Our first vertebrates for the course weren't fish; two buck White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on ODU's campus, seen on the way to our first round of seining.

Full Species List:

CLUPEIDAE

Dorosoma cepedianum

Gizzard Shad

CYPRINIDAE

Campostoma anomalum

Central Stoneroller

Cyprinella spiloptera

Spotfin Shiner

Cyprinus carpio

Common Carp

Erimystax dissimilis

Streamline Chub

Luxilus chrysocephalus

Striped Shiner

Lythrurus umbratilis

Redfin Shiner

Notropis buccatus

Silverjaw Minnow

Notropis photogenis

Silver Shiner

Notropis stramineus

Sand Shiner

Notropis rubellus

Rosyface Shiner

Notropis volucellus

Mimic Shiner

Chrosomus erythrogaster

Southern Redbelly Dace

Pimephales notatus

Bluntnose Minnow

Rhinichthys obtusus

Western Blacknose Dace

Hybopsis amblops

Bigeye Chub

Clinostomus elongatus

Redside Dace

Semotilus atromaculatus

Creek Chub

CATOSTOMIDAE

Moxostoma erythrurum

Golden Redhorse

Moxostoma carinatum

River Redhorse

Hypentelium nigricans

Northern Hog Sucker

Catostomus commersonii

Common White Sucker

Carpiodes cyprinus

River Carpsucker

Carpiodes carpio

Quillback Carpsucker

Ictiobus bubalus

Smallmouth Buffalofish

Minytrema melanops

Spotted Sucker

ICTALURIDAE

Noturus gyrinus

Tadpole Madtom

Noturus miurus

Brindled Madtom

Noturus flavus

Stonecat Madtom

Ictalurus punctatus

Channel Catfish

Pylodictis olivaris

Flathead Catfish

ATHERINOPSIDAE

Labidesthes sicculus

Brook Silverside

FUNDULIDAE

Fundulus notatus

Blackstripe Topminnow

ESOCIDAE

Esox americanus

Grass Pickerel

CENTRARCHIDAE

Pomoxis annularis

White Crappie

Micropterus dolomieu

Smallmouth Bass

Micropterus salmoides

Largemouth Bass

Lepomis cyanellus

Green Sunfish

Lepomis macrochirus

Bluegill

Lepomis humilis

Orangespotted Sunfish

Lepomis gibbosus

Pumpkinseed Sunfish

PERCIDAE

Percina caprodes

Logperch

Percina phoxocephala

Slenderhead Darter

Percina maculata

Blackside Darter

Ammocrypta pellucida

Eastern Sand Darter

Etheostoma blennioides

Greenside Darter

Etheostoma caeruleum

Rainbow Darter

Etheostoma camurum

Bluebreast Darter

Etheostoma nigrum

Johnny Darter

Etheostoma zonale

Banded Darter

Etheostoma flabellare

Fantail Darter

Etheostoma spectabile

Orangethroat Darter

Etheostoma variatum

Variegate Darter

Etheostoma tippecanoe

Tippecanoe Darter

COTTIDAE

Cottus bairdii

Mottled Sculpin

Stone and Kayla work to identify a darter from Alum Creek on ODU's campus

Addy gets a good look at a Banded Darter (Etheostoma zonale)

Banded Darters (Etheostoma zonale)

Logperch (Percina caprodes) from Alum Creek on ODU's campus. We saw many Logperch during the course, catching at least one every day that we went in the field.

Close view of a male Banded Darter (Etheostoma zonale)

A beautiful day to be in Alum Creek

Streamline Chub (Erimystax dissimilis). This is a good species to see, we've been regularly catching them in Alum Creek over the last few years.

Kayla (left), Stone, and Breyanna

Gus with a Northern Hog Sucker (Hypentelium nigricans)

Addy with a Streamline Chub (Erimystax dissimilis)

Walking across ODU's campus on the way to catch some fish

Male Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum) on ODU's campus; this is a very common species in Ohio, and also one of the most colorful.

Another Logperch (Percina caprodes) from Alum Creek on ODU's campus

Breyanna and Connor with a Logperch (Percina caprodes)

Blackstripe Topminnow (Fundulus notatus)

Common Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica) caught during seining

Confidently striding across the bike path bridge, ready to catch some fish

We were able to enjoy close views of a beaver (Castor canadensis) in Alum Creek

Beaver (Castor canadensis) swimming away; we found it again later further upstream, and it actually kept us from trying to catch fish under a submerged tree stump.

Recent ODU graduate Wyatt McLeod holding a Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus) we seined in Alum Creek on ODU's campus. Wyatt is pursuing a career working with fish.

