Fish found in the Illinois River during the mid-late 19th to early 21st centuries

Y = Fish found in given survey.
Abbreviations for current conservation status:
Extinct = Species no longer exists anywhere in the world
FE = Federally endangered
FT = Federally threatened
ER = Extirpated in state of Illinois
SE = State endangered
ST = State threatened
NON = Non-native
IWL = On the Illinois watch list as a species of concern (species needing concentrated conservation action of some sort, ranging from monitoring to consideration for listing).

Current Statewide fish list (2001/2002)			1876-1903	1959-1974	1960-1979	1980-2005	1990-2003
Common name	Scientific name	Status	IL River basin	Survey of IL River	INHS Collection IL River	INHS Collection IL River	LaGrange Pool of IL River
Lamprey family	Family Petromyzontidae
Ohio lamprey	Ichthyomyzon bdellium	ER
Chestnut lamprey	Ichthyomyzon castaneus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Northern brook lamprey	Ichthyomyzon fossor	SE
Silver lamprey	Ichthyomyzon unicuspis		Y		Y
Least brook lamprey	Lampetra aepyptera	ST
American brook lamprey	Lampetra appendix
Sea lamprey	Petromyzon marinus	NON
Sturgeon family	Family Acipenseridae
Lake sturgeon	Acipenser fulvescens	SE	Y		Y	Y
Pallid sturgeon	Scaphirhynchus albus	FE
Shovelnose sturgeon	Scaphirhynchus platorynchus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Paddlefish family	Family Polyodontidae
Paddlefish	Polyodon spathula		Y		Y		Y
Gar family	Family Lepisosteidae
Alligator gar	Atractosteus spatula	ER	Y
Spotted gar	Lepisosteus oculatus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Longnose gar	Lepisosteus osseus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Shortnose gar	Lepisosteus platostomus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Bowfin family	Family Amiidae
Bowfin	Amia calva		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Mooneye family	Family Hiodontidae
Goldeye	Hiodon alosoides		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Mooneye	Hiodon tergisus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Freshwater eel family	Family Anguillidae
American eel	Anguilla rostrata		Y	Y	Y		Y
Herring family	Family Clupeidae
Alabama shad	Alosa alabamae
Skipjack herring	Alosa chrysochloris		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Alewife	Alosa pseudoharengus	NON				Y
Gizzard shad	Dorosoma cepedianum		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Threadfin shad	Dorosoma petenense	NON				Y	Y
Minnow family	Family Cyprinidae
Central Stoneroller	Campostoma anomalum		Y		Y	Y	Y
Largescale stoneroller	Campostoma oligolepis	IWL
Goldfish	Carassius auratus	NON		Y	Y	Y	Y
Lake chub	Couesius plumbeus
Grass carp	Ctenopharyngodon idella	NON					Y
Red shiner	Cyprinella lutrensis		Y		Y		Y
Spotfin shiner	Cyprinella spiloptera		Y		Y
Red x spotfin hybrid	C. lutrensis x C. spiloptera				Y
Blacktail shiner	Cyprinella venusta
Steelcolor shiner	Cyprinella whipplii		Y
Common carp	Cyprinus carpio	NON	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Goldfish x carp hybrid	Carassius x Cyrprinus	NON		Y	Y	Y	Y
Silverjaw minnow	Ericymba buccata		Y		Y	Y
Gravel chub	Erimystax x-punctatus	ST	Y
Western silvery minnow	Hybognathus argyritis
Brassy minnow	Hybognathus hankinsoni
Cypress minnow	Hybognathus hayi	SE
Mississippi silvery minnow	Hybognathus nuchalis	IWL	Y		Y
Plains minnow	Hybognathus placitus
Bigeye chub	Hybopsis amblops	SE	Y
Pallid shiner	Hybopsis amnis	SE	Y			Y
Silver carp	Hypophthalmichthys molitrix	NON				Y	Y
Bighead carp	Aristichtyes nobilis	NON				Y	Y
Striped shiner	Luxilus chrysocephalus		Y		Y	Y
Common shiner	Luxilus cornutus		Y
Rosefin shiner	Lythrurus ardens	ER
Ribbon shiner	Lythrurus fumeus
Redfin shiner	Lythrurus umbratilis		Y		Y	Y
Speckled chub	Macrhybopsis aestivalis		Y
Sturgeon chub	Macrhybopsis gelida	SE
Shoal chub	Macrhybopsis hyostoma				Y	Y
Sicklefin chub	Macrhybopsis meeki
Silver chub	Macrhybopsis storeriana		Y		Y	Y	Y
Hornyhead chub	Nocomis biguttatus		Y		Y	Y
