Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk Counties, KansasMetcalf, Artie L.
Science
Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk Counties, Kansas
Metcalf, Artie L.
Fishes -- Kansas
The highest relative numbers of bluntnose minnows were taken at station
G-12 on Crab Creek, station C-12 on Cedar Creek and station C-16 on
Spring Creek. At G-12, this minnow was abundant in the deeper isolated
pools. Males in breeding condition were taken on June 9. In Cedar Creek
the population of bluntnose minnows was observed periodically in one
pool in which they were dominant. This pool was 100 feet by 50 feet,
shallow, and with bedrock bottom. At its upper end, however, there was a
small area of heavily-shaded deeper water. Throughout the spring
bluntnose minnows were found in large schools in the shallow area. As
the summer progressed they were no longer there, but seining revealed
their presence in the deeper, upper end.
At station C-16 on Spring Creek on July 9 male _P. notatus_ were taken
in extreme breeding condition, being light brick-red in color and with
large tubercles.
#Pimephales tenellus# (Girard): Stations G-1, C-2, C-3, C-5, C-6, C-7,
C-8, M-1, E-2, E-4 (C-131 C-133).
The mountain minnow was never taken far from the mainstream of Big
Caney, Middle Caney, or Elk River. In this respect it differed from _P.
notatus_, which reached large concentrations in the small upland
tributaries. On the other hand, _P. tenellus_ was not so abundant as _P.
vigilax_ in the silty larger streams. In no collection was the mountain
minnow common. The highest percentages were 2.4 per cent (Station C-5),
and 2.1 per cent (Station C-7) on Big Caney River. These stations
consisted of clear, flowing water over rubble bottoms. Males at C-7
(June 16) were in breeding condition.
Moore and Buck (1953:23) reported finding this species among rocks in
very fast water rather than in the quiet backwaters frequented by _P.
vigilax_. Other records of the mountain minnow from the Flint Hills
indicate that it seeks areas of maximum gradient and flow; in this
distributional respect it is like _Notropis camurus_. The two species
are recorded together from other streams in this region such as the
Chikaskia (Moore and Buck, 1953:23), Cottonwood (Cross, 1954a:310), and
Spring Creek, tributary of Fall River (Elliott, 1947). It is conceivable
that a preference for flowing water might explain its restriction to
the medium-sized, less intermittent streams in this area. The only
tributary which the species seemed to ascend to any extent was Otter
Creek, which is seldom intermittent downstream.
#Pimephales vigilax perspicuus# (Girard): Stations A-3, C-1, C-4.
The parrot minnow was found only in downstream habitats. Collection C-4
(June 3) on Rock Creek was made about 1/2 mile from the mouth of this
tributary of Big Caney and the creek here had almost the same character
as the river proper. The presence of other channel fishes such as
_Ictiobus bubalus_ indicates the downstream nature of the creek. Some
males of _P. vigilax_ in breeding condition were taken in this
collection.
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