Buchanan, Thomas M.

Keith, William E.

Robison, Henry W.

English

UARK (University of Arkansas )

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science Volume 41 Article 37 1987 Rediscovery of the Suckermouth Minnow, Phenacobius mirabilis (Girard), in Arkansas William E. Keith Arkansas Pollution Control and Ecology Commission Thomas M. Buchanan University of Arkansas - Fort Smith Henry W. Robison Southern Arkansas University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas  Part of the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons Recommended Citation Keith, William E.; Buchanan, Thomas M.; and Robison, Henry W. (1987) "Rediscovery of the Suckermouth Minnow, Phenacobius mirabilis (Girard), in Arkansas," Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 41 , Article 37. Available at: https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol41/iss1/37 This article is available for use under the Creative Commons license: Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0). Users are able to read, download, copy, print, distribute, search, link to the full texts of these articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking prior permission from the publisher or the author. This General Note is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact scholar@uark.edu. Proceedings Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 41, 1987 109Arkansas Academy of Science! EFFICIENCY OF DIFFERENT STORAGE METHODS FOR PRESERVINGLAKETROUT (Sahelinus namacush) EYE TISSUESea lamprey predation and over-fishing during the past 40 years have caused lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) populations in the Great Lakesto be greatly reduced. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with State Fishery Agencies and the Canadian Government is working) on a program to restore lake trout populations to the Great Lakes region. The National Fishery Research Development Laboratory, Wellsboro,Pennsylvania, is studying inheritance of cataracts in lake trout, as a recurring problem in hatchery fish populations. Brandt et al. (1986) studiedIthe incidence ofcorneal cloudiness in transported large mouth bass and found that 80% of the eyes cleared within20 to 36 hours after transport.Italso was demonstrated that nutritional problems, pollution and other physical parameters may increase the incidence of cataracts in hatcheryreared fish (Steucke et al., 1986; Bodammer 1985; Ketola, 1979). As a part of the inheritance project, we conducted a study to determine howcataracts collected in field locations can best be stored for shipment to the laboratory for analysis without significant distortion or deterioration.An extended storage period would allow adequate time for collections at remote field stations to reach the lab for analysis.Four methods of fish eye tissue storage were used: 1) dry storage at 40°F.; 2) storage in iced water; 3) frozen (without additional water);¦ and 4) fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution. Allsamples were evaluated daily over 10 days to determine stage of tissue deterioration. A totalof 20 fish (five fish per treatment) with cataracts were tested with the four methods. The cataracts were evaluated under low magnification (7 XIpower). Deterioration in eye tissue due to preservation method was defined in two stages. Stage 1 was indicated with a distinct ring around thedeteriorating cataract; this was designated as a rim cataract (Orme and Lemm, 1974). Stage 2 was indicated by the disappearance of the rim anda progressive breakdown of lens tissue leading to an opague then solid white lens. This indicated destruction of the cataract.The number of days to stages one and two for each treatment are shown in Table 1.The normal lake trout eye is lucid and shining anddoes not contain light colored spots or lines in the lens. Our initial findings revealed that for the nuclear cataract to remain visible in any of thestorage methods, the cornea of the eye had to remain moist or refrigerated. Lake trout eye tissues were preserved longest without deteriorationinboth the refrigeration and water treatments.Table 1.The average number ofdays to stages 1 and 2 for each storagetreatment of Lake trout eye tissue.TREATMENT REFRIGERATED WATER FROZEN FORMALINNumber of daysto stage 1 2 3 11Number of daysto stage 2 3 3 11During the first three days of observations, 10% of the samples in the refrigeration method changed from normal to stage 1.From days4-7, an