River chub	Nocomis micropogon	SE
Golden shiner	Notemigonus crysoleucas		Y		Y	Y	Y
Pugnose shiner	Notropis anogenus	SE	Y
Emerald shiner	Notropis atherinoides		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
River shiner	Notropis blennius		Y		Y		Y
Bigeye shiner	Notropis boops	SE	Y		Y
Ghost shiner	Notropis buchanani		Y		Y	Y
Ironcolor shiner	Notropis chalybaeus	ST	Y
Bigmouth shiner	Notropis dorsalis		Y		Y	Y
Blackchin shiner	Notropis heterodon	ST
Blacknose shiner	Notropis heterolepis	SE	Y
Spottail shiner	Notropis hudsonius		Y		Y	Y	Y
Taillight shiner	Notropis maculatus	SE
Ozark minnow	Notropis nubilus	IWL
Rosyface shiner	Notropis rubellus		Y			Y
Silverband shiner	Notropis shumardi				Y	Y	Y
Sand shiner	Notropis stramineus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Weed shiner	Notropis texanus	SE	Y
Mimic shiner	Notropis volucellus					Y
Pugnose minnow	Opsopoeodus emiliae		Y		Y
Suckermouth minnow	Phenacobius mirabilis		Y		Y	Y	Y
Southern redbelly dace	Phoxinus erythrogaster		Y		Y
Bluntnose minnow	Pimephales notatus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Fathead minnow	Pimephales promelas		Y		Y	Y	Y
Bullhead minnow	Pimephales vigilax		Y		Y	Y	Y
Flathead chub	Platygobio gracilis	IWL
Bluehead shiner	Pteronotropis hubbsi	SE
Blacknose dace	Rhinichthys atratulus		Y		Y		Y
Longnose dace	Rhinichthys cataractae
Rudd	Scardinius erythrophthalmus	NON
Creek chub	Semotilus atromaculatus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Loach family	Family Cobitidae	NON
Oriental weatherfish	Misgurnus anguillicaudatus	NON
Sucker family	Family Catostomidae
River carpsucker	Carpiodes carpio		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Quillback	Carpiodes cyprinus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Highfin carpsucker	Carpiodes velifer		Y		Y	Y	Y
Longnose sucker	Catostomus catostomus	ST
White sucker	Catostomus commersoni		Y		Y	Y	Y
Blue sucker	Cycleptus elongatus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Creek chubsucker	Erimyzon oblongus		Y				Y
Lake chubsucker	Erimyzon sucetta		Y		Y
Northern hog sucker	Hypentelium nigricans		Y		Y	Y	Y
Smallmouth buffalo	Ictiobus bubalus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Bigmouth buffalo	Ictiobus cyprinellus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Black buffalo	Ictiobus niger		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Spotted sucker	Minytrema melanops		Y			Y
Silver redhorse	Moxostoma anisurum		Y		Y	Y	Y
River redhorse	Moxostoma carinatum	ST	Y			Y
Black redhorse	Moxostoma duquesnei		Y			Y
Golden redhorse	Moxostoma erythrurum		Y		Y	Y	Y
Harelip sucker	Moxostoma lacerum	Extinct
Shorthead redhorse	Moxostoma macrolepidotum		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Greater redhorse	Moxostoma valenciennesi	SE	Y			Y
Characin family	Family Characidae	NON
Pirapatinga	Piaractus brachypomus	NON
Catfish family	Family Ictaluridae
White catfish	Ameiurus catus	NON		Y	Y
Black bullhead	Ameiurus melas		Y		Y	Y	Y
Yellow bullhead	Ameiurus natalis		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Brown bullhead	Ameiurus nebulosus		Y		Y		Y
Blue catfish	Ictalurus furcatus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Channel catfish	Ictalurus punctatus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Mountain madtom	Noturus eleutherus
Slender madtom	Noturus exilis		Y
Stonecat	Noturus flavus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Tadpole madtom	Noturus gyrinus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Brindled madtom	Noturus miurus		Y
Freckled madtom	Noturus nocturnus		Y			Y	Y
Northern madtom	Noturus stigmosus	SE, possibly ER
Flathead catfish	Pylodictis olivaris		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Pike family	Family Esocidae
Grass pickerel	Esox americanus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Northern pike	Esox lucius		Y	Y		Y	Y
Muskellunge (muskie)	Esox masquinongy	ER, now transplanted	Y
Tiger muskie (hybrid)	Esox lucius x masquinongy						?
