Banff longnose dace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Banff longnose dace |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Leuciscidae |
| Genus: | Rhinichthys |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
†R. c. smithi
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| Trinomial name | |
| Rhinichthys cataractae smithi Nichols, 1916
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The Banff longnose dace (Rhinichthys cataractae smithi) was a very small fish. It was only about five cm long. This tiny fish was a special type of the eastern longnose dace. It lived only in a small marsh. This marsh was fed by two hot springs on Sulphur Mountain. This area is located in Banff National Park in Banff, Alberta.
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What Happened to the Banff Dace?
The Banff longnose dace is now extinct. This means it has completely disappeared from Earth. It was declared extinct in April 1987. Several things led to its disappearance.
Pollution of Their Home
A popular hot spring swimming pool was built near the dace's home. This was at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site. Over time, the pool's development caused pollution. This pollution harmed the dace's marsh habitat.
New Fish Moved In
In the 1920s, people introduced new fish into the marsh. They brought in mosquitofish. Later, other tropical fish and even aquarium plants were added. These new species could reproduce all year long in the warm marsh waters. The Banff longnose dace, however, only spawned once a year.
Competition and Danger
The new fish were a big problem for the dace. They competed for food. This meant less food for the dace. The new fish also ate the dace's unhatched eggs. This made it very hard for baby dace to survive.
Mixing of Genes
The few remaining Banff longnose dace started to mix with other fish. They bred with the Eastern longnose dace from the nearby Bow River. This mixing of genes is called hybridization. Scientists believe this changed the Banff subspecies' unique genetic makeup forever.
The Final Disappearance
In 1981, a study showed that the dace were in danger. Their home was being destroyed. New fish were also a big threat. By 1986, the Banff longnose dace had vanished. It was officially declared extinct in 1987 by COSEWIC. Scientists are still studying its classification. They want to understand more about this unique fish.
