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              16 / OutdoorIllinois January 2007 January 2007 OutdoorIllinois / 17
The number of species
included on the official list of
endangered and threatened
fishes of Illinois increased
dramatically in 1989 but has
changed little in subsequent lists. Fif-teen
species were added in 1989, three
in 1994, two in 1999 and two in 2004.
Three species were removed from the
list due to presumed extirpation: alligator
gar in 1994, flathead chub in 2004 and
bluehead shiner in 2004. No species
has been removed from the list because
its status has improved.
Changes in the list for species of
Coregonus were the result of taxonomic
problems. The longjaw cisco, listed in
1981 and removed in 1989, is no longer
considered a valid species. The lake
whitefish was listed in 1981 but removed
in 1994 because of uncertainty surround-ing
its taxonomic and demographic sta-tus.
Both now are considered valid
species found in the Illinois portion of
Lake Michigan; however, their population
status remains uncertain.
—Michael E. Retzer, Illinois Natural
History Survey, Champaign,
and Larry M. Page, Florida Museum of
Natural History, Gainesville
Endangered and Threatened
Fishes of Illinois
Unfortunately, being removed from the list usually isn’t a
good sign.
Most people have never
heard of the redspot-ted
sunfish (Lepomis
miniatus)—and for
good reason. Until
1992 when researchers at Southern Illi-nois
University determined this fish to be
a separate species, it was known as the
spotted sunfish (Lepomis punctatus).
The redspotted sunfish is found as far
south as Florida and Texas, and Illinois
is at the northern edge of its distribution.
Although never abundant in Illinois,
when the first collections of Illinois fish
were made 100 years ago, the redspot-ted
sunfish was more widespread than it
is today. Historically, the redspotted sun-fish
was found along the Illinois and Ohio
rivers, and in the Mississippi and the Iro-quois
rivers. Currently, this species
appears to be much less abundant along
the Illinois and Ohio rivers, and has dis-appeared
from the other two rivers.
The habitat of this sunfish is larger
river backwater lakes with aquatic
plants—habitats
that have been lost
through draining,
filling or construc-tion
of extensive
levee systems.
While many of the
backwater lakes
still exist, siltation
and introduced
species (grass
carp) have diminished the aquatic vege-tation,
leading to the demise of the
redspotted sunfish except in small, slow-moving,
vegetated streams—habitats
that are quite vulnerable to disturbance.
With the help of a federal grant, the
Department of Natural Resources’ Divi-sion
of Fisheries has begun a statewide
survey to determine the population status
of the redspotted sunfish. Small fin-clips
are being taken from fish collected in Illi-nois
and neighboring states for use in
genetic studies. Results from these sur-veys
and studies will guide efforts to rein-troduce
this species into restored habitats
throughout their historic Illinois range.
Preliminary results of the population
surveys show the redspotted sunfish is
quite rare in Illinois. An adult population
is yet to be found along the Illinois River
(a few juvenile fish were found in a sin-gle,
small stream in the lower Sanga-mon
River basin), which was once the
heart of its existence in the state.
The news is better along the Ohio
River as the occasional redspotted sun-fish
is found in a few backwater lakes
despite the lack of necessary aquatic
vegetation and presence of exotic silver
carp. Several adults have been collect-ed
from a remnant population in a small
stream in the lower Saline River basin.
Plans for the Illinois population of this
sunfish include continuation of popula-tion
surveys and genetic analyses to
determine if genetic variation exists
among the isolated populations, allow-ing
for identification of the most appro-priate
source of fish for stocking into
restored habitats. Adult redspotted sun-fish
will be collected and spawned in
rearing ponds, producing the number of
fish needed for stocking efforts.
—Trent Thomas, Region 3 Streams
Biologist, DNR Division of Fisheries
The Redspotted
Sunfish
Photos By Trent Thomas
Population studies reveal critically low numbers of this
“new” species in Illinois.
Common Name Scientific Name Year
1981 1989 1994 1999 2004
Least brook lamprey Lampetra aepyptera T T T T
Northern brook lamprey Ichthyomyzon fossor E E E E
Lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens T T E E E
Pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus E E E
Alligator gar Atractosteus spatula T T
Gravel chub Erimystax x-punctatus T
Cypress shiner Hybognathus hayi E E E E
Bigeye chub Hybopsis amblops E E E E E
Pallid shiner Hybopsis amnis E E E E
Sturgeon chub Macrhybopsis gelida E E
River chub Nocomis micropogon E E E
Pugnose shiner Notropis anogenus T E E E E
Bigeye shiner Notropis boops T E E E
Ironcolor shiner Notropis chalybaeus T T T T
Blackchin shiner Notropis heterodon T T T T
Blacknose shiner Notropis heterolepis T T E E E
Taillight shiner Notropis maculatus E E E
Weed shiner Notropis texanus E E E E
Common Name Scientific Name Year
1981 1989 1994 1999 2004
Flathead chub Platygobio gracilis E
Bluehead shiner Pteronotropis hubbsi E E E E
Longnose sucker Catostomus catostomus T T T T T
River redhorse Moxostoma carinatum T T T T
Greater redhorse Moxostoma valenciennesi E E E E
Northern madtom Noturus stigmosus E E E E
Longjaw cisco Coregonus alpenae E
Cisco Coregonus artedi T T T T T
Lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis T T
Banded killifish Fundulus diaphanus T T T T
Starhead topminnow Fundulus dispar T
Redspotted sunfish Lepomis miniatus T T T T
Bantam sunfish Lepomis symmetricus T T T T T
Western sand darter Ammocrypta clara E E E E
Eastern sand darter Ammocrypta pellucida E E T T
Bluebreast darter Etheostoma camurum E E E E E
Harlequin darter Etheostoma histrio E E E E E
Iowa darter Etheostoma exile T E E T
Total number listed 13 28 28 30 31
Fish species recognized as endangered (E) or threatened (T) in Illinois.
Weesstteerrn ssaand daarrtteerr ((Ammoccrryyptta ccllarra))
IIowaa daarrtteerr ((Ettheeossttoma eexiillee))
Grreeaatteerr rreedhorrssee ((Moxossttoma vvalleencciieenneessii))
Photos By Konrad Schmidt
Reedsspotttteed ssunffiissh haabiittaatt