Bridle shiner

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Bridle shiner
Notropis bifrenatus.jpg
Status TNC G3.svg
Vulnerable  (NatureServe) [2]
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Leuciscinae
Clade: Pogonichthyinae
Genus: Notropis
Species:
N. bifrenatus
Binomial name
Notropis bifrenatus
(Cope, 1867)
Synonyms
  • Hybopsis bifrenatusCope, 1867
  • Notropis cayuga Meek, 1889

The bridle shiner (Notropis bifrenatus) is a member of the minnow family (Cyprinidae). This species has been identified as being of Special Concern by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). [2]

Contents

Distribution

The bridle shiner is found in eastern North America, from eastern Lake Ontario, east to Maine, and south to South Carolina. In Ontario, it is found in lowland areas in the eastern Lake Ontario drainage and the Saint Lawrence River. The most stable population is found around the Thousand Islands.

Characteristics

Habitat and life history

The bridle shiner is found in quiet areas of streams and occasionally in lakes. It is usually associated with abundant submersed aquatic vegetation and a river bottom composed of silt and sometimes sand. It uses the vegetation for protection, feeding, and spawning. It has been found in moderately turbid water but prefers clear water.

Diet

The bridle shiner mainly feeds on zooplankton and aquatic insect larvae such as chironomids. Plant materials make up a small portion of its diet.

Threats

Like all members of the minnow family, they can be prey for larger fish species such as northern pike, smallmouth bass, and yellow perch.

This species is vulnerable to poor water quality and high turbidity, particularly in agricultural areas. In areas where zebra mussels have invaded, the improved water clarity may benefit this species.[ citation needed ] The densely growing Eurasian watermilfoil aquatic plant hinders spawning areas for the minnow and may contribute to its decline.

Similar species

The sand shiner ( Notropis stramineus ) and mimic shiner ( Notropis volucellus ) are similar but lack a prominent lateral band. The bridle shiner is very similar to other black-lined shiners, including the pugnose shiner ( Notropis anogenus ), blackchin shiner ( Notropis heterodon ) and blacknose shiner ( Notropis heterolepis ). The bridle shiner can be distinguished from pugnose and blackchin shiners by the lack of pigment on the lower jaw. Blacknose shiners also lack this pigment but have a more subterminal mouth as well as eight anal rays: bridles typically have seven.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Minnow</span> Common name for a number of species of small freshwater fish

Minnow is the common name for a number of species of small freshwater fish, belonging to several genera of the families Cyprinidae and Leuciscidae. They are also known in Ireland as pinkeens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emerald shiner</span> Species of fish

The emerald shiner is one of hundreds of small, silvery, slender fish species known as shiners. The identifying characteristic of the emerald shiner is the silvery emerald color on its sides. It can grow to 3.5 inches in length and is found across North America from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, commonly in large, deep lakes and rivers, though sometimes in smaller bodies of water as well. It feeds on small organisms such as zooplankton and insects, congregating in large groups near the surface of the water. It is a quite common fish and is often used as a bait fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rosyface shiner</span> Species of fish

The rosyface shiner is a small fresh water fish of the minnow and carp family (Cyprinidae). It is native to eastern North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sand shiner</span> Species of fish

The sand shiner is a widespread North American species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. Sand shiners live in open clear water streams with sandy bottoms where they feed in schools on aquatic and terrestrial insects, bottom ooze and diatoms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pugnose shiner</span> Species of fish

The pugnose shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis. It is in the family Cyprinidae which consists of freshwater carps and minnows. Cyprinidae is the largest fish family which consists of about 369 genera and 3,018 species. Its distribution has been decreasing due to the removal of aquatic plants in order to create swimming beaches and boating access in freshwater lakes and is now mostly found in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan.

