Waccamaw Drainage Fishes 17 



Lepomis marginatus (Holbrook), dollar sunfish. Two adult speci- 

 mens, taken on separate occasions, were collected from the south shore 

 of Lake Waccamaw above the dam. This is the first report of the species 

 from the lake. Throughout the system the dollar sunfish has been col- 

 lected in shallow, weedy backwaters of the river and tributaries, as well 

 as in borrow pits in the Green Swamp. Stations: lg, 2a, c, 7, 8b, c, 19, 21, 

 27b, 29a, c, 37, 38, 39, 40. 



Lepomis microlophus (Gunther), redear sunfish. The redear sunfish 

 was introduced into the Waccamaw drainage to establish another suita- 

 ble game species (Louder 1962b; Nichols 1975, and pers. comm.). Dur- 

 ing our survey no specimens were collected from Lake Waccamaw and 

 only one was collected from the Waccamaw River in south Carolina. 

 Louder (1962b) reported specimens from Big Creek, Gum and Grey 

 swamps (White Marsh tributaries), Tabor City Run (Seven Creeks trib- 

 utary), and South Ash Swamp (direct tributary to Waccamaw River). 

 Station: 42. 



Lepomis punctatus (Valenciennes), spotted sunfish. Frey (1951) 

 first reported the spotted sunfish in Lake Waccamaw. We failed to col- 

 lect any from the lake during our survey and took specimens only from 

 two localities on the Waccamaw River. Louder (1962b) reported the 

 species present throughout much of the system, and included several 

 specimens from Big Creek. Preferred habitat appears to be quiet, vege- 

 tated backwaters. Stations: 38, 40. 



Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede), largemouth bass. Largemouth 

 bass are common throughout Lake Waccamaw and much of the Wac- 

 camaw River. Outside the lake the species appeared to be most common 

 in the main channel of the river and its larger tributaries. Stations: 

 la,c,d,e,g,h,l,k, 2a,c, 6, 7, 8a,b, 14, 29a, 37, 38, 39, 49, 42. 



Pomoxis nigromaeulatus (Lesueur), black crappie. Although 

 Louder (1962a) reported this species to be one of the most important 

 game fishes in Lake Waccamaw, it was not often collected during our 

 survey. The species has been found in habitats ranging from open lake 

 waters to flood ponds of small swamps. Stations: la,e,i, 7, 12, 44. 



Percidae — perches 

 Etheostoma fusiforme (Girard), swamp darter. The swamp darter is 

 the most widespread percid in the Waccamaw system, occurring in 

 nearly every habitat type sampled. It is particularly abundant in the 

 offshore waters of Lake Waccamaw. The northern subspecies, Etheos- 

 toma fusiforme fusiforme (Girard) reaches it southernmost limit in the 

 Waccamaw River (Collette 1962), but is replaced by the southern spe- 

 cies, E. f barratti (Holbrook), in the Pee Dee River (of which the Wac- 

 camaw is a tributary). All of our specimens were the nominate subspe- 

 cies, but extensive studies have not been conducted. Bailey and Frey 



