Rhinichthys falcatus
Leopard Dace
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Cypriniformes (Carps and Minnows)
Cyprinidae (Carps and Minnows)
Rhinichthys
Rhinichthys falcatus (Leopard Dace)
Description
This species account was compiled from
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Characters
Body shape: elongated.
Distribution
North America: Fraser and Columbia River drainages in British Columbia in Canada, Washington, Oregon and Idaho in USA.
Habitat Associations
Freshwater. demersal. Found in: streams, lakes.
Biology
Inhabits flowing pools and gravel runs of creeks and small to medium rivers. Also occurs in rocky margins of lakes (Ref. 86798). Young-of-the-year feed mostly on dipterous larvae; yearlings feed on aquatic insect larvae (mostly Ephemeroptera and Diptera) during the months of June and July switching to terrestrial insects in September; adults more than 2 years also feed on aquatic insect larvae, (Ephemeroptera and Diptera), terrestrial insects, and earthworms (Lumbricus) displaced from the soil (Ref. 1998). Spawning occurs early July (Ref. 1998).
Max length: 12.0 cm TL; common length: 6.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2012-03-01. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest.
References
Scott, W.B. and E.J. Crossman (1973) Freshwater fishes of Canada. Bull. Fish. Res. Board Can. 184: xi+1-966.
Balon, E.K. (1975) Reproductive guilds of fishes: a proposal and definition. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 32(6):821-864.
Coker, G.A., C.B. Portt and C.K. Minns (2001) Morphological and ecological characteristics of Canadian freshwater fishes. Can. MS Rpt. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2554:iv+89p.
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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