Leucaspius delineatus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leucaspius delineatus |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Leucaspius
|
| Species: |
delineatus
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Leucaspius abruptus Heckel & Kner, 1858 |
|
The Leucaspius delineatus, often called the sunbleak, belica, or moderlieschen, is a type of freshwater fish. It belongs to the Cyprinidae family, which includes carps and minnows. Currently, it's the only species in its group, Leucaspius. Other fish once thought to be in this group have since been moved to different groups or combined with the sunbleak.
About the Sunbleak Fish
The sunbleak is a thin fish with a body that tapers towards its tail. It usually grows to be about 4 to 6 centimeters (about 1.5 to 2.5 inches) long. It rarely gets bigger than 10 centimeters (about 4 inches). This fish has a mouth that points upwards. It also has a short lateral line, which is a special sensory organ. This line runs for about seven to ten scales from its gill cover. The fin on its underside, called the anal fin, is short. It has between eleven and fourteen rays, which are like the bones that support the fin. The sunbleak is a shiny, silvery fish. It has a very bright band of color running along its side.
Where Sunbleaks Live
Sunbleaks live across most of temperate continental Europe. Their range just barely reaches Central Asia in the Caucasus region. In the south, you can find them up to the Pyrenees mountains and the Alpide belt.
The common name Moderlieschen comes from German. It sounds like "mouldy Lizzy," but it's actually a changed version of an older name. This older name, Mutterloseken, means "the little motherless one." This name comes from something interesting about the fish's eggs. Sunbleak eggs are sticky and can survive out of water for a long time. They are often laid on water plants. Sometimes, these sticky eggs attach to the feet of ducks or other birds. The birds then carry the eggs to new places, like ephemeral ponds. These are ponds that dry up sometimes. When these ponds dry, many young sunbleaks might be found there, even if no adult fish are present. This made people think the fish were "motherless."
Sunbleaks have also been brought to Great Britain. They seem to be living well in the Avalon Marshes in Somerset. Here, they have become an important food source for birds that eat fish.