additional 40% of the samples changed from stage 1 to stage 2. With each method what appears to be a halo or rim cataract developedin the outer layer of the lens. The halo appeared as a ghostly circle with or without feathered edges, and the posterior lens surface may have amirror-likeappearance. In the iced method, 20% of the fish developed the halo, and during days 3-5, 60% of the fish lenses deteriorated to stage1. Fish eyes preserved by methods 3 and 4 reached stage 2 within one day of treatment. The freezer method caused widespread lesions in the lenstissue, which totally obliterated visual evidence of the cataract. Inthe formalin method, lesions in the lens tissue were filled with formalin solutionwhich completely obscured the cataract after the second day of treatment. These results suggest that laboratory storage of corneal eye tissues maybest be accomplished withrefrigeration or water storage in ice for short term preservation of fresh tissues. Under field conditions without refrigera-tion,eye tissues may be adequately stored in iced water and remain relatively fresh for up to three days. This should provide ample time for transportto laboratories.LITERATURE CITEDBODAMMER, J. E. 1985. Corneal damage in larvae of striped bass HOFFMAN, G. L. and R. E. PETTY. 1969. Host susceptibility andthe effect ofaging freezing heat and chemicals onspores of Myx-osoma cerebralis. Prog. Fish Cult. 31:35-37.Monrone saxatilis exposed to copper. Trans. Amer. Fish Soc.114:577-583.BRANDT, T. M., R. J. JONES, and J. R. KOKE. 1986. Corneal KETOLA, H. G. 1979. Influence of dietary zinc on cataracts in rain-bow trout (Salmo gairdneri). J. Nutrition 109:965-969.cloudiness in transported largemouth bass. Prog. Fish Cult.48:199-201.110Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 41 [1987], Art. 37Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1987110 Proceedings Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol.41, 1987General Notes'ORME, L. E. and C. A. LEMM. 1974. Trout eye examinationprocedure. Prog. Fish Cult. 36:167.STEUCKE, E. W., JR., L. H. ALLISON, R. E. PIPER, RROBERTSON, and J. T. BOWEN. 1968. Effects oflight and diet |on the incidence of cataracts in hatchery-raised lake trout. Prog.Fish Cult. 30:220-226.BASILL.JOINER, Department ofAgriculture, University ofArkansas at PineBluff,Pine Bluff,AR 71601; JOSEPH R. SYLVESTER, ArkansasCooperative Fishery Project, University ofArkansas at Pine Bluff,PineBluff, AR 71601; andHAROLDL.KINCAID,National Fishery Research )Development Laboratory, Wellsboro, PA.REDISCOVERY OF THE SUCKERMOUTH MINNOW, PHENACOBIUS MIRABILIS(GIRARD), INARKANSASThe suckermouth minnow, Phenacobius mirabilis (Girard), is primarily a northern and western prairie stream species and is quite commonin sand and gravel-bottomed riffles of permanent streams throughout much of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Itis /known to occur today in every state bordering Arkansas. Although P. mirabilis was originaly described from the Arkansas River at Fort Smith(Girad, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 8:165-213, 1856) is has always been rare in this state, and the lack of any recent records, despite numerouscollecting attempts, suggested the possibility of its extirpation from Arkansas waters.Untilnow, the only verified records of P. mirabilis from Arkansas were fivepre-1940 collections, all from western Arkansas (Black, Ph.D.Dissertation, Univ. Michigan, Ann Arbor, 500 pp., 1940). However, on 16 July 1986, a single adult specimen of P. mirabilis was collected fromLittleBay Ditch (St. Francis River drainage), 3 miles southeast of Jonesboro, Craighead County, Arkansas (R5E, T13N, Sec 18) by William E.Keith, Roland McDaniel, Bob Singleton, Mark Brady, and Bo Smith of the ADPC&E. The specimen, 73 mm in standard length, which willbedeposited in the Arkansas State University Museum of Zoology in Jonesboro, possessed the following meristics: 46 lateral line scales, 8 dorsalrays, 7 anal rays, and 14 pectoral rays.Little Bay Ditch is a channelized stream with a drainage area of approximately 45 square miles. Land use within this watershed is about60% agricultural and 40% suburban. Habitat at the collecting site consisted of 70% shallow, slow-flowing pools and 30% shallow, fast-flowingriffles. The substrate consisted of 78.3% sand and 21.7% mud and silt. Brush, logs, and debris comprised the instream cover (17.5% of meanstream width). Other physical habitat features were: a stream gradient