76 Charles H. Hocutt, Robert F. Denoncourt, Jay R. Stauffer, Jr. 



support the contention that conditions once facilitated passage of fish up- 

 stream of the Falls area. Lampetra aepyptera, Moxostoma erythrurum, Ictalurus 

 natalis, I. nebulosus, and Noturus flavus are native to the greater Ohio River 

 drainage (Jenkins et al. 1972), thus their presence in the Gauley system 

 may be explained by a Pleistocene impoundment. The capture of an im- 

 mature L. aepyptera above Summersville Dam suggests a population pre- 

 dating construction; the presence of N. flavus in a 1951 collection (CU 

 32540) is similar evidence for an established population. 



Gilbert (1969) regarded Notropis telescopus as introduced to the New 

 River system, with all previously known records being very recent and 

 from only a small part of the upper New River, Virginia (Jenkins et al. 

 1972). Subsequently, it was collected by Hocutt et al. (1978) from Green- 

 brier River, West Virginia, in this survey, and from Kanawha River 

 below Kanawha Falls (Hocutt and Stauffer, ms). These data suggest 

 three alternatives for its distributional status: (1) it is indeed an in- 

 troduced species to the upper New system that has rapidly extended its 

 range downstream by negotiating Bluestone Reservoir and the Union 

 Carbide impoundment at Hawks Nest; (2) it is an introduced species to 

 both the upper (New) and lower Kanawha drainages; or (3) it is a native 

 species that is rarely encountered in the Kanawha drainage, its presence 

 probably related to stream capture with the Tennessee drainage (Ross 

 and Carico 1963). 



Notropis scabriceps and Phenacobius teretulus are identified as part of the 

 unique faunal assemblage of New River. Their almost exclusive distribu- 

 tion in the upper Gauley River system could be related to stream piracy 

 with Greenbrier River (Wright 1934; Hocutt, in press), or to present-day 

 ecological factors limiting their distribution. Wright (1934) felt there was 

 evidence that the East Fork of Greenbrier River and Knapp Creek at one 

 time continued a westerly flow beyond the present Greenbrier. The East 

 Fork would have joined Shavers Fork in the vicinity of Cheat Bridge. 

 Knapp Creek's westernly continuation is in approximate alignment with 

 Stony Creek (reversed) into Laurel Creek of Williams River (Gauley 

 system). Wright (1934) stated that little geological evidence existed to 

 support this contention in light of the fact that erosion of the Greenbrier 

 Valley limestone erased traces of stream diversion. Biological evidence 

 (Hocutt et al. 1977, 1978; Hocutt, in press) supports Wright's (1934) 

 hypothesis. Additionally, if his contention were correct, dispersal of upper 

 New River fauna (e.g., N. scabriceps, P. teretulus, Cottus spp.) into the 

 Gauley system via Greenbrier River would have been possible. 



Once fauna entered Gauley River via Williams River from the Green- 

 brier, distribution would be related to downstream and lateral dispersal. 

 Little Beaver Creek may once have flowed into Muddlety Creek via 



