Fish of Montana
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There are at least 31
game A game is a structured form of play (activity), play, usually undertaken for enjoyment, entertainment or fun, and sometimes used as an educational tool. Many games are also considered to be work (such as professional players of spectator s ...
and 59 non-game fish species known to occur in Montana. Among Montana's fish, three are listed as endangered or threatened species and the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks lists a number of species as species of concern. Species are listed by common name, scientific name, typical habitat and occurrence. Common and scientific names are from the Montana Field Guide.


Game fish


Trout

Order: Salmoniformes, Family: Salmonidae * Native species ** Westslope cutthroat trout, ''Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi'' (
Salish Salish () may refer to: * Salish peoples, a group of First Nations/Native Americans ** Coast Salish peoples, several First Nations/Native American groups in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest ** Interior Salish peoples, several First Nat ...
: ''Pisɫ'') **
Yellowstone cutthroat trout The Yellowstone cutthroat trout (''Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri'') is a subspecies of the cutthroat trout (''Oncorhynchus clarkii''). It is a freshwater fish in the salmon family (family Salmonidae). Native only to a few U.S. states, their ...
, ''Oncorhynchus clarkii bouvieri'' ** Columbia River redband trout, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri'' ** Bull trout, ''Salvelinus confluentus'' (
Salish Salish () may refer to: * Salish peoples, a group of First Nations/Native Americans ** Coast Salish peoples, several First Nations/Native American groups in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest ** Interior Salish peoples, several First Nat ...
: ''Aáy'' or ''Ɫaʔáy''; Kutenai: ''Tuhuǂ'') **
Montana Arctic grayling The Montana Arctic grayling (''Thymallus arcticus montanus'') is a North American freshwater fish in the salmon family Salmonidae. The Montana Arctic grayling, native to the upper Missouri River basin in Montana and Wyoming, is a disjunct popul ...
, ''Thymallus arcticus montanus'' ** Lake trout, ''Salvelinus namaycush'' ** Mountain whitefish, ''Prosopium williamsoni'' (
Salish Salish () may refer to: * Salish peoples, a group of First Nations/Native Americans ** Coast Salish peoples, several First Nations/Native American groups in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest ** Interior Salish peoples, several First Nat ...
: ''X̣ʷy̓u'') **
Pygmy whitefish The pygmy whitefish (''Prosopium coulterii'') is a freshwater whitefish of the genus ''Prosopium'' in the family Salmonidae. Found in the mountain streams and lakes in western North America, it also has isolated populations in Lake Superior and i ...
, ''Prosopium coulteri'' ** Lake whitefish, ''Coregonus clupeaformis'' * Non-native, exotic species **
Rainbow trout The rainbow trout (''Oncorhynchus mykiss'') is a species of trout native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean in Asia and North America. The steelhead (sometimes called "steelhead trout") is an anadromous (sea-run) form of the coasta ...
, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss'' (Other than the red band subspecies, rainbow trout are an introduced species in Montana) **
Brown trout The brown trout (''Salmo trutta'') is a European species of salmonid fish that has been widely introduced into suitable environments globally. It includes purely freshwater populations, referred to as the riverine ecotype, ''Salmo trutta'' morph ...
, ''Salmo trutta'' **
Golden trout The California golden trout (''Oncorhynchus aguabonita or Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita''), is a species of trout native to California. The golden trout is normally found in the Golden Trout Creek (tributary to the Kern River), Volcano Creek (tr ...
, ''Oncorhynchus mykiss aguabonita'' **
Brook trout The brook trout (''Salvelinus fontinalis'') is a species of freshwater fish in the char genus ''Salvelinus'' of the salmon family Salmonidae. It is native to Eastern North America in the United States and Canada, but has been introduced elsewhere ...
, ''Salvelinus fontinalis'' ** Arctic grayling, ''Thymallus arcticus'' - Adfluvial grayling introduced into Montana Lakes ** Chinook salmon, ''Oncorhynchus tshawytscha'' ** Kokanee salmon, ''Oncorhynchus nerka'' ** Cisco, ''Coregonus artedi''


Paddlefish

Order: Acipenseriformes, Family:
Polyodontidae Paddlefish (family Polyodontidae) are a family of ray-finned fish belonging to order Acipenseriformes, and one of two living groups of the order alongside sturgeons (Acipenseridae). They are distinguished from other fish by their titular elongla ...
* Paddlefish, ''Polyodon spathula''


