The Occurrence and Distribution of River Redhorse, Moxostoma carinatum and Greater Redhorse, Moxostoma valenciennesi in the Sandusky River, Ohio

Abstract

Electrofishing collections at 10 locations in the middle Sandusky River mainstem between Tiffin and Fremont revealed the presence of previously unknown populations of river redhorse (Moxostoma carinatum) and greater redhorse (Moxostoma valenciennesi). The discovery of these populations expands the Lake Erie drainage distribution of both species which have been either declining in abundance or extirpated in many areas. It is doubtful that these species have recently invaded the middle Sandusky River since barriers to upstream fish movements have been in place in the vicinity of Fremont since the early 1800s. Both species snowed a preference for locations with a moderate to swift current, pool-run-riffle habitat, and a convoluted bedrock channel with a boulder, rubble, and gravel substrate. Sampling locations that were impounded or where the river was predominantly pooled contained comparatively few or no individuals.