Composition and Abundance of Drifting Fish Larvae in the Canadian River, Texas

Abstract

We documented the species composition and abundance of drifting ichthyoplankton in the Canadian River, Texas during the 2000 and 2001 reproductive seasons.Elcvcn species of fishes representing four families were collected.Arkansas River shincr (Notropis girardi), red shiner (Cyprinella lutrensis), peppered chub (Macrlzybopsis tetranema), and plains minnow (Hybognathusplacitus) were the most abundant species in the drift.The density of d r ~f t ~n g larvae ranged from 0 to 10 fish 100 m-3 in 2000 and from 0 to 4 fish.100m-3 in 2001.However, density was typically less than 3 fish.100m-3 except for June in both years whcn the greatest peaks in density occurred.The ovcrall abundance of drifting larvae was much greater during the 2000 reproductive season than it was during the 200 1 reproductive season.This is likely a result of consistently greater stream discharge that occurred during 2000.