Pike

Order:
Esociformes The Esociformes () are a small order of ray-finned fish, with two families, Umbridae and Esocidae. The pikes of genus '' Esox'' give the order its name. This order is closely related to the Salmoniformes, the two comprising the superorder Prot ...
, Family: Esocidae * Non-native, exotic species ** Northern pike, ''Esox lucius'' **
Tiger muskellunge The tiger muskellunge (''Esox masquinongy × lucius'' or ''Esox lucius × masquinongy''), commonly called tiger muskie, is a carnivorous fish, and is the usually-sterile, hybrid offspring of the true muskellunge (''Esox masquinongy'') and the no ...
, ''Esox masquinongy'' × ''lucius''


Bass, Sunfish

Order: Perciformes, Family: Centrarchidae * Non-native, exotic species **
Black crappie The black crappie (''Pomoxis nigromaculatus'') is a freshwater fish found in North America, one of the two types of crappies. It is very similar to the white crappie in size, shape, and habits, except that it is darker, with a pattern of black sp ...
, ''Pomoxis nigromaculatus'' ** Largemouth bass, ''Micropterus salmoides'' ** Smallmouth bass, ''Micropterus dolomieu'' **
White crappie The white crappie (''Pomoxis annularis'') is a freshwater fish found in North America, one of the two species of crappies. Alternate common names for the species include goldring and silver perch. is named for the fish. The genus name ''Pomoxis ...
, ''Pomoxis annularis''


Perch

Order: Perciformes, Family: Percidae * Native species ** Sauger, ''Sander canadensis'' * Non-native, exotic species ** Yellow perch, ''Perca flavescens'' ** Walleye, ''Sander vitreus''


Catfish

Order: ''Siluriformes'', Family: Ictaluridae * Native species **
Channel catfish The channel catfish (''Ictalurus punctatus'') is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States, the ...
, ''Ictalurus punctatus''


Sturgeon

Order: ''Acipenseriformes'', Family: ''Acipenseridae'' * Native species ** Pallid sturgeon, ''Scaphirhynchus albus'' **
Shovelnose sturgeon The shovelnose sturgeon (''Scaphirhynchus platorynchus'') is the smallest species of freshwater sturgeon native to North America. It is often called "hackleback", "sand sturgeon", or "switchtail". Switchtail refers to the long filament found on ...
, ''Scaphirhynchus platorynchus'' **
White sturgeon White sturgeon (''Acipenser transmontanus'') is a species of sturgeon in the family Acipenseridae of the order Acipenseriformes. They are an anadromous fish species ranging in the Eastern Pacific; from the Gulf of Alaska to Monterey, Californ ...
, ''Acipenser transmontanus''


Burbot

Order: Gadiformes, Family: Gadidae * Native species ** Burbot, ''Lota lota''


Non-game fish


Bass, sunfish

Order: Perciformes, Family: Centrarchidae * Non-native, exotic species **
Bluegill The bluegill (''Lepomis macrochirus''), sometimes referred to as "bream", "brim", "sunny", or "copper nose" as is common in Texas, is a species of North American freshwater fish, native to and commonly found in streams, rivers, lakes, ponds and ...
, ''Lepomis macrochirus'' ** Green sunfish, ''Lepomis cyanellus'' ** Pumpkinseed, ''Lepomis gibbosus'' ** Rock bass, ''Ambloplites rupestris''


Perch

Order: Perciformes, Family: Percidae * Native species **
Iowa darter ''Etheostoma exile'', the Iowa darter, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish, a darter from the subfamily Etheostomatinae, part of the family Percidae, which also contains the perches, ruffes and pikeperches. It is, along with about 17 ot ...
, ''Etheostoma exile''


Temperate basses

Order: Perciformes, Family: Moronidae * Non-native, exotic species ** White bass, ''Morone chrysops''


Catfish

Order: ''Siluriformes'', Family: Ictaluridae * Native species **
Stonecat ''Noturus flavus'', the stonecat, is a North American freshwater catfish of the family Ictaluridae. The common name is due to its habit of hiding near or under stones in fast-moving water. Anatomy Stonecats are small, slender, flat-headed ca ...
, ''Noturus flavus'' * Non-native, exotic species ** Black bullhead, ''Ameiurus melas'' ** Yellow bullhead, ''Ameiurus natalis''