Megan with the Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)

Dr. Mathys with the Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)

Addy with the Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)

Gus with the Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)

Kayla with the Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)

Connor with the Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)

Stone with the Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)

Breyanna with the Quillback Carpsucker (Carpiodes cyprinus)

Addy with Logperch (Percina caprodes)

Logperch (Percina caprodes)

Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus)

Northern Hog Sucker (Hypentelium nigricans)

Dr. Mathys' truck helping to get the electrofishing boat into place

Andy and David getting the boat ready for electrofishing (special thanks to both of them for giving us the chance to do some electrofishing, it made the course much better)

Addy with Smallmouth Buffalofish (Ictiobus bubalus) electrofished from the Scioto River above Greenlawn Dam

Class with Smallmouth Buffalofish (Ictiobus bubalus)

Smallmouth Buffalofish (Ictiobus bubalus)

Golden Redhorse (Moxostoma erythrurum)

Closeup of Golden Redhorse (Moxostoma erythrurum) lips

Three Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides), a Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), and a Pumpkinseed Sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus)

Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

Discussing sunfish identification

Hybrid sunfish

Kayla with Spotted Sucker (Minytrema melanops)

Megan interacting with some Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

Gus and Kayla returning from their electrofishing experience

Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Kayla with Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Class picture

Spotted Sucker (Minytrema melanops)

During our boat electrofishing, Megan and Addy decided to do a little seining, and came up with the fish in the next picture...

Orangespotted Sunfish (Lepomis humilis)

Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)

Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) at top, Pumpkinseed Sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) in middle, and probable hybrid at bottom

Probable Bluegill x Pumpkinseed hybrid

White Crappie (Pomoxis annularis)

Connor on the electrofishing boat

Dr. Mathys with Smallmouth Buffalofish (Ictiobus bubalus)

Addy with Gizzard Shad (Dorosoma cepedianum)

River Redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum)

Some Smallmouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieu)

Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)

Dr. Mathys with Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)

Class picture with Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)

We helped in the capture of Tippecanoe Darters (Etheostoma tippecanoe) for relocation. A beautiful morning in Big Walnut Creek.

Seining for Tippecanoes

Seining for Tippecanoes

Seining for Tippecanoes, here with Connor, Breyanna, and Brian Zimmerman

Stonecat Madtom (Noturus flavus)

Tippecanoe Darters (Etheostoma tippecanoe)

Fantail Darter (Etheostoma flabellare)

Male Banded Darter (Etheostoma zonale)

Brindled Madtom (Noturus miurus)

Silver Shiner (top, Notropis photogenis) and Striped Shiner (Luxilus chrysocephalus)

Big Walnut Creek

Stonecat Madtom (Noturus flavus)

Slenderhead Darter (Percina phoxocephala)

Variegate Darter (Etheostoma variatum)

Bluebreast Darter (Etheostoma camurum)

Greenside Darter (Etheostoma blennioides)

Seining in Big Walnut Creek

Seining in Big Walnut Creek

Slenderhead Darter (Percina phoxocephala)

Another, larger, Slenderhead Darter (Percina phoxocephala)

Eastern Sand Darter (Ammocrypta pellucida)

Addy, Gus, and Wyatt looking at Slenderhead Darter (Percina phoxocephala) and Golden Redhorse (Moxostoma erythrurum)

Bigeye Chub (Hybopsis amblops)

One of these is a Sand Shiner (Notropis stramineus), the other is a Mimic Shiner (Notropis volucellus). Mimic Shiners were named for a reason.

Tippecanoe Darters are the second smallest fish in Ohio. This cooler contains over 200 individuals. These were part of a relocation project and were released in the Kokosing River.

The Tippecanoe Darters are each marked prior to their release.

Wyatt marking a Tippecanoe Darter.

Seining in Bokes Creek on Dr. Mathys' property.

Seining in Bokes Creek on Dr. Mathys' property.

Bluntnose Minnow (Pimephales notatus)

Common White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii)

Silverjaw Minnow (Notropis buccatus)

Fantail Darter (Etheostoma flabellare), the first for Dr. Mathys' property.

Walking down to seine on Donald and Linda Mathys' property. We only spent about an hour at this location, but were able to see multiple new species for the class.

Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum)

Redfin Shiner (Lythrurus umbratilis)

Blackside Darter (Percina maculata)

Grass Pickerel (Esox americanus)

Tadpole Madtom (Noturus gyrinus), our third species of madtom for the course this year

Southern Redbelly Dace (Chrosomus erythrogaster) from Mad River in Logan County. This was one of the students' favorite minnow species, due to their bright yellow fins.

Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdii)

Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Western Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys obtusus)

Redside Dace (Clinostomus elongatus)

Addy (left) and Megan with Redside Dace (Clinostomus elongatus)

Southern Redbelly Dace (Chrosomus erythrogaster)

Striped Shiner (Luxilus chrysocephalus)

Megan excited to hold a Common White Sucker (Catostomus commersonii)

Another nice Rainbow Darter (Etheostoma caeruleum)

Northern Hog Sucker (Hypentelium nigricans)

Orangethroat Darter (Etheostoma spectabile)

Leaving Mad River at the end of the field portion of the course. We were able to go outside on six days and visited seven locations, giving us the best species diversity in the course's history (despite missing a few common species). I'm looking forward to doing it again in two years (and hopefully we'll have our own electrofishing equipment next time...).