Fishes and Habitat Characteristics of the Keya Paha River, South Dakota-Nebraska

Abstract

ABSTRACT Fishes were collected in four mainstem reaches and eight tributary reaches in the Keya Paha River basin during May and June 2002. Most reaches were characteristically run habitats with sand substrates and riparian pastures. Data were combined with historical records to construct a basin-wide ichthyofaunal list which comprised 38 species from seven families. Dominant species were sand shiners (Notropis ludibundus; 47%), red shiners (Cyprinella lutrensis; 37%), and brassy minnows (Hybognathus hankinsoni; 8%). Dominant game species were bluegill (Lepomis machrochirus) and channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus). We found one species previously listed as rare in South Dakota -plains topminnow (Fundulus sciadicus), and four species not previously found in the Keya Paha River—silver chub (Macrhybopsis storeriana), river carpsucker (Carpiodes carpio), northern pike (Esox lucius), yellow perch (Perca flavescens).