Drum

Order: Perciformes, Family: Sciaenidae * Native species ** Freshwater drum, ''Aplodinotus grunniens''


Smelt

Order: Salmoniformes, Family:
Osmeridae Smelts are a family of small fish, the Osmeridae, found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, as well as rivers, streams and lakes in Europe, North America and Northeast Asia. They are also known as freshwater smelts or typical smelts ...
*Non native, exotic species ** Rainbow smelt, ''Osmerus mordax''


Gars

Order: Lepisosteiformes. Family: Lepisosteidae * Native species **
Shortnose gar The shortnose gar (''Lepisosteus platostomus'') is a primitive freshwater fish of the family Lepisosteidae. It is native to the United States where its range includes the Mississippi and Missouri River basins, ranging from Montana to the west and ...
, ''Lepisosteus platostomus''


Mooneyes

Order: Hiodontiformes, Family:
Hiodontidae Hiodontidae, commonly called mooneyes, is a family of ray-finned fish with a single included genus ''Hiodon''. The genus comprise two living species native to North America and three to five extinct species recorded from Paleocene to Eocene age ...
* Native species **
Goldeye The goldeye (''Hiodon alosoides'') is a freshwater fish found in Canada and the northern United States. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hiodontidae, the other species being ''Hiodon tergisus''. The species name ''alosoides'' ...
, ''Hiodon alosoides''


Mollies

Order: Cyprinodontiformes, Family: Poeciliidae * Non-native, exotic species ** Green swordtail, ''Xiphophorus helleri'' ** Sailfin molly, ''Poecilia latipinna'' **
Shortfin molly ''Poecilia mexicana'', commonly known as the shortfin molly or Atlantic molly, is a species of poeciliid fish native to fresh and brackish water in Mexico and Guatemala. One population is found in caves and known as the cave molly. Description ...
, ''Poecilia mexicana'' **
Variable platyfish The variable platyfish (''Xiphophorus variatus''), also known as variatus platy or variegated platy, is a species of freshwater fish in family Poecilidae of order Cyprinodontiformes. A live-bearer, it is native to southern Tamaulipas and norther ...
, ''Xiphophorus variatus'' **
Western mosquitofish The western Mosquitofish (''Gambusia affinis'') is a North American freshwater fish, also known commonly, if ambiguously, as simply Mosquitofish or by its generic name, ''Gambusia'', or by the common name gambezi. Its sister species, the easte ...
, ''Gambusia affinis''


Killifish

Order: Cyprinodontiformes, Family: Fundulidae * Non-Native, exotic species ** Northern Plains killifish, ''Fundulus kansae'' **
Banded killifish The banded killifish (''Fundulus diaphanus'') is a North American species of temperate freshwater killifish belonging to the genus ''Fundulus'' of the family Fundulidae. Its natural geographic range extends from Newfoundland to South Carolina, ...
, ''Fundulus diaphanus''


