Fundulus dispar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fundulus dispar |
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Zygonectes dispar Agassiz, 1854 |
The Starhead topminnow (Fundulus dispar) is a small fish found in the United States. It lives in many different places, from Louisiana in the south all the way up to Michigan and Wisconsin in the north. You can find it in rivers like the Ouachita River and the Big Black River, as well as in the big Mississippi River and even parts of Lake Michigan.
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What's in a Name?
The scientific name for the Starhead topminnow is Fundulus dispar. This name comes from Latin words. Fundus means "bottom," and -ulus is a small ending, so it's like "little bottom." Dispar means "unlike" or "different." So, the name hints that this fish is a bit unique or different from others.
How to Spot a Starhead Topminnow
The Starhead topminnow has a light olive-tan color on its back and upper sides. Its lower sides and belly are lighter, often yellowish. This fish has special red to brown lines along its sides. Females usually have 6 to 8 lines, while males can have 3 to 13.
You might also notice a dark spot under its eye, which looks a bit like a teardrop. The fin on its back (called the dorsal fin) is located far back on its body. Adult Starhead topminnows are usually about 1.8 to 2.2 inches (47-55 mm) long. They have about 16 to 20 scales around their tail area, usually 18 to 20.
Where Starhead Topminnows Live
Habitat and Home
Starhead topminnows like to live in clear, calm waters. You can find them in lakes that were formed by glaciers, and in lakes, swamps, and marshes on floodplains. They especially like places with lots of plants underwater. These plants give them good places to hide and live.
What Starhead Topminnows Eat
Diet and Food Sources
The Starhead topminnow eats a variety of things. Its diet includes insects that live on land and in the water. They also eat small crustaceans, which are like tiny shrimp, and mollusks, which are like snails. Sometimes, they will also eat aquatic plants.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Spawning Habits
Starhead topminnows reproduce in beds of underwater plants. They lay their eggs in these plant-filled areas. Spawning, which is when the fish lay their eggs, happens from June through July.
See also
In Spanish: Fundulus dispar para niños
