Field Guide

Fishes

Showing 41 - 50 of 82 results
Central stoneroller male in spawning colors, side view photo with black background
Central Stoneroller
Campostoma anomalum (syn. C. pullum)
The central stoneroller is a brownish minnow with small eyes. The lower jaw has a flat, shelflike extension used to scrape algae from rocks. Found statewide, it is most active during the daytime.
Northern brook lamprey side view photo with black background
Northern Brook Lamprey
Ichthyomyzon fossor
The northern brook lamprey is a great example of a nonparasitic lamprey. While lampreys as a group are famous for being fish parasites, brook lampreys are essentially bottom feeders.
Chestnut lamprey side view photo with black background
Chestnut Lamprey
Ichthyomyzon castaneus
The chestnut lamprey is an eel-like fish that many people find interesting because it's a vampire to other fish. Adults have a well-developed, rasplike oral disc, seven porelike gill openings, no paired fins, and a single nostril.
American eel side view photo with black background
American Eel
Anguilla rostrata
The American eel is considered an uncommon catch by Missouri sport anglers. This species is known to take natural baits and rarely takes artificial baits.
Northern studfish female, side view photo with black background
Northern Studfish
Fundulus catenatus
The northern studfish is common and widely distributed in every principal Ozark stream system except the Neosho. Males in spawning coloration are some of our prettiest topminnows.
Duskystripe shiner male in spawning colors, side view photo with black background
Duskystripe Shiner
Luxilus pilsbryi
In our state, the duskystripe shiner is only found in the White River system of southwest and south-central Missouri. It prefers swift, clear headwater streams. The dark stripe along the side extends from nose to tail with a lighter-colored band above it.
Mottled sculpin side view photo with black background
Mottled Sculpin
Cottus bairdii
In Missouri, the mottled sculpin occurs in the Niangua River system, some tributaries of the Lake of the Ozarks, the Meramec, Gasconade, and Osage river systems, and some other eastern Ozark streams. It is most similar to the Ozark and knobfin sculpins.
Ozark sculpin side view photo with black background
Ozark Sculpin
Cottus hypselurus
The Ozark sculpin occurs only in the Osage, Gasconade, and Black river systems, in the Ozarks of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. It is most similar to the mottled and knobfin sculpins.
Knobfin sculpin side view photo with black background
Knobfin Sculpin
Cottus immaculatus
The knobfin sculpin occurs only in the Current, Eleven Point, and White river drainages in the Ozarks of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas. Until 2010, it was considered the same as the Ozark sculpin.
Yellow bullhead side view photo with black background
Yellow Bullhead
Ameiurus natalis
The yellow bullhead is widespread in Missouri. It is the most common bullhead catfish in the Ozarks and Bootheel lowlands. It has white chin barbels, and the edge of its tail fin is straight, not notched.
See Also
Photo of a three-toed amphiuma in an aquarium.
Three-Toed Amphiuma
Amphiuma tridactylum
The three-toed amphiuma is an eel-like, completely aquatic salamander. It has very small forelimbs and hind limbs, each with three tiny toes. In Missouri it’s found only in the Bootheel region.
Photo of researcher holding a gilled siren
Western Lesser Siren
Siren intermedia nettingi
The western lesser siren is an eel-like, aquatic salamander with external gills, small eyes, small forelimbs with four toes, and no hind limbs. In Missouri, it’s found mostly in the Bootheel and northward in counties near the Mississippi River.

About Fishes in Missouri

Missouri has more than 200 kinds of fish, more than are found in most neighboring states. Fishes live in water, breathe with gills, and have fins instead of legs. Most are covered with scales. Most fish in Missouri “look” like fish and could never be confused with anything else. True, lampreys and eels have snakelike bodies — but they also have fins and smooth, slimy skin, which snakes do not.