Gauley River Fishes 57 



km. Gradient averages 10.2 m/km. Its principal tributary is Bells Creek. 

 Twentymile Creek was relatively productive with 21 species collected at 

 three localities (Stations 50-52) (Tables 1 and 2; Fig. 1). This was 

 probably due to a combination of factors, including its close relationship 

 to Gauley River below the gorge. 



Annotated List of Species 



The discussion of species collected in this survey is supplemented by 

 other collections cited in the literature and verified museum records. 

 Species are presented in phylogenetic order (Bailey et al. 1970). Con- 

 sidering the minimal information available on the Gauley River 

 ichthyofauna, this discussion should prove beneficial for future com- 

 parisons. 



Petromyzontidae 



Lampetra aepyptera. — One specimen of the least brook lamprey (AEL 

 181), a non-parasitic species, was collected in Gauley River at the mouth 

 of Cherry River. The specimen was an ammocoete taken over a detritus 

 bank from an eddy at the lower tip of a mid-channel island. Continued 

 seining and bank kicking did not produce additional specimens. 



This record is the first report of L. aepyptera above Kanawha Falls. Its 

 presence in other West Virginia drainages was documented by Addair 

 (1944), Jenkins et al. (1972) and Stauffer, Denoncourt and Hocutt (ms.). 

 The specimen was taken above Summersville Reservoir, which infers an 

 established population prior to dam construction. Hocutt (1975) and 

 Stauffer (1975) did not report it from the upper New River system, 

 Virginia though they made extensive collections throughout the drainage. 



Anguillidae 

 Anguilla rostrata. — Addair's (1944) collections of the American eel from 

 Greenbrier River (one collection) and New River (two collections) were 

 the only documented reports of this species in the upper Kanawha River 

 drainage. A single specimen of A. rostrata (ca. 1 m TL), reported in this 

 survey from Gauley River at the mouth of Meadow River below Sum- 

 mersville Dam (AEL 187), was found dead on the bank with an angler's 

 hook and line attached. 



Salmonidae 

 Salmo gairdnen. — Rainbow trout are routinely stocked by the W. Va. 

 Department of Natural Resources. 



Salmo trutta. — Brown trout are also commonly stocked in West Virginia. 