of 0.9 ft/mi, a mean stream width of 41.4 ft,a mean stream velocity of1.01 ft/sec, an observed flow of 27.4 cfs, a mean depth of 0.9 ft,and a maximum depth of2.5 ft.The following water quality data were recorded:water temperature 27 °C, dissolved oxygen 5.1 mg/1, pH 7.99, turbidity 90 NTU, Total suspended solids 142 mg/1, Total dissolved solids 302mg/1, BOD, 3.8 mg/1, BOD20 12.4 mg/1, Total phosphate 0.3 mg/1, NO3 + NO 2-nitrogen 0.29 mg/1, NH3-nitrogen 0.38 mg/1, chloride 9.0mg/1, sulfate 18.0 mg/1, conductivity 426 /xmho, Total hardness 166 mg/1, alkalinity 174 mg/1, chlorophyll-a 13.4 /tg/1, fecal conform 700counts/lOOml. A substantial summer rain had occurred 2-3 days previously resulting in above normal stream flow.The single P. mirabilis specimen was collected in a shallow sandy-bottomed rifflein swift current witha 110 volt ACbackpack electric shocker.The most abundant fishes by number at the collecting site were: Gambusia affinis (83), Ictalurus punctatus (76), Lepomis cyanellus (70), Lepomismegalotis (22), and Notropis venustus (22). Other fishes collected at this site were: Amia calva (1), Lepisosteus oculatus (6), Dorosoma cepedianum(11), Cyprinus carpio (10), Notropis atherinoides (2), Fundulus notatus (1), Ictalurus natalis (5), Lepomis macrochirus (1), and Aplodinotusgrunniens (10).WILLIAME. KEITH,Department ofPollution Control andEcology, P.O. Box9583, LittleRock, AR 72219; THOMASM.BUCHANAN, Depart-ment ofBiology, Westark College, Fort Smith, AR 72901; and HENRY W. ROBISON, Department ofBiological Sciences, Southern ArkansasUniversity, Magnolia, AR 71753.EVALUATIONOF STRIPED BASS (MORONE SAXATILIS)AGE FROM BODY SCALES,OPERCULAR SCALES, OPERCLES AND DORSAL SPINESScales have been used in aging fish for almost a century (Carlander, 1987). Age estimates from scales often lead to systematic errors ifthefish are very slow growing, orare old (Casselman, 1983). Itis further complicated by resorption ofscales to provide calcium to fish during periodsot deficiency associated withovary development and cessation of feeding during spawning migrations (Simkiss, 1974). Ever since Scofield (1931)demonstrated the validity of using striped bass (Morone saxatilis) scales to determine age, aging of striped bass was done mainly by the scales(Horn, et al., 1984). Collins (1982) stated that incidence of age disagreements between readers increased over 50% in older striped bass due tocompacted nature ofannuli at the scale margin. Heidinger and Clodfelter (1987), using known age fish, found that otoliths correctly aged stripedbass while scales mis-aged 20% of fish. Itis apparent that there is a need to search for a suitable hard part other than the body scale for easyand accurate assessment of fish age. The objective of our study was to compare and evaluate four calcified structures—dorsal spine, opercle,opercular, and body scales—in assessing the age of Beaver Reservoir striped bass.A total of28 striped bass (total length 635-979 mm) was obtained in August 1986 from the Beaver Lake National Striped Bass Tournamentat Rocky Branch. Body scales from below the lateral line at the tip of the left pectoral fin, the left opercle, and the second spine from the dorsalfin were collected from each fish. The opercular scales were of two types—oval and circular. The ovoid scales were located at the antero-dorsalregion of the opercles. The ovoid opercular scales were used in this study due to the clarity of annular rings compared to the circular scales. Oper-cular and body scales were cleaned, mounted on glass slides, and photographed by microfiche reader-printer. Opercles were cleaned of tissue byboiling them in water. Spine sections of 0.45-0.50 mm thickness were mounted on glass slides inPermount and examined under phase-contrastmicroscope and photographed. Fish were aged by counting the number of annuli on the scales and the translucent zones on the opercles and spinesections.The spine annuli (translucent zones), even of the older striped bass, were very distinct and denumerable under the phase-contrast microscope.Hence, the spine ages were used as the basis of comparison withages estimated from the other three calcified structures. Graphical comparison(Fig. 1) showed that the opercular scale and body scale ages were lower than the spine ages. The percentage agreements of opercle, body scale,111Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 41 [1987], Art. 37https://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol41/iss1/37