Minnows

Order:
Cypriniformes Cypriniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches, and relatives. Cypriniformes is an Order within the Superorder Ostariophysi consisting of "Carp-like" Ostariophysins. This order contains 11-12 families, ...
, Family:
Cyprinidae Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family. It includes the carps, the true minnows, and relatives like the barbs and barbels. Cyprinidae is the largest and most diverse fish family and the largest verte ...
* Native species **
Brassy minnow The brassy minnow (''Hybognathus hankinsoni'') is a species of fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae. The family Cyprinidae consists of mainly freshwater minnows and carps. The fish gets its scientific name (''Hybognathus hankinsoni'') from th ...
, ''Hybognathus hankinsoni'' **
Emerald shiner The emerald shiner (''Notropis atherinoides'') is one of hundreds of small, silvery, slender fish species known as shiners. The identifying characteristic of the emerald shiner is the silvery emerald color on its sides. It can grow to 3.5  ...
, ''Notropis atherinoides'' ** Fathead minnow, ''Pimephales promelas'' ** Flathead chub, ''Platygobio gracilis'' ** Golden shiner, ''Notemigonus crysoleucas'' ** Longnose dace, ''Rhinichthys cataractae'' **
Northern pikeminnow The Northern pikeminnow, Columbia River dace or formerly Squawfish (''Ptychocheilus oregonensis'') is a large member of the minnow family, Leuciscidae. This predatory freshwater fish is native to northwestern North America, ranging from the Nass ...
, ''Ptychocheilus oregonensis'' (
Salish Salish () may refer to: * Salish peoples, a group of First Nations/Native Americans ** Coast Salish peoples, several First Nations/Native American groups in the coastal regions of the Pacific Northwest ** Interior Salish peoples, several First Nat ...
: ''Qʷq̓é'') ** Northern redbelly dace, ''Phoxinus eos'' **
Peamouth ''Mylocheilus caurinus'', the peamouth, peamouth chub, redmouth sucker or northwestern dace, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the family Cyprinidae, the carps and minnows, that is found in western North America. It is the only spec ...
, ''Mylocheilus caurinus'' ** Allegheny pearl dace, ''Margariscus margarita'' **
Northern pearl dace The northern pearl dace (''Margariscus nachtriebi'') is a freshwater ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family. It includes the carps, the true minnows, and re ...
, ''Margariscus nachtriebi'' ** Plains minnow, ''Hybognathus placitus'' **
Redside shiner The redside shiner (''Richardsonius balteatus'') is a species of cyprinid fish found in the western United States and Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean ...
, ''Richardsonius balteatus'' **
Sand shiner The sand shiner (''Notropis stramineus'') is a widespread North American species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. Sand shiners live in open clear water streams with sandy bottoms where they feed in schools on aquatic and terrestrial i ...
, ''Notropis stramineus'' **
Sicklefin chub The sicklefin chub (''Macrhybopsis meeki'') is a species of ray-finned minnow fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is found only in the United States. It is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee, and is a species of concern in the Charles ...
, ''Macrhybopsis meeki'' **
Western silvery minnow The western silvery minnow (''Hybognathus argyritis'') is a freshwater fish native to North America where it is found in the Missouri River basin, the Mississippi River drainage from the mouth of the Missouri River to the mouth of Ohio River, ...
, ''Hybognathus argyritis'' **
Sturgeon chub The sturgeon chub (''Macrhybopsis gelida'') is a species of ray-finned minnow fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is found only in the United States. It is a species of concern in the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge in Montana. Name ...
, ''Macrhybopsis gelida'' ** Lake chub, ''Couesius plumbeus'' **
Creek chub ''Semotilus'' is the genus of creek chubs, ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. The term "creek chub" is sometimes used for individual species, particularly the common creek chub, ''S. atromaculatus''. The creek chub species of minnows can ...
, ''Semotilus atromaculatus'' * Non-native, exotic species ** Goldfish, ''Carassius auratus'' **
Common carp The Eurasian carp or European carp (''Cyprinus carpio''), widely known as the common carp, is a widespread freshwater fish of eutrophic waters in lakes and large rivers in Europe and Asia.Fishbase''Cyprinus carpio'' Linnaeus, 1758/ref>Arkive The ...
, ''Cyprinus carpio'' ** Spottail shiner, ''Notropis hudsonius'' **
Utah chub The Utah chub (''Gila atraria'') is a cyprinid fish native to western North America, where it is abundant in the upper Snake River and throughout the Lake Bonneville basin. This chub generally follows the cyprinid body plan. Its dorsal fin lie ...
, ''Gila atraria''


Suckers

Order:
Cypriniformes Cypriniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches, and relatives. Cypriniformes is an Order within the Superorder Ostariophysi consisting of "Carp-like" Ostariophysins. This order contains 11-12 families, ...
, Family: Catostomidae * Native species ** Bigmouth buffalo, ''Ictiobus cyprinellus'' **
Blue sucker The blue sucker (''Cycleptus elongatus'') is a long-lived freshwater species of fish in the sucker family that is of conservation concern. The species has an average weight of 2-3 kilograms and an average length of 76 centimeters. The record lengt ...
, ''Cycleptus elongatus'' **
Largescale sucker The largescale sucker (''Catostomus macrocheilus'') is a species of sucker, a type of freshwater fish, found in western North America. Description It has a rounded snout with a downturned mouth on its underside (as opposed to a mouth at end of t ...
, ''Catostomus macrocheilus'' ** Longnose sucker, ''Catostomus catostomus'' **
Mountain sucker The mountain sucker (''Catostomus platyrhynchus'') is a sucker found throughout western North America, on both sides of the Rocky Mountains, including the upper Missouri River, Columbia River, Sacramento River, and Colorado River. It is not li ...
, ''Catostomus platyrhynchus'' **
River carpsucker The river carpsucker (''Carpiodes carpio'') is a freshwater fish found in the inland United States and northern Mexico. This species has a slightly arched back and is somewhat stout and compressed. While the fins are usually opaque, in older fish ...
, ''Carpiodes carpio'' ** Shorthead redhorse, ''Moxostoma macrolepidotum'' ** Smallmouth buffalo, ''Ictiobus bubalus'' ** White sucker, ''Catostomus commersoni''


