Iowa Fish Atlas

Native: Yes

State Rank: SNR

ITIS Code: 163939          

National Rank: N5           

Global Rank: G5

Modeled By: Anna Loan-Wilsey

State Range:

The golden redhorse inhabits both Aquatic Subregions of Iowa but is most abundant in small to moderate-sized streams in the Eastern Broadleaf Aquatic Subregion. It is commonly found in the middle reaches of the Mississippi River but is rare in the more turbid waters of the Missouri River basin (Harlan et al. 1987).

Habitat Affinities:

The golden redhorse prefers pools and low raceways with clear, gravelly or rocky bottoms in creeks or small rivers of medium gradient and enough current to prevent rapidly accumulating silt (Pflieger 1997; Robison and Buchanan 1988; Smith 1979; Trautman 1981). The habitat of the golden redhorse is similar to that the black redhorse but prefers slightly warmer waters with less current, and is more tolerant of large rivers, turbidity, and intermittent flow (Etnier and Starnes 1993; Pflieger 1997; Robison and Buchanan 1988).  In Missouri, it reaches highest abundance in streams with large permanent pools and firm, well-defined rocky or gravelly riffles (Pflieger 1997). The golden redhorse is intolerant of continuous turbidity, rapid siltation, and industrial pollutants (Harlan et al. 1987; Trautman 1981), but because of its highly migratory nature, it is able penetrate streams with considerable industrial pollution (Trautman 1981). In early spring the golden redhorse penetrates small creeks to spawns in shallow riffles (Clay 1975; Eddy and Underhill 1974; Phillips et. al. 1982).

Predictive Model(s):

Statewide Model: by 8-digit HU [Decision Tree Analysis n=394]

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.

(("LINKR" > 2 AND "LINKR" <= 3) AND "TEMP_CODE" > 1 AND "SUBREGION_"

<= 1 AND "DLINKR" > 7) OR

( "LINKR" > 3 AND "LINKR" <= 4) OR

(( "LINKR" > 4 AND "LINKR" <= 5) AND "MAXELEVR" <= 4) OR

( "LINKR" > 5 AND "LINKR" <= 7)

Mississippi River Model:

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.

("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S20')

Missouri River Model

The distribution is based upon existing collection records and professional review.

("pool" >= 'O17')

Overall Prediction:

((("LINKR" > 2 AND "LINKR" <= 3) AND "TEMP_CODE" > 1 AND

"SUBREGION_" <= 1 AND "DLINKR" > 7) OR

( "LINKR" > 3 AND "LINKR" <= 4) OR

(( "LINKR" > 4 AND "LINKR" <= 5) AND "MAXELEVR" <= 4) OR

( "LINKR" > 5 AND "LINKR" <= 7))

OR ("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S20') OR ("pool" >= 'O17')

Literature Cited:

Clay, W.M.  1975.  The fishes of Kentucky.  Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, Frankfort, Kentucky.  416 pp.

Eddy, S., and J.C. Underhill.  1974.  Northern fishes; with special reference to the upper Mississippi Valley.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  414 pp.

Etnier, D.A., and W.E. Starnes.  1993.  The fishes of Tennessee.  University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, Tennessee.  681 pp.

Harlan, J.R., E.B. Speaker, and J. Mayhew.  1987.  Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa. 323pp.

Pflieger, W.L.  1997.  The fishes of Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, Missouri.  372 pp.

Phillips, G.L., W.D. Schmid, and J.C. Underhill.  1982.  Fishes of the Minnesota region.  University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  248 pp.

Robison, H.W., and T.M. Buchanan. 1988.  Fishes of Arkansas.  University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, Arkansas.  536 pp.

Smith, P.W.  1979.  The fishes of Illinois.  University of Illinois Press, Urbana, Illinois.  314 pp.

Trautman, M.B.  1981.  The fishes of Ohio.  Revised Edition.  Ohio State University Press in collaboration with the Ohio Sea Grant Program Center for Lake Erie Area Research,  Columbus, Ohio.  782 pp.

Data Sources:

Ackerman, G.L.  1964.  Cedar River survey above Prairie Creek station.  Unpublished

report.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Ackerman, G.L.  1964.  Yellow River survey.  Unpublished report.  Iowa Conservation

Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Ackerman, G.L.  1965.  Boone River Survey.  Unpublished report.  Iowa Conservation

Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Atchison, G.J., R.W. Bachmann, J.G., Nickum,  J.B. Barnumand, and M.B. Sandheinrich.

1986.  Aquatic biota associated with channel stabilization structures and abandoned channels in the middle Missouri River. Final Report.  Environmental and water quality operational studies.  Technical Report E-86-6.  Department of the Army, US Army Corps of Engineers, Washington, D.C.