Rediscovery of the Suckermouth Minnow, Phenacobius mirabilis (Girard), in Arkansas

ScholarWorks@UARK

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of ScienceVolume 41 Article 371987Rediscovery of the Suckermouth Minnow,Phenacobius mirabilis (Girard), in ArkansasWilliam E. KeithArkansas Pollution Control and Ecology CommissionThomas M. BuchananUniversity of Arkansas - Fort SmithHenry W. RobisonSouthern Arkansas UniversityFollow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaasPart of the Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology CommonsThis article is available for use under the Creative Commons license: Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0). Users are able toread, download, copy, print, distribute, search, link to the full texts of these articles, or use them for any other lawful purpose, without asking priorpermission from the publisher or the author.This General Note is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the ArkansasAcademy of Science by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact scholar@uark.edu, ccmiddle@uark.edu.Recommended CitationKeith, William E.; Buchanan, Thomas M.; and Robison, Henry W. (1987) "Rediscovery of the Suckermouth Minnow, Phenacobiusmirabilis (Girard), in Arkansas," Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science: Vol. 41 , Article 37.Available at: http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol41/iss1/37Proceedings Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 41, 1987 109Arkansas Academy of Science! EFFICIENCY OF DIFFERENT STORAGE METHODS FOR PRESERVINGLAKETROUT (Sahelinus namacush) EYE TISSUESea lamprey predation and over-fishing during the past 40 years have caused lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) populations in the Great Lakesto be greatly reduced. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with State Fishery Agencies and the Canadian Government is working) on a program to restore lake trout populations to the Great Lakes region. The National Fishery Research Development Laboratory, Wellsboro,Pennsylvania, is studying inheritance of cataracts in lake trout, as a recurring problem in hatchery fish populations. Brandt et al. (1986) studiedIthe incidence ofcorneal cloudiness in transported large mouth bass and found that 80% of the eyes cleared within20 to 36 hours after transport.Italso was demonstrated that nutritional problems, pollution and other physical parameters may increase the incidence of cataracts in hatcheryreared fish (Steucke et al., 1986; Bodammer 1985; Ketola, 1979). As a part of the inheritance project, we conducted a study to determine howcataracts collected in field locations can best be stored for shipment to the laboratory for analysis without significant distortion or deterioration.An extended storage period would allow adequate time for collections at remote field stations to reach the lab for analysis.Four methods of fish eye tissue storage were used: 1) dry storage at 40°F.; 2) storage in iced water; 3) frozen (without additional water);¦ and 4) fixed in 10% buffered formalin solution. Allsamples were evaluated daily over 10 days to determine stage of tissue deterioration. A totalof 20 fish (five fish per treatment) with cataracts were tested with the four methods. The cataracts were evaluated under low magnification (7 XIpower). Deterioration in eye tissue due to preservation method was defined in two stages. Stage 1 was indicated with a distinct ring around thedeteriorating cataract; this was designated as a rim cataract (Orme and Lemm, 1974). Stage 2 was indicated by the disappearance of the rim anda progressive breakdown of lens tissue leading to an opague then solid white lens. This indicated destruction of the cataract.The number of days to stages one and two for each treatment are shown in Table 1.The normal lake trout eye is lucid and shining anddoes not contain light colored spots or lines in the lens. Our initial findings revealed that for the nuclear cataract to remain visible in any of thestorage methods, the cornea of the eye had to remain moist or refrigerated. Lake trout eye tissues were preserved longest without deteriorationinboth the refrigeration and water treatments.Table 1.The average number ofdays to stages 1 and 2 for each storagetreatment of Lake trout eye tissue.TREATMENT REFRIGERATED WATER FROZEN FORMALINNumber of daysto stage 1 2 3 11Number of daysto stage 2 3 3 11During the first three days of observations, 10% of the samples in the refrigeration method changed from normal to stage 1.From days4-7, an additional 40% of the