Kansas Darters & Perch IDs Needed

Hi all.

Just got back from a very fruitful collecting trip about 5 miles north of Emporia Kansas in the Turkey Creek. This creek flows through one of my parent's farms and eventually into the Neosho River.

We used an eight foot long, 1/4" seine and started kicking up dirt. Caught lots of minnows, but released all those upon catching, and focused solely on the darters and perch. The water was flowing at a really good clip and it was pretty cool, about 65F.

We came home with about twelve female and twelve male of either an orange throat or rainbow darter. I'm leaning towards orange throats, but am not for sure. Also brought home six, what I believe to be, log perch.

Here are some pics, they are not good. If I can be told what to focus on as far as needed for identification, I can try and take some better pictures.

1. Orange throat darter?


2. Orange throat darter?


3. Orange throat darter?


4. Orange throat darter?


5. Orange throat darter?



6. Log Perch?


7. Log Perch?


8. Log Perch?

I am no orangethroat I'd master. But to me they looked like rainbows. I'm prob wrong. Those other ones are def logperch. They do look different then ones I catch in NY. But def a logperch. Very nice. That gold in the fin is something I haven't seen in ones I've caught

I forgot to add, that if I were to guess, those log perch are Percina kathae.

Range is important. P. kathae is an endemic of the Mobile drainage. Introductions are always a possibility, but it is most likely you have the "true" logperch, P. caprodes. It is a variable critter, so gestalt pattern cues may not be the best way to distinguish it from other logperches. However, it is the only logperch in your area.

There are no rainbows in KS, so orangethroat is almost certainly what your guys are. Iowa and redfin darters have somewhat similar colors, but different patterns.

Range is important. P. kathae is an endemic of the Mobile drainage. Introductions are always a possibility, but it is most likely you have the "true" logperch, P. caprodes. It is a variable critter, so gestalt pattern cues may not be the best way to distinguish it from other logperches. However, it is the only logperch in your area.

There are no rainbows in KS, so orangethroat is almost certainly what your guys are. Iowa and redfin darters have somewhat similar colors, but different patterns.

Thanks Newt. The Orangethroat is what I suspected, makes me feel a little better about my identification "skills" if you will. Good to know on the log perch as well. Information on their range is difficult to find on the web.

Thanks again all.
Bb

Nathan is right, your fish are P. caprodes and E. spectabile like you initially thought. I would love to see a closer picture of that last 'logperch' because from here it looks like a slenderhead darter (Percina phoxocephala).

Blake

Nathan is right, your fish are P. caprodes and E. spectabile like you initially thought. I would love to see a closer picture of that last 'logperch' because from here it looks like a slenderhead darter (Percina phoxocephala).

Blake

There are two of those smaller individuals in the tank. I assumed that would be females of the larger ones...I'll try and get some better pics of the smaller ones. Maybe they are another species.

I totally missed that slenderhead! Nice catch.