Pteronotropis hypselopterus
Sailfin Shiner
NS
G5
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Cypriniformes (Carps and Minnows)
Cyprinidae (Carps and Minnows)
Pteronotropis
Pteronotropis hypselopterus (Sailfin Shiner)
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: elongated. Body, moderately deep; with a broad, dark, steel-blue lateral band in which the posterior end is usually intensified into a round, black, basicaudal spot. Dorsal fin in nuptial male moderately elevated, with a pronounced black crescent across the middle of the fin. Caudal and anal fins olive-yellow to olive-orange. Body circumference with 23-34 scales (Ref. 40813).
Distribution
North America: Below Fall Line in Gulf drainages from St. Andrews Bay in Florida to Mobile Bay in Alabama, USA; absent in Choctawhatchee River system above mouth of Pea River, Alabama.
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. benthopelagic. Found in: streams.
Biology
Inhabits sand-bottomed and clay-bottomed pools and runs of headwaters, creeks and small rivers, often among debris and vegetation (Ref. 86798).
Max length: 7.0 cm TL.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2012-03-01. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial.
References
Suttkus, R.D. and M.F. Mettee (2001) Analysis of four species of Notropis included in the subgenus of Pteronotropis Fowler, with comments on relationships, origin, and dispersion. Geological Survey of Alabama Bulletin No. 170. 50 p.
Nelson, J.S., E.J. Crossman, H. Espinosa-Pérez, L.T. Findley, C.R. Gilbert, R.N. Lea and J.D. Williams (2004) Common and scientific names of fishes from the United States, Canada, and Mexico. American Fisheries Society, Special Publication 29, Bethesda, Maryland. ix, 386 p. + 1 CD.
Page, L.M. and B.M. Burr (2011) A field guide to freshwater fishes of North America north of Mexico. Boston : Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 663p.
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