samples changed from stage 1 to stage 2. With each method what appears to be a halo or rim cataract developedin the outer layer of the lens. The halo appeared as a ghostly circle with or without feathered edges, and the posterior lens surface may have amirror-likeappearance. In the iced method, 20% of the fish developed the halo, and during days 3-5, 60% of the fish lenses deteriorated to stage1. Fish eyes preserved by methods 3 and 4 reached stage 2 within one day of treatment. The freezer method caused widespread lesions in the lenstissue, which totally obliterated visual evidence of the cataract. Inthe formalin method, lesions in the lens tissue were filled with formalin solutionwhich completely obscured the cataract after the second day of treatment. These results suggest that laboratory storage of corneal eye tissues maybest be accomplished withrefrigeration or water storage in ice for short term preservation of fresh tissues. Under field conditions without refrigera-tion,eye tissues may be adequately stored in iced water and remain relatively fresh for up to three days. This should provide ample time for transportto laboratories.LITERATURE CITEDBODAMMER, J. E. 1985. Corneal damage in larvae of striped bass HOFFMAN, G. L. and R. E. PETTY. 1969. Host susceptibility andthe effect ofaging freezing heat and chemicals onspores of Myx-osoma cerebralis. Prog. Fish Cult. 31:35-37.Monrone saxatilis exposed to copper. Trans. Amer. Fish Soc.114:577-583.BRANDT, T. M., R. J. JONES, and J. R. KOKE. 1986. Corneal KETOLA, H. G. 1979. Influence of dietary zinc on cataracts in rain-bow trout (Salmo gairdneri). J. Nutrition 109:965-969.cloudiness in transported largemouth bass. Prog. Fish Cult.48:199-201.110Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 41 [1987], Art. 37Published by Arkansas Academy of Science, 1987110 Proceedings Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol.41, 1987General Notes'ORME, L. E. and C. A. LEMM. 1974. Trout eye examinationprocedure. Prog. Fish Cult. 36:167.STEUCKE, E. W., JR., L. H. ALLISON, R. E. PIPER, RROBERTSON, and J. T. BOWEN. 1968. Effects oflight and diet |on the incidence of cataracts in hatchery-raised lake trout. Prog.Fish Cult. 30:220-226.BASILL.JOINER, Department ofAgriculture, University ofArkansas at PineBluff,Pine Bluff,AR 71601; JOSEPH R. SYLVESTER, ArkansasCooperative Fishery Project, University ofArkansas at Pine Bluff,PineBluff, AR 71601; andHAROLDL.KINCAID,National Fishery Research )Development Laboratory, Wellsboro, PA.REDISCOVERY OF THE SUCKERMOUTH MINNOW, PHENACOBIUS MIRABILIS(GIRARD), INARKANSASThe suckermouth minnow, Phenacobius mirabilis (Girard), is primarily a northern and western prairie stream species and is quite commonin sand and gravel-bottomed riffles of permanent streams throughout much of Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Itis /known to occur today in every state bordering Arkansas. Although P. mirabilis was originaly described from the Arkansas River at Fort Smith(Girad, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 8:165-213, 1856) is has always been rare in this state, and the lack of any recent records, despite numerouscollecting attempts, suggested the possibility of its extirpation from Arkansas waters.Untilnow, the only verified records of P. mirabilis from Arkansas were fivepre-1940 collections, all from western Arkansas (Black, Ph.D.Dissertation, Univ. Michigan, Ann Arbor, 500 pp., 1940). However, on 16 July 1986, a single adult specimen of P. mirabilis was collected fromLittleBay Ditch (St. Francis River drainage), 3 miles southeast of Jonesboro, Craighead County, Arkansas (R5E, T13N, Sec 18) by William E.Keith, Roland McDaniel, Bob Singleton, Mark Brady, and Bo Smith of the ADPC&E. The specimen, 73 mm in standard length, which willbedeposited in the Arkansas State University Museum of Zoology in Jonesboro, possessed the following meristics: 46 lateral line scales, 8 dorsalrays, 7 anal rays, and 14 pectoral rays.Little Bay Ditch is a channelized stream with a drainage area of approximately 45 square miles. Land use within this watershed is about60% agricultural and 40% suburban. Habitat at the collecting site consisted of 70% shallow, slow-flowing pools and 30% shallow, fast-flowingriffles. The substrate consisted of 78.3% sand and 21.7% mud and silt. Brush, logs, and debris comprised the instream cover (17.5% of meanstream width). Other physical habitat features were: a stream gradient of 0.9 ft/mi, a mean stream width of 41.4 ft,a mean stream velocity of1.01 ft/sec, an observed flow of 27.4 cfs, a mean depth of 0.9 ft,and a maximum depth