PERCHES - PERCIDAE


1a. Preopercle saw-edged; 7-8 branchiostegal rays (Fig. 39A, C) ................................................ 2

1b. Preopercle smooth-edged; 5-6 branchiostegal rays (Fig. 39B, C) ........................................... 4


2a. Jaws with strong canine teeth (Fig. 39A); anal soft rays
12-13; body lacking distinct vertical bars of color in adults ........................................................ 3

2b. Jaws without canine teeth; anal soft rays 6-8; body with
series of vertical bars over yellow ground-color ............................. Yellow Perch, Perca flavescens


3a. Cheeks well-scaled; dorsal soft rays 17-19; spinous
dorsal fin spattered with distinct black spots, without large dark
blotch at posterior base of fin; lower lobe of caudal fin not white-
tipped ................................................................................... Sauger, Stizostedion canadense

3b. Cheeks sparsely scaled; dorsal soft rays 19-22; spinous dorsal
fin without distinct dark spots, but with large dark blotch at pos-
terior base; lower lobe of caudal fin white-tipped ............................ Walleye, Stizostedion vitreum

NOTE: An artifical hybrid of Stizostedion vitreum x Stizostedion canadense, commonly called the
saugeye, has been widely stocked in a number of impoundments.


4a. Belly naked or with median row of enlarged spiny scales
(one such scale usually present between pelvic fins); pelvic fins
separated by space about as wide as base of each pelvic fin (Fig.
40A); anal fin about as large as soft dorsal fin; lateral line complete .......................................... 5

4b. Belly usually covered with ordinary scales (sometimes partly
naked, but never with enlarged spiny scales on midline or between
pelvic fins); space between pelvic fins less than length of fin base
(Fig. 40B); anal fin usually smaller than soft dorsal fin; lateral line
complete or incomplete ........................................................................................................ 9


5a. Snout with conical protuberance projecting forward beyond
mouth; lateral line scales usually more than eighty; sides with
alternately long and short vertical bars, interrupted ventrally; large
dark spot at base of caudal fin ........................................................ Logperch, Percina caprodes

5b. Snout not protruding, jaws terminal or nearly so; lateral-line
scales fewer than eighty; color not as above ............................................................................ 6


6a. Groove separating upper jaw from front of head continuous
across tip of snout (Fig. 41A) (premaxillaries protractile), sometimes
finely bridged to snout in Percina shumardi; lateral-line scales fewer
than 65 .............................................................................................................................. 7

6b. Groove separating upper jaw from front of head interrupted at
tip of snout (Fig. 41B), bridged by narrow band of tissue (pre-
maxillaries nonprotractile); lateral-line scales more than 65 ....................................................... 8


7a. Gill membranes connected, their juncture nearer base
of pelvic fins than tip of snout (Fig. 42A); cheeks scaly; prominent
dark bar below eye; sides with diffuse, vertically elongate blotches . River Darter, Percina shumardi

7b. Gill membranes separate, their juncture nearer rip of snout
than base of pelvic fins (Fig. 42B); cheeks usually naked or with
embedded scales (sometimes scaly); midsides with line of narrowly
connected small dark spots, upper sides with irregular pattern of
dark checks ......................................................................... Channel Darter, Percina copelandi


8a. Gill membranes broadly connected at midventral line,
their juncture nearer base of pelvic fins than tip of lower jaw
(Fig. 42A); spinous dorsal fin with orange submarginal bar; sides
plain dark-colored or blotched (blotches, if present, more than
eight and vertically elongate) ................................... Slenderhead Darter, Percina phoxocephala

8b. Gill membranes separate, their juncture nearer tip of lower
jaw than base of pelvic fins (Fig. 42B); spinous dorsal fin without
orange bar; 7-8 horizontally elongate dark blotches on midsides
......................................................................................... Blackside Darter, Percina maculata


9a. Premaxillaries protractile (groove, separating upper jaw
from front of head, continuous across snout; Fig. 41A) ............................................................ 10

