Semotilus atromaculatus, Creek chub

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Semotilus atromaculatus (Mitchill, 1818)

Creek chub
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Semotilus atromaculatus
Male picture by Seelig, C.

Classification / Names Nombres comunes | Sinónimos | Catalog of Fishes(Género, Especie) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

> Cypriniformes (Carps) > Leuciscidae (Minnows) > Plagopterinae
Etymology: Semotilus: Greek, sema = banner (dorsal fin) + Greek, tilos = spotted; used by Rafinesque (Ref. 45335);  atromaculatus: From the words ater, meaning black; and maculatus, spotted (Ref. 10294).
More on author: Mitchill.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecología

; agua dulce demersal. Temperate; 0°C - 30°C (Ref. 35682); 55°N - 31°N

Distribución Países | Áreas FAO | Ecosistemas | Ocurrencias, apariciones | Point map | Introducciones | Faunafri

North America: most of east USA and southeast Canada in Atlantic, Great Lakes, Hudson Bay, Mississippi, and Gulf basins as far west as Saskatchewan, Wyoming, and Brazos River in Texas, but absent from Florida and south Georgia; isolated population in the upper Pecos and Canadian River systems, New Mexico. Introduced elsewhere in USA.

Tamaño / Peso / Age

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 30.3 cm TL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 10294); common length : 19.1 cm TL macho / no sexado; (Ref. 12193); edad máxima reportada: 8 años (Ref. 12193)

Short description Morfología | Morfometría

Radios blandos dorsales (total): 8. Semotilus atromaculatus is distinguished by having the following characters: body barely compressed at front, compressed at caudal peduncle; mouth pointed; 47-65 scales on lateral line; dorsal fin with 8 rays; large black spot at front of dorsal fin base, black caudal spot (not distinct in large individuals); large terminal mouth reaching past front of eye. Coloration consists of gray-brown above, dark stripe along back; herringbone lines on upper side in young; dusky black stripe (darkest on young) along olive-silver side, around snout and onto upper lip; black bar along back of gill cover; and orange at dorsal base, orange lower fins, blue on side of head, pink on lower half of head and body, and 6-12 large tubercles on head in breeding males (Ref. 86798).

Biología     Glosario (por ej. epibenthic)

Inhabits rocky and sandy pools of headwaters, creeks and small rivers (Ref. 5723, 86798). Mostly found in tiny, intermittent streams. Young feed on small aquatic invertebrates while adults consume small fish, crayfish and other large invertebrates (Ref. 10294). One of the most common fishes in eastern North America (Ref. 86798).

Life cycle and mating behavior Madurez | Reproducción | Puesta | Huevos | Fecundidad | Larva

Male digs a pit in the stream bottom by removing mouthful of gravel, guards the pit and attempts to attract females. Spawning occurs over the pit. Male guards the nest from intruders. As eggs are deposited in the pit, the male covers them with stones and excavates another pit immediately downstream. As spawning continues and the male covers the eggs, a long ridge of gravel develops.

Main reference Upload your references | Referencias | Coordinador | Colaboradores

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. (Ref. 86798)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)


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