Frank B. Cross

Variation in the Plains Minnow, Hybognathus placitus Girard

1856. Hybognathus placitus Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 8:182. 1856. Hybognathus evansi Girard, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, 8:182. (Has line priority over H. placitus, but first reviser, Jordan and Gilbert, Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., 16:157, 1882, used H. placitus.) 1932. Hybognathus churchilli Hildebrand, Jour. Washington Acad. Sci., 22: 257. Type.-Five syntypes, USNM 89 (3), MCZ 1789 (1), and ANSP 5065 (1), from the Arkansas River six to eight miles west of Dodge City, Ford County, Kansas. (See also p. 160). Distribution.-Known certainly from Wyoming and South Dakota south to Texas, and east to Missouri (see also p. 162 and Fig. 1). Diagnosis.-Posterior process of basioccipital bone straight, thickened medially, and narrow posteriorly; scale-rows below lateral line 12-21 (15 or more in 93 per cent of specimens examined); diameter of eye less than 1/5 of length of head in adults. Methods.-Standard length and six counts (number of rays in the pectoral and anal fins, number of scales in the lateral-line series, scalerows below and above the lateral line, and number of vertebrae) were taken (Tables 1-6). The measurement and counts were made as described by Hubbs and Lagler (1958:19-26), with the exception of the count of scale-rows above and below the lateral line. Scale-rows above the lateral line were counted over the crest of the back, with one row of scales between the row counted and the origin of the dorsal fin. Scale-rows below the lateral line were counted around the belly, utilizing the second

Fishes of Cedar Creek and the South Fork of the Cottonwood River, Chase County, Kansas

The smaller streams of the Flint Hills Region in east-central Kansas are inhabited by fishes of both the Plains and the Ozarkian faunas. Species collected from two of these streams, the South Fork of the Cottonwood River and Cedar Creek, are discussed in this paper. Cedar Creek and the South Fork flow northward through Chase County into the Cottonwood River, a tributary of the Neosho (Grand) River, which is fed by streams from the western slope of the Ozark uplift before emptying into the Arkansas River in Oklahoma. Several kinds of fishes which are primarily Ozarkian in their distributions have used the Neosho River as an avenue

Ages and Sizes of 29 Flathead Catfish from the Kansas River, Douglas County, Kansas

Between September 18 and September 21, 1955, many fish were killed by temporary severe pollution in the Kansas River downstream from Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas. The kill seemingly occurred below the outlet of a drainage ditch that carries wastes from the Cooperative Farm Chemicals Association, a fertilizer-manufacturing plant. Water in the drainage ditch contained a high concentration of ammonia (827 ppm. NH,) when tested by the Water Analysis Laboratory of the State Board of Health on September 21, 1955. Nitrates as NO, totaled 726 ppm., and the pH was 9.4.

New Records of Four Fishes from Kansas

Records of Notropis illecebrosus, N. dorsalis, Noturus gyrinus, and Etheostoma stigmaeum in Kansas are lacking, or have rested on doubtful evidence. Occurrences of these species are reported herein. Specimens have been deposited at the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History (KU), the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ), or (formerly) the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University (MCZ). The characters listed for each species are compiled from Bailey, Winn, and Smith (1954); Bailey (1956); and Moore (1957). We are indebted to Dr. Reeve M. Bailey, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, for criticisms of the manuscript and for providing data upon some of the specimens listed. Notropis illecebrosus (Girard)-silverstripe shiner. Two specimens (KU 3846) from the Missouri River, Atchison County, Sec. 12, T. 7 S, R. 21 E, collected 24 August, 1957, by W. L. Minckley and A. L. Metcalf.

Nomenclature in the Pimephalinae, with Special Reference to the Bullhead Minnow, Pimephales vigilax perspicuus (Girard)

The bullhead minnow, known as Ceratichthys perspicuus (Girard) since publication of the Ceratichthys monograph by Hubbs and Black (1947), has had a variety of names in recent publications as the result of its reduction to subspecific status by Hubbs (1951), and synonymization of Ceratichthys under Pimephales by Bailey (1951). Pimephales vigilax perspicuus appears to be the correct name, but to my knowledge this name has not previously been applied. Bailey (1951) contends that the fishes of the Pimephalinae (Ceratichthys, Pimephales, and Hyborhynchus) are sufficiently allied to be grouped into a single genus, and without comment refers all of the Iowan forms (including C. perspicuus) to Pimephales in a list of the fishes of that State. I choose to accept his decision, but for reasons of proper understanding think that a brief summarization of the taxonomic situation in this group would be desirable.