of2.5 ft.The following water quality data were recorded:water temperature 27 °C, dissolved oxygen 5.1 mg/1, pH 7.99, turbidity 90 NTU, Total suspended solids 142 mg/1, Total dissolved solids 302mg/1, BOD, 3.8 mg/1, BOD20 12.4 mg/1, Total phosphate 0.3 mg/1, NO3 + NO 2-nitrogen 0.29 mg/1, NH3-nitrogen 0.38 mg/1, chloride 9.0mg/1, sulfate 18.0 mg/1, conductivity 426 /xmho, Total hardness 166 mg/1, alkalinity 174 mg/1, chlorophyll-a 13.4 /tg/1, fecal conform 700counts/lOOml. A substantial summer rain had occurred 2-3 days previously resulting in above normal stream flow.The single P. mirabilis specimen was collected in a shallow sandy-bottomed rifflein swift current witha 110 volt ACbackpack electric shocker.The most abundant fishes by number at the collecting site were: Gambusia affinis (83), Ictalurus punctatus (76), Lepomis cyanellus (70), Lepomismegalotis (22), and Notropis venustus (22). Other fishes collected at this site were: Amia calva (1), Lepisosteus oculatus (6), Dorosoma cepedianum(11), Cyprinus carpio (10), Notropis atherinoides (2), Fundulus notatus (1), Ictalurus natalis (5), Lepomis macrochirus (1), and Aplodinotusgrunniens (10).WILLIAME. KEITH,Department ofPollution Control andEcology, P.O. Box9583, LittleRock, AR 72219; THOMASM.BUCHANAN, Depart-ment ofBiology, Westark College, Fort Smith, AR 72901; and HENRY W. ROBISON, Department ofBiological Sciences, Southern ArkansasUniversity, Magnolia, AR 71753.EVALUATIONOF STRIPED BASS (MORONE SAXATILIS)AGE FROM BODY SCALES,OPERCULAR SCALES, OPERCLES AND DORSAL SPINESScales have been used in aging fish for almost a century (Carlander, 1987). Age estimates from scales often lead to systematic errors ifthefish are very slow growing, orare old (Casselman, 1983). Itis further complicated by resorption ofscales to provide calcium to fish during periodsot deficiency associated withovary development and cessation of feeding during spawning migrations (Simkiss, 1974). Ever since Scofield (1931)demonstrated the validity of using striped bass (Morone saxatilis) scales to determine age, aging of striped bass was done mainly by the scales(Horn, et al., 1984). Collins (1982) stated that incidence of age disagreements between readers increased over 50% in older striped bass due tocompacted nature ofannuli at the scale margin. Heidinger and Clodfelter (1987), using known age fish, found that otoliths correctly aged stripedbass while scales mis-aged 20% of fish. Itis apparent that there is a need to search for a suitable hard part other than the body scale for easyand accurate assessment of fish age. The objective of our study was to compare and evaluate four calcified structures — dorsal spine, opercle,opercular, and body scales — in assessing the age of Beaver Reservoir striped bass.A total of28 striped bass (total length 635-979 mm) was obtained in August 1986 from the Beaver Lake National Striped Bass Tournamentat Rocky Branch. Body scales from below the lateral line at the tip of the left pectoral fin, the left opercle, and the second spine from the dorsalfin were collected from each fish. The opercular scales were of two types—oval and circular. The ovoid scales were located at the antero-dorsalregion of the opercles. The ovoid opercular scales were used in this study due to the clarity of annular rings compared to the circular scales. Oper-cular and body scales were cleaned, mounted on glass slides, and photographed by microfiche reader-printer. Opercles were cleaned of tissue byboiling them in water. Spine sections of 0.45-0.50 mm thickness were mounted on glass slides inPermount and examined under phase-contrastmicroscope and photographed. Fish were aged by counting the number of annuli on the scales and the translucent zones on the opercles and spinesections.The spine annuli (translucent zones), even of the older striped bass, were very distinct and denumerable under the phase-contrast microscope.Hence, the spine ages were used as the basis of comparison withages estimated from the other three calcified structures. Graphical comparison(Fig. 1) showed that the opercular scale and body scale ages were lower than the spine ages. The percentage agreements of opercle, body scale,111Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science, Vol. 41 [1987], Art. 37http://scholarworks.uark.edu/jaas/vol41/iss1/37

https://scholarworks.uark.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2384&amp;context=jaas

Rediscovery of the Suckermouth Minnow, Phenacobius mirabilis (Girard), in Arkansas

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

UARK (University of Arkansas )

ScholarWorks@UARK