Iowa Fish Atlas

Native: Yes

State Rank: S4

ITIS Code: 168393         

National Rank: N5           

Global Rank: G5

Modeled By: Anna Loan-Wilsey

State Range:

The range of the Iowa darter extends eastward to New York and westward to Montana.  In its namesake state,  it is found in streams of the Central Plains Aquatic Subregion but reaches its greatest abundance in the natural lakes (Harlan et al. 1987).  It appears to be absent in the southeastern and southwestern regions of the state. 

Habitat Affinities:

The Iowa darter prefers cool, clear to slightly turbid, slow moving vegetated brooks and weedy portions of glacial lakes, marshes and ponds (Becker 1983; Harlan et al. 1987; Kuehne and Barbour 1983; Page 1983; Trautman 1981).  It is often taken in waters that have a bottom of mud, peat, sand or organic debris (Becker 1983; Smith 1979; Trautman 1981).  In Illinois, the Iowa darter prefers low-gradient creeks (Smith 1979).  Due to forest clearing and drainage practices, which have reduced its habitat and warmed the remaining waters, the Iowa darter has disappeared from the southern portions of its range (Harlan et al 1987; Kuehne and Barbour 1983).

Predictive Model(s):

Statewide Model: by 8-digit HU [Decision Tree Analysis n=60]

The distribution is based upon existing collection records.

("TEMP_CODE" = 2 AND

   ((("SOIL_TEXT" > 4 AND "SOIL_TEXT" <= 6) AND "SDISCR_5C" <= 2 AND

"MINELEVR" > 4) OR

   (("SOIL_TEXT" > 4 AND "SOIL_TEXT" <= 6) AND "SDISCR_5C" > 2) OR

   (("SOIL_TEXT" > 6 AND "SOIL_TEXT" <=9) AND ("STRAHLER" > 4 AND

"STRAHLER" <= 5)) OR

   "SOIL_TEXT" >9))

Mississippi River Model:

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

("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S10')

Overall Prediction:

("TEMP_CODE" = 2 AND

((( "SOIL_TEXT" > 4 AND "SOIL_TEXT" <= 6) AND "SDISCR_5C" <= 2 AND "MINELEVR" > 4) OR

(( "SOIL_TEXT" > 4 AND "SOIL_TEXT" <= 6) AND "SDISCR_5C" > 2) OR

(( "SOIL_TEXT" > 6 AND "SOIL_TEXT" <=9) AND ("STRAHLER" > 4 AND "STRAHLER" <= 5)) OR

 "SOIL_TEXT" >9)) OR ("pool" >= 'S08' AND "pool" <= 'S10')

Literature Cited:

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

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

Kuehne, R.A., and R.W. Barbour.  1983.  The American darters.  University Press of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky.  177 pp.

Page, L.M. 1983.  Handbook of darters.  T.F.H. Publishing, Inc., Neptune City, New Jersey.  271 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 Source:

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

College, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Bernstein, N.P., M.Getting, T. Kamp, S. Christian, R. Smith, J. Steele, and S. Steele. 

2000.  The status of the blacknose shiner (Notropis heterolepis) in Iowa: A preliminary survey.  Journal of the Iowa Academy of Sciences 107(1):16-20.

Bovbjerg, R.V., N.L. Pearsall, and M.L. Brackin.  1970.  A preliminary faunal study of

the upper Little Sioux River.  Iowa Academy of Science 77:177-184.

Dieterman, D., and C.R. Berry Jr.  1995.  The distribution and relative abundance of

fishes in the Big Sioux River, South Dakota: statewide fisheries investigations progress report.  South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota.

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

Iowa, Cedar Falls, Iowa.

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

Department of Natural Resources, Manchester, Iowa.

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

State University, Ames, Iowa.

Jordan, D.S., and S.E. Meek.  1885.  List of fishes collected in Iowa and Missouri in

August, 1884, with descriptions of three new species.  Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum 8(1):1-17.

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

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

Meek, S.E.  1892.  Report upon the fishes of Iowa, based upon observations and

collections mad during 1889, 1890, 1891.  Bulletin of the United States Fish Commission. 10(1890):217-248.

Meek, S.E.  1894.  Notes on the fishes of Western Iowa and Eastern Nebraska.  Bulletin

of the United States Fish Commission 14(1894):133-138.

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.

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

University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, Louisiana.

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

Upper Mississippi River Conservation Committee, Rock Island, Illinois. 238 pp. 

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

Department of Natural Resources, Des Moines, Iowa.

Palic, D., R. Grajeda, L. Helland, B. Pedersen, J. Pribil, A.K. Loan-Wilsey, and C.L.

Pierce.  2003.  Fish communities of the Upper Little Sioux River Basin: current status and historical trends. Unpublished report.  Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.

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

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

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:

Cooper, E.L.  1983.  Fishes of Pennsylvania and the northeastern United States.  Pennsylvania State University Press, University Park, Pennsylvania. 243 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Simons. A.M.  1992.  Phylogenetic relationships of the Boleosoma species group (Percidae: Etheostoma). Pages 268-292 in R.L. Mayden, editor.  Systematics, historical ecology, and North American freshwater fishes.  Stanford University Press, Stanford, Calfiornia. xxvi + 969 pp.

Smith, C.L.  1985.  The inland fishes of New York state.  New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Albany, New York.  522 pp.

Winn, H.E.  1958a.  Comparative reproductive behavior and ecology of fourteen species of darters (Pisces- Percidae).  Ecological Monographs 28:155-191.

Winn, H.E.  1958b.  Observations on the reproductive habits of darters (pisces-Percidae).  American Midland Naturalist 59(1):190-212.

Photo Credits:

Upper Left:       Photo courtesy of Konrad P. Schmidt, copyright Konrad P. Schmidt.

Upper Right:     Photo courtesy of William L. Fink, University of Michigan, copyright William L. Fink.