopsis) aestivalis speckled chub         L X IA X  
Macrhybopsis (Hybopsis) storeriana silver chub X       X # IA X  
Margariscus margarita pearl dace X X X X X #   X  
Nocomis biguttatus hornyhead chub X X X X X X IA X  
Notemigonus crysoleucas golden shiner X X X X X X IA X  
Notropis anogenus pugnose shiner X   X X WI X IA X sc
Notropis atherinoides emerald shiner X X X X L X X X  
Notropis blennius river shiner X X     L# X   X  
Notropis dorsalis bigmouth shiner X X X   X X X X  
Notropis heterodon blackchin shiner X X X # X X   X  
Notropis heterolepis blacknose shiner X X X X X X IA X  
Notropis hudsonius spottail shiner X X X X X X X X  
Notropis nubilus Ozark minnow               X sc
Notropis rubellus rosyface shiner X         X   X  
Notropis stramineus* sand shiner X   X   X X X X  
Notropis texanus weed shiner X   X   L# X   X  
Notropis topeka Topeka shiner             X # E
Notropis volucellus mimic shiner X X X X X X   X  
Opsopoeodus emiliae pugnose minnow         L     X  
Phenacobius mirabilis suckermouth minnow             IA X  
Phoxinus eos northern redbelly dace X X X X X X SD X  
Phoxinus erythrogaster southern redbelly dace             X X  
Phoxinus neogaeus finescale dace X X X X X     X  
Pimephales notatus bluntnose minnow X X X # X X X X  
Pimephales promelas fathead minnow X X X X X X X X  
Pimephales vigilax bullhead minnow     X         X  
Platygobio gracilis flathead chub i           IA,SD    
Rhinichthys atratulus blacknose dace X X X X X X X X  
Rhinichthys cataractae longnose dace X X X X X  

 

 X  
Semotilus atromaculatus creek chub X X X X X X X X  
Catostomidae
Carpiodes carpio river carpsucker           X X X  
Carpiodes cyprinus quillback X X     X X X X  
Carpiodes velifer highfin carpsucker         L X   X  
Catostomus catostomus longnose sucker   X   X          
Catostomus commersoni white sucker X X X X X X X X  
Cycleptus elongatus blue sucker         X X SD X sc
Hypentelium nigricans northern hogsucker X   X   X X   X  
Ictiobus bubalus smallmouth buffalo X       L X IA,SD X  
Ictiobus cyprinellus bigmouth buffalo X   X   L X

X

 X  
Ictiobus niger black buffalo           X IA X sc
Minytrema melanops spotted sucker         L #   X  
Moxostoma anisurum silver redhorse X X X X X X   X  
Moxostoma carinatum river redhorse         X #   X  
Moxostoma duquesnei black redhorse               X  
Moxostoma erythrurum golden redhorse X X     X X X X  
Moxostoma macrolepidotum shorthead redhorse X X X X X X X X  
Moxostoma valenciennesi greater redhorse X # X   X X   X  
Siluriformes
Ictaluridae
Ameiurus melas black bullhead X X X X X X X X  
Ameiurus natalis yellow bullhead X   X X X X X X  
Ameiurus nebulosus brown bullhead X X X X X X

IA

 X  
Ictalurus furcatus blue catfish         i        
Ictalurus punctatus channel catfish X   i X X X X X  
Noturus exilis slender madtom               X sc
Noturus flavus stonecat X   X X X X X X  
Noturus gyrinus tadpole madtom X X X X X X X X  
Pylodictis olivaris flathead catfish     i   X X IA,SD X  
Esociformes
Esocidae
Esox lucius northern pike X X X X X X X X  
Esox masquinongy muskellunge i X X X i   IAi i  
Umbridae
Umbra limi central mudminnow X X X X X X X X  
Osmeriformes
Osmeridae
Osmerus mordax rainbow smelt   i i i i     i  
Salmoniformes
Salmonidae
Coregonus artedi lake herring (cisco) X X X X U        
Coregonus clupeaformis lake whitefish X X X X L#        
Coregonus hoyi bloater       X          
Coregonus kiyi kiyi       X         sc
Coregonus nipigon Nipigon cisco   X              
Coregonus zenithicus shortjaw cisco   X   X         sc
Oncorhynchus gorbuscha pink salmon       i          
Oncorhynchus kisutch coho salmon       i          
Oncorhynchus mykiss rainbow trout i i i i i i   i  
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha chinook salmon       i          
Prosopium coulteri pygmy whitefish       X          
Prosopium cylindraceum round whitefish       X          
Salmo salar Atlantic salmon       i          
Salmo trutta brown trout i i i i i i   i  
Salvelinus fontinalis brook trout i i i X X X   X  
Salvelinus namaycush lake trout   X i X i        
Percopsiformes
Percopsidae
Percopsis omiscomaycus trout-perch X X X X X