Bernstein, N.P.  2003.  Personal communications and unpublished reports.  Mount Mercy

College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Berry, C.R., D.L. Galat, and M.L. Wildhaber.  2004.  Fish distribution and abundance. 

Volume 3.  Population structure and habitat use of benthic fishes along the Missouri and lower Yellowstone rivers.  U.S. Geological Survey, Cooperative Units, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota.

Brandt, M. J.  1985.  Dry Run Creek, a prairie stream, sixty-eight years later. Master's

thesis.  University of  Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Clear Lake Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northwest

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Clear Lake, Iowa.

Cleary, R.E.  1956.  Summary of the cooperative exploratory fishing operations in the

Wisconsin-Illinois-Iowa sections of the Mississippi River- 1956.  Job Description Investigations Projects.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Cleary, R.E., and  J. Hlavacek.  1957.  Summary of 1957 UMRCC exploratory fishing in

pools 8 to13.  Job Description Investigations Projects.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Cleary, R.E., and T.L. Moen.  1961.  The Iowa River chemical eradication study. 

Quarterly Biology Reports 13(1):38-40.

Decorah Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Decorah, Iowa.

Dowell, V.  1981.  Collections in Cedar River Basin, 1956-1981.  University of Northern

Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Eckblad, J.W.  1979.  A natural resource inventory of the aquatic habitats of the Volga

River recreation area with pre-impoundment predictions for the new lake.  Contract 8152. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Ecological Analysts, Inc.  1983.  Operational ecological study in the Cedar River near

Duane Arnold Energy Center, January through December 1983.  EA Report IEL21.  Iowa Electrical Light and Power Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Ecological Analysts, Inc.  1984.  Operational ecological study in the Cedar River near

Duane Arnold Energy Center, January through December 1983.  EA Report IEL31.  Iowa Electrical Light and Power Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Gelwicks, G., J. Heitke, and G. Simmons.  2002.  Contemporary fish survey.  Iowa

Department of Natural Resources, Manchester, Iowa.

Govro, K.C.  1977.  Effects of sewage effluent on fish in the Iowa River at Marshalltown.

Master’s thesis.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Guttenberg Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Guttenberg, Iowa.

Harrison, H.M.  1951.  General survey of the Des Moines River below Des Moines.

Quarterly Biology Reports 3(3):32-45.

Harrison, H.M.  1958.  Preliminary report, Maple River studies.  Quarterly Biology

Report 11(1):10-16. 

Huggins, D.,  B.W. Menzel,  D. Van Schmus, M. Lary, S.H. Wang, Lian, K. Higgins, D.

Bandi, and A. Cordry.  1996.  Assessment of the effects of nonpoint source pollution on the biotic integrity of Walnut Creek.  Kansas Biological Survey Report 73.  Central Plains Center for BioAssessment at the Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence, Kansas.

Iowa Conservation Commission and Iowa Department of Natural Resources.  2002. 

Miscellaneous field notes from fish surveys, 1942, 1961, 1964, 1991.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Iowa State University.  2002.  Miscellaneous field notes from fish surveys conducted by

faculty and students, 1972 and 1980.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Iowa State University Museum.  1985.  Collection of fishes catalog, 1878-1985.   Iowa

State University, Ames, Iowa.

Kaminski, M.T.  1996.  Smallmouth bass habitat and fish community relationships in

central Iowa streams.  Master’s thesis.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

King, L.R., and K.D. Carlander.  1976.  A study of the effects of stream channelization

and bank stabilization on warmwater sport fish in Iowa: Subproject No. 3.  Some effects of short-reach stream channelization on fishes and fish food organisms in central Iowa warm water streams.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Contract 14-16-0008-745.  Iowa Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Ames, Iowa.

Lake Darling Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Southeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Brighton, Iowa.  

Lake MacBride Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports. 

Southeast Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Solon, Iowa.

LGL Ecological Research Associates.  1981.  Study of fish in the main channel of the

Mississippi River between river miles 500 and 513.5.  Final Report.  Great II Fish and Wildlife Management Work Group and Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers, Rock Island, Illinois.

Long Term Resource Monitoring Program.  2002.   Pool 13 database, 1990-2001.  Upper

Midwest Environmental Science Center, Bellevue, Iowa.