Mudminnow	Family Umbridae
Central mudminnow	Umbra limi		Y		Y	Y
Smelt family	Family Osmeridae	NON
Rainbow smelt	Osmerus mordax	NON			Y	Y
Salmon family	Family Salmonidae
Cisco	Coregonus artedii	ST
Lake whitefish	Coregonus clupeaformis	ER
Bloater	Coregonus hoyi
Blackfin cisco	Coregonus nigripinnis	ER
Pink salmon	Oncorhynchus gorbuscha	NON
Coho salmon	Oncorhynchus kisutch	NON
Rainbow trout	Oncorhynchus mykiss	NON			Y
Chinook salmon	Oncorhynchus tshawytscha	NON, FT
Round whitefish	Prosopium cylindraceum
Atlantic salmon	Salmo salar not on NHS	NON
Brown trout	Salmo trutta	NON				Y
Brook trout	Salvelinus fontinalis
Lake trout	Salvelinus namaycush
Trout-perch family	Family Percopsidae
Trout-perch	Percopsis omiscomaycus		Y		Y	Y
Pirate perch family	Family Aphredoderidae
Pirate perch	Aphredoderus sayanus		Y				Y
Cavefish family	Family Amblyopsidae
Spring cavefish	Forbesichthys agassizi
Codfish family	Family Gadidae
Burbot	Lota lota		Y		Y
Topminnow family	Family Fundulidae
Northern studfish	Fundulus catenatus
Banded killifish	Fundulus diaphanus	ST	Y
Northern starhead topminnow	Fundulus dispar	ST	Y		Y	Y
Blackstripe topminnow	Fundulus notatus		Y		Y		Y
Blackspotted topminnow	Fundulus olivaceus
Livebearer family	Family Poeciliidae
Western mosquitofish	Gambusia affinis		Y		Y	Y	Y
Silverside family	Family Atherinidae
Brook silverside	Labidesthes sicculus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Inland silverside	Menidia beryllina	NON
Stickleback family	Family Gasterosteidae
Brook stickleback	Culaea inconstans		Y			Y
Threespine stickleback	Gasterosteus aculeatus	NON
Ninespine stickleback	Pungitius pungitius
Sculpin family	Family Cottidae
Mottled sculpin	Cottus bairdi		Y
Banded sculpin	Cottus carolinae		Y
Slimy sculpin	Cottus cognatus
Spoonhead sculpin	Cottus ricei	ER, IWL
Deepwater sculpin	Myoxocephalus thompsoni
Temperate bass family	Family Moronidae
White perch	Morone americana	NON				Y	Y
White bass	Morone chrysops		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Yellow bass	Morone mississippiensis		Y		Y	Y	Y
Striped bass	Morone saxatilis	NON				Y	Y
White perch x yellow bass hybrid	M. americana x M. mississippiensis					Y
White bass x striped bass hybrid	M. chrysops x M. saxatilis					Y
Sunfish family	Family Centrarchidae
Rock bass	Ambloplites rupestris		Y		Y	Y	Y
Green sunfish	Lepomis cyanellus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Pumpkinseed	Lepomis gibbosus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Warmouth	Lepomis gulosus		Y		Y	Y	Y
Orangespotted sunfish	Lepomis humilis		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Bluegill	Lepomis macrochirus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Longear sunfish	Lepomis megalotis		Y		Y	Y	Y
Redear sunfish	Lepomis microlophus				Y		Y
Redspotted sunfish	Lepomis miniatus	ST	Y		Y
Spotted sunfish	Lepomis punctatus		Y
Bantam sunfish	Lepomis symmetricus	ST	Y
Green sunfish x pumpkinkseed hybrid	L. cyanellus x L. gibbosus				Y
Green sunfish x warmouth	L. cyanellus x L. gulosus					Y
Green sunfish x orangespotted	L. cyanellus x L. humilis				Y
Green sunfish x bluegill	L. cyanellus x L. macrochirus						?
