The sailfin shiner (''Pteronotropis hypselopterus'') is a species of

cyprinid 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 ver ...

fish

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to the southeastern

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

Description

The sailfin shiner has a deep and compressed body, with a narrow base for the caudal fin. Its lateral line is curved downward. It has a maximum total length of 7 cm (2.75 in). The fish is pink-brown or olive on the top half and a white or light pink on the bottom half. It has a dark brown stripe that extends from the head to the dorsal fin, and has a steel-blue stripe along the side that has a thin pink to red line bordering above. The base of the caudal fin has a small red spot on the top and bottom of the side, while a black spot is on the center of the side of the base of the caudal fin. The dorsal fin has a dusky central band, and other fins are a yellow to light orange. The dorsal and anal fins are almost triangular, resembling sails, from which their common name is derived. Breeding males have light orange edges on their dorsal fins.

Distribution and habitat

The fish can be found in

Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coast, coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states that have a shor ...

drainages from Alabama to Florida, including in the Mobile Basin. The fish inhabit sand-bottomed and clay-bottomed pools or run waters of creeks and small rivers. They can often be found around debris or vegetation.

Life history

As the fish begins its life as an embryo, its cement glands begin to develop. As a non feeding larva, glue is secreted from the cement glands and the posterior swim bladder forms. The gills, mouth, and gut lining form. The yolk sac becomes streamlined. When swim-up begins, glue secretion stops. The posterior swim bladder becomes inflated. During this stage, the fish is suspended in the water column, and the yolk is almost depleted. The anterior swim bladder forms. After initial feeding, median and pelvic fins develop, and the anterior swim bladder inflates.

References

* Cyprinid fish of North America Fish of the United States Freshwater fish of the Southeastern United States Fish described in 1868 Taxa named by Albert Günther Pteronotropis {{Leuciscinae-stub