Notropis dorsalis

Bigmouth shiner
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Cypriniformes
Family:	Cyprinidae
Genus:	Notropis
Species:	N. dorsalis
Binomial name
Notropis dorsalis (Agassiz, 1854)

Notropis dorsalis, common name bigmouth shiner, is one of the 324 fish species found in Tennessee. It is a common minnow species found in the midwest region, but found as far as the east coast. ^[1] There has been little information researched about this unremarkable minnow outside of the general body plan and habitat. They are often found along with common shiner in streams.

Description

Bigmouth Shiners are small minnows that reach a size of about 3 inches.^[2] They are grayish-yellow on back with silver sides and belly with a dark stripe down the middle of their side. The bigmouth shiner has a subterminal mouth, meaning the upper jaw overhangs the wide lower jaw, a characteristic trait of the species. As is characteristic of minnows, Notropis Dorsalis has one dorsal fin with under ten soft fin rays. ^[3]

Habitat

The Bigmouth Shiner is a species endemic to North America. It can be commonly found in the Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, and Mississippi River basins. It is also found in the Platte River system, Iowa, Illinois, and Arkansas. It can also be found as far east as the western regions of New York, and Pennsylvania, and northern parts of West Virginia. ^[4]

The Bigmouth Shiner prefer to live in shallow, swift moving streams. They can also be found in shallow pools of headwaters as well as small to medium rivers with sandy bottoms. ^[5]

Diet

Bigmouth Shiners like to eat small aquatic invertebrates and terrestrial invertebrates that fall into the water. They have also been found to eat algae and other small vegetation at the bottom of the stream.^[6]

Reproduction

Little is known about the reproductive habits of this species. It is known, however, that they spawn between May-August and that they spawn upstream allowing their eggs to flow downstream. ^[7]

Population and Competition

Bigmouth Shiners have been found to thrive in environments with increased channeling in streams, making human interaction beneficial at times. In Ohio the Bigmouth Shiner competes for environment with the invasive Silverjaw Minnow resulting in some reduced populations. Efforts to reduce pollution and erosion of banks can be taken to ensure the survival of the species. ^[8]

References

http://www.bio.utk.edu/hulseylab/Fishlist.html http://www.registrelep-sararegistry.gc.ca/virtual_sara/files/cosewic/sr_bigmouth_shiner_e.pdf http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/202300/0 http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/species-and-habitats/species-guide-index/fish/bigmouth-shiner https://mnfi.anr.msu.edu/explorer/species.cfm?id=11319 http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=593