Chologaster cornuta
Swampfish
NS
G5
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Percopsiformes
Amblyopsidae (Cavefishes)
Chologaster
Chologaster cornuta (Swampfish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: elongated. Strongly bicolored; dark brown above, white to yellow below. Small eyes. No pelvic fins. 3 narrow black stripes on side; one on lower side wide at front, narrow at rear. 2 black streaks along back before dorsal fin separate to encircle dorsal fin; pink gills visible. Caudal fin clear near base, often black in center; dusky black band in dorsal fin. 0-2 rows of papillae on caudal fin. 9-11 branched caudal rays.
Distribution
North America: Atlantic Coastal drainages from Virginia to Georgia, U.S.A.
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. demersal. Found in: streams, mangroves.
Biology
Adults occur on vegetation and debris in swamps, sloughs and quiet pools and backwaters of streams. Found year-round in open streams which are small and well-shaded with temperatures never exceeding 23°C. In such streams, thigmotaxic tendency is shown by the difficulty in seining these individuals from the roots and debris of their preferred habitat along edges of submerged weed banks which border sand-bottomed channels. This habitat is rich in potential food for C. cornuta like amphipods, ostracods and copepods (Ref. 34868). Eggs are carried in gill chambers of females (Ref. 205).
Max length: 6.8 cm TL; common length: 4.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; bearers (external brooders); parental care: maternal. Incubates eggs in gill chamber of females (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2011-11-03. Resilience: High (K=1.03; Fec=98).
References
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr (1991) A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. 432 p.
Poulson, T.L. (1963) Cave adaptation in amblyopsid fishes. Am. Midl. Nat. 70(2):257-290.
Comments On Chologaster cornuta