Green sunfish x longear	L. cyanellus x L. megalotis					Y
Hybrid of green and ?	L. cyanellus x Lepomis sp.				Y
Pumpkindeed x bluegill hybrid	L. gibbosus x L. macrochirus					Y
Smallmouth bass	Micropterus dolomieu		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Spotted bass	Micropterus punctulatus		Y
Largemouth bass	Micropterus salmoides		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
White crappie	Pomoxis annularis		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Black crappie	Pomoxis nigromaculatus		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Pygmy sunfish family	Family Elassomatidae
Banded pygmy sunfish	Elassoma zonatum
Perch family	Family Percidae
Western sand darter	Ammocrypta clara	SE	Y
Eastern sand darter	Ammocrypta pellucida	ST
Crystal darter	Crystallaria asprella	ER
Mud darter	Etheostoma asprigene		Y		Y	Y	Y
Greenside darter	Etheostoma blennioides		Y
Rainbow darter	Etheostoma caeruleum		Y
Bluebreast darter	Etheostoma camurum	SE	Y
Bluntnose darter	Etheostoma chlorosomum		Y		Y	Y
Fringed darter	Etheostoma crossopterum
Iowa darter	Etheostoma exile	ST	Y
Fantail darter	Etheostoma flabellare		Y
Slough darter	Etheostoma gracile				Y
Harlequin darter	Etheostoma histrio	SE
Stripetail darter	Etheostoma kennicotti
Least darter	Etheostoma microperca		Y
Johnny darter	Etheostoma nigrum		Y		Y		Y
Cypress darter	Etheostoma proeliare
Orangethroat darter	Etheostoma spectabile				Y
Spottail darter	Etheostoma squamiceps
Banded darter	Etheostoma zonale		Y		Y	Y
Ruffe	Gymnocephalus cernuus	Probable
Yellow perch	Perca flavescens		Y		Y	Y	Y
Logperch	Percina caprodes		Y		Y	Y	Y
Gilt darter	Percina evides
Blackside darter	Percina maculata		Y		Y		Y
Saddleback darter	Percina vigil	ER
Slenderhead darter	Percina phoxocephala		Y		Y	Y	Y
Dusky darter	Percina sciera		Y
River darter	Percina shumardi		Y		Y
Stargazing darter	Percina uranidea	ER
Sauger	Stizostedion canadense		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Walleye	Stizostedion vitreum		Y		Y	Y	Y
Drum family	Family Sciaenidae
Freshwater drum	Aplodinotus grunniens		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Cichlid family	Family Cichlidae	NON
Rio Grande cichlid	Cichlasoma cyanoguttatum	NON				Y
Mullet family	Family Mugilidae	NON
Striped mullet	Mugil cephalus	NON
Goby family	Family Gobiidae	NON
Round goby	Neogobius melanostomus	NON				Y
Tubenose goby	Proterorhinus marmoratus	Probable

Note: The absence of a species does not necessarily mean that it did not exist. Some nomenclature has been changed to conform to taxonomy in FishBase.
References:
The list of fish currently found in Illinois waters throughout the state and their conservation status was compiled from information on the IDNR website (2001), INHS website (2002), and Smith 1979. Taxonomy is adjusted to conform to FishBase.
1876-1903 data are from Forbes and Richardson’s fish surveys that were conducted between 1876 and 1903 and published in the book The Fishes of Illinois, 2nd edition, 1920, pages lxxxiv-xciv and xcii-xciv (first published in 1908).
1959-1974 data were compiled from Sparks, Richard E. and Wiliam C. Starrett, 1975, An Electrofishing Survey of the Illinois River, 1959-1974, in Illinois Natural History Survey Bulletin volume 31, article 8.
The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) supplied 1960-1979 data and 1980-2005 data on specimens in their collection.
LaGrange Pool data are from the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program.