List of fishes of Arkansas facts for kids
The state of Arkansas has a wide variety of freshwater fish species in its rivers, lakes, and streams.
Contents
Sport
Black Bass
Order: Perciformes, Family: Centrarchidae
- Native Species
- Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides
- Smallmouth Bass, Micropterus dolomieu
- Spotted Bass, Micropterus punctulatus
North American Catfish
Order: Siluriformes Family: Ictaluridae
- Native Species
- Blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus
- Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus
- Flathead catfish, Pylodictis olivaris
Pikes
Order: Esociformes Family: Esocidae
- Native Species
- Chain pickerel, esox niger
- Grass pickerel, esox americanus vermiculatus
- Non-native, exotic species
- Muskellunge, esox masquinongy
- Northern pike, esox lucius
Sunfishes
Order: Perciformes, Family: Centrarchidae
- Native Species
- Bluegill, Lepomis Macrochirus
- Green Sunfish, Lepomis cyanellus
- Long-ear Sunfish, Lepomis megalotus
- Flier, Centrarchus macropterus
- Redear Sunfish, Lepomis microlophus
- Orangespotted Sunfish, Lepomis humilis
- Warmouth, Lepomis gulosus
- Redspotted sunfish, Lepomis miniatus
- Black crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus
- White crappie, Pomoxis annularis
Temperate Bass
Order: Perciformes, Family: Moronidae
- Native Species
- White bass, Morone chrysops
- Yellow bass, Morone mississippiensis
- Non-native, exotic species
- Striped bass, Morone saxatilis
- Hybrid striped bass, Morone chrysops x Morone saxatilis
Trouts
Order: Salmoniformes, Family: Salmonidae
- Non-native, exotic species
- Brook trout, salvelinus fontinalis
- Brown trout, salmo trutta
- Cutthroat trout, oncorhynchus clarkii
- Lake trout, salvelinus namaycush
- Rainbow trout, oncorhynchus mykiss
- Tiger trout, salmo trutta × salvelinus fontinalis
Non-sport
Bowfin
Order: Amiiformes, Family: Amiidae
- Native species
- Bowfin, Amia calva
Gars
Order: Lepisosteiformes, Family: Lepisosteidae
- Native species
- Alligator gar, atractosteus spatula
- Spotted gar, Lepisosteus oculatus
- Longnose gar, Lepisosteus osseus
- Shortnose gar, Lepisosteus platostomus
Paddlefish
Order: Acipenseriformes, Family: Polyodontidae
- Native species
- American Paddlefish, polydon spathula
Sturgeons
Order: Acipenseriformes, Family: Acipenseridae
- Native species
- Lake sturgeon, Acipenser fulvescens
- Pallid sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus albus
- Shovelnose sturgeon, Scaphirhynchus platorynchus
The three types of sturgeon native to Arkansas are uncommon, and two of the species are listed as endangered nationwide. The lake sturgeon is near the southern end of its range in Arkansas, more commonly found in the Upper Midwest. Pallid and shovelnose sturgeon live in large, turbid rivers of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, including the lower Arkansas, Mississippi, and lower White rivers downstream of impoundments.
Eels
Order: Anguilliformes, Family: Anguillidae
- Native species
- American eel, Anguilla rostrata
Herrings
Order: Clupeiformes, Family: Clupeidae
- Native species
- Alabama shad, alosa alabamae
- Skipjack herring, alosa chrysochloris
- Gizzard shad, dorosoma cepedianum
- Threadfin shad, threadfin shad
Lampreys
Order: Petromyzontiformes, Family: Petromyzontidae
- Native species
- Chestnut lamprey, ichthyomyzon castaneus
- Southern brook lamprey, ichthyomyzon gagei
- Least brook lamprey, lampetra aepyptera
- American brook lamprey, lampetra appendix
- Non-native, exotic species
- Sea lamprey, petromyzon marinus
Mudminnow
Order: Esociformes, Family: Umbridae
- Native species
- Central mudminnow, umbra limi
Smelts
Order: Osmeriformes, Family: Osmeridae
- Native species
- Rainbow smelt, osmerus mordax
Mooneyes
Order: Hiodontiformes, Family: Hiodontidae
- Native species
- Goldeye, hiodon alosoides
- Mooneye, hiodon tergisus
