Alligator Gar (Atractosteus spatula)
Identifying characteristics: Alligator gars are the largest of all gar species with a head that looks very much like an alligator's. They can be
distinguished from all other gars species by the two rows of teeth in the upper jaw, their short-broader snout, and their size when fully grown.
American Eel (Anguilla rostrata)
Identifying characteristics: The body is extremely elongated (snakelike), with a very long dorsal fin that is confluent with the anal fin. Pelvic
fins are absent and tiny scales are embedded in the skin giving eels a smooth feel.
American Shad (Alosa sapidissima)
Identifying characteristics: Upper jaw with a smaller or larger median notch; lower jaw not protruding beyond upper jaw, teeth missing in
examples greater than 8 inches; adipose eyelid present, chest and abdomen with bony scutes; pectoral fin without a free axillary process;
cheek deeper than long.
Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)
Identifying characteristics: Two dorsal fins including one adipose fin, narrow pointed tongue with four to six small teeth, dark pectoral fins,
forked tail, nine rays in anal fin.
Atlantic Sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus)
Identifying characteristics: V-shaped snout with two pairs of barbels and two rows of plates in front of the vent. The back is typically blue
black with a white or cream colored belly.
Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
Identifying characteristics: Large dorsal and anal fins of almost identical shape and size. The sides are marked with black blotches which
become more intense towards the back. The dorsal, anal, and caudal fins also are marked with rows of dark spots. Crappies have
compressed bodies, small heads and arched backs. It has a large mouth with an upper jaw extending under the eye.
Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus)
Identifying characteristics: Adult fish have stout bodies with prominently humped backs in front of the dorsal fin. They resemble channel
catfish by having deeply forked tails, but are dissimilar because they are unspotted and have a long, straight-edged anal fin with 30 to 35
rays. The back and upper sides are blue to slate gray, and the lower sides and belly are white.
Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
Identifying characteristics: Two dorsal fins with spinous and soft-rayed portions united, small mouth, long pointed pectoral fins, faint black
spot on soft-rayed part of dorsal fin separates the bluegill from other sunfish, which lack this dorsal coloration.
Bowfin (Amia calva)
Identifying characteristics: It has an air-bladder which functions somewhat like a lung, and they are often seen near the surface of the water
gulping mouthfuls of air. They are easily recognized by its flattened head; long, stout body; large mouth full of small, sharp teeth; long dorsal
fin that extends along most of the back; and rounded tail. The pelvic fins are set far back on the belly near the middle of the body and the
pectoral fins are low on the sides so that the overall appearance is one of three sets of fins in a row; the pectorals behind the head, the
pelvics near the midbody, and the anal fin near the tail. Also, two short tube-like barbels are located near the nostril.
Freshwater Fish Identification
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