New Distributional Records of the Rosyface Shiner and Slender Madtom in Kansas

A new distributional record in Geary County for the slender madtom (Noturus exilis) was documented by Layher and Wood (1986). That record consisted of one specimen (KU 21086) captured on 18 May 1984 from East Branch Humboldt Creek. A second specimen (KU 21424) was taken on 22 April 1986 by Layher and Wood from Davis Creek, Geary County, E 1/2 Sec. 2, T13S, R6E. This collection contained five other species: central stoneroller, Campostoma anomalum, (1 specimen; KU 21417); common shiner, Notropis cornutus (1 specimen; KU 21418); southern redbelly dace, Phoxinus erythrogaster (3 specimens; KU 21422); creek chub, Semotilus atromaculatus (1 specimen; KU 21423); and orangethroat darter, Etheostoma spectabile (1 specimen; KU 21425). The collection from Davis Creek also included three specimens of the rosyface shiner (Notropis rubellus) (KU 21420), and one hybrid, N. rubellus x N. cornutus (KU 21419). These represent the first record of the rosyface shiner in Geary County. Another collection on 22 April 1986, from Dry Creek in Sec. 17, T16S, R7E, Geary County, also contained rosyface shiners (2 specimens; KU 21413). Other fishes in that collection were the topeka shiner, Notropis topeka (1 specimen; KU 21414); redfin shiner, Notropis umbratilis (1 specimen; KU 21415); and orangethroat darter (1 specimen; KU 21416). Collections from numerous other streams in Geary County during the same week did not include either the rosyface shiner or the slender madtom. Previous stream surveys by the Kansas Fish and Game Commission, chiefly in the 1970s, provided no evidence of the occurrence of either species in Geary County (Layher and Brunson, 1986). The rosyface shiner and slender madtom normally inhabit permanently flowing, clear, upland streams with alternating pools and limestone riffles. In the Kansas River basin, both species are most abundant in Flint Hills streams, especially those of the Mill Creek drainage in Wabaunsee County (Metcalf, 1965; Cross, 1967). The Geary County sites are farther west in the Kansas River basin than any localities previously known for either species, but are within the Flint Hills upland; populations of both may long have

Some Effects of a Neutral Mixture of Calcium Oxide and Sulfuric Acid on Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque)

The Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant (S.A.A.P.), operated by the Hercules Powder Company at Sunflower, Johnson County, Kansas, discharges waste containing sulfuric acid neutralized with slaked lime into Kill Creek, a tributary of the Kansas River. Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), are indigenous to both streams. Twelve channel catfish, kept in a synthetic waste approximating that of S.A.A.P., died within two days when a suspended solids concentration of 24,200-30,400 mg/1 was maintained by vigorous aeration. Ten out of 15 channel catfish survived in synthetic waste for the 22-28 day duration of the experiments when a suspended solids concentration of 367-509 mg/l was maintained by moderate aeration. Eleven of 12 catfish survived 22-28 days in synthetic waste from which all settleable solids were removed, and 17 of 22 catfish kept in tapwater as controls survived 22-28 days. No significant mortality occurred among Notropis lutrensis, Notropis umbratilis, Lepomis cyanellus, Gambusia affinis, and Ictalurus melas kept in synthetic waste during preliminary tests. Transactions of the Kansas Academy of Science, Vol. 72, No. 1, 1969. Published June 11, 1969.

Fishes of El Dorado City Lake, Butler County, Kansas

El Dorado City Lake, an impoundment with a capacity of 3,000 acrefeet (265 surfaces acres), is on Satchel Creek in sections 15, 16, 20, and 21, T. 25S, R. 6E, Butler County, Kansas. The dam was constructed in 1927 and the impoundment filled in 1928. Subsequently, fish were stocked and local dependence on this lake for recreational fishing has been great. Angling success followed a trend similar to that reported for many other impoundments: a few years of excellent fishing, sporadic good fishing thereafter, but a gradual decline in the catch with the passage of time. In recent years fishing was unsatisfactory. The lake overflowed in 1951, but began gradual recession in 1952 as a result of protracted drouth. In 1954, city officials and the Kansas Forestry, Fish and Game Department decided to take advantage of the low level to remove all fish, and restock with desirable species. Commercial fishermen were permitted to operate nets in the summer of 1954, so that rough fish could be utilized. Altogether, 60,000 pounds of buffalo and carp were taken commercially (Kansas Fish and Game, Jan. 1955:5). In September, 1954, most of the water remaining in the lake was pumped into Lake Bluestem, a newly-constructed city reservoir. The Forestry, Fish and Game Department then seined the El Dorado Lake to salvage game fish for stocking in Lake Bluestem. Approximately 6,000 channel catfish and 50 largemouth bass were removed and transferred. F. B. Cross and W. J. Davis of the University of Kansas obtained data on fish seined on October 13, and secured many of the spines used to ascertain the growth-rate of channel catfish discussed later in this report. Fish remaining in the pool were poisoned at 4:30 p.m. on October 22, 1954, by Roy Schoonover and Charles Burner, biologists of the Department, using five per cent rotenone at a rate of three pounds per acre-foot of water (slightly more than one part per million). Schoonover estimated the volume of the lake to be 40 acre-feet at that time; the water-

Records of Fishes Little-Known from Kansas

This paper presents distributional records and other notes upon 10 species of fishes which have seldom or never been reported from Kansas. Although some of these fishes have long been known to occur in the state, adequate references, citing localities represented in collections, are lacking. Most of the records listed below have been obtained during the past three years by ichthyology classes at the University of Kansas or by students on State Biological Survey assignments. The specimens are deposited in the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History. For widely-distributed species which are represented by several collection localities are cited in terms of drainage system and county, but catalogue numbers of specimens are omitted. Exact localities and K.U. catalogue numbers are stated where records are based upon a few specimens taken from limited areas within the state. Characters used in the