Mudminnows

Order:
Esociformes The Esociformes () are a small order of ray-finned fish, with two families, Umbridae and Esocidae. The pikes of genus '' Esox'' give the order its name. This order is closely related to the Salmoniformes, the two comprising the superorder Prot ...
, Family:
Umbridae Umbridae is a family of fish in the order Esociformes, which contains pike, pickerel, and mudminnows. The single living genus, ''Umbra'', occupies weed-choked freshwater habitats in eastern North America and eastern Europe. While the family trad ...
* Non-native, exotic species **
Central mudminnow The central mudminnow (''Umbra limi'') is a small fish in the family Umbridae of the order Esociformes. It is found in central and eastern North America in productive waters. It is fairly tolerant of low oxygen concentration In chemistry, c ...
, ''Umbra limi''


Sculpins

Order: Scorpaeniformes, Family: Cottidae * Native species ** Deepwater sculpin, ''Myoxocephalus thompsonii'' **
Mottled sculpin The mottled sculpin (''Cottus bairdii'') is a species of freshawater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. This species has a wide but scattered North American distribution. As the name suggests, its coloration ...
, ''Cottus bairdi'' ** Slimy sculpin, ''Cottus cognatus'' **
Spoonhead sculpin The spoonhead sculpin (''Cottus ricei'') is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cottidae, the typical sculpins. This species is widespread in northeastern North America. Taxonomy The spoonhead sculpin was first formall ...
, ''Cottus ricei'' ** Torrent sculpin, ''Cottus rhotheus''


Sticklebacks

Order:
Gasterosteiformes Gasterosteoidei is a suborder of ray-finned fishes that includes the sticklebacks and relatives, the 5th edition of ''Fishes of the World'' classifies this suborder within the order Scorpaeniformes. Systematics Gasterosteoidei is treated as a s ...
, Family:
Gasterosteidae Families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of socie ...
* Native species **
Brook stickleback } The brook stickleback (''Culaea inconstans'') is a small freshwater fish that is distributed across the US and Canada. It grows to a length of about 2 inches. It occupies the northern part of the eastern United States, as well as the sout ...
, ''Culaea inconstans''


Trout-perch

Order:
Percopsiformes The Percopsiformes are a small order of ray-finned fishes, comprising the trout-perch and its allies. It contains just ten extant species, grouped into seven genera and three families. Five of these genera are monotypic In biology, a mono ...
, Family:
Percopsidae Percopsidae is a family of fish in the order Percopsiformes, with one extant genus with two species, both endemic to North America, and two known fossil genera. They are small fish with weak fin spines, and an adipose fin similar to those of ...
* Native species **
Trout-perch ''Percopsis omiscomaycus'', also known as the trout-perch, the grounder or the sand minnow, is one of two species in the family Percopsidae. Its name comes from the Greek root words ''perc'', meaning perch and ''opsi'' meaning appearance. The sp ...
, ''Percopsis omiscomaycus''


See also

*
List of amphibians and reptiles of Montana Montana is home to 14 amphibian species and 20 species of reptiles. None of the species are endangered or threatened, although some are classified as ''species of concern'' by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Amphibians Fi ...
* Birds of Montana *
List of non-marine molluscs of Montana The non-marine mollusks of Montana — a part of the molluscan fauna of the state in the Northwestern United States. The non-marine mollusks of Montana consist of land snails and slugs as well as freshwater snails, freshwater mussels and freshwat ...
*
Fishes of Yellowstone National Park The fish of Yellowstone National Park, in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming (U.S.), include 13 native fish species and six introduced or non-native species. Angling for trout has been a pastime in the park since its creation and trout species dominate ...


Further reading

* *


Notes

{{United States topic , title = List of fishes of the United States by political division , prefix = List of fishes of Fish Montana .Montana .Montana Fish