Cypriniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches, and relatives. Cypriniformes is an Order within the Superorder Ostariophysi consisting of "Carp-like" Ostariophysins. This order contains 11-12 families, although some authorities have designated as many as 23, over 400 genera, and more than 4,250 species, with new species being described every few months or so, and new genera being recognized frequently. They are most diverse in southeastern Asia, and are entirely absent from Australia and South America. At 112 years old, the longest-lived cypriniform fish documented is the bigmouth buffalo.
A dace is a small fish that can be one of many different species. The unmodified name is usually a reference to the common dace. This, like most fish called "daces", belongs to the family Cyprinidae, mostly in subfamily Leuciscinae.
Gila is a genus of fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae, native to the United States and Mexico. Species of Gila are collectively referred to as western chubs. The chiselmouth is a close relative, as are members of the genus Siphateles. Several members of the genus are endangered or extinct due to loss of habitat causing by diversion or overuse of water resources, particularly in the western United States.
The longnose dace is a freshwater minnow native to North America. Rhinicthys means snout fish and cataractae means of the cataract. Longnose dace are small, typically less than 100 mm and characterized by their fleshy snout that protrudes past the mouth. They are well adapted for living on the bottom of fast-flowing streams among stones. Longnose dace eat algae and aquatic insects and are important forage minnows for larger predatory fish.
The northern leatherside chub is a cyprinid fish of western North America.
Notropis is a genus of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. They are known commonly as eastern shiners. They are native to North America, and are the continent's second largest genus.
The Nooksack dace is a small cyprinid fish occurring in streams in southern British Columbia and western Washington state. It has not yet been formally described taxonomically. It is considered a genetically distinct subspecies of longnose dace but may be a distinct species.
Eastern blacknose dace is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus Rhinichthys. Its name originates from the Old French word "dars" which is the nominative form of the word "dart" in reference to their swimming pattern. The western blacknose dace formerly was considered conspecific. While morphologically the two species are not significantly different, they are allopatric. The eastern blacknose dace is found across the southeast portion of Canada and down along the United States' east coast. It is dark brown to olive on its dorsal surface and silvery white below, the two shades separated by the darkly pigmented lateral line. In the breeding season, males develop darker pigmentation and an orange lateral line. Blacknose dace live in rocky streams and rivers where they feed upon small invertebrates and microscopic biological matter and provide forage for larger fish.
Western blacknose dace is a common species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cyprinidae and the genus Rhinichthys. Western blacknose dace have tan to dark brown backs, lighter sides, and cream colored undersides. Dark blotches are sporadically scattered across their sides and backs. A distinctive dark colored mid-lateral stripe from the tip of the snout to the caudal peduncle is present. The snout is relatively long and they have a slightly sub-terminal mouth. The stripe is dark brown in females and is a rusty pink color in males during spawning season. The lateral stripe is more pronounced and the caudal spot is present in juveniles. Similar to other species of dace the western blacknose dace give the illusion of having no scales but in actuality the scales are so small they are hard to see. Western blacknose dace are typically 2-3 inches long but can grow to as long as 4 inches. They have a forked tail, single dorsal fin with 8 rays and no spines, a pelvic fin on the abdominal, no adipose fin, and an anal fin with 7 rays and no spines.
Leuciscinae is a subfamily of the freshwater fish family Cyprinidae, which contains the true minnows.
The cheat minnow is a demersal, freshwater fish endemic to the United States, most commonly found in the Ohio River basin.
Pogonichthyinae is a subfamily of the freshwater fish family Leuciscidae, which contains the true minnows. Members of this family are known as American minnows or the North American (NA) clade of minnows. As the name suggests, all members of this family are found in North America (although they are not the only minnows native to North America, as Plagopterinae, Laviniinae, and Leuciscinae are also found there).