 

 X X  
Aphredoderidae                    
Aphredoderus sayanus pirate perch               X sc
Gadiformes
Lotidae
Lota lota burbot X X X X X

X

   X  
Atheriniformes
Atherinidae
Labidesthes sicculus brook silverside     X i X     X  
Cyprinodontiformes
Fundulidae
Fundulus diaphanus banded killifish X X X   X X IA,SD X  
Fundulus dispar
starhead topminnow
               WI  
Fundulus sciadicus plains topminnow             X   sc
Gasterosteiformes
Gasterosteidae
Apeltes quadracus fourspine stickleback       OTi          
Culaea inconstans brook stickleback X X X X X X X X  
Gasterosteus aculeatus threespine stickleback       i          
Pungitius pungitius ninespine stickleback   X X X          
Scorpaeniformes
Cottidae
Cottus bairdi mottled sculpin X X X X X     X  
Cottus cognatus slimy sculpin   X X X L     X  
Cottus ricei spoonhead sculpin   X   X          
Myoxocephalus thompsoni deepwater sculpin   X   X          
Perciformes
Moronidae
Morone americana white perch       i          
Morone chrysops white bass i       L X IA,SD X  
Morone mississippiensis yellow bass               X sc
Centrarchidae
Ambloplites rupestris rock bass X X X X X X   X  
Lepomis cyanellus green sunfish X X X X X X X X  
Lepomis gibbosus pumpkinseed X X X X X X X X  
Lepomis gulosus warmouth   i     LWI     X  
Lepomis humilis orangespotted sunfish X   X     X X X  
Lepomis macrochirus bluegill X X X X X X X X  
Lepomis megalotis longear sunfish   X X   UWI        
Micropterus dolomieu smallmouth bass i i X X X X IA X  
Micropterus salmoides largemouth bass X X X X X X

i

 X  
Pomoxis annularis white crappie i       X X IA,SD X  
Pomoxis nigromaculatus black crappie X X X X X X X X  
Percidae
Ammocrypta clara western sand darter         L #   X  
Crystallaria asprella crystal darter         L     X sc
Etheostoma asprigene mud darter         L     X  
Etheostoma caeruleum rainbow darter X       L X   X  
Etheostoma chlorosoma bluntnose darter               X  
Etheostoma exile Iowa darter X X X X X X X X  
Etheostoma flabellare fantail darter         L X   X  
Etheostoma microperca least darter X   X X WI X   X sc
Etheostoma nigrum johnny darter X X X X X X X X  
Etheostoma zonale banded darter           X   X  
Gymnocephalus cernuus ruffe       i          
Perca flavescens yellow perch X X X X X X X X  
Percina caprodes logperch X X X X X X IA,SD X  
Percina evides gilt darter         X     WI sc
Percina maculata blackside darter X X X   X X X X  
Percina phoxocephala slenderhead darter         X X   X  
Percina shumardi river darter   X     L X   X  
Sander canadense** sauger   X     L X

IA

 X  
Sander vitreus** walleye X X X X X X i X  
Sciaenidae
Aplodinotus grunniens freshwater drum X     i X X IA,SD X  
Gobiidae
Neogobius melanostomus round goby       i          
Proterorhinus marmoratus
tubenose goby
       i          
No. of families 20 17 18 21 25 21 10 26  
No. of genera 49 41 47 51 63 56 29 70  
Total no. of species 82 73 75

83

 106 95 42 127  
No. of introduced species 9 6 10 16 7 4 3 8  
No. of native species 73 67 65 67 99 91 39 119  
No. of ETS species 3 3 2 6 8 7 2 16 21

* International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature Opinion 1991, specific epithet, stramineus, was conserved, making Notropis ludibundus invalid. see Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature 59(1), 27 March 2002: 58-59.

** Sander recognized as the senior synonym of Stizostedion. see Kottelat, M. 1997. European freshwater fishes. An heuristic checklist of the freshwater fishes of Europe (exclusive of former USSR), with an introduction for non-systematics and comments on nomenclature and conservation. Biologia 52 (supplement 5):1-271.

Last updated 21 January 2004