The bigeye shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis. This fish is a slender, silvery minnow with a dusky lateral stripe and a maximum total length of about 80 mm. Its distinct characteristic is its large-diameter eyes. It is a common species in upland streams of the middle Mississippi River system. Bigeye shiners prefer warm, quiet pools with clear water and silt-free substrates. Siltation, channelization, and gravel dredging are all threats to bigeye shiner populations. During spawning season, typically late April to August, bigeye shiners have several clutches of eggs. State agencies and the EPA have both played a role in the surveying of bigeye shiner populations. Populations have decreased in Ohio due mostly to habitat destruction. In addition to habitat destruction by humans, habitat alteration of the small streams and dried pools has also had a significant effect on abundance. Rivers and streams should not be channelized or modified in any way, which is becoming an increasingly popular trend in urban locations. Agricultural areas and properties within the watershed should adhere to regulations to prevent runoff into the streams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackchin shiner</span> Species of fish

The blackchin shiner is an abundant North American species of freshwater fish from the family Cyprinidae. Described by Edward Drinker Cope in 1865, it is not a well-known species. It is a close relative of the blacknose shiner. Chiefly occurring now in the Great Lakes and occasionally in upper Mississippi River drainages, the blackchin once ranged commonly as far south as Illinois and Ohio. This fish resides over sandy bottoms in cool waters that provide a lot of cover for the small minnow. Omnivorous, it eats worms and small arthropods as well as plant material. Blackchin shiners are unique because of their anatomical features, such as the black coloring, the incomplete lateral line, and a distinctive dental arrangement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spottail shiner</span> Species of fish

The spottail shiner or spottail minnow is a small- to medium-sized freshwater minnow. It can be found as far north as Canada and as far south as the Chattahoochee River in Georgia. These shiners live in lakes, rivers, and creeks. They occupy the rocky or sandy shorelines and bottoms of the water. One of the defining features of a spottail shiner is the black spot found at the base of the caudal fin. These shiners generally spawn from late June through July.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longnose shiner</span> Species of fish

The longnose shiner is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Notropis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taillight shiner</span> Species of fish

The taillight shiner is a species of freshwater fish in the cyprinid family. It is commonly found in the south-eastern USA.

The carmine shiner is a freshwater fish species. In Manitoba, it was once known as the rosyface shiner. Based mostly on zoogeographic data, it is currently classified as a distinct species within the rosyface shiner species complex. The carmine shiner is a member of the Minnow family, Cyprinidae. It has the following characteristics and distinguishing features:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weed shiner</span> Species of fish

The weed shiner is a North American species of freshwater fish in the cyprinid genus Notropis. Prior to 1958, this species was named Notropis roseus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mimic shiner</span> Species of fish

The mimic shiner is a species of North American cyprinid freshwater fish in the genus Notropis. The genus Notropis is commonly known as the eastern shiners. It is native to areas of the Hudson Bay drainage, Great Lakes drainage, much of the Mississippi River basin including areas of Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and regions of the Gulf of Mexico extending from Mobile Bay to the drainage of Texas. However, this particular species can be found in other places such as the Atlantic Coast drainage in Connecticut and Housatonic rivers. This genus is usually characterized by almost all having a complete lateral line, 8 dorsal fin rays, a premaxillae protactile, and a silvery or speckled peritoneum. As the common name indicates, this species is difficult to classify in the wild because it looks similar to many other shiners. In fact, some even hypothesize that this species is actually a complexity of many cryptic species. While this is the case, it is important to take more caution to not misidentify this species and to understand its impact on introduced areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ironcolor shiner</span> Species of fish

The ironcolor shiner is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the family Cyprinidae, the minnows and carps. It is a widespread species in streams and rivers in eastern North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chihuahua shiner</span> Species of fish

The Chihuahua shiner is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the family Cyprinidae, the carps and minnows. It is found in southern Texas and northern Mexico.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blacktail shiner</span> Species of fish

The blacktail shiner is a small freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae native to the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pugnose minnow</span> Species of fish

The pugnose minnow is a species of cyprinid fish found in the eastern North America. There are two recognized subspecies with the subspecies from Florida recognized as race peninsularis.

References

  1. NatureServe (2014). "Notropis bifrenatus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T184093A19034940. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T184093A19034940.en . Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Notropis bifrenatus". NatureServe Explorer. 7.1. The Nature Conservancy.