Blacknose Shiner

Characteristics

Slender body with only slight lateral compression. Olive-yellow on the back, silvery sides, and whitish belly. A distinctive character is the lateral band with vertical black crescents, which does not extend onto the chin. Scales on the back are outlined with dark pigment, giving a cross-hatched look. The sub-terminal mouth has a slight oblique angle, but does not have a barbel. Pharyngeal teeth are arranged in the formula, 4-4. The lateral line has 33 to 37 scales, but not all scales have pores. Dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins have 8 rays, and the pectoral fins have 12 to 14 rays.

Distribution

The Blacknose Shiner was once found in scattered locations in streams throughout the upper two-thirds of Iowa. Most recent collections were limited to several small streams in Clay, Dickinson, and Osceola counties. The Blacknose Shiner is listed as threatened in Iowa.

Foods

Zooplankton

State Record

State Records are not documented for non-game species.

Expert Tip

none

Details

Early reports show that the Blacknose Shiner was more common and distributed in streams throughout the upper two-thirds of Iowa pre-1900. Recent collections have been almost exclusively from the upper portion of the Little Sioux River watershed. The Blacknose Shiner is listed as threatened in Iowa (571 IAC 77.2(2) (20015)).

The Blacknose Shiner is especially vulnerable to extirpation by pollution, siltation and the decline of aquatic vegetation. Ideal habitats for the Blacknose Shiner are pools of small, clear, prairie streams of low gradients, aquatic vegetation and bottoms of clean sand, gravel, marl, muck, peat or organic debris. In the northern part of its range, the Blacknose Shiner prefers clean, weedy glacial lakes and streams.

This minnow lives in clear, vegetated waters, a combination that is now very rare in Iowa streams. The fish feed by collecting zooplankton on the bottom. Adults may reach 2 1/2-inches long.

The scarcity of this minnow species makes it of minimal importance to anglers. It is viewed as imperiled according to the Iowa Wildlife Action Plan, and it is on the threatened species list in Iowa (571 IAC 77.2(2) (2015)).

Recent stream sampling has not resulted in the discovery of any individual Blackchin Shiners.

Sources:

Harlan, J.R., E.B. Speaker, and J. Mayhew. 1987. Iowa fish and fishing. Iowa Conservation Commission, Des Moines, Iowa. 323pp.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Wildlife Action Plan

Loan-Wilsey, A. K., C. L. Pierce, K. L. Kane, P. D. Brown and R. L. McNeely. 2005. The Iowa Aquatic Gap Analysis Project Final Report. Iowa Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, Iowa State University, Ames

Photo Credit: photo courtesy of Konrad P. Schmidt, copyright Konrad P. Schmidt