Lahontan redside facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lahontan redside |
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The Lahontan redside (Richardsonius egregius) is a type of minnow or fish that lives in the Great Basin area. This region includes parts of eastern California and western Nevada. These fish are known for their bright colors, especially during their breeding season.
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Appearance and Colors
Lahontan redsides are famous for their amazing breeding colors. During this time, they have a bright red stripe on each side. This red stripe has a clear yellow border. At other times of the year, the stripe is still there. However, the red color is much lighter. Their back is usually olive-colored, and their belly is silvery.
These fish have a slender body shape. They have large eyes and a mouth at the very front of their head. Their dorsal fin has 7 to 8 rays. The anal fin has 8 to 10 rays. Their pectoral fins are quite long. They almost reach the base of the pelvic fins. The tail of the Lahontan redside is deeply forked.
Most adult Lahontan redsides are about 8 cm long. However, some can grow up to 17 cm.
Where They Live and What They Eat
Lahontan redsides live in many different places within their home range. They mostly eat small invertebrates, which are tiny creatures without backbones.
In streams, these fish often swim in groups near the surface. They like quiet pools. Here, they catch insects that float by. In lakes, they form groups in the littoral zone. This is the shallow area near the shore. They usually prefer to stay over rocky bottoms. They eat a mix of surface insects, insect larvae, and tiny crustaceans called plankton.
When winter comes and temperatures drop, they move to deeper water. They stay almost still near the bottom during this time.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
The spawning season for Lahontan redsides lasts from late May to August. The busiest time for them is in the second half of June.
They look for shallow water to lay their eggs. This can be along the edges of lakes. Or it can be in stream pools with sandy or gravel bottoms. They then form swirling groups of 20 to 100 fish. These groups gather just above the bottom.
When it's time to lay eggs, smaller groups swim down. They press themselves onto the bottom. The eggs then stick to the rocks and cracks.
Habitat and Conservation Status
The Lahontan redside's home range is linked to the old Lake Lahontan basin. This includes rivers like the Truckee River and Carson River. They are also found in the upper parts of the Feather River. They probably got there by accident, perhaps from bait buckets.
These fish are very common in their natural range. They are also good at spreading to new areas around the edges of their habitat. Because of this, they are not considered to be in danger.
Other Names
Many common names for this fish refer to its bright breeding colors. These names include redside minnow, red-striped shiner, and Lahontan redshiner.
- Peter B. Moyle, Inland Fishes of California (University of California Press, 2002), pp. 134–136
- Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2006). "Richardsonius egregius" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
See also
In Spanish: Richardsonius egregius para niños
