Rosefin shiner

The rosefin shiner (Lythrurus ardens) is a species of fish native to the United States. The fish is omnivorous and lives in freshwater rivers and creeks in Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia.

Rosefin shiner
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Leuciscidae
Subfamily: Pogonichthyinae
Genus: Lythrurus
Species:
L. ardens
Binomial name
Lythrurus ardens
(Cope, 1868)
Synonyms
  • Hypsilepis ardens Cope, 1868
  • Notropis ardens (Cope, 1868)

Description

The fish has a long and slender body. It also has eight dorsal fin-rays, anywhere from nine to eleven anal fin-rays, thirteen to fourteen pectoral fin-rays and eight pelvic fin-rays. The fish has a dark spot of pigment at the base of its first few dorsal-fins, which distinguishes Lythrurus ardens from similar looking fish in its habitat. In addition, the fish has a stripe that fades as it approaches the dorsa fin and several bands of coloration across the back of the fish.[2]

Habitat

The fish lives throughout Virginia, North Carolina and West Virginia.[1] The range of the fish is believed to have been accidentally increased when it was used as bait and escaped into the natural environment.[3] For example, the fish is believed to have been introduced to the York River in Virginia this way.[3]

It lives in freshwater pools rivers and creeks. The fish prefers clear and turbid water. It is largely absent from streams with trout in them. In winter, the fish tends to live in deeper and less noisy waters.[1]

Behavior

The fish is an omnivore. It consumes chironomids, mayflies, aquatic insects, dipterans, and plants.[2]

The fish reproduces through spawning in fast-moving waters. They tend to stay in these waters until winter. The fish lays eggs during the same time and often the same nest as the longear sunfish. The two fish species work together to defend the nest from predators.[2]

Conservation status

The fish is believed to have a generally stable population. It has a large habitat range and population. In addition, there are no major threats to its survival. Due to these factors, the fish is not believed to be at risk of extinction.[1]

References
  1. "Lythrurus ardens". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  2. Stauffer, Jay (2007). Fishes of West Virginia. Academy of Natural Sciences. p. 100. ISBN 9781422317839.
  3. Nico, Leo; Fuller, Pam. "Lythrurus ardens (Rosefin Shiner)". USGS. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.