9b. Premaxillaries nonprotractile (groove along margin of upper
jaw interrupted medially; Fig. 41B) ....................................................................................... 13


10a. Anal spines two (Fig. 43A); dorsal spines 11-14 ........................................................... 11

10b. Anal spine usually one (Fig. 43B); dorsal spines usually nine ............................................ 12


11a. Mouth ventral, snout rounded; maxillary adnate to
preorbital (Fig. 44); lateral line complete; sides with prominent
W-markings, breeding males green with scattered red
dots ....................................................................... Greenside Darter, Etheostoma blennioides

NOTE: Two distinct forms inhabitat Kansas; Etheostoma blennioides newmani in the Spring River
system and Etheostoma blennioides pholidotum in the Osage River System.

11b. Mouth terminal, snout acute; maxillary free from preorbital
(Fig. 44); lateral line incomplete; sides without W-markings,
breeding males with blue lateral spots and brassy sheen . Speckled Darter, Etheostoma stigmaeum


12a. Lateral line complete; dark bridle on snout interrupted
at midline .......................................................................... Johnny Darter, Etheostoma nigrum

12b. Lateral line incomplete, terminating near middle of body;
dark bridle continuous from eye to eye across front of snout above
upper lip .............................................................. Bluntnose Darter, Etheostoma chlorosomum


13a. Lateral line absent or nearly so; fewer than 38 scales
in lengthwise series; total spines and soft rays in dorsal fins
seventeen or fewer ......................................................... Least Darter, Etheostoma microperca

13b. Lateral line present, with more than seven pored scales;
more than 38 scales in lengthwise (lateral-line) series; total
spines and soft rays in dorsal fins usually more than seventeen ............................................... 14


14a. Gill membranes broadly connected at midventral line
(Fig. 42A) ......................................................................................................................... 15

14b. Gill membranes separate (or only narrowly joined; Fig. 42B) ............................................. 17


15a. Cheeks and opercles fully scaled; snout bluntly decurved,
mouth horizontal, lateral line complete; breeding males with bright
green vertical bars .............................................................. Banded Darter, Etheostoma zonale

15b. Cheeks and opercles mostly naked; snout pointed, mouth
oblique; lateral line incomplete; never with bright green pigment ............................................. 16


16a. Dorsal spines usually 10-11; breeding males with red
and blue pigment on fins, scattered red dots on sides .............. Redfin Darter, Etheostoma whipplii

16b. Dorsal spines usually 7-8; breeding males lacking red and
blue pigment (fins barred and sides lined by brownish black pig-
ment) ............................................................................. Fantail Darter, Etheostoma flabellare


17a. Lateral line arched anteriorly, parallel with dorsal body
contour; cheeks scaly; caudal peduncle slender, its least depth
much less than half its length ............................................... Slough Darter, Etheostoma gracile

17b. Lateral line nearly straight; cheeks usually naked; least
depth of caudal peduncle not less than half its length ............................................................. 18


18a. Infraorbital canal incomplete (interrupted below eye;
Fig. 45A); upper jaw terminating below anterior margin of orbit
(length of upper jaw, when projected into snout length, not inter-
secting pupil); sides horizontally lined or with dark vertical bars
on caudal peduncle; breeding males with much blue pigment
.......................................................................... Orangethroat Darter, Etheostoma spectabile

18b. Infraorbital canal complete (Fig. 45B); upperjaw extending
posteriorly beyond vertical line from anterior rim of orbit (length
of upper jaw, when projected into snout length, intersecting pupil);
sides mottled brown, never lined or barred on caudal peduncle;
breeding males lacking blue pigment .................................................................................... 19


19a. Lateral line with more than 25 pored scales; total spines
and soft rays in dorsal fins 23 or more; snout acute, usually longer
than eye .................................................................. Stippled Darter, Etheostoma punctulatum

19b. Lateral line with fewer than 25 pored scales; total spines
and soft rays in dorsal fins 22 or fewer; snout rounded, usually
shorter than eye .............................................................. Arkansas Darter, Etheostoma cragini