A dace is a small fish that can be one of many different species. The unmodified name is usually a reference to the

common dace The common dace (''Leuciscus leuciscus'') is a species of freshwater and brackish water ray-finned fish from the family Cyprinidae which is native to Europe but which has been introduced to other parts of the world. It is a quarry species for coa ...

(''Leuciscus leuciscus''). This, like most fish called "daces", belongs to the family

Cyprinidae Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family. It includes the carps, the true minnows, and relatives like the barbs and barbels. Cyprinidae is the largest and most diverse fish family and the largest verte ...

, mostly in subfamily Leuciscinae. Daces in the Cyprinidae: * Common dace, ''

Leuciscus leuciscus The common dace (''Leuciscus leuciscus'') is a species of freshwater and brackish water ray-finned fish from the family Cyprinidae which is native to Europe but which has been introduced to other parts of the world. It is a quarry species for co ...

'' * Chinese mud carp, ''

Cirrhinus chinensis ''Cirrhinus molitorella'' (mud carp or dace) is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus ''Cirrhinus'' found mainly in southern China and Vietnam. History The mud carp is a native Asian freshwater fish with a broad distribution from the Mekong ...

'' (called "dace" in Hong Kong) or

mud carp ''Cirrhinus molitorella'' (mud carp or dace) is a species of ray-finned fish in the genus ''Cirrhinus'' found mainly in southern China and Vietnam. History The mud carp is a native Asian freshwater fish with a broad distribution from the Mekong ...

(''Cirrhinus molitorella'') * Columbia River dace, ''

Ptychocheilus oregonensis The Northern pikeminnow, Columbia River dace or formerly Squawfish (''Ptychocheilus oregonensis'') is a large member of the minnow family, Leuciscidae. This predatory freshwater fish is native to northwestern North America, ranging from the Nass ...

'' (a pikeminnow) * Desert dace, ''

Eremichthys acros The desert dace (''Eremichthys acros'') is a rare cyprinid fish known only from the warm springs and creeks of Soldier Meadow in western Humboldt County, Nevada, USA. It is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Eremichthys''. The species is ...

'' (a monotypic genus) * European daces, genus '' Leuciscus'' * Fallfish, ''

Semotilus corporalis The fallfish (''Semotilus corporalis'') is a North American freshwater fish, a chub in the family Cyprinidae. The fallfish is the largest minnow species native to Eastern North America. Description Average specimens generally measure about in ...

'' (a creek chub called "dace" in Canada) * Horned dace, '' Semotilus atromaculatus'' (a creek chub) * Japanese dace ''

Tribolodon hakonensis The big-scaled redfin (''Tribolodon hakonensis''), also known as the Japanese dace and ugui, is a medium-sized Asian fish. First described by Albert Günther in 1877 as ''Leuciscus hakonensis'', it is the type specimen of the genus ''Tribolodon'' ...

'', genus ''

Tribolodon ''Tribolodon'' (Redfin dace) is a genus of cyprinid fishes found in marine and freshwater in Eastern Asia. Species There are currently 4 recognized species in this genus: * ''Tribolodon brandtii'' ( Dybowski, 1872) (Pacific redfin) * ''Tribolod ...

'' * Korean splendid dace, ''

Coreoleuciscus splendidus ''Coreoleuciscus splendidus'', also known as the swiri or Korean splendid dace, is a species of fish from the cyprinid Family (biology), family Endemism, endemic to rivers of Korea, rivers of the Korean peninsula. It was first scientifically des ...

'' (a monotypic genus) * Lake Candidus dace, '' Candidia barbatus'' (a monotypic genus) * Mexican daces, genus '' Evarra'' * Moapa dace, ''

Moapa coriacea The moapa dace (''Moapa coriacea'') is a rare cyprinid fish of southern Nevada, United States, found only in the upper parts of the Muddy (formerly Moapa) River, and in the warm springs that give rise to the river. It is the only species of the ...

'' (a monotypic genus) * Northwest dace, ''

Mylocheilus caurinus ''Mylocheilus caurinus'', the peamouth, peamouth chub, redmouth sucker or northwestern dace, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish from the family Cyprinidae, the carps and minnows, that is found in western North America. It is the only spec ...

'' (a peamouth) * Allegheny pearl dace, ''

Margariscus margarita The Allegheny pearl dace (''Margariscus margarita'') is a species of cyprinid fish. It is demersal, freshwater fish, with a dark green back and silvery body. This species is omnivorous, consuming algae, as well as arthropods. ''M. margaritas ra ...

'' * Northern pearl dace, ''

Margariscus nachtriebi The northern pearl dace (''Margariscus nachtriebi'') is a freshwater ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ra ...

'' * Ponto-Caspian daces, genus ''

Petroleuciscus ''Petroleuciscus'' is a genus of four species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae. It was usually included in ''Leuciscus'' until recently. This genus unites the Ponto-Caspian chubs and daces. Recent research has indicated that ''Petrole ...

'' * Redbelly daces, genus '' Phoxinus'' * Redside daces, genus ''

Clinostomus ''Clinostomus'' is a genus of cyprinid fish that occur in eastern North America. There are two species in this genus. Species * '' Clinostomus elongatus'' ( Kirtland, 1840) (Redside dace) * ''Clinostomus funduloides The rosyside dace (''Clino ...

'', e.g. ** Redside dace ''Clinostomus elongatus'' ** Rosyside dace '' Clinostomus funduloides'' * Relict dace, '' Relictus solitarius'' (a monotypic genus) * Riffle daces, genus '' Rhinichthys'' (including ''Tiaroga'') * Saskatchewan dace, '' Platygobio gracilis'' (a flathead chub) * Shining dace, ''

'' (a creek chub) * Spikedace, '' Meda fulgida'' (a monotypic genus) * Spinedaces, genus ''

Lepidomeda ''Lepidomeda'' is a genus of cyprinid fish, commonly known as the spinedaces, found in western North America. Of the four known species, one is extinct and two are threatened. They appear to be fairly close to the leatherside chub and the spike ...

'' Daces not in Cyprinidae * Sea dace, the

European seabass The European bass (''Dicentrarchus labrax'') is a primarily ocean-going fish native to the waters off Europe's western and southern and Africa's northern coasts, though it can also be found in shallow coastal waters and river mouths during the su ...

(''Dicentrarchus labrax'') of the Moronidae

Popular Culture

Dace are referenced in chapter three of George Orwell's novel ''Nineteen Eighty-Four'': "Somewhere near at hand, though out of sight, there was a clear, slow-moving stream where dace were swimming in the pools under the willow trees." The dace fish has also made an appearance in the Animal Crossing franchise, as well as Oregon Trail Settler.

Popular Culture

See also