Cherryfin shiner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cherryfin shiner |
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Minnilus rubripinnis Hay, 1881 |
The cherryfin shiner (Lythrurus roseipinnis) is a small, colorful fish. It lives in rivers and streams in the southeastern United States. You can find it in Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana. Scientists have studied its genes and found that there's more variety within this fish species than they first thought!
What It Looks Like
This fish has special black spots on the tips of its top (dorsal) and bottom (anal) fins. When male cherryfin shiners are ready to breed, their fins turn a bright red color. This is how they got their name, "cherryfin"!
The cherryfin shiner has pretty big eyes and a body that looks a bit flat from the sides. Its back is a light olive color with a dark stripe. It also has a dark stripe along the back half of its body and dark lips and chin.
Adult cherryfin shiners can grow up to 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. They usually have 11 or 12 rays on their anal fin and 36 to 49 scales along their side. This fish looks a lot like the pretty shiner. They live in similar areas, sometimes meeting north of Mobile Bay in southern Alabama, but usually they live in different places.
Where It Lives
The cherryfin shiner lives along the Gulf Coast. You can find it from eastern Louisiana, north of Lake Pontchartrain, all the way east through southern Mississippi, to southeastern Alabama near Mobile Bay.
In Mississippi, it also lives in the Yazoo River, Big Black River, and Bayou Pierre areas. These rivers are part of the larger Mississippi River system. One cherryfin shiner was even found in Coles Creek in Mississippi.
Its Home
The cherryfin shiner likes to live in the small streams and rivers that are at the beginning of larger river systems. It prefers places where the water flows at a medium speed. These areas often have small rapids (riffles) and pools of water with sandy or sand-and-gravel bottoms.
What It Eats and Does
This fish is active during the day. It mainly eats small insects that live in the water.
How It's Doing
The cherryfin shiner is a common fish, and its population seems to be doing well. It is not currently in danger.
