Gila longfin dace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gila longfin dace |
|
|---|---|
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cypriniformes |
| Family: | Leuciscidae |
| Genus: | Agosia |
| Species: |
A. chrysogaster
|
| Subspecies: |
A. c. chrysogaster
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Agosia chrysogaster chrysogaster Baird and Girard, 1853
|
|
The Gila longfin dace is a type of fish. It lives in Arizona. This fish is a subspecies of the longfin dace. Its scientific name is Agosia chrysogaster chrysogaster.
Contents
What Does the Gila Longfin Dace Look Like?
The Gila longfin dace has a special body shape. It's called "fusiform." This means it's wide in the middle and gets narrower at both ends. Think of a football! Its scales are small. Most Gila dace are about 3.5 inches long.
Their mouths are small and slanted. They have a blunt snout and head. The fish's "nostrils" (called nares) help direct water to its gills.
You can tell a Gila dace apart from other similar fish. It doesn't have dark spots on its top fin (dorsal fin). But it does have a big black spot near its tail fin (caudal fin). This fish is usually silvery-gray on top. Its belly is olive green. Unlike its relative, the Yaqui longfin dace, it doesn't have gold speckles.
Where Do Gila Longfin Dace Live?
The Gila longfin dace was first found in a few rivers. These include the Virgin River Basin, the Zuni River, and the Mimbres River. These areas make up most of where the fish lives. Their numbers are growing in the mountainous areas around the Mogollon Rim.
Their range has grown quickly. This is because of big climate changes in their habitat. They usually live in places lower than 4,900 feet. But some have been found higher, even above 6,660 feet.
Gila Longfin Dace Habitat
The Gila longfin dace can live in many different water temperatures. You can find them in hot desert streams. You can also find them in very cold mountain brooks. They like streams and brooks with sandy or gravelly bottoms.
They often choose spots with overhanging banks. These banks help hide them from predators and people. These fish prefer warmer water, around 75°F (23.9°C). They also like water that is about 0.6 feet (0.18 meters) deep. If water levels get low, they hide in mats of algae and plant debris in wetlands.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Gila longfin dace usually lay their eggs from September to December. In desert areas, they might even lay eggs in January. They can start having babies when they are just one year old.
When they lay eggs, they dig small dips in the sand. This helps keep their eggs safe. It protects them from other fish or animals that might disturb them. Studies show that bigger female fish lay more eggs. It's also thought that bigger male fish have more success finding mates.
How Gila Longfin Dace Survive
When rivers flood, a lot of dirt and sand can get stirred up. Gila dace swim directly into the currents during floods. This helps them avoid getting sediment in their gills.
If there's a drought, they find safe places in wetlands. They might hide under logs and stones to stay wet. These wetland areas are also good because they provide food. Gila dace are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They are also opportunistic feeders. This means they eat whatever food is available. They mostly eat detritus, which is decaying plant and animal matter. But they also eat small water bugs (invertebrates), tiny animals floating in the water (zooplankton), and different kinds of algae.
