The blotched chub (''Erimystax insignis'') is a species of fish in 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 ...

, the minnow and carp family. This fish species in native to the Southeastern region of the United States.

Appearance

The blotched chub is a slender, silvery minnow with dark 'I' shaped vertical patches along the lateral portion of the body.

Distribution and habitat

This species is found primarily in the

Cumberland Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...

and

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

River drainages of southern states. Although, a subspecies is known to inhabit the Upper Tennessee and the

Ridge and Valley The Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, also called the Ridge and Valley Province or the Valley and Ridge Appalachians, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division and are also a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending ...

region. The majority of the Tennessee River is inhabited by the blotched chub and its subspecies. The blotched chub's preferred habitat is the clear riffle areas of small creeks. These areas must have plenty of substrate, which is required for this species to spawn.

Ecology

Spawning season for this fish is at its highest in the months of March and April, when water temperatures reach .Stallsmith, Bruce; Mann, Josh; and Allen, Candice (2015) "Reproductive Timing of ''Erimystax insignis'' (Blotched Chub) in the Flint River of North Alabama," Southeastern Fishes Council Proceedings: No. 55. Though, this may vary from year to year depending upon factors such as, rain amounts, sedimentation, and surrounding environmental temperatures. It has been found that this species typically spawns earlier than that of others in the family Cyprinidae.

References

Erimystax Freshwater fish of the United States Fish described in 1956 Taxa named by Carl Leavitt Hubbs {{Leuciscinae-stub