Young-of-the-year were taken at every station. Extensive seining along a gravel bar at the lower Neosho station indicated that the young are highly selective for quiet, shallow water with mud bottom. In these areas, young-of-the-year carpsucker were often the most abundant fish.
River carpsucker were collected more readily by use of the shocker after dark than in daylight (Table 9, p. 402).
Carpiodes velifer (Rafinesque)
High-finned Carpsucker
A specimen of Carpiodes velifer taken at the lower station on the Neosho in 1958 provided the only record of the species in Kansas since 1924. Many specimens, now in the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, were taken from the Neosho River system by personnel of the State Biological Survey prior to 1912. The species has declined greatly in abundance in the past 50 years.
Moxostoma aureolum pisolabrum Trautman
Short-headed Redhorse
The short-headed redhorse occurred at all stations. It was common at the middle and lower stations on the Neosho, rare at the upper station on the Neosho, abundant at the upper station on the Marais des Cygnes in 1957, and rare thereafter at all stations on the Marais des Cygnes. Short-headed redhorse typically occur in riffles, most commonly at the uppermost end where the water flows swiftly and is about two feet deep. An unusually large concentration was seen on 13 June, 1959, in shallow (six inches), fast water over gravel bottom at the middle station on the Neosho River.
Thirty-nine individuals were marked by clipping fins at the middle Neosho station in 1959. Four were recovered from one to 48 days later: two at the site of original capture (one 48 days after marking), one less than one-half mile downstream, and one about one mile downstream from the original site of capture.
At the middle Neosho station in 1958, this species was taken more readily by use of the shocker at night than by day (Table 9, p. 402).
Moxostoma erythrurum (Rafinesque)
Golden Redhorse
The golden redhorse was abundant at the upper Neosho station, rare at the middle Neosho station, and did not occur in collections at other stations. This species was taken most frequently over gravel- or rubble-bottoms in small pools below riffles, and was especially susceptible to collection by means of the shocker.