Manchester Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northeast

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Manchester, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1972.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River baseline ecological

study.  Annual Report, April 28, 1971 to April 24, 1972.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1974.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River baseline ecological

study.  Annual report, May 1972 through April 1973.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1974.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River baseline ecological

study.  Final preoperational report, May 1, 1973 through January 2, 1974.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1975.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational

ecological study.  Annual report, January 14, 1974 to December 31, 1974.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1980.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational

ecological study.  Annual Report, January 1979 through December 1979.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B. 1981.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational ecological

study.  Annual Report, January 1980 through December 1980.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1982.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational

ecological study.  Annual Report, January 1981 through December 1981.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

McDonald, D.B.  1983.  Duane Arnold Energy Center, Cedar River operational

ecological study.  Annual Report, January 1982 through December 1982.  D.B. McDonald Research Inc, Iowa City, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1983.  Field notes: northeast.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1983.  Field notes: western and southern.  Iowa State University, Ames,

Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1984.  Field notes: Des Moines-Skunk.  Iowa State University, Ames,

Iowa.

Menzel, B.W.  1984.  Field notes: Iowa-Cedar.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Menzel, B.W., J.B. Barnum, and L.M. Antosch.  1984.  Ecological alterations of Iowa

prairie-agricultural streams.  Iowa State Journal of Research  59(1):5-30.

Menzel, B.W., and H.L. Fierstine.  1976.  A study of the effects of stream channelization

and bank stabilization on warmwater sport fish in Iowa: Subproject No. 5.  Effects of long-reach stream channelization on distribution and abundance of fishes.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Contract 14-16-0008-745.  Iowa Cooperative Fishery Research Unit, Ames, Iowa.

Middendorf, R. and R. Gent.  1981.  Fishery inventory of southeast Iowa tributary

streams.  Project 81-III-C-14.  Job Completion Reports.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Miller, L.R., T. Putnam, and J. Wahl.  1987.  Evaluation of lowhead riffle construction on

riverine fish populations.  Fish Management Investigations 1987 Annual Report. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Mount Mercy College Museum.  2002.  Vertebrate collection database report.  Mount

Mercy College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Museum of Natural History.  2002.  Freshwater fish collection.  Division of Zoology,

University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana.

Museum of Zoology.  2002.  Division of Fishes collection database.  University of

Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan. http://www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/. (May, 2002)

Nord, R.C.  1967.  A compendium of fishery information on the Upper Mississippi River.

Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee, Rock Island, Illinois.

Olson, C.L.  1975.  Effects of chlorinated sewage effluent on fish in the Iowa River,

Marshalltown, Iowa.  Master’s thesis.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

Olson, J.R.  1998.  Historic fish survey database.  Water Quality Bureau, Iowa

Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Paragamian, V.L.  1978.  Population dynamics of smallmouth bass in the Maquoketa

River and other Iowa streams: effects of habitat variation on the stream biota.  Project F-89-R-2, Study No. 602-1, Job No. 2.  Annual Performance Report.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Paragamian, V.L.  1979.  Population dynamics of smallmouth bass in the Maquoketa

River and other Iowa streams: effects of habitat variation on the stream biota.  Project F-89-R-2, Study No. 602-2, Job No. 2.  Annual Performance Report.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Paragamian, V.L.  1990.  Fish populations of Iowa rivers and streams.  Technical Bulletin

No. 3.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Putnam, T.  1974.  Pre-impoundment fish survey of the Des Moines River - Saylorville

Reservoir.  Project 74-IV-C-74.   Job Completion Reports.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Schmadeke, D.P. 1977.  An annotated list of fishes of the Shellrock River, Iowa. 

Master's thesis.  University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Schonmacher, R.  1962.  Trap-net and electro-fishing surveys in northeast Iowa, 1962.

Unpublished report.  Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa.

Smith, P.W,. and A.C. Lopinot.  1966.  The 1966 survey of fishes from the mouths of

Mississippi River tributaries, Appendix B, pp.226-233, Illinois State Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois.

Spirit Lake Fish Management.  2002.  Field notes and unpublished reports.  Northwest

Management District, Fisheries Bureau, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Orleans, Iowa.

Sullivan, D.J.  2000.  Fish communities and their relation to environmental factors in the

Eastern Iowa Basins in Iowa and Minnesota, 1996.  Water-Resources Investigations Report 00-4194.  U.S. Geological Survey, Iowa City, Iowa.

UMRCC.  1953.  Revised species list- northern section of the river.  Pages 19-32 in

Proceedings of the Ninth Annual Meeting, Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee, Rock Island, Illinois.

UMRCC.  1964.  Proceedings of the twentieth annual meeting, January 7, 1964.  Upper

Mississippi River Conservation Committee, Rock Island, Illinois.

University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory.  1985.  Calmus Creek water quality study: May-

August 1984.  No. 85-1.  Iowa Department of Water, Air and Waste Management, Des Moines, Iowa.

