Warrior shiner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Warrior shiner |
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The warrior shiner (Lythrurus alegnotus) is a special type of fish. It lives only in the state of Alabama in the United States.
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What Does the Warrior Shiner Look Like?
The warrior shiner is a small fish. It has a flat body, like it's been gently squeezed. It also has big eyes and dark lips and chin.
Its upper body is a light olive color. It has dark stripes and dots on its back. You can tell it apart from the blacktip shiner because the warrior shiner has a dark stripe along its side.
This fish grows to about 7.5 centimeters long. That's about the length of a crayon! It has eleven or twelve fins on its underside, called anal fins. When male warrior shiners are ready to breed, their fins turn a bright red color.
Warrior Shiner Family Tree
Scientists first thought the warrior shiner was just a type of subspecies of the blacktip shiner. A subspecies is like a close cousin that looks a bit different.
However, many experts now agree it is its own unique species. This means it's a distinct kind of fish, not just a variation of another.
Where Does the Warrior Shiner Live?
The warrior shiner lives in freshwater streams. These streams are usually small to medium in size. They don't flow very fast.
The bottom of these streams can be sandy or rocky. The shiner likes to live in deep pools of water. These pools are often found downstream from plants called water willows.
Most warrior shiners live in the Black Warrior River system in Alabama. You can also find them in other places in Alabama, like:
- Lost Creek in Walker County, Alabama
- The North River
- Yellow Creek
- Hurricane Creek in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
In some of these places, warrior shiners live alongside another type of shiner called Lythrurus bellus.
Protecting the Warrior Shiner
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) keeps track of animals around the world. They say the warrior shiner is "Near Threatened". This means it could become endangered if we don't protect it.
The area where this fish lives is smaller than 7,500 square kilometers. Also, many groups of warrior shiners have disappeared. This is because their stream homes are getting dirty or damaged.
One big problem is strip-mining. This is a way of digging up minerals from the ground. It can harm rivers and streams.
Even though it's "Near Threatened," the warrior shiner is not yet considered "vulnerable". This is because there are still more than ten groups of them living in different places. These groups are also not too spread out or separated.
However, the IUCN still suggests that we keep watching these fish. It's important to monitor their populations and their homes. This way, we can help make sure the warrior shiner stays healthy and safe for the future.
See also
In Spanish: Lythrurus alegnotus para niños