University of Iowa Hygienic Laboratory.  1988.  A survey of the benthic

macroinvertebrates and fishes of the Big Spring Basin, Iowa.  Report 88-9.  Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Wilton, T., K. Krier, and J. Mootz.  2003.  Stream Biological Assessment Database.

Environmental Services Division, Water Quality Bureau, TMDL and Water Quality Assessment Section, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Additional References:

Aadland, L.P.,  C.M. Cook, M.T. Negus, H.G. Drewes, and  C.S. Anderson.  1991.  Microhabitat preferences of selected stream fishes and community-oriented approach to instream flow assessments.  Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Section of Fisheries, Minneapolis, Minnesota.  142 pp.

Becker, G.C.  1983.  Fishes of Wisconsin.  University of Wisconsin Press, Madison. 1052 pp.

Berkman, H.E.  1984.  Effects of sedimentation on stream fish communities in northeast Missouri.  Master’s thesis, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.  116 pp.

Cross, F.B.  1967.  Handbook of fishes of Kansas.  University of Kansas Museum of Natural History Miscellaneous Publication  No. 45, Lawrence, Kansas.  357 pp.

Cross, F.B., and J.T. Collins.  1995.  Fishes in Kansas.  University of Kansas Natural History Museum, Public Education Series No. 14, Lawrence, Kansas.   315 pp.

Curry, K.D., and A. Spacie.  1984.  Differential use of stream habitat by spawning catostomids.  American Midland Naturalist 111:267-279.

Douglas, N.H.  1974.  Freshwater fishes of Louisiana.  Claitor’s Publishing Division, Sponsored by Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  443 pp.

Goodchild, C.D. 1990c.  Status of the golden redhorse, Moxostoma erythrurum, in Canada.  Canadian Field-Naturalist 104:103-111.

Harris, P.M., and R.L. Mayden.  2001.  Phylogenetic relationships of major clades of Catostomidae (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) as inferred from mitchondrial SSU and LSU rDNA sequences.   Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 20:225-237.

Jenkins, R.E.  1970.  Systematic studies of the catostomid fish tribe Moxostomatini.  Ph.D. dissertation. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.  779 pp.

Kelly, G., editor.  1986.  Animal habitat relations handbook.  Missouri Department of Conservation and U.S.D.A. Forest Service, Jefferson City, Missouri.  293 pp.

Lee, D.S., C.R. Gilbert, C.H. Hocutt, R.E. Jenkins, D.E. McAllister, and J.R. Stauffer, Jr.  1980.  Atlas of North American freshwater fishes.  North Carolina State Museum of Natural History, Raleigh, North Carolina.  867 pp.

Martin, R.G., and  R.S. Campbell.  1953.  The small fishes of Black River and Clearwater Lake, Missouri.  Black River Studies, University of Missouri Studies, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri  26(2):45-66.

Meyer, W.H.  1962.  Life history of three species of Redhorse (Moxostoma) in the Des Moines River, Iowa. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society 91(4):412-419.

Page, L.M., and B.M. Burr.  1991.  A field guide to freshwater fishes: North America north of Mexico.  Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, Massachusetts. 432 pp.

Pflieger, W.L.  1971.  A distributional study of Missouri fishes.  University of Kansas Publications, Museum of Natural History  20(3):225-570.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989a.  Aquatic community classification system for Missouri.  Missouri Department of Conservation.  Jefferson City, Missouri.  Aquatic Series No. 19. 70 pp. plus Supplement.

Pflieger, W.L.  1989b.  The stream resources of Missouri.  D-J Project - F-1-R-28.  Study S-20.  Missouri Department of Conservation, Columbia, Missouri.  

Robins, C.R., R.M. Bailey, C.E. Bond, J.R. Brooker, E.A. Lachner, R.N. Lea, and W.B. Scott.  1991.  Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States and Canada.  American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 20, Bethesda, Maryland. 183 pp.

Scott, W.B., and E. J. Crossman.  1973.  Freshwater fishes of Canada.  Fisheries Research Board of Canada Bulletin No. 184, Ottawa, Canada.  966 pp.

Smith, G.R. 1992.  Phylogeny and biogeography of the Catostomidae, freshwater fishes of North America and Asia. Pages 778-826 in Mayden, R.L., editor.  Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California. xxvi + 969 pp.

Thom, R.H., and J.H. Wilson.  1980.  The natural divisions of Missouri.  Transactions of the Missouri Academy of Science  14:9-24.

Photo Credits:

Upper Left:       Photo courtesy of Garold W. Sneegas, copyright Garold W. Sneegas, Aquatic Kansas Images, http://www.nanfa.org/akiweb/AKI.htm.

Upper Right:     Photo courtesy of the Virtual Aquarium, The Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia, http://www.cnr.vt.edu/efish/index.html.